A few weeks ago, I found out that Monster, one of my most favorite animes of all time, is now on Netflix. It has been a long, long time since I've watched it, and while I can only just vaguely remember what happens in the story, I still profoundly know that it's a great one.
I was in my early teens when it first aired on Philippine cable TV. I remember watching it religiously --- it was so suspenseful, so complex, that I was drawn in. Among the unforgettables, I guess, was Johan Liebert.
And man, was he unforgettable. In fact, he was consistently dubbed one of the best antagonists of all time... at least, for those who knew Monster. CBR.com lists the following as reasons why he is just that good of a character:
- Johan has a nihilistic point of view... and that makes him a very complex character.
- He's not just a pretty boy. He's charming. Johan uses his good looks to manipulate the people around him.
- Johan... he's unpredictable. I remember watching the anime on the edge of my seat every time he's on the screen.
You can read this discussion on just why he makes an excellent antagonist.
I'll probably rewatch Monster.
But for now, I'll draw Johan. I drew him before already, but it was just so bad. I'm not even gonna link it. This one, I think, is a much, much better take at drawing Johan.
There's also some kind of two versions of the artwork, so I tried to make a GIF of those two. One's brighter, the other, darker. Also added some sort of rain animation -- thanks, CapCut!
You can only imagine how much fun I had drawing this. I was supposed to draw the Johan Liebert that's pointing his finger on his forehead -- a very unforgettable scene, but I also just couldn't pass on the challenge of the Johan Liebert scene under the rain. He's charming, and good-looking, but he's bad. T_T
I also had trouble working on the lighting, but nothing Snapseed can't help me fix! Chz. I was supposed to draw The Nameless Monster, a character in a fictional book in Monster called Obluda. I'll probably do that some other time, when I'm able to identify how I'll put him and Johan together in a picture.
Would I recommend checking out Monster? I would! I love it. I can't remember much, but I trust my anime-addicted heart. I promised myself that I'll rewatch it now that it's on Netflix, so I definitely will. :) I hope you do check it out, too!