Monster is the anime adaptation of the manga series of the same name. It was adapted by Madhouse, following the success of the manga, and aired a total of 74 episodes on Nippon TV from April 7, 2004 to September 28, 2005.
It was directed by Masayuki Kojima, written by Tatsuhiko Urahata, featured character design by Kitarō Kōsaka, and the soundtrack was composed by Kuniaki Haishima.
Viz Media licensed both manga and anime for an English release.
Episodes[]
- Main article: List of episodes
Premise[]
It is the year 1986. Dr. Kenzō Tenma, an elite neurosurgeon recently engaged to his hospital director's daughter, is well on his way to ascending the hospital hierarchy. That is until one night, a seemingly small event changes Tenma's life forever; while preparing to perform surgery on a working-class Turkish man, he is ordered by the hospital director to switch patients and instead perform life-saving brain surgery on a famous opera singer. The operation is a success, and Tenma is lauded for his accomplishment. However, the same cannot be said for the Turkish man, who died as a result of the switch, leading Tenma to have a crisis of conscience.
After an apparent botched robbery, a young boy is rushed to the hospital in critical condition, and Tenma is called in to perform the surgery. Before he can begin the operation, he is suddenly pulled aside and again ordered to switch patients when the city's mayor requires urgent treatment, but he stands his ground and proceeds with the boy's operation. Tenma's operation is again a success, but the other surgeons fail to save the mayor. Tenma is blamed for the mayor's death, stripped of his status, and his engagement is called off. However, with the mysterious deaths of the director and two other doctors, Tenma's position is eventually restored. While he is initially suspected, there is no evidence to convict him, and he goes on to live a normal life as the new head of surgery.
Nine years pass. A petty criminal is hit by a car while running from a pursuer and taken to the hospital, where he is placed under the care of Tenma. The criminal is suspected in a serial murder case, but he refuses to talk to the police and seems convinced that a "monster" is coming to kill him. He later escapes from the hospital and Tenma gives chase. Tenma follows him to a nearby construction site and finds him being held at gunpoint by another man. It would seem that Tenma's past has come back to haunt him, because this man is revealed to be none other than the young boy he risked his career for all those years ago - Johan Liebert, now grown into a merciless killer. Johan shoots the criminal dead and leaves the building, Tenma being too shocked and paralyzed with fear to stop him. After this, Tenma makes it his duty to pursue and kill Johan to make amends for the havoc being wrought by his former patient.
Gallery[]
DVD covers (Japanese)[]
Official File covers[]
