Monster: Perfect Edition, Vol. 6

Naoki Urasawa's Monster: Kanzenban #6

by Naoki Urasawa

Tenma learns that ten years ago, a woman with twin children lived in an old apartment house in downtown Prague, above a sign with three frogs. The neighbors also tell him about the Czech secret police and a questionable fire. Could the twins have been Johan and Anna?

Meanwhile, Suk, a young detective in the Prague Police Department, meets a beautiful young woman named Anna in a bar. Suk also crosses paths with Tenma as a new terror looms over them.

BKA chief inspector Lunge, now convinced of Johan’s involvement in the serial murders, comes to Prague to find out what Johan really is. He learns that an agent of the Czech secret police created the strange picture book "The Nameless Monster," which seems to have deeply affected Johan in his childhood. Lunge manages to locate the “Red Rose Mansion” that inspired the author of the book. There, behind a thickly plastered wall, he discovers an old door and the true horrors that lay beyond it!

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

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

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

[Katie Colson · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG I WAS SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP!!!!

There were some damn plot twists that had me throwing the book down and refutting reality.
Like, I knew it was probably going to happen, but then when it did, I was unhinged. The wig? The dress? OMG! This series has me fully fucked up. I love it.

Part of me hates how long it's taking me to read it cause I just HAVE TO KNOW. But the other part of me is happy cause I don't want it to ever end.

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was awesome!

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾

[aleksandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

THAT PLOT TWIST?!!! I WAS NOT EXPECTING THAT.

[alittlelifeofmel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm volumes 1 and 2 they set up this simple serial killer story and theyve turned it into such an intricate detailed amazing story that I'm honestly left wanting more and more and more every volume.

[James DeSantis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy fucking shit I did NOT see that reveal coming.

This is crazy, twisted, and intense while also having sometimes just two people talking for 20 pages. It goes to show Urasawa is a master at weaving together multiple storylines all into one big narrative and just when you think one is a waste, like why are we back talking about this character, it links to the main story in a major way. Tenma and Grimmer together work to try to catch Liebert, but when Johan uses kids to get his way things get even MORE fucked up.

If I had to pick a weak part it was probably Lunge's storyline being a little long and just recounting what we know. BUT then his end part was freaky and exciting all at once. With a ending leaving our heroes in danger, where the FUCK do we go from here?

A 5 out of 5.

[Tar Buendía · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este tomo ha sido impresionante.

La historia del niño en el barrio de las prostitutas, Grimmer, la maldita puerta (¿qué hay detrás de la maldita puerta?) y un gran gran final.

Lo único en lo que soy "exigente" para el futuro de la saga es en que por favor alguien no sé mate a Eva. Que sigue diciendo que Tenma le jodió la vida y es como jejeje NO.

Nunca me cansaré de decir que Urasawa es un maestro del misterio.

[Ema · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gostei bastante, desenvolve o enredo principal enquanto explora as novas personagens de uma forma muito humana, tal como o leitor está habituado. Tenma é uma das minhas personagens preferidas e o final é... para evitar spoilers, complexo... e, visto que não tenho o próximo volume, a minha ansiedade literária deu de si.

[Violeta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Que final!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
La cerecita del pastel!! y vaya que todo subió de tono! ya se siente que está en su cumbre la lectura, es como todos unidos para salvar a Tenma, genial genial.

[Jan Agaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

i have a love-hate relationship with an incredible cliffhanger. this series keeps getting more and more fucked up and i am here for every single page.

[Nyx · Rating 5 out of 5]

i'm so in love with this series I swear

[Fereshte · Rating 5 out of 5]

the plot twists just kept coming with this one! my favorite volume so far! every little mystery is coming to light slowly and so brilliantly and god i'm living for it!

[leynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

All the reveals. This volume truly had it all. We learn that Grimmer is a product of 511 Kinderheim and it's heartbreaking. It's crazy how quickly I took this character to my heart, but here we are. He truly deserved better!

Prague as a setting is also beautiful and intriguing; in general, I have to say that I enjoy seeing all the places, particularly in Germany, that Urasawa shows us in his series. I was even able to spot the Café Extrablatt, which is still a popular restaurant chain in Germany today.

Nina and Dieter arrive in Prague, but she is shocked when residents call her "Anna" and she begins to recall memories form her childhood. We finally learn more about the twin's mother (Anna) and her friend ("Margot Langer") and reading about the plight of these two women is tough!

Meanwhile, Inspector Lunge decides to take a "holiday" in Prague, and questions an associate, Commissioner Nepela on the recent developments and asks Nepela to translate a copy of picture book "The Nameless Monster". Lunge also questions Suk's colleagues about the recent events, and researches the author Franz Bonaparta and his aliases, Emile Scherbe and Klaus Poppe. I was honestly so creeped out when Lunge got to the Red Rose Mansion and decided to take matter into his own hands. His lack of fear is so creepy to me. I love it. :D

The ending, with Tenma being captured by police, was phenomenal as well. Really makes you wanna jump straight into the next instalment!

[Gabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ugh one of the best volumes yet

[Oliver Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

The handling of multiple character and sub-plots really is exceptional

[Rory Wilding · Rating 5 out of 5]

During the previous volume, the rookie detective Jan Suk not only discovers the corruption of some of his superiors in the Prague police, but they have been murdered by a mysterious person, without realising a blonde woman he met at a bar and has fallen for, named Anna Liebert. At the start of the volume, as Anna walks home to her apartment and as she steps into her bathroom, it is revealed that she is Johan, masquerading as his twin sister, who now goes by Nina Fortner. Once again, pretty boy Johan is up to no good.

As Suk dives deeper into the larger conspiracy involving the origins of 511 Kinderheim, putting his life in danger, Kenzo Tenma and the freelance journalist Grimmer join forces to uncover this epic mystery, whilst other characters such as Nina, Dieter and Inspector Lunge are thrown into the mix. Grimmer, in particular, sheds more light in this tragic backstory, which includes being a child subject in 511 Kinderheim, which left him emotionally cold, even during the loss of his child. For a man who smiles a lot, there is a darkness within him.

What seems to be the climax of Grimmer’s arc, it sets up “The Cruellest Thing” that Johan has ever done. It's not just the case of Johan committing serial murder, but how he psychologically manipulates his victims to their fate, including sending an orphaned boy named Milosh to a nearby red light district in a fruitless search to find his mother, and convinces him that he is not wanted. Leaving Milosh depressed and suicidal, Tenma and Grimmer manages to save him, leading to an unexpected intense emotional experience for both Grimmer and Milosh. This sequence alone shows the brilliance of Monster, in that how much darkness flows throughout, a shade of light can still shine. Also, I’m not crying, you’re crying.

During the final chapters, there are flashbacks of Hans Georg Schuwald’s brief romance with the woman who would bear his son, as he talks to Dr Reichwein in the present day. Through this constant discussion of the past, as well as the journey of multiple characters who are heading into the same direction, we are getting closer to the possible origins of the Liebert twins. Mystery does it continue as this volume ends on a huge cliffhanger, leading to troubling times for Dr Tenma, which is exciting to see what Naoki Urasawa has in store for us.

[Jenvile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay. Okay. Okaaaayyy!!!!!

Shit’s getting down.

Everything is starting to come together and everything is starting to make a little more sense. Ladies and gentlemen after 2 quite frankly boring, and another good follow up, here comes the reason why we are all here.

This one is by far the best volume that I’ve read up to, and it’s all thanks to the characters and god damn intriguing plot. This one made me want to pick up the next one immediately, and I haven’t been feeling that with the last couple volumes. It’s also by far, the darkest and quite saddest volume because of the situations that each character go through, characters who we actually kind of care about. Can’t wait for the next one!

[bee ⭑.ᐟ · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is taking over my brain

[King Crusoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was a hell of a journey. So many revelations and major changes to the course and conflicts of the story that it's almost hard to keep track. The remainder of the colloquial Prague Arc here was incredibly, and I'd argue that the Prague Arc is the best, second *maybe* only to the short introductory arc of Volume 1. In that way it's difficult to determine whether Volume 5 or 6 is better - because both of them contain some substantial build-up in relevance to an arc as well as the climactic sequence for an arc, and each type of content in both volumes is incredible.

What I can says is that Volume 6 had a handful more instances of me finding certain moments of dialogue or character interaction strange or heavy-handed, but the other material is so resoundingly well done that I don't find myself particular bothered by that.

Just know that I rank Volumes 5-6 alongside Volume 1 as my favorite.

Oh, I should also add: despite the last 2 chapters of Vol. 6 technically being the start of a new arc, depending on how you count the "arcs" of "Monster", these last 2 chapters do such a fine job of wrapping up the major happenings of rest of the volume while re-introducing characters and storylines from prior to Prague, thus making the line "between" the arcs less stark a jump as previous instances in "Monster" could reasonably be criticized for doing.

So that's awesome. I look forward to starting Volume 7 soon - probably today!

[Neil R. Coulter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story continues to become more and more complex, expanding in geographic and historical scope in big ways in this volume. Also, this volume reveals a plot twist about a character that makes me think back to previous appearances of that character to wonder whether I really knew who the character was in each appearance. By this point in the story, most of Europe seems to be on Tenma's side, so how can the case against him continue? (I know, there are a lot of ways . . .)

Inspector Lunge on vacation was a fun interlude. How much did he know about his choice of holiday location before he went?

[Krystian Siwek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Panie Boże, dziękuję ci za Wolfganga Grimmera. Mimo wszystko, skoro to już trzeci wpis o nim, uczciwie stwierdzam, że tempo rozwiązania całej zagadki (bądź co bądź oczywistej) dotyczącej jego osoby, trochę się na końcu rozjechało, ale w dalszym ciągu go uwielbiam. Cholera... Nie chcę kończyć tej serii

[Hazel · Rating 5 out of 5]

El final de este tomo es muy emocionante, da igual las veces que lo lea *.*

[Angela R. Watts · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You shouldn't spend all your energy thinking of other people!" and "In the end, you can only trust yourself..." hit hard.

Another stunning volume.

[Murat Dural · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diğer ciltlere göre daha sakin ama tüm hikayenin derinlerine, karakterlerin geçmişine dair daha özel bir anlatım. Johan’ın nasıl kim olduğu, olamadığı. Efsane devam ediyor.

[Shawn Szczepanski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some strong moments, we're back on the tracks.

[Shakeela · Rating 5 out of 5]

my favourite of the series so far- so gripping & fast-paced!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are getting closer to finding out who the twin’s parents are. I was actually SHOCKED when we revealed that Johan was impersonating Anna. Now we know why she was making kills left and right in the previous volume! I am not sure why I never thought of that before, it seems so obvious. They look identical, of course Johan would find it useful to impersonate her! As dark as this manga has been, the sequence where that little boy Milosh is sent into the red light district was some of the bleakest. Sometimes I don’t really like when this happens in stories, like I would rather learn more about Dieter than have a new little boy character who fulfills pretty much a similar role even tho Dieter is still around.

At the end Tenma is arrested and all of the patients he has helped plan to band together to seek his freedom. This volume was nice because it felt like we were getting to return to the earlier volumes which helped me keep everything straight. We are also getting more info about the twin’s childhood and the happenings at 511 Kinderheim. Grimmer, who seems cheerful and easygoing, was also damaged at 511 Kinderheim and has had to learn emotions by rote. He has a breakthrough emotional moment when stopping Milosh from jumping off the bridge after that manipulative experience with Johan in the red light district.

[Sam (she_who_reads_) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars- as much as I’m enjoying this story, I’m also ready for it to wrap up now

[Rolando Marono · Rating 4 out of 5]

El ritmo de los primeros tomos hizo que esta historia no me atrapara en primer momento, eso ocasionó que aunque los volúmenes fueran publicados puntualmente en México cada dos meses, yo dejara que se acumularan dos o tres tomos. Al leerlos espaciados, la historia me atrapó menos. La trama es bastante buena, pero el maestro Urasawa tiene la tendencia de desviarse un poco al contar su historia y termina abordando líneas que a simple vista no se conectan, y a veces, cerca del final, logra conectar la mayoría de las líneas, pero algunas otras veces no lo logra.
Este tomo me pareció brillante. La historia comienza a solidifcarse un poco y deja de haber tantos nudos. Al hacer la historia más clara, me atrapó bastante y disfruté mucho este tomo.
El personaje de Grimmer y el agente Suk de cierta manera, son la línea conductora del volumen. Tenemos más de su origen, de ambos personajes, y vemos como sus acciones afectan la trama en general. También tenemos más información sobre la policía secreta Checa y eso ayuda a que la historia se aclare un poco.
Tenemos una buena evolución en el personaje de Grimmer y en el del Dr. Tenma. Además que se siente que se están acercando cada vez más a Johan.
Justo ahora que me atrapó la historia, doy gracias que tengo el tomo siete y ocho listos para leerlos en estos días.

[Dani Wladdimiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cuando Johan quiere acelerar, es increíble como lo hace, el como puede pasar de cero a cien en un momento, para que terminemos nosotros encandilados con sus acciones, porque es lo que más brilla en el libro. Pienso que si bien es lógico el giro sobre Anne, el cual sabemos que es Johan vestido de su hermana, no quita lo increíble de la situación, porque él para tratar de ir movimiento las piezas del tablero, empieza poco a poco a ganar la confianza del detective Suk.
También me gusta el tiempo que se toma el autor para construir a los personajes, situaciones como la de Milos quizá no tienen mayor importancia, pero para mí si las hay, por dos situaciones: 1) reflejar cierta crudeza de la realidad, la cual obviamos, 2) demostrar la frialdad con la que se mueve Johan.
La trama del inspector Lunge parece un poco forzada a ir a Praga, porque al fin de cuentas él podría haber pedido a alguien en Alemania que traduzca el libro que está en checo, pero entiendo que el objetivo del autor es tratar de converger todas las historias ríos, donde finalmente vemos el encause de ellas.
Y final de volumen potente, porque Tenma ha sido arrestado, por lo tanto, nuevamente, todas las semillas que ha dejado el autor, serán utilizadas para el desenlace de esta historia.

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Questo volume è stato terrificante. Non riuscivo a finirlo perché a ogni capitolo vi era un pezzo di puzzle in più incastrato perfettamente nel quadro che compone la storia del mostro senza nome. Non vedo l'ora di scoprire di più sul rapporto tra Johan e Anna e la loro madre, la donna del dipinto nella stanza che non può essere aperta. Possibile che Franz Bonaparta sia il padre di entrambi? E se fosse così, perché creare quella terribile storia sul mostro senza nome? Tante vite si stanno intrecciando sempre di più in questo inferno. Grimmer è uno dei personaggi che di più mi è piaciuto, già dal volume scorso con la storia del magnifico Steiner. E quanto ho temuto per la vita di Milos, quello è stato uno dei pezzi che maggiormente mi ha inquietato, però è stato anche perfetto perché ti fa capire come Johan riesca a manipolare tutti... Spero tanto che Kenzo e Grimmer si incontrino di nuovo, non sopporterei perdere un personaggio come lui.
Ma ora che Kenzo è in prigione non so cosa potrà accadere. Anche se credo molto in Lunge, la sua determinazione e forza è incredibile, spero riesca a capire il mistero.