– when you're in the darkness, you only sink deeper into it. keep the light shining. watching 'monster' was undeniably one of the greatest and most special experiences of all time for me, there's so much to appreciate about it: its unique and thick atmosphere, well-written characters, deep themes and philosophies, crazy plot twists, and more. honestly, i can't even call 'monster' an anime, it's unlike any other anime that i've seen, i'd rather call it a 74 episodic film instead, all due to its movie-like style and way of storytelling. and yeah, its pacing is quite slow, but it worked absolutely perfectly for me, cause i was fully immersed in the atmosphere and story, so i don’t have a single complaint about it. it’s a perfect slow-burn. top 5 arcs: 5. düsseldorf - [1x1 - 1x8] 4. frankfurt - [1x58 - 1x67] 3. munich - [1x25 - 1x39] 2. prague - [1x40 - 1x50] 1. ruhenheim - [1x68 - 1x73] top 10 characters: 10. franz bonaparta 9. richard 8. suk 7. martin 6. eva 5. nina 4. lunge 3. tenma - underrated as a protagonist. 2. johan - top 1 antagonist ever. 1. grimmer - top 1 side character ever. top 5 episodes: 5. 1x74 - the real monster 4. 1x37 - a nameless monster & 1x67 - i’m back 3. 1x71 - the wrath of the magnificent steiner 2. 1x49 - the cruelest thing 1. 1x73 - scenery for a doomsday honorable mentions: 1x29 - execution 1x60 - the man who knew too much 1x66 - welcome back some takes: - ruhenheim is a top 5 arc of all time - ⁠eva is one of the most overhated characters ever - the best atmosphere and storytelling ever - ⁠the final scene is a top 1 ending of all time, and arguably the best scene in history - ⁠the best character work on side characters ever - ⁠top 1 dialogue in an anime - ⁠scenery for a doomsday is the best penultimate of all time - prague is the most under appreciated arc of all time overall, 'monster' is a work of art, which i'll definitely revisit one day. 9.8/10