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Average Customer Rating:

Like One Piece?? What???

Customer Rating:

Sorry I'm exploitive and I wanted you to read my review from the title. That said, Monster Vol.2 is a slow burn. Unlike #1 where it exploded at the very end of that volume with horror, tension and true suspense--Vol. 2 is the continuation of an 18-volume (in Japan work) and it shows. This volume leaves the horror from 1 and focuses more on more tension and more suspense as it tightens the noose grip on Dr. Tenma's life and we begin to realize that this book is moving more from murder mystery to conspiracy and 'fugitive' style storytelling mechanics. I'm pretty awed by the craftmanship of this book as under lesser hands it would quickly fall apart into disbelief and silliness of characterization but all the while we continue to learn more about the character (in this volume) of Tenma, the sister and even Tenma's ex (which is a surprising turn for her character although the ending in this volume may not seem it). This is a grand series--highly recommended to fans of true mystery books, adult fiction or true lovers of manga (if you can read a manga on cooking just as well as Naruto then this is for you). Finally, One Piece and Monster both have a very cartoony style. It's hard to see if you're not reading many different types of manga (or I could just be crazy) but I've come to have an appreciation of both styles which have more of a true cartoony storytelling in the effectiveness of its' draftmanship, panel design and overall approach to characters...while One Piece is very cartoony..the similarities I find refreshing as this is not anime style just to fit the oppotunities for easy transition into animation like many manga has become nowadays. Great book...pick up both volumes.

An elaborate, mature series

Customer Rating:

Dr. Tenma, a neurosurgeon who finds himself caught in a moral quagmire, chose to execute what he believed was right when he ignored the hospital's orders and instead operated on a boy who had been shot through the head. The series then brings us down a horrifying trail of serial murders as Dr Tenma goes down his path in search of the serial murder - the boy whom he resurrected. He accumulates clues and evidences, which ultimately point towards a greater, more horrifying social experiment. While the series may be slow in pace, its intensive execution of emotions is well-played: there is enough time for transition between multitudes of emotions. This is important and lends the story depth, for as the story progresses, characters are fleshed out, like multi-faceted gems. Therefore, though it may be slow, it is certainly not boring; the psychological aspects of small characters bring to life the conspiracy and makes it a very real experience for the reader. Urasawa's art is also competantly executed and highly dynamic in its own right. The storyline itself brings us face-to-face with death and the darkest aspects of human nature. It goes beyond its genre and dishes out very poignant, but illuminating questions about human nature and what it means to be human. If you are looking for easy entertainment, don't bother reading this series. On the other hand, if you want to learn more about life, finish this series. It is a ride through the kindest and the cruellest aspects of human nature, a ride which began and culminated with this fundamental question: The value of life.

Brilliant, but a Little Slow

Customer Rating:

(This review was written solely for vol. 2 of Monster, not vol. 3, where this review is also posted. I had no control over this; it was mistakinly posted as a review for vol. 3 by Amazon.com.) Once I finished this second volume of Monster, I was amazed at how such a simple manga could achieve what this one did. The multi-tiered plot continues to get thicker, and the tension builds as the characters interact. Plus, the simple art style seems to add rather than take away, and in many ways legitimizes this story by taking away some of the exaggerated models found in most manga. And, as if I didn't have enough to make this good, the dialogue is top-notch and believable, which is key to me when reading manga as matching the words to the art is often mishandled, especially in translated manga. The story, continuing from volume one, follows Tenma as he searches for the twin of the boy Tenma saved. But he's having a difficult time digging up information, and finding people to take him seriously. That's mostly because the twin does not have her memories from that time, and even goes by a different name... Later on, we also get to see how desperate Tenma becomes during his search for the killer of the families. He changes drastically, almost to the point of inhumanity, all in the efforts to stop a plague he believes he released on Germany. To be honest, the continuing story in this volume slows a bit from the previous volume, which was slow itself. Though the first few chapters where Tenma searches for the twin is dramatic and in direct correlation with the last volume, it gets away from that when old characters are reintroduced and new ones are brought in. It doesn't make it bad in any way, but it seems to lengthen an already massive story, and it leaves me hungering for the third volume in this series so that things can get back to normal. I can still recommend this manga above any other right now, though, as the story is as intelligent as I've ever found in manga. The technical details and nonchalant style of art doesn't weigh the plot down in any way, and the constantly building suspense makes you wish that they released graphic novels in larger formats (say four-hundred page hardbacks). To compare, Monster goes well alongside Death Note in terms of suspense, but because it has no fantasy elements, there is something about the horror in Monster that puts it above Death Note.

Best manga ever	Customer Rating:
As expected, Volume 2 of Monster continuues the story from Volume 1. Excellent art and story. Definately a must-buy