The Netflix Dark Psychological Thriller Anime Series Better Than Live-Action Crime Mysteries, Binge This Now

Viz Media licensed the manga and the anime for English release in North America, and now its home is none other than Netflix. THEM Anime Reviews said that Monster as an anime was “complex” and “beautiful.” They went on to say that the series embodied “sophisticated storytelling and complex plot weaving, memorable characters, godly production values, and excellent pacing.” The dark cinematic quality of the anime is bingeworthy. 

The story of Monster has the detailed quality of any good anime. The plot is thick, and there are always difficult decisions to make. Skilled genius brain surgeon Dr. Kenzo Tenma is a young Japanese man working at Eisler Memorial Hospital in Dusseldorf, West Germany. Temna doesn’t like the political bias present within the hospital’s staff and the higher-ups, so he seizes the chance to switch things up a bit when presented with the right moment. 

The story of the Monster anime amps up when a massacre in the city brings in a set of fraternal twins, Johan and Anna Liebert. Johan presents with a gunshot to the head, and Anna is just muttering something about killing. Instead of operating on Mayor Roedecker (who arrives at the hospital just after the twins), Tenma chooses to rush Johan into surgery first. 

The young surgeon’s decision saves Johan but costs Mayor Roedecker his life. When Dr. Tenma gets flack for his decision, losing his social standing at the hospital, Director Heinemann and the others who harassed Tenma are conveniently and mysteriously murdered. The two twin children also vanished from the hospital. 

When the police begin to suspect and question Tenma, his name is quickly cleared, and the mystery remains unsolved. Monster then progresses the anime nine years later, and Dr. Tenma finds himself confronted with his past and a “monster” he never intended to create. 

Monster is no light-hearted anime, so prepare yourself to feel and get lost in a rabbit hole of thoughts surrounding the meaning of life and the role of humanity, good versus evil, and other insatiable intrigues. Otherwise, it may not be the right sort of anime for you. 

Monster is a slow-burn, unlike other psychological thriller anime series like Death Note. Though Death Note is a long series in terms of episode count, the action happens quickly in the story. You’ll have to dig in and get comfortable to ride the vibes of Monster. 

Every character has a purpose, and every event matters to the story. The relationships between characters are deep, and the series’ ending will definitely make you stop and think. 

You can find all 74 episodes of Monster the anime now streaming on Netflix, dubbed in English for those who don’t like to read their way through a series.