Monster, Chapitre 17 : C'est moi

Naoki Urasawa's Monster #17

by Naoki Urasawa

Il était une fois une petite ville au cœur d'une petite vallée.
Les gens y vivaient en paix.
Un monstre, masquant son apparence, y vivait aussi. Il avait pris ses distances avec le Mal, il avait commencé à aides les autres. Mais un jour arrivèrent des visiteurs... démoniaques.
Ils corrompirent la ville et les habitants commencèrent à s'entretuer.
Les visiteurs étaient venus pour capturer le "Monstre".
Un monstre nommé Franz Bonaparta !!

Genres: Manga, Comics, Thriller, Mystery, Monsters, Graphic Novels, Fiction

228 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2001

About the author

Urasawa Naoki (浦沢直樹) is a Japanese mangaka. He is perhaps best known for Monster (which drew praise from Junot Díaz, the 2008 Pulitzer Prize winner) and 20th Century Boys.

Urasawa's work often concentrates on intricate plotting, interweaving narratives, a deep focus on character development and psychological complexity. Urasawa has won the Shogakukan Manga Award, the Japan Media Arts Festival excellence award, the Kodansha Manga Award and the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. In 2008 Urasawa accepted a guest teaching post at Nagoya Zokei University.

Series list (not including short stories collections):
- Pineapple ARMY (パイナップルARMY) 1985-1988, written by Kazuya Kudo;
- YAWARA! 1986-1993;
- Master Keaton (MASTERキートン) 1988-1994, written by Hokusei Katsushika;
- Happy! 1993-1999
- MONSTER 1994-2001
- 20th Century Boys (20世紀少年) 1999-2006
- 21st Century Boys (21世紀少年) 2007
- PLUTO 2003-2009, based on Tezuka Osamu's Tetsuwan Atom
- BILLY BAT 2008-2016
- Master Keaton Remaster (MASTERキートン Reマスター) 2012-2014
- Mujirushi (夢印-MUJIRUSHI-) 2017-2018, collaboration with Musée du Louvre
- Asadora! (連続漫画小説 あさドラ!) 2018-ongoing

Reviews

[Gabriel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es descorazonador este tomo. Pero al final todo está bien conectado.

Lo que en un principio a mí me pareció aterrador y horrible (Johan siendo el doble de Nina) aquí toma una carga psicológica tremenda detrás de sus acciones que le da una capa más pesada a toda la trama

[Rahul · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is going on ! I am frustrated with so much twist and turns and more and more complex questions arising what will happen and answers to the mysteries left behind unanswered. Roberto is there, Tenma is there, Agent Lunge is there, Grimmer is there, Anna is also reaching to the final stage, Johan is there, Klaus Poppe is there, it is hard to imagine what would it end in. It is down to last volume lets see how it ends.

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The final stage is set, and now every surviving MC converges onto the scene. Shall we all have a lottery? Let's see who in this little sleepy town survives. Kinda small for an armageddon, but the stakes are very personal and very intense.

What do I really think about PK's return to a normal human being instead of a children's book author? Melodramatic, but not entirely unbelievable. Considering how much time people have obsessed over one thing or another in this whole story, I don't find it too off the mark to grant him a little humanity in the end.

What really fascinates me is Mr. Monster, himself. He still continues to be deep and his motives are strange and opaque, even if we're given an actual reason. The reason is almost literary and a high idealism, if demons were subject to high idealisms. Hell, maybe all demons are personified idealisms, anyway. How would I really know?

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is going on?! So much death is happening. Who is doing what and why is a bit unknown. A small town is losing it! I loved seeing how Deeter, Nina and Tenma all care for one another. A strange mishap family to be I hope. So many villians ans so many stories try to blend together but honestly I felt a bit overwhelmed, yet the town still intrigued me.

[Christina Pilkington · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5 stars

Really strong volume leading up to the ending. Lots of surprises! Can't wait to see how it ends!

[নাজমুল হাসান · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's now time for the final confrontation. The Monster is closing in on his last prey. And that twist about Klaus Poppe was really kinda unexpected. Who would have thought that such a heinous person could turn a new leaf and turn into such a kind elderly. Now that Johan's motive has been made clear, it will be really interesting to see how the story wraps up. I just hope it doesn't end in such a note that leaves a bad aftertaste.

[andrew y · Rating 4 out of 5]

alright. alright alright. that was an okay volume that builds nicely towards what I think will be a satisfying conclusion, but deep in my soul I know will leave me wanting. still, though, this is more than I've stuck with any other binge-read in recent memory, so well done to urasawa and all that. final volume here I come.

[Arsene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Johan listened to my story… and it seemed as tough he was laughing… but… it also seemed as though he was crying… I’ve never seen another human look that way…
یک جلد به آخر این مجموعه تراژدی و فوق‌العاده….

[Kesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ending of the Nameless Monster is near.

[Kaya Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 that I rounded up!
Not much to say here, because I'm sure everything will be answered in the next and final volume!

[Jesús Salazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

peak

[Peachy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm Home (ch 140) drove me crazy with all the twists and flashbacks, and Tenma saying "good girl." If Johan was actually trying to protect and save Nina this entire time, I will cry.

Where to Go (ch 141) made me tear up so much. I love Nina and Tenma!!! The moment between them was so sweet.

Johan's character is so weird to me since he mostly existed in the memories and mess he left behind, but I have no idea who he really is. Plus, his dialogue has got to be some of the vaguest stuff ever. Right now though, it seems to me that he was the one who lost his humanity after all, but for what? I cannot really tell. I thought it was because he was experimented with then I thought it was a sacrifice of sorts for Anna, but now it seems that he was trying to become a greater beast than Franz Bonaparta. I am also not quite sure what to make of Johan asking other people for their stories and making them his own.

Capek's end at the hands of those whom he thought he could trust was fitting.

Who the fuck was the guy Johan killed ???

Ruhenheim (ch 142) brought together another unexpected duo. Lunge seemed to be going soft too!! I do not remember any references to this place before they arrived here though...

A Quiet Gunshot (ch 143) was almost the cutest and sweetest thing ever...

The Vampire's House (ch 144) had similar vibes as the past two chapters, but more chaotic especially with the couple who won the lottery. Seeing Lunge actually cooperating with someone was too surreal.

Things were picking up again in A Paranoid Town (ch 145). Having no idea how everything arrived at this point aside, I am really loving the concept and storyrelling of this Ruhenheim arc. The characters, setting, and conflict were introduced so delightfully through all these little vignettes that fit together so well like patches of a quilt. A big part of this arc's charm certainly came from the odd pairing of Inspector Lunge, an arrogant detective whose edges were beginning to soften, and Grimmer, a friendly fellow whose cheery demeanor belied a dark past.

The execution of Konrad's death was especially astounding. He was just going about his day as usual then he was taken by surprise, then he was humanized and made out to be such an endearing and beloved neighbour, then a devastating shot of his dead body!! I teared up so much.

Everyone in that town hated that damn dog so much it's almost not funny anymore.

The Perfect Suicide (ch 146) answered my question about how Lunge knew to travel to Ruhenheim though I still do not get the full picture of the twins' background. Naoki Urukawa was more bold with his use of flashbacks and non-chronological storytelling these recent volumes.

How did Tenma have connections with the secret police?

A Peaceful Home (ch 147) was more than a bad omen.

I am deathly afraid for Lunge and Grimmer right now. I hope Tenma's timing would be perfect.

Town Bloodbath (ch 148) was dark, emotional, and mindblowing... I am speechless.

Memories I Don't Want to Forget (ch 149) had a strange feeling to it: somewhere between foreboding and bittersweet.

The serial mass murders reminds me of the need to create a "crest of blood" in Fullmetal Alchemist.

[Britton · Rating 5 out of 5]

"And I will keep on doing what I am doing to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light." 2 Corinthians 12-14

"He never sleeps. He says that he will never die. He dances in light and in shadow and he is a great favorite. He never sleeps, the judge. He is dancing, dancing. He says that he will never die.” - Blood Meridian

I tend to be a sucker for strong concepts. Give me a good hook for a story and I'll read it, even if it doesn't entirely grab me in the end. Much of the time, I'm disappointed when a concept is misused or the author/artist doesn't explore the concept's full potential, merely touching upon it to get the readers hooked and then going on about their own interests or in the worst-case scenario, destroying the momentum that's been built. But Monster is different, as it's the rare series that delivers on its concept, while also being a very fast paced, entertaining story.

I've tried to expand my horizons in the world of comics and read foreign comics, and manga has been on that list of foreign comics to read. I've read several manga such as Lone Wolf and Cub, Akira, Bastard, and Death Note which I've enjoyed to various degrees, but the name Naoki Urasawa has come up with almost religious reverence in the circles that I've come across in the manga fandom. I'm happy to say that Urasawa is a writer-artist combination who proves to be as skilled of a storyteller as he is a draughtsman.

Urasawa shows himself to be a master of pacing, a master of suspense, and a master storyteller. While Monster starts off slowly, Urasawa keeps the audience invested with deft plotting and intricate attention to character, before taking the audience on a wild ride from beginning to end. Much of his skill also comes from his sense of the mystique, giving us little niblets of a much grander mystery that keeps his audience coming back for more. It is this ability that kept me coming back for more. I was impressed with the psychological progression of the characters, how their beliefs change throughout the story, and how they grow from the experiences that they go through during the events of the story.

Urasawa's art is likewise skilled, it is cartoon-like, while also being filled with character and personality. All his characters have distinct designs, and a character rarely looks similar to the other. An issue I often find with manga art is that all the characters look like children, and at their oldest late teens to early 30s. I wouldn't be surprised if Urasawa was influenced by the artwork of Katsuhiro Otomo, as he shares his eye for detail and distinct characteristics of his characters. Though Urasawa's art often runs toward the gothic. My friend Dave put it nicely when he said that this series has such an ominous and otherworldly feel that it sometimes feels fantastic.

Proof of this idea is with the main antagonist Johan, the titular monster, someone who is so detached from the rest of humanity that it seems that he is something otherworldly. Like Anton Chigurh or The Joker, Johan's evil is something that is so incomprehensible to the human psyche, that even when his motives are clear we are still unable to penetrate why he does what he does. What makes him so frightening isn't that he's particularly malicious or sadistic, it's that he is completely indifferent towards the lives around him, including his own. Urasawa plays his cards beautifully by never showing Johan too much or stooping to cliches where he taunts the heroes, he proves to be more of a force of nature than a cartoon bad guy.

Much of the series explores the relationship of protagonist Dr. Tenma and Johan and how both effect the world around them. They're not merely enemies, but existential opposites who are forced to collide. As Robert McGee pointed out, a protagonist's journey is only as good as the forces that antagonize him. Tenma's journey is ripe with struggle as he uncovers the mystery of who Johan is and all the forces that seek him for good or ill. Yet what allows Tenma to win is the fact that he chooses to hang on to being good, despite being in a world that is so transparently corrupt, becoming just as incomprehensible to the people who want to exploit or use him for their own ends.

I was also very surprised with the depth of the side characters that Urasawa introduced and how many stories he weaved into the story without losing the threads of the main plot. While they might seem frivolous at first glance, Urasawa always manages to find a way to weave them back into the main story somehow, where no detail is lost in the abyss. Much of the emotion that I felt through the series came from the side characters often, and Urasawa proves to be as gifted with characterization as Stephen King, creating characters with depth and nuance that gives the story its heart despite all the horrors that happen in it.

I continually stand in awe with how Urasawa manages to connect all these seemingly loose threads together to create one big story. It's rare that a story delivers on its core concept so adroitly, yet Urasawa does this and then some. He puts many comic creators around the world to shame, and he has fun doing it. His boundless imagination and his sense of set up and pay off will keep readers entertained as the story moves along as it does, culminating to an ending that is as oddly fitting as you could be with this story.

It's rare that a story explores evil with such nuance and creativity, we see all aspects of human evil be laid to bare through this series without reservation, rather it be the casual indifference of Johan, the selfish opportunism of the neo-Nazis, or the banal cruelty of the scientists from Kinderheim 511. One can also see the film Halloween being an influence on this series considering how Johan is much like Michael Myers, especially with the ending which I won't spoil here. Good might have triumphed today, Johan might be stopped, but he'll never truly be gone...

After all, evil never really dies, does it?

[Luthfi Eddyono · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kisah karya Urasawa yang satu ini memang tak sedashyat Master Keaton, tetapi patut untuk disimak dan diikuti. Dengan ide cerita yang "tak biasa", tapi tetap berkutat pada humanisme dan sejarah kehidupan manusia, Master Urasawa naoki malah menyajikan polemik kejiwaan tokohnya. Dan hal yang tak berubah dari karya Urasawa adalah semua orang yang ada dalam cerita merupakan tokoh utama!

[Gabi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last few volumes were a slow buildup for the final showdown. And now the players get together for the endgame.
So thrilling!

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say? It's Monster. Every volume is a 5 star.

[Rowan Briggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

TLDR: Initially, a solid read. 4/5 stars. Great setup. After some time though, and having read the final, I would give this volume a solid 5 stars. This is a wonderfully executed set up volume for the upcoming finale.

Longer Review: Alright, let's be honest here. You have not read the last 16 volumes and decided that you are not enjoying the series. If anything, perhaps you feel the story is getting confusing or you're liking it less. But the odds of you reading up to this point and not enjoying the series is pretty low.
That said, the story does start to get a bit more confusing. I read some essays, analyses, and articles on the story to help myself to better understand the story as a whole (as I do not have time to reread the whole series). I would strongly recommend this to anyone reading the series as it will enhance your overall enjoyment of the story.
The story is great, but it also gets quite a bit heavier. You really need to recall information from previous volumes if you want to enjoy this volume. Otherwise, it is easy to get lost. I would not recommend starting here, although you theoretically could. You would probably get lost in the story. However, for readers of the series that have been around a bit longer, this is an excellent way to set up for the finale.

Spoiler Review: That opening chapter is powerful. Wow. Johan was able to crack Anna in a way. To see her ready to pull that trigger was very powerful. Anna shows us how powerful and scary Johan is. Chapter 2 also helps to demonstrate Tenma's power. He is the one who undoes the work of Johan and saves Anna. I am amazed at Urasawa's way of using the reactions of other chararcters to develop his main characters. Johan, who is so devoid of expressions, has this immense presence and looming power over all our characters.
Grimmer and Lunge also resurface. I don't know who would not be a Grimmer fan, but we begin to feel even more admiration for Lunge. One thing that I also really like about this volume is we see a how there are many different routes that all lead to the same end. This felt a bit more natural for me, as if such an event were to occur there would be multiple signs indicating that it would take place. This volume does an excellent job at progressing the story for the upcoming finale. Easy 5 stars.

Side note: I really wanted this one to be good, as blue is my favorite color and the other two blue colored volumes were a bit lackluster. Blue volume seems to indicate setup volume, but this one works very well.

[Nehemiah Bekele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Penultimate volume, always a moment for me to recollect my experience with a manga, and the more impactful it is, the more inclined i am to yap.
Jesus fucking Christ, I'm really not going to heaven after all of my reviews of this, cos Urasawa has quite honestly blown my expectations of how a story can continuously engage you with the cycle of new information, new questions. His understanding of human despair is quite honestly frightening as this story has made me feel nothing but pain and disgust at how a human becomes a Monster, and the impact they can have on everything around them. What also sets this murder mystery to be so well told is how real the world feels, like i know I need to spend a good few months in Germany, visiting every little town and am so much more intrigued in European history around the collapse of the Berlin wall. And Prague, always wanted to go there but now I NEED TOOOO.

I'm trying to be as indescriptive as possible cos if u d get this far in my review and enjoy a murder mystery, or think u've experienced the best mystery storys: you haven't. Read Monster. This story will grip you like no other. And if you have and think there are better, PLEASE TELL ME 😁.
Anyway 10/10 from start to finish, there isn't a single chapter that dulls this experience, every panel, character, background, and word has been meticulously placed to create an enthralling story. Lets hope I acc make it through the last volume without crying the Pacific Ocean.

[Michael Sorbello · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a review of the entire series.

Synopsis: Dr. Tenma brings a boy named Johan back to life, unknowingly resurrecting a monster from the brink of death who ends up throwing the world he knows into a cesspit of despair and chaos.

Review: One of the most horrifying yet humanistic crime thrillers ever told, managing to capture the absolute worst of humanity while showing how we can also be the most kind, compassionate and heroic creatures that have ever lived. The complexity of human nature, the small deeds that change the world around us little by little, the hero and the monster that lives inside all of us, how our actions shape the next generation, the controversy of nature vs. nurture, Monster brilliantly portrays it all in a stunningly engrossing and emotional manner.

Interweaving dark conspiracies, hospital politics, serial murders and controversial indictment, the dark tale of Tenma, Johan and all of the unfortunate souls caught in between their battle of morality is an unforgettable experience.

[Julie In Wonderland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alrighty this is meant for the last volume but I thought I will write one from the bottom up whenever I feel the sudden pang of intense emotions in the aftermath of this series.

Have you ever tried to move on from somebody and find out you can’t?

This is how I feel trying to move on from this series. I feel like I do not need to read another book, finish another manga or watch tv because I have already experienced the best storytelling there is.
Stories within stories, ambiguous motives, unraveling a thread-ball of mysteries, plot twists that you do not see it coming no matter how wary you are, historical accuracies, intricate and well-established world building, multi-faceted personalities of even minor side characters- everything I ever want in a story- you name it. Monster has it.
One day I wanna write something like this masterpiece.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

September 2023. Over September (and wrapping up on the 30th) I read this complex political conspiracy thriller drenched in guilt, corruption, but with a hope for finding the goodness and kindness in some everyday people across age, background, race, and nationality.
What starts as choosing a surgery for the first in need over the wealthy as a statement about the equality of all people spirals into over a decade long story with an expansive cast of characters, serial killings, and ethical debates that crosses cities and countries in its scope.

Reminded me a bit of Ira Levin’s The Boys From Brazil with the decades after upswell of political radicalism with its roots in WWII conflict (also an excellent book) and the element of conspiracy thriller at its core.

Absolutely looking forward to checking out his other series. Borrowed these through Sacramento Library and the Link+ System that let me borrow volumes from all over California libraries.
Naoki Urasawa’s Monster.

[Agung Wicaksono · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nina sudah bertemu Johan, si kembaran. Johan memanipulasi ingatan masa kecil Nina sehingga membuat Nina pusing tentang kejadian-kejadian di masa lalu. Secara perlahan, Nina jadi ingat momen-momen ketika ia berada di grup membaca bikinan Franz Bonaparta. Lantas, ia pun menyadari petunjuk bahwa Johan akan ke tempat di mana Bonaparta tinggal.

Selanjutnya, aksi kekejaman terjadi di Rutesheim, sebuah desa kecil yang dikelilingin oleh pegunungan. Di sana merupakan tempat tinggal Bonaparta sehingga Johan pun melakukan aksi balas denda dengan membuat penduduk desa saling membenci dan membunuh.

Tenma tidak tinggal diam ketika mengetahui Johan telah menemui Nina. Ia pun mencari petunjuk dan bertemu dengan anak kandung Franz Bonaparta. Dari buku-buku cerita yang ditulis oleh Franz Bonaparta, ia langsung menyadari tujuan selanjutnya ke mana Johan akan melakukan aksinya.

[Athirah Idrus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5 stars

As the story was heading towards finale, I thought the story would pick up its pace. However, this volume was unexpectedly slow. There was not much reveal, but all the major characters finally began to appear in the same town, that was said to be the beginning of everything that made the ‘monster’.

Nina was slowly piecing her scattered memories. Though she could recall much more about the Red Rose Mansion, there seemed to be something major missing. I was happy with the reappearance of one of my fave characters.

Inspector Lunge too, seemed to finally be on the right track. He spent so much time tracking criminals, but his rewards had begun to pay off. Initially, I was upset with him. He seemed to have a dogged determination and one of the few officers that was not corrupt, but he was wrong with his deductions in Tenma’s case. I’m glad he finally turned around and saw the truth. He’s definitely the type of police you’d love to have on your side, and hate as your enemy. I’m just glad we’re just one volume away from the end, despite my reluctance to part with some of the characters in this series.

[Federico Elías · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creo que con este tomo Naoki Urasawa consiguió convertir su historia de suspenso en un cuento folclórico, es raro ponerlo en palabras y que no suene ridículo, pero en este tomo el tono adquirió más y más matices, por más que la historia no tanto. La trama simplemente se está centrando en terminar, sin apuros, mientras que la atmósfera quiere hacerte sentir que estás en un mundo oscuro, donde el peligro acecha donde menos se espera, y donde la persona más normal tiene una cara oculta y retorcida.

[Ostrava · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://youtu.be/KDK5j-pd8tQ

All pieces are on their position. I was at first dissatisfied with how Urasawa played it all out with Lunge and Tenma, but now I see...the fucker started to have doubts the moment he went onto a "vacation". I expected something more cathartic but that will surely happen next volume.

As for the rest... boy, this is starting to look like an ending. People are dying. The Monster is taking his final form now.

[Audrey Arnold · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so confused. It was a good volume though! I don't necessarily understand how everyone came to the conclusion they did, but I since this is the penultimate volume, I don't mind a bit of confusion before everything comes together in the final volume. The dots are being connected, and I'm hoping I understand what's going on after reading the next one. It was satisfying to see some of the recurring characters finally meet up!

[Jelke Lenaerts · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has content warnings for alcoholism, child abuse, and bullying.

I'm not going to lie, this was nearly a five star for me. The only reason it wasn't was because this very much felt like a set up for the finale, which I'm expecting to be really epic. We did get some great reveals in this one, and the whole volume just had a very sinister feeling to it.

[Estibaliz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, that awesome feeling of wonder, dread and anticipation is back.

This was, for sure, one of the best volumes in a long while. I mean, we still are not sure what's going on at any given moment, but there's a lot of things that are slowly starting to take form for that grand finale, that is now just one volume away.

Great stuff.

[Shourya Gupta · Rating 5 out of 5]

i can't believe i only have one volume left to read now anyways here are my feelings that I felt as i progressed through this volume:
-ooooo creepy small town vibes me likey
-erm, uhhh?? wtf?
-okay no this is fucking crazy
-what the fuck is going on
-Who The Fuck Is That.
-OH MY FUCKING GOD THEY'RE ALL GOING TO DIE

[Yassou · Rating 4 out of 5]

L’intrigue continue toujours, j’ai peur de ce que le dernier tome va donner. Il y a encore tellement d’éléments à résoudre que je me demande si il ne manque pas un tome. Le début était bien et la révélation de Bonaparte était surprenante!