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Naoki Urasawa's Monster #1
Naoki Urasawa's Monster, Volume 1: Herr Dr. Tenma
An ice-cold killer is on the loose, and brilliant Dr. Kenzo Tenma is the only one who can stop him! Conspiracies, serial murders, and a scathing indictment of hospital politics are all masterfully woven together in this compelling manga thriller. Tenma risks his promising medical career to save the life of a critically wounded young boy. Unbeknownst to him, this child is destined for a terrible fate. Who could have known that Tenma would create a monster!
224 pages, Paperback
First published June 30, 1995
234 people are currently reading
11497 people want to read
About the author
Naoki Urasawa
350 books2,729 followersUrasawa Naoki (浦沢直樹) is a Japanese mangaka. He is perhaps best known for Monster (which drew praise from Junot Díaz, the 2008 Pulitzer Prize winner) and 20th Century Boys.
Urasawa's work often concentrates on intricate plotting, interweaving narratives, a deep focus on character development and psychological complexity. Urasawa has won the Shogakukan Manga Award, the Japan Media Arts Festival excellence award, the Kodansha Manga Award and the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. In 2008 Urasawa accepted a guest teaching post at Nagoya Zokei University.
Series list (not including short stories collections):
- Pineapple ARMY (パイナップルARMY) 1985-1988, written by Kazuya Kudo;
- YAWARA! 1986-1993;
- Master Keaton (MASTERキートン) 1988-1994, written by Hokusei Katsushika;
- Happy! 1993-1999
- MONSTER 1994-2001
- 20th Century Boys (20世紀少年) 1999-2006
- 21st Century Boys (21世紀少年) 2007
- PLUTO 2003-2009, based on Tezuka Osamu's Tetsuwan Atom
- BILLY BAT 2008-2016
- Master Keaton Remaster (MASTERキートン Reマスター) 2012-2014
- Mujirushi (夢印-MUJIRUSHI-) 2017-2018, collaboration with Musée du Louvre
- Asadora! (連続漫画小説 あさドラ!) 2018-ongoing
Urasawa's work often concentrates on intricate plotting, interweaving narratives, a deep focus on character development and psychological complexity. Urasawa has won the Shogakukan Manga Award, the Japan Media Arts Festival excellence award, the Kodansha Manga Award and the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. In 2008 Urasawa accepted a guest teaching post at Nagoya Zokei University.
Series list (not including short stories collections):
- Pineapple ARMY (パイナップルARMY) 1985-1988, written by Kazuya Kudo;
- YAWARA! 1986-1993;
- Master Keaton (MASTERキートン) 1988-1994, written by Hokusei Katsushika;
- Happy! 1993-1999
- MONSTER 1994-2001
- 20th Century Boys (20世紀少年) 1999-2006
- 21st Century Boys (21世紀少年) 2007
- PLUTO 2003-2009, based on Tezuka Osamu's Tetsuwan Atom
- BILLY BAT 2008-2016
- Master Keaton Remaster (MASTERキートン Reマスター) 2012-2014
- Mujirushi (夢印-MUJIRUSHI-) 2017-2018, collaboration with Musée du Louvre
- Asadora! (連続漫画小説 あさドラ!) 2018-ongoing
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 786 reviews
July 23, 2010
One of the most tense and frightening manga series of all time is also filled with unexpected heart, warmth, and optimism. Dr Kenzo Tenma has everything he could want; as an up-and-coming brilliant Japanese surgeon living in Germany, he has a promising career ahead of him. He's friendly, popular with his peers, and is even engaged to the hospital director's daughter, Eva. That all changes one night when two patients are brought into emergency simultaneously; one the city mayor, and the other a young boy dying from a gunshot wound to the head, apparently sustained when his entire family, except for his twin sister, was murdered in front of him. Defying the director, who wants him to save the more important mayor, Tenma instead chooses to operate on the boy and manages to save him... but the mayor dies. Even though his fiancé leaves him, and his position at the hospital is destroyed, Tenma believes he's done the right thing, and carries that in his heart.
Nine years later, that sacrifice may not have been the right thing to do after all. Because the boy has grown up to become a monster; a killer whose motives are as murky as they are terrifying. When Tenma suddenly finds himself implicated in a string of murders and realises what his decision brought about all those years ago, he goes on the run across Germany trying to track the killer down. But he might not be prepared for what he finds out; are monsters born?... or created?
Make no mistake, this is a LONG story, and what starts out as a seemingly simple murder mystery becomes a very complicated web of intrigue strung across decades. The actual depicted violence is actually relatively scarce within the narrative, which is more intent on trying to frighten you with the characters themselves and some incredibly tense and disturbing scenarios than trying to simply gross you out with gore. One of the more fascinating and unsettling characters is Inspector Lunge, an extremely strange man with unorthodox methods who is single-minded in his pursuit of Tenma.
Tenma himself makes for a wonderful protagonist who undergoes a transformation as the series progresses from a relatively naieve idealist. He's visibly dismayed and disappointed in the failings of some of the people he meets, but he can't stop himself from trying to save them, either. He's extremely likeable... and, for some, his constant white-knight complex might be a little annoying. No matter what happens, Tenma is always willing to put himself on the line and save others, which can get old after a while. Fortunately, the cast is so big that by the time the story inevitably cycles back around to Tenma, you'll be happy to see him again.
What's amazing about Monster is its willingness to revel in the entirety of what it means to be human; all the petty jealousies, all the insecurity, sure, but also all the kindness, love, and strength to be found in the most unlikely of places. The people Tenma meets in his travels are both good and bad, and the series is entirely willing to spend issues at a time exploring comparatively mundane scenarios (such as the brief time Tenma spends in a small country village with a disenchanted doctor) before returning to the main plot. If you're more interested in action, in fact, you might find Monster's slow attention to detail frustrating; there's a lot of pages given over just to conversations, and you can go a long time without seeing hide nor hair of a gun or a drop of blood. In a way, this makes the action sequences all the more intense when they happen.
Urasawa also illustrated the series, and the artwork is far and away some of the best you'll find in a serious title. The characters are where the art really shines; however simply drawn, they are incredibly expressive, unique, and widely varied. It's rare to find a manga series where the people actually look like people instead of perfect beautiful cartoons, and even the bit players in Urasawa's sprawling cast look genuine and interesting.
An incredible piece of fiction, Monster should be worth a read by anyone; not just fans of mysteries or thrillers, but anyone with an interest in an understanding of the complexities of the human heart and soul. Despite occasionally becoming a little convoluted, it stands as one of the best pieces of fiction I've ever read... manga or otherwise.
Nine years later, that sacrifice may not have been the right thing to do after all. Because the boy has grown up to become a monster; a killer whose motives are as murky as they are terrifying. When Tenma suddenly finds himself implicated in a string of murders and realises what his decision brought about all those years ago, he goes on the run across Germany trying to track the killer down. But he might not be prepared for what he finds out; are monsters born?... or created?
Make no mistake, this is a LONG story, and what starts out as a seemingly simple murder mystery becomes a very complicated web of intrigue strung across decades. The actual depicted violence is actually relatively scarce within the narrative, which is more intent on trying to frighten you with the characters themselves and some incredibly tense and disturbing scenarios than trying to simply gross you out with gore. One of the more fascinating and unsettling characters is Inspector Lunge, an extremely strange man with unorthodox methods who is single-minded in his pursuit of Tenma.
Tenma himself makes for a wonderful protagonist who undergoes a transformation as the series progresses from a relatively naieve idealist. He's visibly dismayed and disappointed in the failings of some of the people he meets, but he can't stop himself from trying to save them, either. He's extremely likeable... and, for some, his constant white-knight complex might be a little annoying. No matter what happens, Tenma is always willing to put himself on the line and save others, which can get old after a while. Fortunately, the cast is so big that by the time the story inevitably cycles back around to Tenma, you'll be happy to see him again.
What's amazing about Monster is its willingness to revel in the entirety of what it means to be human; all the petty jealousies, all the insecurity, sure, but also all the kindness, love, and strength to be found in the most unlikely of places. The people Tenma meets in his travels are both good and bad, and the series is entirely willing to spend issues at a time exploring comparatively mundane scenarios (such as the brief time Tenma spends in a small country village with a disenchanted doctor) before returning to the main plot. If you're more interested in action, in fact, you might find Monster's slow attention to detail frustrating; there's a lot of pages given over just to conversations, and you can go a long time without seeing hide nor hair of a gun or a drop of blood. In a way, this makes the action sequences all the more intense when they happen.
Urasawa also illustrated the series, and the artwork is far and away some of the best you'll find in a serious title. The characters are where the art really shines; however simply drawn, they are incredibly expressive, unique, and widely varied. It's rare to find a manga series where the people actually look like people instead of perfect beautiful cartoons, and even the bit players in Urasawa's sprawling cast look genuine and interesting.
An incredible piece of fiction, Monster should be worth a read by anyone; not just fans of mysteries or thrillers, but anyone with an interest in an understanding of the complexities of the human heart and soul. Despite occasionally becoming a little convoluted, it stands as one of the best pieces of fiction I've ever read... manga or otherwise.
May 25, 2025
Yo, el mayor fan de Monster. Uno de mis mangas preferidos, tanto en este formato como en el anime. De rodillas siempre ante tal obra maestra.
Es de esas pocas historias en las que no siento ningún temor ni rechazo a leerla las veces que sea o que quiera. No me aburro nunca y la disfruto tanto o más que la primera vez. Con personajes maravillosos desde los brutales principales hasta los muy formidables secundarios, terciarios, etcétera etcétera.
Naoki Urasawa además de ser un maestro a la hora de hilar una historia de misterio sabe juntar cada pequeña pieza del tablero y hacer que todos sus personajes sean importantes y cruciales en la historia, ya sea para aportar dilemas morales y debates importantísimos, pero sobre todo también están para resolver el enigma de una figura tan terrorífica como Johan (el gran villano y uno de los mejores que he tenido la oportunidad de disfrutar en la ficción).
Es uno de los mejores thriller psicológicos que se han creado y punto, sino que el mejor.
Es de esas pocas historias en las que no siento ningún temor ni rechazo a leerla las veces que sea o que quiera. No me aburro nunca y la disfruto tanto o más que la primera vez. Con personajes maravillosos desde los brutales principales hasta los muy formidables secundarios, terciarios, etcétera etcétera.
Naoki Urasawa además de ser un maestro a la hora de hilar una historia de misterio sabe juntar cada pequeña pieza del tablero y hacer que todos sus personajes sean importantes y cruciales en la historia, ya sea para aportar dilemas morales y debates importantísimos, pero sobre todo también están para resolver el enigma de una figura tan terrorífica como Johan (el gran villano y uno de los mejores que he tenido la oportunidad de disfrutar en la ficción).
Es uno de los mejores thriller psicológicos que se han creado y punto, sino que el mejor.
June 16, 2017
Captivating. Fast paced. Page turner.
Dilemmas faced by an ethical Doctor, in a dirty political environment full of favouritism.
Simplistic art and smooth flowing story. Only grudge is a cliffhanger ending.
This was my first attempt at Manga and I'm already hooked by it \m/
P.S.: Read it as a "twin" theme (thanks Sharadha). But the twins were only introduced here. Apparently they will capture centre stage in the next volume.
Dilemmas faced by an ethical Doctor, in a dirty political environment full of favouritism.
Simplistic art and smooth flowing story. Only grudge is a cliffhanger ending.
This was my first attempt at Manga and I'm already hooked by it \m/
P.S.: Read it as a "twin" theme (thanks Sharadha). But the twins were only introduced here. Apparently they will capture centre stage in the next volume.
June 10, 2024
3.5 stars
I'm back for a fifth time, and this time I tried something different after four failed attempts to read this well regarded manga that everyone absolutely enjoyed.
Thankfully, my plan to watch the anime first paid off. I watched the first few episodes in order to get through the first volume, and I believe I can now continue with both of them at the same time.
Regarding the plot, I think it has a fantastic beginning and an exciting premise, but to be honest, the manga is hard to read because of the panels and the size of the text. I believe this was the only thing that prevented me from finishing the first volume.
I believe I will be able to complete the remainder of the story now that I have overcome that challenge.
I'm back for a fifth time, and this time I tried something different after four failed attempts to read this well regarded manga that everyone absolutely enjoyed.
Thankfully, my plan to watch the anime first paid off. I watched the first few episodes in order to get through the first volume, and I believe I can now continue with both of them at the same time.
Regarding the plot, I think it has a fantastic beginning and an exciting premise, but to be honest, the manga is hard to read because of the panels and the size of the text. I believe this was the only thing that prevented me from finishing the first volume.
I believe I will be able to complete the remainder of the story now that I have overcome that challenge.
April 2, 2015
As a straight mystery manga, it had a solid beginning. I could get into Dr. Tenma's idealism and how people took advantage of him. As a setup, it allowed me to relax into the story, but little besides a string of murders at the end occurred, helping him rise to a real position of power in the hospital. It was kind of slow, but the pace is deliberate and character focused.
Why I am reading it is because I heard this was one of the best sociopathic murder stories ever written. Better than Death Note, even, and that's pretty high praise. So, we'll see.
Why I am reading it is because I heard this was one of the best sociopathic murder stories ever written. Better than Death Note, even, and that's pretty high praise. So, we'll see.
June 11, 2022
a blur, a masterpiece, an experience.
do you ever read a book for the first time and immediately feel a sense of wanting to re-read the book again…for the first time…while you are reading it…for the first time. those are the kind of stories that tip toe in the darkest hours of the night to keep you awake, yet also cling on to you through the long hours of the day by never letting your mind wander as you replay every panel again and again and again. and again. naoki urasawa has truly outdone himself. monster is the type of series that you do not want to miss a fraction of a second to experience. he has written a sensation that connects every single character, page, and dialogue from even the smallest of places. each minuscule line has a sense of purpose to convey a greater meaning, all to bridge the narrative to a whole. these novels were genuinely fucked up, whatever he was on while he wrote them, i need it. the art style itself elicits beautifully detailed scenes, gorgeous character depictions, and the best pacing i have ever seen in any manga. he has created an analysis on human behavior through the lenses of real people that do not align with any strict framework. instead, these characters are merely, disastrously, human. he delves into understanding the prominent context of mortal nature by bringing us a true ideal plot line of intrigue, affinities, and significant storytelling, alongside heartfelt relationships where we can’t help but root for the characters we see the most of ourselves in. the situations the characters find themselves surviving cause them to commit rash decisions that enlighten the reader on deeper, vulnerable, intrinsic motivations. the manga introduces a plethora of philosophical sentences, but my favorite has to be near the end when eva says something between the lines of “humans are designed so convieniently”. this quote can only be understood as realistic. many of the characters we witness are raw conclusions of horrific circumstance that transformed them into victims. these circumstances have conveniently occurred to mold each person to commit certain actions, to derive certain thoughts, and to devote towards certain beliefs.
in conclusion: please watch/read/consume monster.
(the anime was also incredibly perfect with the best soundtrack known to exist)
do you ever read a book for the first time and immediately feel a sense of wanting to re-read the book again…for the first time…while you are reading it…for the first time. those are the kind of stories that tip toe in the darkest hours of the night to keep you awake, yet also cling on to you through the long hours of the day by never letting your mind wander as you replay every panel again and again and again. and again. naoki urasawa has truly outdone himself. monster is the type of series that you do not want to miss a fraction of a second to experience. he has written a sensation that connects every single character, page, and dialogue from even the smallest of places. each minuscule line has a sense of purpose to convey a greater meaning, all to bridge the narrative to a whole. these novels were genuinely fucked up, whatever he was on while he wrote them, i need it. the art style itself elicits beautifully detailed scenes, gorgeous character depictions, and the best pacing i have ever seen in any manga. he has created an analysis on human behavior through the lenses of real people that do not align with any strict framework. instead, these characters are merely, disastrously, human. he delves into understanding the prominent context of mortal nature by bringing us a true ideal plot line of intrigue, affinities, and significant storytelling, alongside heartfelt relationships where we can’t help but root for the characters we see the most of ourselves in. the situations the characters find themselves surviving cause them to commit rash decisions that enlighten the reader on deeper, vulnerable, intrinsic motivations. the manga introduces a plethora of philosophical sentences, but my favorite has to be near the end when eva says something between the lines of “humans are designed so convieniently”. this quote can only be understood as realistic. many of the characters we witness are raw conclusions of horrific circumstance that transformed them into victims. these circumstances have conveniently occurred to mold each person to commit certain actions, to derive certain thoughts, and to devote towards certain beliefs.
in conclusion: please watch/read/consume monster.
(the anime was also incredibly perfect with the best soundtrack known to exist)
April 17, 2024
واحدة من أكثر سلاسل المانغا توترًا ورعبًا على الإطلاق مليئة أيضًا ب المشاعر والدفء والتفاؤل غير المتوقع. لدى الدكتور كينزو تينما كل ما يمكن أن يريده؛ بصفته جراحًا يابانيًا لامعًا صاعدًا يعيش في ألمانيا، أمامه مهنة واعدة. إنه ودود وذو شعبية بين أقرانه، بل إنه مخطوب لابنة مدير المستشفى، إيفا. يتغير كل ذلك في ليلة واحدة عندما يتم إحضار مريضين إلى الطوارئ في وقت واحد؛ أحدهما عمدة المدينة، والآخر صبي صغير يموت متأثراً بجراحه في الرأس، ويبدو أنه أصيب عندما قُتلت عائلته بأكملها، باستثناء أخته التوأم، أمامه. في تحدٍ للمدير، الذي يريد منه إنقاذ العمدة الأكثر أهمية، اختار تينما بدلاً من ذلك إجراء عملية جراحية للصبي وتمكن من إنقاذه... لكن العمدة يموت. على الرغم من أن خطيبته تركته، ودمر منصبه في المستشفى، يعتقد تينما أنه فعل الشيء الصحيح، ويحمل ذلك في قلبه.
وبعد مرور تسع سنوات، ربما لم تكن تلك التضحية هي الشيء الصحيح الذي ينبغي القيام به بعد كل شيء. لأن الصبي كبر ليصبح وحشا؛ قاتل دوافعه غامضة بقدر ما هي مرعبة. عندما يجد تينما نفسه فجأة متورطًا في سلسلة من جرائم القتل ويدرك ما أحدثه قراره منذ كل تلك السنوات الماضية، فإنه يهرب عبر ألمانيا محاولًا تعقب القاتل. لكنه قد لا يكون مستعداً لما يكتشفه.
واحدة من افضل الاعمال في عالم المانغا من حيث الالغاز و الالتواءات في الأحداث قرأتها في حياتي 👌🏼🔥
شخصيات معقدة و رهيبة تجعلك في حالة من التساؤل طواااال الوقت ...
شاهدت الانمي ، واحد من أفضل الأنميات التي رأيتها 🔥🖤
وبعد مرور تسع سنوات، ربما لم تكن تلك التضحية هي الشيء الصحيح الذي ينبغي القيام به بعد كل شيء. لأن الصبي كبر ليصبح وحشا؛ قاتل دوافعه غامضة بقدر ما هي مرعبة. عندما يجد تينما نفسه فجأة متورطًا في سلسلة من جرائم القتل ويدرك ما أحدثه قراره منذ كل تلك السنوات الماضية، فإنه يهرب عبر ألمانيا محاولًا تعقب القاتل. لكنه قد لا يكون مستعداً لما يكتشفه.
واحدة من افضل الاعمال في عالم المانغا من حيث الالغاز و الالتواءات في الأحداث قرأتها في حياتي 👌🏼🔥
شخصيات معقدة و رهيبة تجعلك في حالة من التساؤل طواااال الوقت ...
شاهدت الانمي ، واحد من أفضل الأنميات التي رأيتها 🔥🖤
October 6, 2012
Review for the whole series.
I seriously cannot understand why everyone loves this. There are awfully many plot holes (characters knowing things they shouldn't know without explanation etc.), many characters behave irrationally (the whole story is based around Tenma's constantly switching irrational choices!), its central plot elements are very silly ideas (), it is very unfocused and long-winded constantly mixing relevant and completely irrelevant things and putting the task to figure out which is which to the reader (something a good mystery series should never do imho), and the payoff isn't anything spectacular (I do not need to read 10000 pages of mostly unrelated events and chitchats to figure out people can have varying views of morality and human nature. Seriously).
Recommended to pretentious pseudo-intellectuals only.
I seriously cannot understand why everyone loves this. There are awfully many plot holes (characters knowing things they shouldn't know without explanation etc.), many characters behave irrationally (the whole story is based around Tenma's constantly switching irrational choices!), its central plot elements are very silly ideas (), it is very unfocused and long-winded constantly mixing relevant and completely irrelevant things and putting the task to figure out which is which to the reader (something a good mystery series should never do imho), and the payoff isn't anything spectacular (I do not need to read 10000 pages of mostly unrelated events and chitchats to figure out people can have varying views of morality and human nature. Seriously).
Recommended to pretentious pseudo-intellectuals only.
August 15, 2021
This was pretty good.
Dr Kenzo Tenma, a surgeon at Eisler Memorial hospital is faring well in his career but when he realizes he is not able to live to his main oath operandi, he disobeys an order of the director whose daughter he is also dating but that leads him to negative side of him and it leads him to a path of destruction because of politics. The boy he saved Johan Liebert fulfills his wish and when sudden murders happen in the hospital, he is bumped to high position but little does he know about how these things are connected. But 9 years later when a man who he saved is under threat by a guy whose killing him, Dr Tenma finds the killer and what he finds is shocking and changes his world forever.
This was so well done and like wow the twists and turns and how it starts with such great way and becomes this dark meditation on hospital politics and like sheds important things about the doctors and I love how the writer showcases the character of Tenma and his gradual breaking down when he discovers all this and when Johan is confronted and things fall into place, its this amazing interaction. "It was your wish, wasn't it" and sets the stage for one of the best antagonists ever and I love the excitement for that.
The writer is a master at his work and I am excited to read the series. Plus the art is so cool and every page like hinting at big things to come and the excitement level is just increasing for me. Plus I like the character of Tenma and I can see him getting down that dark road which is challenge and provides great character development. Plus the Inspector Lunge character is interesting. Overall pretty good read.
Dr Kenzo Tenma, a surgeon at Eisler Memorial hospital is faring well in his career but when he realizes he is not able to live to his main oath operandi, he disobeys an order of the director whose daughter he is also dating but that leads him to negative side of him and it leads him to a path of destruction because of politics. The boy he saved Johan Liebert fulfills his wish and when sudden murders happen in the hospital, he is bumped to high position but little does he know about how these things are connected. But 9 years later when a man who he saved is under threat by a guy whose killing him, Dr Tenma finds the killer and what he finds is shocking and changes his world forever.
This was so well done and like wow the twists and turns and how it starts with such great way and becomes this dark meditation on hospital politics and like sheds important things about the doctors and I love how the writer showcases the character of Tenma and his gradual breaking down when he discovers all this and when Johan is confronted and things fall into place, its this amazing interaction. "It was your wish, wasn't it" and sets the stage for one of the best antagonists ever and I love the excitement for that.
The writer is a master at his work and I am excited to read the series. Plus the art is so cool and every page like hinting at big things to come and the excitement level is just increasing for me. Plus I like the character of Tenma and I can see him getting down that dark road which is challenge and provides great character development. Plus the Inspector Lunge character is interesting. Overall pretty good read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2016
This was an enjoyable 4 star manga. A crime thriller mystery with hospital politics.
I read a lot of horror manga and they usually are really weird and not that scary. This manga wasn't scary either but it had a great mystery. I had a feeling I knew who the killer was, but didn't know how the killings were happening.
Dr. Kenzo Tenma is a neurosurgeon. He has just transferred from his home in Japan to a prestigious Eisler Memorial Hospital in Germany.
Dr. Tenma moved from Japan to Germany because his brother has taken over the family hospital in Japan. Kenzo wants to move up in the medical field and wants to write research papers. He thinks he has found the perfect place.
Not only is Dr. Tenma in favor with the director at the hospital, but he is engaged to his daughter Eva. What Kenzo soon realizes is that the Director is only in it for the money. Human lives mean nothing to him. Eva thinks people's lives aren't created equal.
Dr. Tenma decides to go against the director's orders and saves a little boy's life instead of the mayor who was going to give a generous donation to the hospital. This not only decides his fate in the eyes of the director, but also with his fiancee. He loses everything....or does he?
This is the point when the manga goes from 'General Hospital' t.v. drama to a real crime mystery.
I was so enraged with how Kenzo was treated at the beginning. Hate for the money grubbing director and his daughter was real.
Vol:1 is left on a dramatic cliff hanger. What will happen with Dr. Tenma? Will he continue on with his career? Will he stay in Germany??? Can't wait to read Vol:2.
I read a lot of horror manga and they usually are really weird and not that scary. This manga wasn't scary either but it had a great mystery. I had a feeling I knew who the killer was, but didn't know how the killings were happening.
Dr. Kenzo Tenma is a neurosurgeon. He has just transferred from his home in Japan to a prestigious Eisler Memorial Hospital in Germany.
Dr. Tenma moved from Japan to Germany because his brother has taken over the family hospital in Japan. Kenzo wants to move up in the medical field and wants to write research papers. He thinks he has found the perfect place.
Not only is Dr. Tenma in favor with the director at the hospital, but he is engaged to his daughter Eva. What Kenzo soon realizes is that the Director is only in it for the money. Human lives mean nothing to him. Eva thinks people's lives aren't created equal.
Dr. Tenma decides to go against the director's orders and saves a little boy's life instead of the mayor who was going to give a generous donation to the hospital. This not only decides his fate in the eyes of the director, but also with his fiancee. He loses everything....or does he?
This is the point when the manga goes from 'General Hospital' t.v. drama to a real crime mystery.
I was so enraged with how Kenzo was treated at the beginning. Hate for the money grubbing director and his daughter was real.
Vol:1 is left on a dramatic cliff hanger. What will happen with Dr. Tenma? Will he continue on with his career? Will he stay in Germany??? Can't wait to read Vol:2.
December 10, 2008
One of my first experiences with Urasawa's work. The story is enthralling, following the story of Dr. Tenma, a Japanese brain surgeon working in Germany. Faced with a moral dilemma regarding the value and equality of life, Dr. Tenma makes a decision that will forever change his life.
This story has more twists and turns than many other suspense stories, and while it has slow parts at times, the entire story weaves together like a tapestry to reveal the greater story; the tragedy of Kinderheim and those whose lives have been forever changed by it.
Urasawa's story telling is top notched in this work, all the characters are well developed, and the losses and tribulations of their lives become yours as you identify with any number of the characters.
Many people disregard manga as a medium for story telling, particularly when dealing with adult topics such as much of Urasawa's work does. However, Urasawa tells a story in a much more complex and rich method than many other fiction writers do, and this work is no exception. This is a work that any fan of mystery and fiction can enjoy, and truly deserves to be read.
This story has more twists and turns than many other suspense stories, and while it has slow parts at times, the entire story weaves together like a tapestry to reveal the greater story; the tragedy of Kinderheim and those whose lives have been forever changed by it.
Urasawa's story telling is top notched in this work, all the characters are well developed, and the losses and tribulations of their lives become yours as you identify with any number of the characters.
Many people disregard manga as a medium for story telling, particularly when dealing with adult topics such as much of Urasawa's work does. However, Urasawa tells a story in a much more complex and rich method than many other fiction writers do, and this work is no exception. This is a work that any fan of mystery and fiction can enjoy, and truly deserves to be read.
October 17, 2016
Ha sido empezar este primer tomo y no soltarlo hasta el final.
La verdad es que no sabía muy bien qué esperar de este manga, no tenía muchas expectativas, pero ha conseguido mantenerme enganchada al cien por cien.
Aunque la historia en sí ya me estaba gustando, el final ha sido tan sorprendente e inesperado que no he podido evitar pensar: ''vale, ahora empieza lo bueno de verdad'', así que, ¡con muchas ganas de empezar el segundo tomo!
La verdad es que no sabía muy bien qué esperar de este manga, no tenía muchas expectativas, pero ha conseguido mantenerme enganchada al cien por cien.
Aunque la historia en sí ya me estaba gustando, el final ha sido tan sorprendente e inesperado que no he podido evitar pensar: ''vale, ahora empieza lo bueno de verdad'', así que, ¡con muchas ganas de empezar el segundo tomo!
October 20, 2016
Ummm okay that was freaking amazing and I'm so pissed my library doesn't have anymore copies so I definitely will be investing in purchasing this series. If you are into horror, suspense, and more I would definitely give this manga a try!! It was so good I don't even have the words to describe how much I enjoyed it.
June 16, 2023
the first time i tried to read this book, it was a total failure and couldn’t get pass the first page. the second time around, i would say i am definitely intrigued but i just don’t like the fact that ‼️‼️‼️‼️very minor spoiler ‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️
we know who the “monster” is from the first volume. i didn’t expect that and that has lessened my excitement for the rest of the volumes :(.
we know who the “monster” is from the first volume. i didn’t expect that and that has lessened my excitement for the rest of the volumes :(.
November 29, 2021
4/5 Monster is a pretty renowned series by a renowned manga author. I personally have not read any of Urusawa’s works prior to this nor have I watched any of the anime based on them.
I enjoyed this first volume it has a very intriguing plot and some interesting characters. Dr. Tenma is a Japanese Doctor practicing in Germany who finds himself inexplicably intwined in several Murder investigations. Some of which personally benefitted him making him a prime suspect.
The art is well done and the plot is pretty tight. Recommended if you’re a fan of mysteries or suspense manga.
Read for November 2021’s Manga of the Month for The Manga Squad. Not sure if I’ll keep going with this one at the moment but I did enjoy this volume.
Read 11/29/21
I enjoyed this first volume it has a very intriguing plot and some interesting characters. Dr. Tenma is a Japanese Doctor practicing in Germany who finds himself inexplicably intwined in several Murder investigations. Some of which personally benefitted him making him a prime suspect.
The art is well done and the plot is pretty tight. Recommended if you’re a fan of mysteries or suspense manga.
Read for November 2021’s Manga of the Month for The Manga Squad. Not sure if I’ll keep going with this one at the moment but I did enjoy this volume.
Read 11/29/21
February 2, 2015
Gripping, gulp-it-down, thriller manga in which conscience-stricken but brilliant Doctor Tenma chooses his principles over his career, only to discover that he may have made a terrible mistake. A theme emerging is obligation - Tenma rejects, on principle, the web of political favour he's enmeshed in within the hospital, only to find himself the unwitting beneficiary of a far darker obligation. As with Urasawa's 20th Century Boys, a massive reason to read is his sheer skill as a cartoonist of faces - his ability to capture so quickly the distinctive personalities of the hospital's middle-aged power players is a joy (and a great help with the storytelling).
November 29, 2015
Creepy as hell. Great psychological thriller
September 2, 2023
The best manga ever?
also, why's it so underrated :/
also, why's it so underrated :/
November 21, 2013
I haven't yet finished reading this series but the first 5-6 books are fascinating.
The artwork is wonderful and am hoping the remaining books I have ordered will come through soon so I can find out what happens to Dr Tenma!
The story does a great job of building the tensions, and the characters are unique and interesting - the 'Monster' of the story is believably chilling in a subtle and inhuman way.
This series is definitely worth reading, especially for those who write off manga as kid's books or girls with big eyes and pastel coloured hair. It shows that manga is a medium not a genre of it's own, and manga can just as easily handle a tense psychotic thriller story, with fabulous black and white lineart which captures the atmosphere in a realistic manner, with nary a unicorn or fairy wing in sight.
Later - After a long and difficult search (the series is out of print, and everybody seems to be missing some books in the middle of the series as if a box fell of a ship at some point and was never replaced) I finally managed to purchase the rest of the series.
The artwork remains flawless throughout the entire series, and the series is tense right up until the end. The finale might be a teensy bit flat, but overall I still enjoyed the series, and the unique characters is has created (even if they can be a little stereotypical at times).
But fair warning - DO NOT start this series unless you are sure of being able to purchase/acquire the rest of the series. While the books at the beginning and end are easy to buy cheaply, starting around volume 7 they are very hard to get, even second hand. I managed to get the missing volumes for around $30 each second-hand, but it took a few months of searching, and their condition wasn't great. The better quality second hand books are selling for over $100 each. So be sure of your supply before you start reading or you might find yourself caught out mid-series.
The artwork is wonderful and am hoping the remaining books I have ordered will come through soon so I can find out what happens to Dr Tenma!
The story does a great job of building the tensions, and the characters are unique and interesting - the 'Monster' of the story is believably chilling in a subtle and inhuman way.
This series is definitely worth reading, especially for those who write off manga as kid's books or girls with big eyes and pastel coloured hair. It shows that manga is a medium not a genre of it's own, and manga can just as easily handle a tense psychotic thriller story, with fabulous black and white lineart which captures the atmosphere in a realistic manner, with nary a unicorn or fairy wing in sight.
Later - After a long and difficult search (the series is out of print, and everybody seems to be missing some books in the middle of the series as if a box fell of a ship at some point and was never replaced) I finally managed to purchase the rest of the series.
The artwork remains flawless throughout the entire series, and the series is tense right up until the end. The finale might be a teensy bit flat, but overall I still enjoyed the series, and the unique characters is has created (even if they can be a little stereotypical at times).
But fair warning - DO NOT start this series unless you are sure of being able to purchase/acquire the rest of the series. While the books at the beginning and end are easy to buy cheaply, starting around volume 7 they are very hard to get, even second hand. I managed to get the missing volumes for around $30 each second-hand, but it took a few months of searching, and their condition wasn't great. The better quality second hand books are selling for over $100 each. So be sure of your supply before you start reading or you might find yourself caught out mid-series.
August 1, 2010
Can I ever really explain how much I love this Manga? No. It's on an entirely different world of it's own in which I have no experience writing about, but I will try. It isn't simply a Manga, it's everything you've ever wanted. It's expands on all specters of the world and delves deeply into the dimensions of life; mentally, spiritually and emotionally. I have yet to come across another like it and I'm sure I never will.
Don't believe in anything I've said? Well it's one of those experience-to-understand things. And it truly is a wondrous experience from the very first to last page.
It glues your hands to its covers and forces your mind to turn each page with a feeling of hesitance overcome by the Need to know. It's scary, and not merely because of the basic plot and shadowy characters, but because it coerces us to question ourselves and the very existence of our humanity.
Can one thing really make us decide against our human nature and completely change our world?
Just as Dr. Tenma is starting to realize this we are then faced with more questions: Are people really willing to do anything to bring back that humanity? And if so, is it a waste of time?
And the most important question of all which may very well answer all the above: Once someone loses their humanity, their very bases of living, do they really become a "Monster'?
Don't believe in anything I've said? Well it's one of those experience-to-understand things. And it truly is a wondrous experience from the very first to last page.
It glues your hands to its covers and forces your mind to turn each page with a feeling of hesitance overcome by the Need to know. It's scary, and not merely because of the basic plot and shadowy characters, but because it coerces us to question ourselves and the very existence of our humanity.
Can one thing really make us decide against our human nature and completely change our world?
Just as Dr. Tenma is starting to realize this we are then faced with more questions: Are people really willing to do anything to bring back that humanity? And if so, is it a waste of time?
And the most important question of all which may very well answer all the above: Once someone loses their humanity, their very bases of living, do they really become a "Monster'?
May 15, 2016
--- Monster 1-18 ---
Plot: Rumit dan penggambaran situasinya benar-benar bikin bergidik.
Gambar: Ok
Penokohan: Karakterisasi tokohnya menurutku matang.
Serasa tidak cukup dengan komiknya, saya sampai melahap pula versi adaptasi anime-nya yang tidak kalah menakutkan batin. Bahkan ending song-nya juga bikin merinding disko! (Maaf ya, siapapun penyanyinya). Monster menyajikan kisah mengenai protagonis utama kita sebagai seorang dokter bedah. Tapi takdirnya mulai bergerak-- saat menangani operasi seorang anak. Kejadian aneh dan mengerikan yang terjadi sesudahnya adalah hal yang mengantarkan protagonis utama kita ke arah yang benar-benar berbeda...
Rumit dan menakutkan seperti karya Urasawa sensei pada umumnya (ah, tapi saat itu saya cuma membaca Monster dan 20 Century Boy). Kurasa Urasawa sensei pandai memainkan genre psikologi, misteri, dan... horor (dalam banyak artian). Saya salut dengan ceritanya, dengan gambarnya yang bikin tambah merinding, dengan segala bumbu yang bikin saya bertanya-tanya dan menginginkan kejelasan.
Saya suka dengan beberapa tokohnya termasuk Dieter^^. Pokoknya karya Urasawa sensei yang ini benar-benar jempolan, salah satu komik dengan plot hebat dan tak lekang oleh waktu.
Mau dapat sensasi bonus? Dengarkan ending song anime-nya ^^
[10/10]
Plot: Rumit dan penggambaran situasinya benar-benar bikin bergidik.
Gambar: Ok
Penokohan: Karakterisasi tokohnya menurutku matang.
Serasa tidak cukup dengan komiknya, saya sampai melahap pula versi adaptasi anime-nya yang tidak kalah menakutkan batin. Bahkan ending song-nya juga bikin merinding disko! (Maaf ya, siapapun penyanyinya). Monster menyajikan kisah mengenai protagonis utama kita sebagai seorang dokter bedah. Tapi takdirnya mulai bergerak-- saat menangani operasi seorang anak. Kejadian aneh dan mengerikan yang terjadi sesudahnya adalah hal yang mengantarkan protagonis utama kita ke arah yang benar-benar berbeda...
Rumit dan menakutkan seperti karya Urasawa sensei pada umumnya (ah, tapi saat itu saya cuma membaca Monster dan 20 Century Boy). Kurasa Urasawa sensei pandai memainkan genre psikologi, misteri, dan... horor (dalam banyak artian). Saya salut dengan ceritanya, dengan gambarnya yang bikin tambah merinding, dengan segala bumbu yang bikin saya bertanya-tanya dan menginginkan kejelasan.
Saya suka dengan beberapa tokohnya termasuk Dieter^^. Pokoknya karya Urasawa sensei yang ini benar-benar jempolan, salah satu komik dengan plot hebat dan tak lekang oleh waktu.
Mau dapat sensasi bonus? Dengarkan ending song anime-nya ^^
[10/10]
September 9, 2015
This was an excellent piece! I found it incredibly gripping and hard to put down (I think I read the entire thing in only an hour or two!) I loved Naoki Urasawa after reading PLUTO: Naoki Urasawa x Ozamu Tezuka, Band 001, and have been meaning to read this series for a long time. I'm so glad I started, because it is excellent! The mood is just perfect, and it builds up the ultimate moral and ethical dilemma: In a situation where you have to choose between two lives, which do you save? And what happens if the person you saved grows up to become a monster? Is that your fault? Are you responsible? And how do you stop him?
July 23, 2017
Un doctor es obligado a dejar la operación de un niño para atender a un político. El niño atendido por otro muere y le queda una culpa enorme. Poco tiempo después se repite la situación y esta vez desoye las autoridades y salva al niño, el político muere. Aparte de traerle problemas con la justicia y el rencor del poder el niño salvado era un residente de un reformatorio experimental y resulta ser con los años un asesino de sangre fría, un ser de puro mal que el doctor busca rectificar culpándose por dejar vivo a semejante bestia.
August 15, 2017
Edit: Here's a spoiler free review of the entire series! https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I really enjoyed the first volume of this new Manga series! It has such an interesting plot and I think the best part is the setting. I absolutely adore that the setting is hospitals and especially in Germany. I will say I found the mystery of this first volume predictable, but I can totally see this going in an amazing direction later in the series.
I gave it 4 stars for a slow start, but I can definitely see this improving.
I really enjoyed the first volume of this new Manga series! It has such an interesting plot and I think the best part is the setting. I absolutely adore that the setting is hospitals and especially in Germany. I will say I found the mystery of this first volume predictable, but I can totally see this going in an amazing direction later in the series.
I gave it 4 stars for a slow start, but I can definitely see this improving.
June 15, 2008
Urasawa's use of suspense is second to none. A complete and utter piece of genius, Monster gives proof not just to readers but to creators of manga and graphic novels that this medium is ready to be used and abused for much grander things than we've seen before.
A complete masterwork that'll leave you aching for Viz to finish releasing the series.
A complete masterwork that'll leave you aching for Viz to finish releasing the series.
October 8, 2024
La première fois que je l’avais lu (2019), je n’avais pas du tout accroché à l’histoire ainsi qu’au dessin, j’avais trouvé ça particulier et étrange.
La seconde lecture est beaucoup mieux, je pense que je n’avais peut être pas assez « d’expérience » dans la lecture du manga pour apprécier cette œuvre ! Hâte de lire la suite (merci Théo btw pour le cadeau)
La seconde lecture est beaucoup mieux, je pense que je n’avais peut être pas assez « d’expérience » dans la lecture du manga pour apprécier cette œuvre ! Hâte de lire la suite (merci Théo btw pour le cadeau)
August 6, 2024
Damn. This was really really good.
November 8, 2023
چی بگم از این مانگا؟ از این داستان پردازی، از این کاراکترها و از این دیالوگا؟ فکر نمیکردم هیچوقت مانگایی به خوبی برزرک بخونم. الان روی ابرام :))
February 6, 2017
There are good storytellers and there are great storytellers... and then there's Naoki Urasawa! Urasawa is a master-level spinner of tales, and while I consider 20th Century Boys to be his greatest series, Monster is perhaps easier to review.
There were once perfect little twins born from a Nazi breeding experiment. One was put into an institution where young children were psychologically manipulated. He became a terrible monster.
Monster is one of the few manga series that I've ever found to be truly creepy. The hero of the story is Dr. Tenma, a brilliant brain surgeon with a bright future. When he's faced with the moral dilemma of saving a young child or an important politician, he puts his career in jeopardy by choosing to save the little boy. Soon after, he realizes that that little boy he saved is some kind of psychopathic killer whose crimes Tenma is framed for.
There's an old proverb, I think from China, that says if you save someone's life, you then become responsible for it. Tenma takes this to heart and goes fugitive, spending the rest of the story tracking down the mysterious little boy to try to stop his horrors, and uncovers more and more of the boy's past along the way.
I could try to describe the chilling dread, the mystery and suspense that Urasawa so deftly creates, but instead I'll give you a few scenes:
***Read RIGHT to LEFT***
<---<---<--- this way <---<---<---
Johan is the little boy, and Anna is his twin sister. All of Urasawa's characters are well developed; he is one of the few manga artists who aren't afraid to show human weakness in their characters. He keeps you guessing as to which of his characters are supposed to be the good guys, and which the villains.
I can't recommend Monster highly enough to anyone who likes good -no, incredible- story-telling. It's intriguing and dark enough to be truly scary. There's violence, but nothing explicit or graphic. The story isn't about gore and bloodshed, it's about the psychology and morality of man.
At 18 volumes, it's short for a series that packs as much story as it does. If you've never read a manga in your life, let this be the one you try first. If you're already a manga/graphic novel-reader, you can't miss this one.
There were once perfect little twins born from a Nazi breeding experiment. One was put into an institution where young children were psychologically manipulated. He became a terrible monster.
Monster is one of the few manga series that I've ever found to be truly creepy. The hero of the story is Dr. Tenma, a brilliant brain surgeon with a bright future. When he's faced with the moral dilemma of saving a young child or an important politician, he puts his career in jeopardy by choosing to save the little boy. Soon after, he realizes that that little boy he saved is some kind of psychopathic killer whose crimes Tenma is framed for.
There's an old proverb, I think from China, that says if you save someone's life, you then become responsible for it. Tenma takes this to heart and goes fugitive, spending the rest of the story tracking down the mysterious little boy to try to stop his horrors, and uncovers more and more of the boy's past along the way.
I could try to describe the chilling dread, the mystery and suspense that Urasawa so deftly creates, but instead I'll give you a few scenes:
***Read RIGHT to LEFT***
<---<---<--- this way <---<---<---
Johan is the little boy, and Anna is his twin sister. All of Urasawa's characters are well developed; he is one of the few manga artists who aren't afraid to show human weakness in their characters. He keeps you guessing as to which of his characters are supposed to be the good guys, and which the villains.
I can't recommend Monster highly enough to anyone who likes good -no, incredible- story-telling. It's intriguing and dark enough to be truly scary. There's violence, but nothing explicit or graphic. The story isn't about gore and bloodshed, it's about the psychology and morality of man.
At 18 volumes, it's short for a series that packs as much story as it does. If you've never read a manga in your life, let this be the one you try first. If you're already a manga/graphic novel-reader, you can't miss this one.
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