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[skygiants]

So along with 20th Century Boys, I have also been reading Urasawa's Monster and I am now up to Volume 7!

I don't love Monster as much as I love 20th Century Boys, but I do like it a lot, especially now that the plot has picked up and gotten creepier and more complicated. The story follows Tenma, a Japanese doctor in Germany, who rebels against the prestige-based hospital system and chooses to operate on a young boy instead of the town's mayor, in a stand for truth, justice and principle! Unfortunately the child that he saves turns out to be a cold-blooded murderer who proceeds to go on a rampage throughout Germany. OOPS. After the initial setup, the plot follows Tenma as he careens around post-Cold-War Germany trying to stop Johan, gradually picking up allies and enemies, occasionally performing NINJA NEUROSURGERY, and avoiding the police (who of course think he is the prime suspect for the murders.) What makes the story exceptional is the way that the plot really intertwines with the culture and politics of Germany in the 90s. There are plotlines dealing with prejudice against Turkish immigrants, with the various political factions of the country and with the resentment of the people who lost their homes and businesses with reunification, and the whole situation is presented as accurately complicated and is really well-done. (There is also a hilariously accurate depiction of 80s and 90s fashions!)

Characterwise, I still spend more time facepalming at Tenma than otherwise (my biggest quibble with the series - the way various people keep meeting Tenma and knowing instinctively that he couldn't kill anyone! IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY! The series even recognizes this with Johan, which is why it ticks me off so much with Tenma) but I really like a ton of the side characters. Favorites include Anna/Nina, Johan's sweet, pretty and totally badass twin sister, and Tiny Adorable Dieter, who makes the most hilarious dubiousfaces, and who really should demonstrate more issues than he does, but I don't really care because he's hardcore adorable and adorably hardcore. (Urusawa is not as good at drawing differentiated/individual child characters here as he will get in 20th Century Boys, but he is AWESOME at drawing tiny dubiousfaces.)


I found the portrayal of Eva really, really annoying at first - it was so classic "SHALLOW GOLD-DIGGER WHOSE LIFE IS EMPTY! SO SHE TURNS TO DRINK! AND SLEEPS AROUND! AND PINES FOR THE ONE MAN SHE CAN NEVER HAVE!" and it kind of made me angry because it felt like the manga was almost gratuitously bashing on her, like, you can give her one redeeming quality that's not "she's totally pitiful," YOU'RE ALLOWED TO DO THAT. After volume 6, though, it seems like maybe she is becoming more of a real person? So I will keep my fingers crossed that that actually happens! And that she gets a life that does NOT REVOLVE AROUND TENMA. That would be nice.

I do find it really hilarious how Anna and Tenma keep running around all, "Stay back! I will kill Johan! You are too good and pure to be a killer!" "No no, I will kill Johan! You are too good and pure to be a killer!" Just get Dieter to do it, guys, he is more effective than either of you! Okay, not really, Anna is pretty effective. But that does not make the back and forth any less hilarious. Speaking of Dieter: Tenma is such a hilariously terrible guardian! I mean, yes, he's very clearly good with kids, but not so awesome at, say, keeping Dieter fed. It's funny because every time Tenma tries to drop him off with someone who has a roof and a life that is not a life of CRIME, they are like "But Tenma! You need a Morality Pet! :O" Responsible adults, not so much.

I really like the Karl-Lotte-Johan-Schumann plotline, and I hope that Karl and Lotte do not disappear now that Tenma is back in the picture - I like Karl and Lotte as characters, and Johan killing off all of Schumann's friends is so creepy. I am looking forward very much to finding out what is going on with that.


And hey, while I'm talking about Urusawa, I might as well add in some thoughts about Volume 5: first and foremost, Kenzo and Kanna remain THE MOST ADORABLE UNCLE-NIECE PAIR OF ALL TIME. The ramen! The sports talk! The utterly blatant hero worship! <3333 so cuuuuuuuute. Also hilarious: Otcho trying to teach the rest of the gang How To Be Badass. TEAM. <3 Kenji loses points for trying to stick Yukiji with staying home and watching the baby; Yukiji gains points for telling him to shove it.

And then . . . timeskip! No surprise that the Friends are in power and the Gang failed, considering we still have 17 volumes to go. I kind of hope we get lots of flashbacks because I miss the old character designs. >.> But I do love grown-up Kanna and her ~rebelliousness~ and how she thinks THE SIXTIES ARE AWESOME and goes out and beats up gangsters! Kanna is fabulous. I do not love nervous, toes-the-line, beaten-down Yukiji and I hope that gets fixed FAST so Yukiji can go back to being awesome.

Comments

[ceitfianna]

Hello. I'm home since apparently doing a booktalking podcast is beyond my tech capabilities.

Also I've been reading my way through A Sudden Wild Magic, its an odd sort of book. I keep liking it and then something happens and I kind of go um, that felt strange.

I've heard good things about both these manga and might try to read them later.

[skygiants]

Yeah, A Sudden Wild Magic is one of the very few DWJs that I did not immediately imprint on - I should reread it one of these days to see what I think, but it never quite clicked with me on the first read.

I would recommend both of them! I would say that I would recommend 20th Century Boys especially, because it is AMAZING, but since only 5 volumes out of 22 are currently out in English it might be less frustrating to start with Monster . . .

[ceitfianna]

The idea of it is interesting as are the characters but its harder for me to get into.

Also ugh, today is not being good though I did finish my booktalk for Hexwood and honestly its not that great but done. Oh and apparently I did rather meh on my illustrator project.

I hate that the things I would really like to do well on, I seem to not be doing good on. Maybe its just these past few weeks or something.

[skygiants]

Those weeks where you can't quite manage to get anything to go quite right do suck. :( On the bright side: holidays soon! Which maybe means you will get to refresh your brain a bit. Sometimes you just kind of need the break.

[ceitfianna]

Yeah, that's what it feels like. I just feel bad because I really like this class and wanted to do a good job on the podcast and illustrator project instead of just okay.

I think though that I'll be able to make the final paper really good since I"ll have more time. Also I participate a lot and she likes my library thing reviews so its just some hard bumps.

[skygiants]

Yeah - and it's really hard to do awesomely on EVERYTHING in a class, so if you're doing well on some things, that's a good sign. I believe you can knock it out of the park on the final paper!

[elspeth-vimes.livejournal.com]

To be fair, there are quite a few people who take their time figuring out that Tenma's innocent, and at least one (later on) whose ability to discern innocence makes sense. ...And there is Lunge.

Eva does become a well-treated character (at least in terms of her being developed and going through some growth). I know at least one person who, when pressed for a favorite character, chose her.

And haha, yes, that whole dynamic between Tenma and Nina is wonderful.

And epic Munich arc is epic, complete with more Karl and Lotte! (Though one of my very few complaints about the series is "needs more Lotte.")

In regards to 20th CB, flashbacks will be had. Significant, heartwrenching flashbacks will be had.

...Also I do not consider it a spoiler to say that Yukiji is only toeing the line publicly in order to be thoroughly awesome.

[skygiants]

Everything that you have said makes me very happy! And hah - yes, there is always Lunge. *wry* I like how long it takes his old college classmate/rival to figure it out, too - that felt reasonable to me! It only happens sometimes, but it bugs me when it does.

YAY EVA. (I have to admit, I got way too excited when I saw the picture of her with a gun on the back of - volume 5, I think? Because even if she was still at rock bottom, at least she was at rock bottom and badass.)

IT IS SO HILARIOUS.

Also, yay! \o/ (Everything needs more Lotte! She is fabulous. So sneaky!)

SOMEHOW I SUSPECTED THIS MIGHT BE THE CASE. *hugs everyone* . . . for both of these facts really. I knew nothing could keep Yukiji down for long!

/uses Lotte icon because it is Lotte

[elspeth-vimes.livejournal.com]

It is a reasonable thing to have bug you! Dr. Gillen was the main person I was thinking of. It becomes apparent that Tenma is innocent only after it becomes apparent that Johan is real! ...Which means we're all doomed, oh crap.

(She is actually quite good at being badass when, in some way, she has been kicked down.)

IT IS A MOST HILARIOUS CYCLE OF ANGST.

(She has mad research skills. How can you not love that?)

IT IS A LOGICAL SUSPICION. What with there being a gap in our knowledge of what went down on the Bloody New Year's Eve and with Yukiji being Yukiji.

Re: /uses Lotte icon because it is Lotte

[skygiants]

I kind of love Dr. Gillen, by the way. And finding out that Tenma totally cheated on that test is possibly the most endearing thing we have ever learned about him. <3

(That is totally the best time to be badass. I did love her teamup with Dieter, too. TOGETHER THEY FIGHT CRIME.)

I also love how they have totally taken EXACTLY the same path. Step 1: Find a badass hitman teacher! Step 2: ?????? Step 3: PROFIT Kill Johan!

(It is impossible not to! And I highly approve of Lotte icon. :D Her adorable glasses!)

I want to know what happens so badly! *curses slow publishing schedule, for the millionth time*

[elspeth-vimes.livejournal.com]

Dr. Gillen is awesome! Suspicious workaholic psychiatrists have great dubious faces, among other things. And yes, even Tenma is not that brilliant.

(It is a good survival strategy! And of course, anybody teaming up with Dieter is awesome.)

This. Is so true. XD

(She is so nineties Germany. I love her.)

Well, in the meantime there is Monster! And the first five volumes of Pluto are out too. (Volume six comes out this month, aah I can't wait.)

[skygiants]

It is so true! Though nothing will ever rival Dieter's epic dubiousfaces. (Except maybe Kanna's dubiousfaces, which are also pretty awesomely epic.)

(ACTUALLY NOW I WANT KANNA AND DIETER TEAMING UP. SOMEONE WRITE THIS FIC.)

(hahaha but not as nineties as Eva is eighties! The giant puffy sleeves of all her dress, oh my god. I crack up every time she is in a new outfit!)

True! - which reminds me I need to go put Volume 8 of Monster at reserve at the library. :D

[elspeth-vimes.livejournal.com]

Urasawa is excellent with dubiousfaces. Which, considering the things his characters have to put up with, is very good!

(...brb trying to figure out how to pull that off.)

(Oh, so true. XD Sorry Eva, those sleeves do not work, no matter how trendy they are at the moment.)

And volume 9. And volume 10. And...you get the idea.

[skygiants]

Perhaps Tenma's greatest problem in this world is that he has not yet learned the art of the dubiousface. *sage*

(TIME TRAVEL IS TOTALLY VALID IN THIS CASE *_*)

(perhaps this is why she is having such a hard time with the alcohol. :( Every time she tries to sober up, she looks at her wardrobe and it sends her into another spiral of depression.)

. . . but when I have gotten volume 9 I will be halfway to no more Monster! D:

[elspeth-vimes.livejournal.com]

This is a good point! He's most adept at the inferior shocked face.

(THAT SHALL BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.)

("I put up with that man, and he just bought me these hideous clothes." *DRINKS*)

But I can't talk to you about my favorite character until you've read at least volume 10! D:

[skygiants]

He is! That and the FACE OF RESOLVE!!!!!, he can do that one very well. Also: Unshaven Face of Scruffy Outlawry. *solemn*

(>:D >:D >:D)

(Maybe she is playing a drinking game with herself! Every time she makes an appearance in a new puffy-sleeved dress: DRINK.)

I know enough vaaague character spoilers to guess you mean GRIMMER. *laughs*

[elspeth-vimes.livejournal.com]

He is also a master of CONCERNED FACE!

(I think she also drinks whenever she thinks of puffy-sleeved dresses! This would explain much.)

The icons rather give me away.

[the_croupier]

I might have missed it--are you reading Pluto too?

I don't know a thing about the Astroboy-verse, but Pluto has sucked me in anyway.

Still grooving most on Endo's Eden and Urushibara's Mu Shi Shi, though.

[skygiants]

I have not started on Pluto yet, but it is next on my list for after I am finished with Monster! (My short list basically goes:

- everything Urusawa ever wrote
- maybe some other stuff too)

[ojuzu.livejournal.com]

*CAREFULLY SKIPS SPOILERY 20TH CENTURY BOYS TALK, BEING ONLY HALFWAY THROUGH VOLUME 5*

Eva gets better, I promise! Later on, we get to watch her claw herself up out of the gutter and make herself a life. I want to say a little bit more about that, since she's one of my favourite characters (as is, oh, EVERYONE), but it might be spoilery.

As for Tenma and his 'no, he could never kill someone!'-ness . . . I kind of thought he was enlightened or something, ngl. (Of course, then he totally shoots someone later. :D )

Also, NINA NINA NINA. I love her so much it is ridiculous. She is awesome and badass and about ten times cooler than anyone else. I actually kind of wanted her to be Tenma's love interest, which is something I never want with heroes and heroines. (Of course, then she goes and stays with this guy in Prague for a while and they were so incredibly adorable. BUT STILL.) I can't wait till you read the rest of her backstory. ♥

BTW, have you ever read Inio Asano's What a Wonderful World! ? I picked it up in the bookstore the other day because the title sounded like something I'd enjoy, and it really was. I might be the only one who likes short stories about people figuring out their lives, but I thought I should mention it to you because it gave me a kind of feeling I don't often get. ". . . And yet, I still wanna live."

[skygiants]

COME BACK AND TALK TO ME ABOUT IT WHEN YOU ARE DONE VOLUME 5 :D :D

Yay! This is what I have been hoping for BUT DO NOT SPOIL ME FURTHER

I just find it hilarious how EVERYONE ELSE in this series is a hitman or a killer or a cop, and then . . . there's Tenma and Nina. SHINING AND PURE. THEY MUST KILL NO ONE. *pats their heads*

Nina is totally totally amazing though, I love her a lot. (Though personally I can't think of her as a love interest - it's the big twelve-year-old eyes. *sheepish* All throughout the fake prostitute arc I just wanted to cover my eyes and go "NINA PUT SOME CLOTHES ON.")

. . . I have not, but that sounds really cool! Thank you for the rec. :D

[ojuzu.livejournal.com]

*finishes volume 5* Wow. The future sucks.

But Kanna is awesome. :D

SHINING AND PURE. THEY MUST KILL NO ONE. . . . I'm not going to say anything about Nina's backstory. Anything at all. (Best of all, you don't know if I'm just saying this to confuse you or if Nina slaughtered a small country or something when she was five. I LOVE DOING THIS TO PEOPLE.)

. . . 'Fake prostitute arc'? I think I missed something here . . . *confused eyes*

[skygiants]

I KNOW RIGHT. D: Stupid Friends. Not that it's a huge surprise . . . but still!

SHE IS SO AMAZING. I didn't think I could love anything more than adorable baby Kanna, but maybe I might be wrong!

HAH. WELL. Whatever may have happened in her backstory, it doesn't make it any less hilarious how Tenma is all "YOU MUST NOT TAINT YOUR HANDS WITH KILLING D: D: D:"

- you know, when she first reappears and she is in the slinky black dress pretending she is a hooker so she can find Baby? It is not that prostitutey an outfit but it still threw me for a loop. :O