At first glance, Monster doesn’t seem like the typical anime of the 2000s. With its muted colors, realistic action, and Eastern European setting, it seemed like a more subdued series compared to other thrillers. But because it feels so realistic, Monster is one of the most thrilling psychological series that happens to tackle the value of a human life, as the compassionate doctor Kenzo Tenma grapples with the weight of having saved a boy who grows up into a manipulative psychopath. Mangaka Naoki Urasawa and showrunner Masayuki Kojima directly challenges their respective philosophies through excellently paced investigations, well-developed characters, and the thorough examination of the different ways humanity has failed each other, and it’s downright beautiful to see how this anime adapts Urasawa’s complex, sophisticated story so faithfully.

Johan Liebert is one of the most fascinating and unusual antagonists ever created, anime or otherwise. His motives and methods are so inscrutable. He’s not the straightforward fascist figurehead his admirers want to prop up, nor is he aiming for money, fame, or world domination. Instead, he’s unpredictable, brilliantly manipulative, and what he aims and believes in stands opposite to our protagonist, making him the perfect challenge to Tenma’s optimism and hope in the human race.