Monster
Monster
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Monster

"The only thing humans are equal in is death."

8.5
Yr 2004
Rt 24m
Status Ended
Animation Drama Mystery Crime
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Series Brief

Overview

Kenzou Tenma, a Japanese brain surgeon in Germany, finds his life in utter turmoil after getting involved with a psychopath that was once a former patient.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 90 /100

Monster is widely regarded as a compelling and sophisticated psychological thriller. Critics frequently praise the series for its depth, noting how it explores complex themes such as governmental control, ethical failings, and the long-term impacts of psychological abuse. Its mature pacing is often cited as a strength, as it avoids the tendency of many long-running anime series to overstay their welcome.

While the series is noted for its dark and chilling premise, viewers should be aware of its intensity. The show features graphic content and disturbing psychological elements, leading experts to suggest it is best suited for older teen and adult audiences.

“Dark, intriguing psychological thriller anime is bloody.”

“Despite its faults, it’s one of the better anime series out there, and it doesn’t run so long to the point where it overstays it’s welcome.”

“His character gains depth by not only his on-screen actions, but also with each new finding of the past.”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

Netflix Standard with Ads
UK • US • CA
Netflix
CA • UK • US
Why fans love it

Monster sets a precise, ominous tone within the world of German hospitals and orphanages. The 2004 series transitions from a focused medical drama into a sprawling mystery when a surgeon is pulled into the orbit of a former patient. Tsutomu Isobe helps anchor a narrative that moves away from typical animated conventions to explore the fallout of a single ethical dilemma.

The story functions as a philosophical puzzle built on a foundation of crime and tension. It treats the pursuit of a psychopath as a slow, deliberate confrontation rather than an action-heavy chase. By blending the structure of a police detective story with deeper, darker questions, it creates a gravity that few shows manage to sustain throughout such a long progression.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 75
Regulars 4
Longest run 112 eps
Tsutomu Isobe
Tsutomu Isobe
as Lunk (voice)
98 episodes
Mamiko Noto
Mamiko Noto
as Nina Verdona (voice)
112 episodes
Mami Koyama
Mami Koyama
as Eva (voice)
18 episodes
Yasuyoshi Hara
Yasuyoshi Hara
as Dr. Becker (voice)
6 episodes
Masahiko Tanaka
Masahiko Tanaka
as Dr. Boyer (voice)
3 episodes
Hiroshi Yanaka
Hiroshi Yanaka
as Dr. Eizen (voice)
3 episodes
Mitsuaki Madono
Mitsuaki Madono
as Dr. Norden (voice)
3 episodes
Hidenobu Kiuchi
Hidenobu Kiuchi
as Tenma (voice)
78 episodes
Show 67 more
Ryuji Nakagi as Inspector Weissbach (voice) 4 episodes Nozomu Sasaki as Johan Liebert (voice) 106 episodes Yoshito Yasuhara as Heckel (voice) 7 episodes Junko Takeuchi as Dieter (voice) 19 episodes Kazuo Kumakura as Baby (voice) 5 episodes Yasuyuki Kase as Reporter D (voice) 4 episodes Yoko Soumi as Prostitute (voice) 3 episodes Aya Endo as Inge (voice) 5 episodes Nanako Fukushima as Announcer (voice) 3 episodes Takuma Suzuki as Doctor B (voice) 5 episodes Takayuki Sugo as Dr. Gillen (voice) 13 episodes Nobuyuki Katsube as Roberto (voice) 13 episodes Shintaro Ohata as Student (voice) 3 episodes Miki Ono as Young Tenma (voice) 6 episodes Mai Tsukada as Young Anna (voice) 9 episodes Michio Hazama as Schuwald (voice) 11 episodes Tomokazu Seki as Karl (voice) 13 episodes Kyoko Hikami as Lotte (voice) 9 episodes Toshihiko Nakajima as Doctor A (voice) 10 episodes Atsuko Tanaka as Margot (voice) 4 episodes Kazuko Yanaga as Fake Margot (voice) 3 episodes Ichiro Nagai as Dr. Reichwein (voice) 20 episodes Hikaru Tokita as Young Karl (voice) 4 episodes Hiroshi Arikawa as Richard (voice) 5 episodes Masato Hirano as Kunz (voice) 3 episodes Kohsuke Meguro as Martin (voice) 3 episodes Tomohisa Aso as Buchner (voice) 3 episodes Yoshio Kawai as Driver (voice) 3 episodes Nobuaki Fukuda as Chief of Surgery (voice) 3 episodes Masuo Amada as Dean (voice) 3 episodes Shiho Kawaragi as Nurse (voice) 26 episodes Jun Karasawa as Richard's Ex-wife (voice) 4 episodes Houko Kuwashima as The Twins' Mother (voice) 4 episodes Osamu Saka as Manager (voice) 3 episodes Katsuhisa Houki as Messener (voice) 3 episodes Hiroshi Ito as Director Gehrmann (voice) 3 episodes Kinryu Arimoto as Mr. Liebert (voice) 3 episodes Nanami Noa as Melles (voice) 3 episodes Taiten Kusunoki as Bodyguard (voice) 3 episodes Hidenari Ugaki as Investigator B (voice) 3 episodes Hideyuki Tanaka as Grimmer (voice) 15 episodes Hiroshi Naka as Former Policeman (voice) 3 episodes Eiji Hanawa as Herbert (voice) 50 episodes Komina Matsushita as Mother (voice) 5 episodes Mari Mashiba as Milos (voice) 3 episodes Junko Noda as Mohal (voice) 3 episodes Kiyu Morita as Honza (voice) 3 episodes Haruhi Nanao as Boy D (voice) 3 episodes Hisayoshi Suganuma as Detective Suk (voice) 9 episodes Rie Ishizuka as Antonin (voice) 7 episodes Yasushi Miyabayashi as Man C (voice) 38 episodes Kosuke Tomita as Man B (voice) 3 episodes Yuto Uemura as Young Johan (voice) 7 episodes Nobuo Tanaka as Petr Capek (voice) 11 episodes Youichi Nishijima as Officer C (voice) 5 episodes Yuzuru Fujimoto as Lobby Receptionist (voice) 4 episodes Kyoko Hamura as Boy B (voice) 8 episodes Ryusuke Ohbayashi as Verdemann (voice) 7 episodes Takehiro Murozono as Junkers (voice) 13 episodes Takaya Hashi as Trnka (voice) 4 episodes Yutaka Aoyama as Police Inspector (voice) 4 episodes Nachi Nozawa as Franz Bonaparta (voice) 13 episodes Masashi Hironaka as Christof (voice) 4 episodes Akiko Yajima as Wim (voice) 6 episodes Katsuhiko Sasaki as Hennich (voice) 6 episodes Natsuko Fuji as Franca (voice) 6 episodes Ikue Otani as Elsa (voice) 4 episodes
Signal Match

Similarity

Where Monster overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

monster orphanage dilemma hospital doctor orphan based on manga police detective ethical dilemma seinen anime picture book suspense mysterious philosophical complex serious witty intense ominous optimistic
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
April 07, 2004
Status
Ended
Episode Runtime
24 minutes
Origin
JP
TMDB Votes
818