out-of-this-world manga to get
Sep. 19th, 2004 02:12 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
demeter918In all of China, there is probably only one good manga cafe, and it's in Shanghai. The place borrowed its style from Taiwan and Japan manga cafes, but with one big difference. Usually you pay either by the hour or by the book to read while sitting there, but in this place, you buy a ridiculously expensive drink (ranging from 20 RMB to 40) to read as much as you want. Most people will order more than one because once you start reading it's hard to stop. XD
Anyways, in one of those karmic days, I decided to go over and relax over a cup of milk tea. I found the complete volumes of Monster and as I read it - Oh. My. God. I nearly had an mangasm right then and there. It was filled with this creepy, wonderfully horrible suspense. There was such awesome character development and I loved everyone.
By the way - I think I'm in love with Johann, Tenma, and Nina (or, um, Anna if you prefer). I love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love them. And I love, love, love, love, love, love love love love the fantastic supporting cast which have such loving, detailed sketches with pasts to die for. The drawings are gorgeous and exquisite - take a long, hard look at the backgrounds of the manga. They're not just there for show. I love how much research the manga artist must have undertaken to create such a beautiful piece of work.
I literally could not put the manga down until I got to the final pages of the 18th volume. I'm reading, reading, reading, and when I finally see what this whole series was leading up to, it's incredibly simple yet I got this, "... oh." feeling. Johann is absolutely beautiful and it's so creepy because I literally felt like I could not look at his picture for long periods of time. There are so few manga/anime characters who can actually creep my out, but egad, Johann was one of them.
Grimmer was one of those supporting characters who just exploded across the pages as this character who was still trying to cope with what happened to him when he was young - and oh - I just loved him. Lunge, for all his weird eccentricities had this deep, burning want to figure the case out, even if he at times falsly Tenma out to be the criminal.
Nina, Nina, Nina - what can I say about Nina? Strong, definite, frail, but oh so beautiful! XDXDXD Tenma/Nina! Johann/Nina! Fans of twincest should definitely check this series out. It's layered with subtext. I do believe slash/yaoi fans would enjoy it too, though romance and slash and twincest are so not the point. ^_^
It's an absolutely beautiful story with arresting characters, gorgeous art, and an understanding of the human pysche one doesn't see as often as I'd like to. Some might call it a headtrip through a psychology textbook, but I call it treasure.
... Somebody better license it in the states so more people can see this absolutely fabulous piece. >_< I could rave about this series for days. My love for Johann is almost similar to my adoration for Akito. There's sadism and masochism in both of them. And omg, I want to write Akito/Tenma fics. Yes. And Johann/Akito fics. XD It's like a dream world.
Unfortunately - there are very, very, very few fansites out there and no fanfiction as far as I can tell. *le sigh*
I command - no, beg - for all who are interested to go and read the series.
Anyways, in one of those karmic days, I decided to go over and relax over a cup of milk tea. I found the complete volumes of Monster and as I read it - Oh. My. God. I nearly had an mangasm right then and there. It was filled with this creepy, wonderfully horrible suspense. There was such awesome character development and I loved everyone.
By the way - I think I'm in love with Johann, Tenma, and Nina (or, um, Anna if you prefer). I love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love them. And I love, love, love, love, love, love love love love the fantastic supporting cast which have such loving, detailed sketches with pasts to die for. The drawings are gorgeous and exquisite - take a long, hard look at the backgrounds of the manga. They're not just there for show. I love how much research the manga artist must have undertaken to create such a beautiful piece of work.
I literally could not put the manga down until I got to the final pages of the 18th volume. I'm reading, reading, reading, and when I finally see what this whole series was leading up to, it's incredibly simple yet I got this, "... oh." feeling. Johann is absolutely beautiful and it's so creepy because I literally felt like I could not look at his picture for long periods of time. There are so few manga/anime characters who can actually creep my out, but egad, Johann was one of them.
Grimmer was one of those supporting characters who just exploded across the pages as this character who was still trying to cope with what happened to him when he was young - and oh - I just loved him. Lunge, for all his weird eccentricities had this deep, burning want to figure the case out, even if he at times falsly Tenma out to be the criminal.
Nina, Nina, Nina - what can I say about Nina? Strong, definite, frail, but oh so beautiful! XDXDXD Tenma/Nina! Johann/Nina! Fans of twincest should definitely check this series out. It's layered with subtext. I do believe slash/yaoi fans would enjoy it too, though romance and slash and twincest are so not the point. ^_^
It's an absolutely beautiful story with arresting characters, gorgeous art, and an understanding of the human pysche one doesn't see as often as I'd like to. Some might call it a headtrip through a psychology textbook, but I call it treasure.
... Somebody better license it in the states so more people can see this absolutely fabulous piece. >_< I could rave about this series for days. My love for Johann is almost similar to my adoration for Akito. There's sadism and masochism in both of them. And omg, I want to write Akito/Tenma fics. Yes. And Johann/Akito fics. XD It's like a dream world.
Unfortunately - there are very, very, very few fansites out there and no fanfiction as far as I can tell. *le sigh*
I command - no, beg - for all who are interested to go and read the series.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2004-09-19 03:47 am (UTC)As for liscensing, it pretty much looks as though Viz has liscensed it and will soon be publishing book one. Though it hasn't been officially announced yet, it's already in the databases of various online bookshops, which is usually the case before Viz announces something. W00t!
I have a fansite of Monster, and I used to have this "Forbidden Section", with things like yaoi in it, but I took it down. Might be putting it up again... and there should be a Johan/Tenma story here.
no subject
Date: 2004-09-20 10:35 am (UTC)Will be so buying that manga!!!!
One of my favourite scenes in the manga is the last chapter and the image of Johann sitting up in bed. Oh, gawd - Tenma/Johann danced right then and there, and when I saw how deceptively simple the monster was born, I just went batcrazy with love. >_
no subject
Date: 2004-09-21 05:43 am (UTC)But the anime is better at giving the feel the calm of the woods, because of the green color. :)
Hehe, yup the last Monster scene *gg* it's helpful that there's the point when Tenma "suddenly wakes up", moaha.
I can't reach the fic on that site either, I thought it had something to do with my browser... it used to be on LJ, but the authour locked that entry.... how convenient that I saved that story on my disc. Shall I send it to you?
no subject
Date: 2004-09-21 09:00 pm (UTC)So it does get slower after eps 8? I haven't gotten to that one yet (downloading over bittorrent is no advisable in China -_-). But will be saving like mad when I get back stateside. Now that I've seen how smoothly the story goes in general and how tight the seams are, I'm even more excited about the anime. >_<
no subject
Date: 2004-09-22 10:18 am (UTC)The eps that only handle one chapter are a bit slow IMO, but I've yet to see one with three chapters... one person I know says things go too fast there oO
no subject
Date: 2004-09-20 10:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-19 06:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-20 10:37 am (UTC)It's an absolutely wonderful manga with awesome plot, great characters and a 'villain' to die for. It was hard to hate him, EVER. And that's saying something, considering the number of deaths he caused.