Urasawa Naoki - Monster, vol. 16-18
Wed, Jul. 18th, 2007 03:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
oyceterHuh. I'm not sure if I liked the ending as much as I liked the rest of the series, but part of that is because I'm still not quite sure what happened. I think I felt it would be bigger.
On the other hand, I like the parallels with the beginning, of Tenma having to chose once again if he would save this boy, possibly at great cost to himself and to others. I also really like how the series affirms choice and how it works with the twins -- Nina is actually the one who sees the events that may have turned Johan into such a monster, but in the end, she chooses not to be, a la Bonaparta's words.
I loved Bonaparta when he finally appeared. I liked that he was in a way the source of monstrosity but that he had changed, but also that the change didn't ameliorate the harm he had done in the past. I was also glad to see Nina and Johan's mother have some agency; I was afraid she would be the standard saintly dead mother of anime and manga. She is, still, but we also see her fighting against Bonaparta.
Plot-wise, I am completely confused -- did Capek's plan to take over the world fizzle out? Was the slaughter in the little village a part of that? Was Capek's plan (and sort-of-clone-Johan-guy whose name I have forgotten) ever explained?
Possibly I missed something...
Also, I was just so happy when Nina ran after Tenma instead of letting him leave everyone behind; one of the things that I dislike about Bleach is how the women who are left behind stay behind, while the men get to chase after and partake in the adventure.
And Grimmer! No! Poor guy. Though I am happy about Eva's ending -- I don't think I loved her as much as I loved Nina and Grimmer and Tenma, but she surprised me into liking her by the end.
Overall, Monster is a good, solid series, even though I feel the plot falls a little apart near the end.
On the other hand, I like the parallels with the beginning, of Tenma having to chose once again if he would save this boy, possibly at great cost to himself and to others. I also really like how the series affirms choice and how it works with the twins -- Nina is actually the one who sees the events that may have turned Johan into such a monster, but in the end, she chooses not to be, a la Bonaparta's words.
I loved Bonaparta when he finally appeared. I liked that he was in a way the source of monstrosity but that he had changed, but also that the change didn't ameliorate the harm he had done in the past. I was also glad to see Nina and Johan's mother have some agency; I was afraid she would be the standard saintly dead mother of anime and manga. She is, still, but we also see her fighting against Bonaparta.
Plot-wise, I am completely confused -- did Capek's plan to take over the world fizzle out? Was the slaughter in the little village a part of that? Was Capek's plan (and sort-of-clone-Johan-guy whose name I have forgotten) ever explained?
Possibly I missed something...
Also, I was just so happy when Nina ran after Tenma instead of letting him leave everyone behind; one of the things that I dislike about Bleach is how the women who are left behind stay behind, while the men get to chase after and partake in the adventure.
And Grimmer! No! Poor guy. Though I am happy about Eva's ending -- I don't think I loved her as much as I loved Nina and Grimmer and Tenma, but she surprised me into liking her by the end.
Overall, Monster is a good, solid series, even though I feel the plot falls a little apart near the end.
(no subject)
Thu, Jul. 19th, 2007 04:22 pm (UTC)chew your food, don't inhale itpay attention to details while watching the anime, and consider rereading the manga, so that this post actually makes sense because you remember what happened!(no subject)
Mon, Jul. 23rd, 2007 06:57 pm (UTC)