Cinnamon Ass - Reborn Like a Zombie

Monster Episode 12 - A Tiny Experiment

Tenma finds out the truth behind the history and eventual downfall of 511 Kinderheim, but ends up running to help Dieter after turning up shocking details on Hartmann's past. Tenma confronts Hartmann in the ruins of 511 Kinderheim, where Hartmann reveals his true intentions behind his treatment of Dieter and some more information on Johan before a tense face-off over Dieter's future.

The only problem being, of course, that it's not really very tense - this early in the series, we're unlikely to see the death of a character in the opening credits (ignore Fafner). Nevertheless, aside from Hartmann's rather cheesy fake crying (DIETER! *sniffle gurgle sob* DIEEEEETEEEEER! *cough hack gurgle whimper* DIEEEEEEEEEETEEEEEEEEEEER!) as usual this episode was another classy installment in an exceptionally classy series.

Monster Episode 11 - 511 Kinderheim

Tenma's trail leads him to Berlin, the former home of Ambassador Liebert before his flight to West Germany and his murder at Johan's hands. There his trail leads him to 511 Kinderheim, an orphanage with its share of dark secrets, and the former staffer Hartmann, whose relationship with adopted son Dieter is certainly dysfunctional. As usual, Tenma uncovers tantalising titbits about Johan and Anna's pasts while dealing with more immediate present problems.

NOW I know who the kid in the OP is. What happened to Heckel from the last episode though? I'm assuming he just got unceremoniously dumped by Tenma, hopefully anyway. Insert the usual "Monster's good but quite slow" comments hereand you'll have a pretty good idea of my opinion.

Monster Episode 10 - An Erased Past

Tenma makes his way to Verdun following Johan's trail of death, but is interrupted while investigating the latest victims by a petty thief, Heckel. They eventually corner the murderer and extract more information on Johan, but there's a chilling message for Tenma at the crime scene. Following this, Heckel coerces Tenma into caring for a wounded terrorist, causing a battle between Tenma's morals and their self-concern.

This was quite blatantly two separate stories squished into one episode, and the disjointed nature of it as such made this a slightly uneven episode - the first half was great, but the second half felt a little preachy and superfluous. I've almost caught up to where I got to in the manga before stopping, so things will get more unpredictable from here onwards hopefully!

Monster Episode 9 - The Grizzled Soldier and the Little Girl

Tenma trains to fire a gun and makes a little girl smile. Obviously there's more to it than that but I can't go explaining EVERY little detail of every episode, now can I?

This episode was a lot more enjoyable in animated format than in manga format for some reason and for filler it was pretty good stuff. Besides, getting to see people be even more inept with chopsticks than I am is always good fun, even if they're not real!

Monster Episode 8 - On the Run

Tenma's working at the hospital again, but he knows it can't really last, especially since Runge finds the tie he used to bind Nina's assailant in Heidelberg Castle and follows its trail back to Eva, who is now drunk and unhappy after three failed marriages. She covers up for Tenma, but then reveals everything when her attempts to patch up their relationship fail, and Tenma is forced to flee by the arrival of the police. We flash forward briefly by five months to see that Tenma's on Johan's trail once more - and this time, he has a gun.

Given the pace that I hope to catch up with Monster episodes I don't know if there's an awful lot I can say really. However, while watching this it made me think that, although I usually think of Monster as being slow, it certainly doesn't drag in the way that, say, Beck did - we had a ten minute scene of just Eva reminiscing, being drunk, talking to Runge and looking at photos, and it didn't feel in the least bit laboured. Considering that before this (out of boredom) I watched the last episode of Konomini and even THAT felt slow-paced in comparison, and I think I should revise my opinion on Monster's slothfulness (or rather lack of it!).

Monster Episode 7 - The Mansion of Tragedy

I did say I'd try and catch up with Monster some day. One episode at a time...

Tenma and Nina hurry back to the Fortner house, but they are already too late to prevent the inevitable. As they try to leave they meet two policeman who purportedly respond to a phone call - however, Tenma knows the line was cut, and they know far too much about him to be really responding to the crime, so he escapes with Nina (who has begun to remember all the details about Johan). Tenma's attempts to go public with the information that Johan is the killer are thwarted by the policemen and Nina herself, who leaves while he's away to go after Johan herself.

Well, what can I say that I didn't say before? It's slow, but gripping stuff, and the advantage of this massive break is that the manga is even further from my mind. However, unlike Yakitate!! Japan, the anime is as good as, if not slightly better by virtue of animation, than the manga, making it an equal pleasure to watch. I may never catch up before the DVDs start coming out but I can at least give it a shot, can't I?

Monster Episode 6 - Reported Disappearance

Tenma heads to a newspaper office to research any references to Anna and Johan in Heidelberg. He finally discovers a clue leading him to the Fortners, and alongside a journalist named Mauler goes to confront them and warn them that Johan is after Anna - however, she (i.e. Nina) has already been lured to Heidelberg Castle. Tenma races to save her, only to be confronted with a deranged criminal in Johan's employ who attacks Tenma with some wire cutters. Nina uses her judo skills to help Tenma who then races back to the Fortner house - but Mauler discovers the phone lines have been cut...

It's taken me literally weeks to get through this episode - the first five minutes or so were just really really boring. In a fit of caffeine-induced insomnia I watched it at 5:30 this morning and got through those five minutes, and the rest of the episode was typical Monster excellence. Ho hum. Wonder when the soundtrack's out - hope it has a full version of "Grain" on it. The ED animation changed slightly this episode too - the "monster" splits off in two directions and runs down a hill. Which is nice.

Monster Episode 5 - The Girl From Heidelberg

It's been a couple of weeks (thank you, BigFire!) since the last episode. Nina Fortner is a bright, busy university student in Heidelberg who, unbeknownst to her, was adopted by her current parents - but since it's her twentieth birthday they've sworn to tell her. She receives a mysterious e-mail saying that someone "wants to bury her in flowers", and her friends arrange for her to meet this person. In the meantime, Tenma continues to investigate Johan's whereabouts, learning more disturbing facts about his childhood, and realises that Johan's twin sister could still be in danger - and Johan is closer to her than she realises...

It's fairly obvious from the beginning of the episode where it's going, obviously, but it's still excellent stuff - the director (and mangaka) have a brilliant grasp of cliffhanger endings, and this episode was no different. Not much else to say, really, except Monster continues to be great.

Monster Episode 4 - The Night of Execution

Junkers reveals nothing to Lunge and the rest of the police, leaving their investigation stalled. He confides in Tenma, though, that the "monster" killed all his partners. Tenma buys Junkers a clock as a present but this is quickly abandoned after he discovers the guard on Junkers' room dead through poisoning by Werther's Originals, just like nine years beforehand. He pursues Junkers to a multistorey car park, where he is confronted by...

Hmmm. Dunno. Do I continue? I mean, anyone who actually cares has probably watched this episode already. I don't think I'll spoil it (in case you can't guess, it's pretty obvious), especially since whenever I do extended entries they turn out wrong. Suffice to say, this episode is particularly fantastic in an already wonderful series. Particularly good voice work here. I say no more unless people want me to.

Monster Episode 3 - A Murder Case

Tenma's life perks up after the deaths of the three doctors, and he's made chief of the neurosurgery department once again - he even stands up to Eva when she comes crawling back to him in sadness. This does not go unnoticed by the inspector assigned to investigate the murders, Lunge, a strange man who files away details in his head precisely, who believes Tenma responsible. The cause of death is determined to be that all three doctors ate sweets laced with nitric acid, which suggests someone aware of the effects must have been the murderer - again, more evidence pointing to Tenma's involvement. In the meantime, both Anna and Johan go missing from the hospital, and aren't seen again...

Nine years later. Cologne. Inspector Lunge is investigating a series of serial murders of middle-aged childless couples. A lockpicker seen near the scenes of the crimes is brought into hospital with massive head trauma after he runs screaming into the path of an oncoming car, and Dr. Tenma is called in to operate. Post-op, he tends to his traumatised patient, but is shocked to hear the only words the patient, Junkers, can say - "A Monster is coming..."

Lunge is perfectly cast. It only gets better from here on in, trust me. Next episode should be an absolute corker.

Incidentally, I'm dropping Midori no Hibi for good for the moment - I really don't care if I see any more, and I've got plenty to be watching as it is. Maybe near the end of term when I can't be bothered to do any work or something I'll try it again.

Monster Episode 2 - Fall

Dr. Tenma's future at the hospital is thrown into jeapordy after he operates successfully on Johan but the mayor dies in theatre. Eva and her father completely sever all ties with him and he is removed from caring for Johan since his scruples are in the way of hospital politics. Yet there are strange things going on still surrounding the Liebert children - Anna wanders the hospital corridors at night repeating her request to "Kill..." and passes out in shock when she is brought to see Johan for a photo opportunity, even though he stretches out to her imploringly. Furthermore, Johan appears to have been listening to Dr. Tenma as he rages against the unfairness of his treatment while pretending to be asleep. As Tenma sleeps, things take a turn for the macabre as Eva's father and the two doctors who operated in Tenma's place and were promoted instead of him are found gruesomely murdered.

I love Monster, so I'm entirely biased. It still moves with the sloth of a snail stuck in tar, but it's a particularly interesting snail (to extend the analogy a little too far). What higher praise can I give than that the anime captures the atmosphere of the manga perfectly? I'm really impressed with the acting too, despite never having heard of any of the seiyuu before - I'd assume they're proper "actors" or veterans rather than the usual popular types.

Incidentally, it was rather amusing to see Director Heinemann stealing Johan's Werther's Originals sweets. I don't know if they're available in all parts of the world, but they're great.

Monster Episode 1 - Herr Dr. Tenma

Brief note before I start - for all the new shows I start on, I'll put a brief comment on the OP and ED. Maybe even video downloads for a short time, if you're lucky and I bother finding the raws.

Opening - Grain - fantastic. Spooky chanting and treble(?) singing with a creepy industrial-sounding drumbeat and downbeat visuals perfectly capturing the dark mood of the show - I'm wondering who the small boy that appears in the bloody silhouette is between Eva and Anna, unless it's supposed to be Johan. Perhaps slightly spoilery for the first few episodes, though.

Ending - for the love of life (David Sylvain) - languid English vocals and a picture of a "monster". Bit dull, but fitting I suppose.

I found only one other anime blogger watching this, so I must announce its glory to the world at large if anyone bothers reading this. Monster is based on the circa 20 volume manga series by Urasawa Naoki, the original artist for the anime series Master Keaton and Yawara!. Monster is a labyrinthine tale of conspiracy and human evil - I've only read a couple of volumes of the manga, and I don't plan on reading any more given the quality of the series thus far.

It's 1987. Dr. Kenzo Tenma is a leading brain surgeon at Dusseldorf Hospital with his life going great - he's on the way up through the higher echelons of beauracracy, his girlfriend is his boss's daughter, and he's just won massive acclaim for operating successfully on a famous opera singer. However, he faces a crisis of conscience when he meets the wife of the man he SHOULD have operated on that night before he was forced to operate on the opera singer. This causes him to disobey the director's orders to operate on the Mayor when a young boy is brought into the hospital after a grisly serial killing at his home. Yet why does the boy's twin sister, incapacitated with shock, only say the word "kill"?

The series is scheduled to run for around 80 episodes, and as such is pretty glacially paced. You can see where it's going though, especially from the OP sequence, and it's SO worth the wait. The first episode perfectly captures the first couple of chapters of the manga, with lovely animation and fitting music. Definitely a keeper, although it'll be difficult for me to keep up with it at such length - I pray the DVD release goes to someone with a decent episode count per disc, because judging by the first episode I'll be picking this up for certain.