Source
Look, Monster had me hooked from episode one, but not because of action or visuals—it was that thick, almost suffocating atmosphere that makes you doubt everything. The story isn’t fast, nor should it be. Every silence, every shot lingering on a face or an empty street has a purpose. It’s the kind of anime that doesn’t scream at you; it whispers with weight.
That said, the pacing is a double-edged sword. Because yeah, it’s meticulous to the extreme, but there are moments when that slowness feels more sluggish than tense. Some episodes could easily be trimmed without losing depth, and that threw off my vibe a bit. Still, patience pays off.
Source
And the characters... damn. Johan is brilliant, but I’m also drawn to side characters like Eva and Grimmer—they’ve got those twisted, painfully human layers. The show doesn’t idealize anyone, and that’s a luxury. No one here is purely good or evil, and it makes you squirm in the best way.
On top of that, the music and framing feel like something out of European cinema. There’s no fanservice, no exaggeration—just storytelling that dares to be quiet and sober. It’s mature without trying too hard to be dark. It’s what many animes aim to be, but few achieve.
To wrap it up, Monster isn’t something you watch to kill time. It’s an uncomfortable, long, emotionally draining experience. But if you can handle the pacing and like anime that lingers in your mind for days, then you really shouldn’t miss it.
