Monster is a critically acclaimed manga and anime series. The anime version of Monster is frequently described as a must-watch by anime critics and fans, and the anime is regularly included in publications’ “best anime ever” and “must watch” anime lists.
The Monster manga was written and illustrated by Naoki Urasawa, and it started life in the pages of Big Comic Original magazine, where it ran from 1994 to 2001. The anime version was made by legendary animation studio Madhouse. This anime aired in 2004 and instantly cemented itself as a beloved cult-classic.
But how do you watch the anime today?
What is Monster about?
The series follows Dr. Kenzo Tenma, a Japanese brain surgeon working in a hospital in West Germany. Tenma is building an impressive reputation for himself due to his skill. However, Tenma is getting increasingly upset with the hospital and its practices and takes drastic action when two twins, Johan Libert and Anna Liebert, are bought into the hospital. Johan was shot in the head and must go into surgery immediately. However, Tenma is ordered to treat the city’s mayor, who has also been brought into the hospital. Tenma ignores these orders, saving Johan instead, leading to the mayor dying. Tenma gets fired, and his life falls apart because of it.
However, this all changes when many of the hospital’s top staff get murdered in mysterious circumstances, leading to Tenma getting reinstated. However, things continue to get strange as more murders occur, forcing Tenma to get to the bottom of the situation, especially as the police suspect him of the crimes. However, as he investigates, he uncovers many dark secrets. He also realizes that some of these situations might be because of his actions.
The whole series is a tense psychological thriller featuring plenty of interesting, flawed characters and morally grey events that force the characters and the viewers to question what is the right course of action.
Where can you watch Monster?
Monster has had a bizarre release history in America. Viz Media hired Salami Studios to dub the series into English, and this dub was shown on both the Syfy and Chiller channels in 2009.
The first 15 episodes were also released on DVD, but poor sales meant that Viz Media never released the rest of the series in this manner. And eventually, Viz dropped the license. This led to some complex legal issues that left the show very hard to find in America for many years.
Thankfully, it will soon be much easier to watch Monster at home. Netflix announced that it has struck a deal with Nippon TV to license 13 of its most popular shows for streaming in America. This includes Hunter x Hunter, Ouran High School Host Club, Claymore, Death Note, From Me to You, Parasyte: The Maxim, Nana, Berserk, and Hajime no Ippo: The Fighting!
This deal includes Monster, and according to Netflix, the full anime will arrive on the streaming service sometime after September 2nd, 2022, when the agreement begins. While there is no confirmed date or time right now, it seems likely that Monster fans can expect to find the series in their Netflix library by the end of the month.