Did you ever hear the story of a nameless monster?


It is a dark fairy tale about a creature seeking a name by possessing people, gaining their identity, growing too large, and consuming them from within—leaving itself nameless again. Eventually, it splits in two, one going East and the other West. The Eastern monster (who becomes Johan) ultimately finds the other, consumes it, and is left alone in a boy’s body, forever nameless. It symbolizes themes of identity, existence, and evil.

~Naoki Urasawa's Monster

Hey guys, I’m talking about a top-notch dark psychological thriller blended with philosophy, deeply questioning the existence and nature of humans. This is a great animated series called “Monster”, written by Naoki Urasawa.



Most of us have this feeling, right? That there is something dark beneath the surface of our being, alongside all our good qualities.

I’m talking about anger, hatred, lust, and greed.

We often end up hating that dark side of ourselves, but sometimes it feels helpless when it emerges. We cannot control it because the strength of that darkness is too overwhelming, and we end up engulfed by it—ultimately damaging our character and pushing people around us away.



This masterpiece of an anime revolves around that very part of us—how we are shaped, how we meet our own darkness, and how we eventually end up with so much hatred inside. The anime will disturb you, much like Incendies or Oldboy. But believe me, it gives you a never-before experience with its music, plot, and peak writing. It slowly sets the thrill, keeps it alive until the very end, and ultimately leaves you disturbed, moved, enlightened, and strangely happy.

Some of my favorite quotes from this anime:

“What is education? Isn’t education meant to create a person that conforms to society?
What kind of education must be administered to create a human being that meets society’s demands?
Education is an experiment.”
– Mikhail Petrov

“Don’t just follow orders! You’re men, not machines! In your hearts, you know what’s right; the answer is sitting there, waiting for you. Are you brave enough to look inside yourselves?”
– Wolfgang Grimmer

“When you’re in the darkness, you only sink deeper into it. Keep the light shining.”
– Kenzo Tenma