Comments on: *Naoki Urasawa’s Monster Book 18 — Recommended

By: Naoki Urasawa’s Monster Anime Coming to Syfy » Manga Worth Reading

Naoki Urasawa’s Monster Anime Coming to Syfy » Manga Worth Reading — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 18:01:54 +0000

[...] of the best manga of 2008, Naoki Urasawa’s Monster, will debut in animated form on Syfy on October 12. The former Sci-Fi Network is running [...]

By: Viz Anime Coming on Funimation Channel » Comics Worth Reading

Viz Anime Coming on Funimation Channel » Comics Worth Reading — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 00:18:32 +0000

[...] on popular manga will be coming to the FUNimation Channel later this year: Nana, Honey and Clover, Monster, Buso Renkin (about a guy who fights monsters with his heart replaced with an alchemical device), [...]

By: Lissa

Lissa — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 02:48:57 +0000

I love that you included that quote. It was one of the most memorable for me as well but I couldn’t for the patience-of-me find it in the book while I was writing up my thoughts on the series’ end.

Lots of great thoughts shared by both you and the commenters as well. I’m so glad I finally finished the series so I can now go back and read these posts.

By: *Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka Book 1 — Recommended » Comics Worth Reading

*Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka Book 1 — Recommended » Comics Worth Reading — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:17:18 +0000

[...] authors; in fact, all of his books are now on my must-read list. I’m definitely going to read Monster as I’m waiting for new volumes of Pluto to come [...]

By: Best Manga of 2008 » Comics Worth Reading

Best Manga of 2008 » Comics Worth Reading — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 12:30:49 +0000

[...] thrilling Naoki Urasawa’s Monster ended in December, although we’re still talking about what the conclusion [...]

By: Johanna

Johanna — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 22:11:05 +0000

Ha ha ha. That’s a better reason for me to be considered scary. The names mean “God is gracious”, so maybe it was selected ironically.

I like your interpretations. Very nice explanation.

By: Nick

Nick — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 21:58:25 +0000

Interesting theories, I must admit I never considered Tenma having multiple personalities. Johan simply getting up and starting to kill and scheme again doesn’t seem likely to me, however. The final chapter (revealing titled “The Real Monster”, hinting that Johan, in fact, is not the true monster) suggests that Johan is not inherently evil and that he finds closure from learning his real name.

As for the final scene and Johan’s disappearance, I interpreted it to be symbolic, not literal. Rather than physically leaving the room, I assumed it meant that Johan had found some sort peace and what had been driving him was no longer there. The Monster has ceased to exist. To me, Johan being “gone” implies that the evil in him is “gone” as well. So I have a more optimistic/redemption take on the ending like Johanna.

On an unrelated note, I just noticed how your name can spell both Johan and Anna. Scary!

By: Johanna

Johanna — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 23:02:49 +0000

Oh, yeah, that was one of the serial killers being interviewed.

So you’re leaning towards the idea that NO ONE is heroic, then? That someone who gives up his life to stop evil is secretly evil? That sounds like a DC comic idea!

By: mark thorpe

mark thorpe — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:43:07 +0000

HIMSELF! No, just thought I’d throw the idea out there. Who knows what was going on in his warped mind. He could’ve been operating on anybody. I realize that the idea is out there, but I can’t help but remember a part in the book where someone looks at a picture of Johann and, struggling to remember the face, takes out a black pen and colors in the hair with black ink. Anyway, I need to let this go.

By: Johanna

Johanna — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:37:46 +0000

That was the inspector’s theory at one point, but I think the scenes of Tenma operating don’t make much sense – if he was Johan, who was he operating on?

By: mark thorpe

mark thorpe — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:38:27 +0000

spoiler:

Maybe it’s just me but I thought that the last shot looking out of the window at Tenma walking away and then seeing the empty bed represented the thought that Tenma was Johann. Tenma got out of the hospital bed, walked away, therefore; bed empty. Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but I know that this idea was expressed earlier in the story–that Tenma had multiple personalities.

By: Johanna

Johanna — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:37:49 +0000

Ah. Thanks for explaining. I didn’t see it as “evil continuing its work” but as the possibility of a fresh start. Maybe that was too optimistic of me.

By: Kiki

Kiki — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:40:08 +0000

She had no problem with Tenma’s decisions over the course of the story and she in general liked how everyone’s story was wrapped up, though she was really fond of Tenma’s nameless friend and felt sorry for how it turned out for him. It was the fact that evil walked away at the end of the story, free to continue its work that creeped her out a bit. She would have liked a more traditional Western style ending.

By: Johanna

Johanna — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:38:00 +0000

Kiki, could you elaborate on what she didn’t like about it? I don’t understand what other people would rather have seen, so I’m curious about examples.

Jun, I’m hoping we have reviews of Pluto and 20th Century Boys up here in the next week or two.

By: jun

jun — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 13:59:12 +0000

Ooh, the comparison to Wesley is very apt! I also read this whole series in the span of a weekend, and I’m not usually a fast reader. I can’t wait for more Urasawa to be released!

By: Kiki

Kiki — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 13:42:30 +0000

My friend wasn’t keen on the ending, though she understood it. I felt it was really true to the story and couldn’t have gone any other way without ruining what the creator had been saying up to that point. MONSTER has been one of only two manga in my life (up to now anyway) that I’ve looked forward to every single volume and never once considered dropping. (The other was Please Save My Earth.)

By: MangaBlog » Blog Archive » Quick Monday roundup

MangaBlog » Blog Archive » Quick Monday roundup — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 13:17:37 +0000

[...] Johanna Draper Carlson remains unperturbed by the ending of vol. 18 of Monster and recommends vol. 2 of Black Jack at Comics Worth Reading. Greg Hackmann reads vol. 1 of Bogle at [...]