Monster - The Psychology of Johan Liebert (Anime's Greatest Villain)

[@whoistherealmonster4939]

I love the fact that the Anime & Manga community agree that Johan Liebert is objectively the greatest antagonist in both mediums.

[@whoareyoutoaccuseme6588]

It's a never-ending debate between him and Griffith from what I can see; those two are always fighting for the first place in every list.

[@ifisawyourreplyiwillanswerback]

@@whoareyoutoaccuseme6588 it is Johan, a more realistic antagonist compared to a dude in a fantasy world.

[@diocre7446]

1. Hisoka 2. Johan 3. Griffith

[@quentinlelievre276]

Griffith is the most hated for sure, greatest I couldn't choose.

[@whoistherealmonster4939]

@@TheBigGSN5 if you have a better written antagonist than Johan I would like to know.

[@TheMightyKawama]

Literally my number one tv series, let alone anime. My father watched a few episodes (during ep 25-30) when he was around at mine whilst I was showing it to my girlfriend. Bearing in mind there's quite an age gap between me and my dad (I'm 26 he's 77) so I didnt know how much he'd mind watching along or how seriously he'd take it given he's never watched anime before and most cartoons are for kids. In his words, knowing who none of the characters were, their stories or even that anime is just a medium he said "I can't believe it, how can a cartoon tell such a mature story?!" That's why Monster is such a standout to me and why it's my favourite series, and god damn I love the characters.

[@ifisawyourreplyiwillanswerback]

Thanks for sharing that. :)

[@joshshrum2764]

It’s got a breaking bad vibe to it.

[@mari5london]

"I can't believe it, how can a cartoon tell such a mature story?!" Welcome to Japan.

[@etam8099]

@@mari5london true

[@sioberiqking1719]

51 years age gap?

[@TheMaskedMan]

love your videos, glad to see you talk about Johan

[@maxderrat]

Yooooo! I watched your video on Johan in advance of doing my own video! Great work to you too!

[@japsz7]

Big fan mr. Massked man

[@person152]

Colabbb

[@ronin_amv5250]

Two goats. It’s beautiful

[@aaronlaluzerne6639]

Here's your 69th like from me.

[@nickoslekkas3336]

I saw monster many years ago but i recall that the head of the eugenic experiment didn't take credit for how Johann turned out saying that they could never produce such a masterpiece.

[@ivorfoster7466]

Actually, it was Hartmann, one of the directors of 511 Kinderheim, that said that.

[@curious_one1156]

Its like creating an accidental discovery.

[@ZanathKariashi]

Johan turned himself into that. Johan was only at Kinderheim 411 for about a month before he incited the riot that burned it to the ground. Like they mentioned he was already tainted before they could do anything. he also was NOT the one involved the original eugenics experiment at the Red Rose Manor. Anna was. he just went crazy on his own and twisted himself into what he became through a combination of his own insanity, complete lack of self-worth (since his mother couldn't tell them apart and saved him randomly instead of Anna who she meant to), and his twisted understanding of the stories Anna told him about what she went through. Seeing what the adults intended for him with Wolf's organization and the bullcrap at Kinderheim merely reinforced his decision that he'd decided to do back when he and Anna first ran away to escape Bonaparte, was the correct choice and decided to do everything in his power to achieve it.

[@은우1401]

The masterpiece. Monster is my first anime.

[@hunterkage2842]

@@ZanathKariashi I disagree with that, I think Kinderheim did affect him and he was a killer but not a monster before Kinderheim. He killed the old couple because they said they were gonna call the police(the secret police took Anna away to red rose) and he was protecting himself and anna. I do believe he took Anna's memories as his own but only after KInderheim remove his own memories, Anna was the one thing he didn't want to forget. He murders the Liebrets but only after they let Franz see them(Johan told Anna a monster came the night she shot him). Johan's murders normally are planned but the Liebrets were messing meaning Johan was probably having a PTSD breakdown or maybe even blacked out. Anna rejecting Johan was the final nail that turned him into a monster.

[@katie5998]

After watching this video, I then watched Monster in three days. I think if I watched this before my diagnosis of PTSD, I would not have understood the ending. Blackness is the perfect way to describe Johan. He is both the emptiest and fullest person I've ever encountered. He is void of color, and yet he is all the color. And it's because of all those colors that he's an empty person. In the last few episodes, he asks Nina, "What is the end?" And I think 'the end' is represented in Johan himself. The total destruction of identity. Not death, but the voidness of life. The monster was not Johan's mother, not Johan himself, or the people around them. The monster was all of them. Reflected in all of their eyes that night. Everywhere Johan looked, there a monster stood. Monster is human. Monster is in all of us.

[@Pakopfie]

A whole essay 😂😂

[@katie5998]

@@Pakopfie Man, this show just has my brain going wild lol leave me alone 😭

[@ciudateluLcuUmor]

The Monster is The Devil, i think the religious hints that Urasawa makes make it clear. The Drunkman at the end doesnt see Johan anymore, sees The Devil,the great human hater.

[@ciudateluLcuUmor]

People are not monsters inherently ... But they can fall. To the devils tricks.

[@katie5998]

@@ciudateluLcuUmor Why I do think there were religious elements that were used to annunciate Johan's evil, I don't believe that the whole identity of his character was meant to be 'the devil'. I always thought it a complex commentary on trauma, especially childhood trauma, what we are capable of forgiving, what is irredeemable. Tenma choosing to save Johan, I felt, was proof that Johan was indeed a person. Also, didn't think people were inherently monsters. Agree that the fell to the "devils whims", or more psychologically speaking, allowed their shadow selves to rule their egos. People are not evil inherently, but they can and do become it. Why Monster did have religious elements, it also contained a vast amount of psychological and philosophical one. Johan is compared to the devil and antichrist, but it's also made pretty clear that he's meant to represent nihilism. Ofc, everyone is capable of digesting and analyzing material. Our experiences, and beliefs, shape that. Although I am also religious, for me, the only monsters to be found are people. That is shaped by my experience with PTSD, which is why I mentioned it in my comment. Because, for me, people have always been the monsters to be feared. Not the devil, or even God. But the human beings capable of destroying your lives. But the devil being the monster makes sense too, I hope you don't take offense to my opinion and I do respect yours and see where you're drawing those ideas, thank you for sharing your perspective.

[@drowsydrongo1906]

My favourite episode by far from this anime was episode 18, "The Fifth Spoonful of Sugar". It brings to light the inherent human quality to compare and subsequently categorise things and, moreover, the ability to feel empathy. However, the ability to empathise can just as easily be reversed to apathy. Mr Rosso, the Italian Restaurant owner, revealed assassin had killed hundreds of targets; to him, each life taken was not that of a living, breathing human such as himself, but just "another target", work. This capacity to dehumanise a person purely based on the rationalisation of 'othering' through differences proved so poignant. Even then, it only took the single act of a target putting five spoonfuls of sugar in his coffee (something Rosso himself did every day) for this hardened killer's nerve to break. He could no longer see people as targets; no, he had remembered the 'taste of sugar', the bitter-sweet embrace of grief, love, empathy... Awesome video, mate; I always love it when some of my favourite media gets the analysis it deserves. Until the next one, mate; as Mr Rosso said, "Killing a person is easy. Just forget the taste of sugar"

[@Lazrbeams]

There’s not a single part of monster that qualifies as filler. This episode is incredibly important to the story and is the first time the overall theme is established.

[@drowsydrongo1906]

@@Lazrbeams My mistake Michael, I just looked it up, and indeed you're correct hope it still doesn't detract from what I interpreted; I shall correct myself. Cheers again, mate.

[@frog6054]

Yes! That's my favorite part of the story

[@shira7967]

Best ep. Was when grimmer died and he was finally able to feel the sadness of his child dying.

[@lucarichiisover18]

I read Monster when I was...sometime in either highschool or middle school? (Must have been late middleschool if that, I doubt I would have had the patience for it any younger than that) But... I read it at the library, which means I had access to whatever the hell volume they happened to have that day. So basically, I read it wildly out of order, with no real context for anything that was happening besides the art being REAL damn good relative to everything else I'd been reading at the time. The sugar story always stuck with me. Must have been the first volume I read. Or at least the first volume I paid attention to. The idea of those 5 spoons of sugar being something so wonderful that it made the sniper have to stop and consider it... ....hm, no idea where I'm going with this comment anymore. This is just the first time I've seen someone else really talk that scene in particular, of all of the scenes in Monster xD (Anyway. Weird habit of putting 'exactly 5' sugars in my own coffee, ever since then. Not 5 spoonfulls, could be 5 'barely any sugar on the spoon', but always 5.) (Absolutely can trace that habit back to that scene) (Idk. Always made the coffee seem a little extra 'just right', no matter how much sugar was actually in it.)

[@zocastproductions2407]

The devil's greatest trick is convincing you that he doesn't exist.

[@zocastproductions2407]

I just finished watching this series and I have to say it was one of the best stories I've ever seen expressed in an anime. I definitely see how Mephistopheles as a character could inspire the antagonist that is Johan. I have a background in music and I believe that some of the character names (at least) may be inspired by figures from what we call "classical" music. The most obvious examples are the names Johan and Ana. Johan would be a reference to J. S. Bach. There are many composers who bare the same name. However, I believe it is Bach because he had a wife named Ana Magdalena. Bach wrote a series of piano compositions for his wife to study and practice playing. It is sometimes referred to as the Notebook of Ana Magdalena. Johan's sister Ana (Nina) would then be the reference. And this pairing of counter parts might also be inspired by the aspect of Bach's composition that he is still remembered for today. This is a principle of music theory called counterpoint, and it is what gives Baroque period compositions their ornate quality and character. There were other examples, too, such as Wolfgang Grimmer and Wolfgang Mozart. I need to watch the series again so I can listen more actively for other examples. I know that I caught a few more, but I really just wanted to watch the series and experience it without analyzing it heavily. It is very well written, indeed. I'm glad I watched this video essay and subsequently enjoyed this series. 👍

[@akaroth7542]

I always found that quote to be wierd. People seem to almost worship the Devil with how much power they attribute it. The Bible teaches us that God will inevitably win. There is no battle, no possibility of loss. Why pretend their is by suggesting the Devil could win?

[@zocastproductions2407]

@@akaroth7542 I agree, but the quote does not suggest that the devil will win. It only points out the subversive methods he uses. It really says that only you can allow the devil to win you over. Like the serpent's whisper in Genesis. It suggested that Adam and Eve did not have a critical level of "knowing" that they were tending the garden for the benefit of someone other than themselves. Like the Marxists of today suggest, in all their gnostic dogma. They will also lose. But there are countless people who listen to their bad guidance.

[@thestruggler776]

@@akaroth7542 theism itself is an oxymoron. Atleast in view of the gods that are presented in the abrahamic religions. You see, God, atleast as the Bible describes, is omnipotent and omniscient. So why live when he already knows the outcome. It makes the "test" irrelevant and the suffering unnecessary.

[@Bashbekersjiw]

@@akaroth7542 bruh

[@Kmi_Sama]

This.. this is just amazing. I haven't started Monster yet but I've seen the thousands of people saying he was the most evil protagonist of all anime/manga history. To be even worse than Griffith, i was expecting something extremely chaotic like creating a war by himself, but Johan was truly a man with no identity and no idea of the concept of love. A tragedy like nothing I've seen before. I think it also shows the importance of properly raising children with love, care and affection, because even if you don't hit them or things like that, they could grow up and become terrible people. The Eugenics experiment on him really ripped the humanity out of his body, leaving only a hollow shell. Man i really wanna watch this anime now. I know it's been a year y'all I'm sorry 😭 I still haven't watched it I'm busy with One Piece

[@theflash9735]

It's 10 billion percent worth it.

[@tfk2328]

Never trust the pretty boys.

[@whoareyoutoaccuseme6588]

The full series is here on youtube. It's about 75 episodes long; ready to make the commitment?

[@Kmi_Sama]

@@whoareyoutoaccuseme6588 as long as I'm enjoying, I could finish One piece in a month

[@PrinceZakariyya]

It’s great

[@jumpingSpiders]

This gave a whole new meaning to the show for me, I honestly didn’t understand the show when I first watched it so I tried to watch explanations and theories videos but none of them were as easy to understand as yours. thank you for explaining it clearly!

[@videogamesworld01]

what didn't you understand?

[@jumpingSpiders]

@@videogamesworld01 I did watch it a long time ago so I don’t remember but it was mainly the ending, I do plan on rewatching it the future tho.

[@videogamesworld01]

@@jumpingSpiders Oh well I wanted to adress the stuff you didn't understand If I could help. Anyway if you rewatch it and still curious write in this comment I can help.

[@jumpingSpiders]

@@videogamesworld01 thank you! I’ll come back later if I need the help!

[@ihlibedih1312]

@@videogamesworld01 i didnt understand the part when johan read the pitcure book in the library and regained his memories…how did that change him? Did he want to plan out the perfect suicide after re-reading the book? Or did it direct him somewhere else? And what were his intentions before? I just dobt understand the change thats all

[@NekoEnforcer]

This is probably my favourite channel on KZbin. Every topic and discussion is as if it's tailored for me, you discuss all of the series and games I love. I really appreciate your work.

[@maxderrat]

I love you, man. Had a tough week working on my newest video. Your comment made me feel at peace.

[@javierc4967]

Even though I don’t believe Monster needs a live action adaptation as the original anime is brilliant enough, I would love to see a 74 episode live action series that is faithful to the original Manga/Anime. It is one of, if not the best crime stories that the manga/anime world has to offer and it would be great if it could be exposed to a larger audience.

[@Br0kenMask]

dont let Netflix see this

[@javierc4967]

@@Br0kenMask haha true, they butchered Death Note.

[@hafizmohd8224]

@@javierc4967 dont forget Cowboy Bebop....😕

[@satriorama4118]

It's possible to live action Monster since the series is a Realism. It happens in our society. Unlike most other live action which is fantasy or sci-fi, realism can be fully adapted without much flaw. That's why Rurouni Kenshin live action is widely accepted while AoT is not. The adapting studio just need to follow the storyboard without adding any current political shits.

[@javierc4967]

@@satriorama4118 definitely! If they make it shot for shot it would be brilliant.

[@robertgoode6713]

Sounds like Kefka from final fantasy. "I want to create a monument to non-existence."

[@joshshrum2764]

And destroy everything, but it’s also like he can’t understand why the other characters cling to life when he just wants it to end.

[@adolcristin3526]

Where do they come from? And where do they go?

[@elijahkaiva8058]

I can't believe you made this banger of a video Max, thank you! Monster is one of my favorite anime and I feel is extremely underlooked in terms of storytelling. You did it justice! I'd love to see you tackle something from Gen Urobuchi at some point.

[@francis2410]

That's true! Madoka Magica and Psycho Pass both have many topics similar to yours, Max

[@whoareyoutoaccuseme6588]

@@francis2410 Both are also really good shows and deserves to be analyzed by our boy Max! Maybe throw in Paranoia Agent as well.

[@francis2410]

@@whoareyoutoaccuseme6588 Paranoia agents is such an underrated show and it had a lot of content that Max would appreciate to analyse!

[@professorcookie1744]

Excellent video Max! As a med-student and someone who likes Psychology, Johan is a very interesting character, his moral turpitude and extreme intelligence allows him to use manipulative tactics to crush his victim's soul, digging up the victim’s past traumas and/or regrets, meandering the facts in the most uncharitable and unforgiving way, only to watch as his victim’s innermost doubts and deep-rooted insecurities destroy them from the inside out. All of this is possible due to his social skills and his ability to use rhetoric to its maximum potential. Johan has the ability to talk to people and find out what their weaknesses are and in turn use these weaknesses to his advantage. The book rhetoric by Aristotle would come in handy here seeing as rhetoric is just the art of persuasive speaking. Johan's brainwashing method piqued my interest, he can find out a person's foundation of ego - their identity just by knowing where they live. When they imagine the place where they reside, they use their living space as a starting point, and think of roads and places as they relate to their location, and when given an actual map of the place they live, they'll most likely see their neighborhood as the center. In the very center of their mind, just like the map, there lies the foundation of their ego - their identity. But, suddenly their coordinate axis is removed. There is no meaning to this center, there's a much more appropriate center for their heart. This is the reality of what we call brainwashing. And when a human being's mental axis is removed and they are lost, Johan will gently and carefully entrap them with words, not giving them an opportunity to think, offering them a new place to live. Human beings follow the instructions of whoever furnished them with this new home... they become surprisingly docile. Isolation is a key element because it deprives the target from social reference points, except the ones of the brainwasher. The target will face deprivation, malnutrition and even the potential of physical and psychological harm, these methods dull the mind of the target and destabilize their judgement. Johan must go through three stages of brainwashing in order to be successful. 1) Breaking down the self. 2) Offering a possibility of salvation. 3) Rebuilding the self. I'd like to talk about Johan's manipulation technique next, and let's find out how he was able to manipulate people, especially someone like Roberto. Johan's manipulation technique involves a social influence that exploits all the vulnerabilities of the “mind” and “heart”. This is different from normal manipulation techniques since it exploits not only the psyche of the victim but also its “heart” and at the same time, also harder to use than others since it takes more time than the normal methods. He looks for people with cracks in them, and he drives a wedge into them and manipulate them until they finally break. What people think is interesting is what they perceive to be their wants or sometimes, needs. These misbeliefs are what blinds people, making them accept such delusions, and prohibits them from searching their true desires. Through insinuation, innuendo and cleverly arranging circumstances, Johan was able to plant ideas in his victims' minds. People wants someone who understands their feelings. Someone who they think knows what they are going through. People don’t want their feelings to be told to them. When they want to be understood, they avert their eyes from reality and escape from the problem. This is exactly the time when the manipulator should show them that he/she understands them, and we've seen Johan do that to his victims. Several accounts of manipulation tie its moral status to the fact that it influences behavior by methods that seem analogous to how one might operate a tool or a device, like how Johan treated Roberto or many other people. Johan is interested in reasons not as logical justifiers but as causal levers. For Johan, reasons are tools, and bad reasons can work as well as, or better than, a good one. It's also possible for someone to manipulate others without them even realizing it like Roberto for example [I've seen Roberto exhibit signs of Antisocial Personality Pisorder (ASPD) or Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) throughout the series] but it is also possible that they are very aware of their behavior and how it affects others. Roberto came from 511 Kinderheim, an orphanage that uses Depatterning and Psychic Driving ECT to create tabula rasa, then corrupting and reconfiguring the subjects using spontaneous social cognition as a psychological mechanism to facilitate inhumane acts to try to 'rewrite' their personalities and turn them into cold-blooded soldiers. Due to Dissociative amnesia, Roberto was unable to recall important personal information. In the event of psychological trauma, our human minds can literally block out the repatterning function of a specific recall as a defense mechanism, but with the help of Johan, he was able to remember the one thing that he loved the most (hot cocoa), sensory memories are far more powerful when it comes to remembering than just simply trying to think, Johan simply used that to his advantage. In other words, his methods and techniques are feasible.

[@whoareyoutoaccuseme6588]

Hmm, interesting read. I'm also studying Psychology, but I've yet to reach your level of understanding in the field.

[@professorcookie1744]

@@whoareyoutoaccuseme6588 Thank you for reading!

[@lornzu6372]

bruh ur teaching people how to brainwash

[@ghostbladevanguard514]

Half of what Johan let some People do was pretty unrealistic

[@lornzu6372]

@@ghostbladevanguard514 will not be unrealistic if you try it out

[@lucianomangroo]

Johan is the only villain who doesn't need powers to show how terrifying he is.

[@apurvaaryan7984]

Psychology breakdown with a spice of theology are great. Keep it going 🥰

[@nessie2652]

The way you explained the ending and its symbolism made me want to cry again over the genius of this story

[@mc_zittrer8793]

One villain that really left a mark on me was that kid from Inuyashiki. A much shorter story, but the meaning did not suffer for the length. The beginning was honestly giving me Breaking Bad vibes, but once the old man found out what was happening to him, he was relaxed and happy about taking on each new day, and doing what he can to help people. He was determined to make his new lease on life count towards making the world a better place. And dear god, when he started singing the intro to the old Astro Boy cartoon to make his rockets work, he won my heart. In stark contrast, you have a boy that went through the same 'rebirth' as him. In any other anime, this boy would have all the hallmarks of the main character. And in all likelihood, that was how he saw himself. But his moral compass was so defective, I was horrified with the lengths he was willing to go to, just to test out his new body and abilities. You want a villain that's on the same level as the devil? Your first and most important step is this: Your character can't see people as people.

[@whoareyoutoaccuseme6588]

Yeah, the contrast between Inuyashiki and Hiro reminds me so much of Tenma and Johan. Absolute Altruism vs Indiscriminate Apathy. Too bad they didn't really interact much until the very end. I'd like a video that would pick apart both characters.

[@mrjong-pildasong1468]

Oh my god , one of the reasons that I think hiro is top 100 villains of all time is his lack of humanity , the bath tub scene with the father and his kid lives in my head rent free

[@jadeorbigoso5212]

Remember in Ruhenheim Arc People use their guns through hatred and for evil but the drunk guy is different, he shoot Johan out of love to his Son.

[@ThorfinnKarlsefni1]

That arc was stressing me out 😭

[@Xloachtop]

Ruhenheim happened not because everyone was evil, but because of fear. Roberto and his men were killing some people and making random gunshot noises to create an environment of fear, everyone mistrusted each other, no one knew who the killer is and everyone had guns, so whoever they saw that had guns, they shot at, because they're probably the killer, right? In a town that had never seen guns, if there had been a shooting, and you see a gun in someone else's hand, that is what you would think. And there is no way to contact the outside world because all telephone lines were cut, and the trains were cancelled. This added on to the fearful environment that led to the massacre. And the alcoholic beat his son and made him work for money to buy drinks, i don't mind that the mf went to prison for murder. I wouldn't be surprised if he did it not out of love for his son, but because his son makes him money for alcohol. Monster is filled with one scumbag bigger than the next.

[@wolfgang_k511]

I wonder if you can also talk about Grimmer Wolfgang. Not complaining about the explanation of Johan, but i think Grimmer's trait and character development from Monster is the most intriguing one in anime history. The fact that the author depicted Grimmer's suffering and how he keeps trying to be a normal person as simple as having an emotion, and then how the author ends Grimmer's life are another reasons to call Monster as a masterpiece in psychological anime. Yeah, I'm obsessed with Grimmer as you can tell 😂

[@schkrimbly]

Grimmer was a real one RIP

[@kaedeharasnakuweed]

im also obsessed w grimmer's character ngl considering he's also a product of the orphanage, similar experiences as johan's yet, he chose a diff path. he kept trying to figure out himself and was determined to do so. really like the. contrasting personalities between the two. if only both of them met once at least

[@B34RProductions]

He is johans opposite, it was to show that 2 kids went through similar horrors from kinderheim 511 don’t become the same person or in Monsters case don’t become monsters themselves. Grimmers character is that of hope and moving forward, seeing life and those around him valuable even if it’s fleeting while johan is the absolute opposite of everything grimmers holds on to and values.

[@brazybenjamin2937]

I finished Monster recently. Took me the whole month of January to finish it and it’s one of those shows you don’t truly appreciate until you after you finish it. I think Monster is super underrated and I think it needs a reboot.

[@3esa2003]

it doesnt need a reboot lmao

[@Geographical_EditZ12]

Most reboots ruin the shows. Some questions are better left unanswered

[@volcano3759]

Monster is one of my best anime. It has a complex story that I prepared many of its episodes and I did not understand much of it. It has a strange feeling when watching it. You are very attracted to this anime and it makes you ask many questions such as evil and good and who is the cause of Johan's humans and the characters written in an excellent way like Grimmer, a very wonderful clip I enjoyed it very much

[@sleepycowboy18]

For me a terrifying villain would be someone that gives me a lot of mixed emotions, a character that gives me extreme hate, horror, sadness, void, but also pity, a whole set of emotions would be in my favorite best villains of all, and johan is one of them.

[@georgethemonkeydrummer5598]

Personally, I find Johan absolutely terrifying, because out there in the billions of humans living their lives going through the moment, I know that there’s an almost guaranteed chance that someone like Johan is out there and we have no clue who or where he is.

[@phongtranquoc7557]

That's the whole point, anybody can be Johan,... well maybe a part of him as he is all the colors of negativity and we humans can also be those colors and it is our own decision to make whether we succumbed to them or not. It's so scary to think that we could be sitting in the same bus with a psychopath everyday

[@AryanSatasia-sw2dw]

No human can possess the same qualities and charisma like johan does. His iq is above 180 for sure not to mention no one has gone through the shit he went through at kinderheim 511. Also the way he manipulates people do you actually think any human would be capable to do it? He is also emotionally intelligent and easily understands others minds. +He is cold hearted and brutal Yes some people can posses the above qualities like high intelligence, manipulation and charisma but someone doing it like johan is simply impossible

[@georgethemonkeydrummer5598]

@@AryanSatasia-sw2dwyeah I was thinking more like there are for sure people who think and even fewer who think and attempt to do actions like his. But the charisma and his signature manipulation is inhuman, hence why Reichwein compared him to the beast in revelations and when the Library with Schuwald was like the devil in hell’s flames. I think that scene with the library and fire is the most literal moment in the series where one character truly understands what Johan is despite being blind and it’s just a genius set up by Urasawa

[@funnyman8713]

@@georgethemonkeydrummer5598​​⁠I genuinely think Johan decided to plan out his suicide when he saw the book. He probably put a stop to his schemes and decided to end everything with a grand finale after revisiting his past. If he wanted to, he could have been the most powerful man in the country.

[@dimitris1601]

​@@funnyman8713after he saw the book he stopped trying to kill the ppl that remember him and focused on regaining his memories because he realized his life purpose came out of a book , then he changed his mission to taking revenge from bonaparta after hes done that he wants to kill himself so he won't have to kill nina

[@swmtothemoon6660]

IM SO GLAD YOU DID THIS ONE!!!! I binged the entire series when I heard about it back in February of this year. AMAZING storytelling about the rationality between good and evil.

[@infinityactually6166]

I just found out about Monster yesterday and Max makes a video about it today, nice.

[@cassandralyris4918]

I've waited so long for this video, and not a second disappointed. 🤘🥰👍

[@weridplusho]

I clicked on this by chance and I'm glad I did. It's always good to see a great video for best boi. One thing I just love about Johan, is that despite being the eraser, despite his need to be erased, somewhere deep inside he was seeking confirmation of (his) existence. First from his sister then it was Tenma, but his need, his nature to destroy forced him to seek ways to destroy them instead. Seeing Tenma, reconfirming his existence by saving him again, and Johan having a realization on that in the ending just hits right.

[@damianstarks3338]

Johan is both terrifying and iconic at the same time.

[@mebbin]

Such an incredible anime, and a worthy analysis!

[@Mankey619]

I remember seeing this series back then. It’s been years since I’ve watched this but seeing the main protagonist just brought me back so many memories. This series alone shows that how the most evil of beings can cause so much grief and misery towards the main character and the people around him. Thanks for showing me this video. This anime has brought me back so much memories. The world needs to know about this anime.

[@cabooseocallaghan6229]

I haven't watched Monster yet, but definitely will after this video. Reminds me so much of the Three Fingers and the Flame of Frenzy from Elden Ring, as well as Ivan's beliefs in The Brothers Karamazov.

[@specialknees6798]

I like the elden ring comparison, but I highly disagree with the Ivan one. Ivan isn't a nihilist, at least not in the way Johan is. Ivan is distraught at the amount of needless suffering in the world, because he is a fundamentally good person who realizes that people don't get what they deserve except by coincidence. Johan relishes in this absurdity and wants everything to... burn away so to speak

[@cabooseocallaghan6229]

@@specialknees6798 Well said, I guess I mostly meant his nihilism, since he definitely isn't an evil guy

[@specialknees6798]

@@cabooseocallaghan6229 yeah that’s kinda the problem with the term nihilism honestly. Two characters or people can have the same “diagnosis” of the world yet react very differently to it

[@absolstoryoffiction6615]

@@specialknees6798 A weak Evil to just burn everything away... But such is a human desire... In the end, I'm just amused that a fictional character (if they were real, conceptually and not literally) would even think this will lead to anything worth the time. After all... I'm the one who holds Good and Evil in my hands. Such a mortal will need to be better if this is the Evil they claim to have. Upon the death of God, the screams of Angels, the cries of Demons, and the destroyer of worlds... ... ... I am the Nothingness and the Existence. But I digress... So far... Evil has yet to truly incarnate. But I'm not the one to lead that war. Since I contend with omnipotence. ... Granted, the ideology of Evil is rather weak and temporary. So easily erased and undone. Just like this planet. Still, my mortality is unshackled. Even "I" exist when everything is long gone. Nothing in existence is new to me...

[@manwithnoname8229]

@@specialknees6798 would you say it's a problem or rather a explication as two characters can essentially have the same outlook on life yet draw different conclusions, representing the complexity of man and nature.

[@specialknees6798]

excellent video. Johan is one of my two favorite villains in media and I adore the paradise lost-satanic sort of archetype he draws from, and I'm really glad you went into that aspect of his character here. The only other character I consider to be on and maybe above Johan's level is Judge Holden from Cormac McCarthy's(the guy who wrote no country for old men) Blood Meridian. The Judge is an unbelievably terrifying villain, and if you can get through the book(It's a classic but a very hard read) I think you'll greatly appreciate him. A video on the judge would be great and possibly even a comparison/contrast with Johan or other similar antagonists.

[@faizissa8617]

Monster author wrote others series with top tier antagonist. Like Friends

[@JoaquinJr]

Anton Chigurh is also another phenomenal villain

[@golu_badbola]

Monster is without a doubt the best character study of psychological traits in anime. The premise is great but the writing is on whole another level. Not a single dull moment.

[@grimboguppis7432]

This and many of you videos are a light in many dark lives, thank you

[@shethatisnau]

Great essay, Monster is a fantastic series and this breakdown is brilliantly done

[@blankscreen1945]

I've been meaning to check this anime out. I love your videos Max!

[@CHUNCHUNMARU971]

It's good for those who can understand the meaning or just generally enjoy physiology. If none of that gets u going then it's just boring

[@jkb2494]

Great video as always, Max! Now I highly recommend you to read Homunculus, and if you're still digging the psychology aspect of manga, this a must-read as it will really hook you into a world of storytelling that could only be told in that kind of medium. The title literally comes from " homunculus is a representation of a small human being, originally depicted as small statues made out of clay. Popularized in sixteenth-century alchemy and nineteenth-century fiction, it has historically referred to the creation of a miniature, fully formed human." If you want to peep more great villains, the Jojo's Bizarre Adventures has them ALL. It will be long ride since currently there's 8 parts, but it is one of the greatest series ever in manga and rightly so with its mangaka, Hirohiko Araki, creating a world and aesthetic of his own that has made many characters memorable. It is a also a must-read!

[@pattieharris7897]

Yes, the homunculus is definitely a must but you should also read Carl Jung's work.

[@TearThatRedFlagDown]

Homunculus is great, what about Oyasumi Punpun?

[@NekoEnforcer]

JoJo definitely has some great villains but they are more exaggerated and comical, I wouldn't really put them on the same level as say Johan or Griffith

[@Asphyx12]

​@@NekoEnforcer i agree the context of jojo's villains although awesome it's not so serious like monster

[@radioactivedragonite2420]

reading homunculus right now and its absolutely insane

[@DrayDayEveryDay]

Man, the fact that you're covering my favorite character from my favorite anime has me overly excited & I haven't pressed play yet!!!!

[@nuke4duke167]

Whenever I hear any of Monsters OST my hair stands, great video

[@nihilsnake4017]

As someone who’s favorite anime is monster, and someone who is rewatching it for a second time now, Johan has to be the best anime villain ever, at least when it comes to seinen anime. He’s just so... twisted, I can’t even say that’s a good word for him but he’s pure evil. Which is a perfect antagonist for someone like Kenzo Tenma (the legend himself) who is a person who will even save the investigator hunting him down, he always has hope that people can become better, and that there is always good in the world. As I said before, Monster is my favorite anime.

[@erikvaldes4293]

Griffith >

[@nihilsnake4017]

@@erikvaldes4293 cool

[@Johan590]

@@nihilsnake4017 he's not pure evil tho he cares about his sister so there goes ur flawed logic

[@dragoncat5767]

@@Johan590 psychopaths can commit evil, and still care for someone.

[@Johan590]

@@dragoncat5767 no they can't learn what a psychopath is

[@basilisarsenaut2404]

Finding this channel is such a pleasant surprize!!! Even though this villain needs a lot more time to fully cover, philosophically, psychologically, neurologically (like, come on, the gunshot must have done something ffs) etc., for a 23 minute video it is just amazing how much you managed to cover. Lots of research put into it and great pace/writing of the script! Instant subscribe, thank you for existing!

[@doctorgames101b]

Thanks for sharing the Monster Anime lore and the main antagonist, Johan, of the matter. I never knew there was an anime called Monster. Maybe I was too focus on Bleach and Dragonball when I was younger. lol

[@waterbean1522]

I’m speechless…that was a beautiful analysis

[@rezasaputra640]

i'm really enjoyed all 74 episodes, this show is masterpiece, i hope monster get reboot animation in future

[@3esa2003]

why reboot? monster anime is great, doesn't need fancy animaton

[@tttll9398]

I appreciate the animation, but i too wish for a remake because it would alot better ​@@3esa2003

[@its_saam9459]

This is a great analysis. One difference I would draw between Mephisto and Johan is Mephisto is actually quite funny and has an endearing side, whereas Johan doesn't even have that.

[@MFGod_Hand]

Incredible work as always Max, you shed several new lights on the masterpiece I have been digesting for well over a decade. Looking forward to more!

[@wha....972]

This was such a good video, really enjoyed the implementation of Faust and all the citations. I've read Faust in school since I'm German and I loved mephistopheles (Mephisto in the German).

[@412Shivangi]

at last, someone recognised this anime!! It is so sad that such a masterpiece is never even mentioned in anime discussions.

[@grimnecksnapper3789]

Great video Max. I understand the character even better now.

[@DanLuxe]

My friend told me I have to watch this anime! It’s on my list and I’m watching this video very carefully and might stop and get back to it in the future (due to spoilers, we’ll see, just started). Love you man. Keep up the great work! ❤️

[@DanLuxe]

Just finished the show. 💛

[@XiaoKyonko]

I remember browsing a few episodes of monster as a preteen and thinking 'im never gonna watch this ew'. This feeling of disgust carried through to my late teens when I suddenly decide to give watching this a shot. I still vividly remember how overwhelmingly mind-blown I was by the plot and the feelings of horror and awe I felt. This anime is truly one of my favorite shows of all time.

[@davivignola5895]

I... wow, alright. I just heard about Monster this weekend, and saw this video come up. I'm intrigued and contemplating your analysis of the character, as well as the end of the series. Just... huh.

[@jaymarksman]

I remember going into Monster completely blind (not really even knowing the genre, or if it had supernatural elements or not), and for quite a while I thought Johan could be the literal devil himself. This turned out not to be the case, and considering his demeanor and actions, the fact that he is "just" a man makes him even more terrifying.

[@Teodosin]

Incredibly profound. I watched this show as a young teen but didn't really understand the plot. I have to watch it again now.

[@revolutioninthedark7048]

That’s cause it was and is an adult show. Lol

[@Teodosin]

@@revolutioninthedark7048 absolutely yes lmao

[@frog6054]

It's about Japanese doctor chasing a charismatic serial killer. Yeah, that's the oversimplification of it.

[@ogghoul1511]

I watched it as a teen I am still a teen I understood it and it was truly terrifying and really opened my eyes

[@vincentbatten4686]

You finally got around to it! I'm glad you got a chance to dig into Monster.

[@zander8347]

i really loved the anime ,especially the ending is something special and perfect in my opinion

[@lucasleonardofavacho]

Thank you for bringing, this is amazing

[@rvre]

I'm glad I found your channel. I love this analysis.

[@24Samash]

It's been a while since I felt something was missing in my life, today I gladly discovered it was you. Thanks for your work

[@RakanTaijo]

Thank you for the great explanation of Johan's psychology, the story about Faust and Mephistopheles she a great light on it. Another Antagonist I really like is Bondrewd in the anime "Made in abyss". Granted he's not Evil reincarnate, but he has a unique depth and complexity. I suggest you watch the series.

[@edindjc8735]

I’ve been WAITING FOR THIS!!

[@wiriamurequiem5124]

Especially the scene where he said " It's me, I am the Monster! " and he proceeded to monster'd all over those people. Truly one of the Anime I've ever seen.

[@johnmanole4779]

I love your channel. I dont know why but this video and planescape torment are in my opinion the best videos you did, and the ones that make me the most emotional every time i watch them. I thank you.

[@coreyrachar9694]

oh man a video about monster? what a good series :)

[@solidsnake9898]

YES! OMG I’VE WAITING SO LONG FOR THIS!!

[@kenmojica]

Very engaging psychological anime. Makes you think critically of what choices may affect the future. For the most part you hardly have seen Johan but his presence was felt. The doctor still maintained a sense of justice even going through hell. Very persevering.

[@iiamarlen]

You know, I when I was watching Monster I had hope I could find a great breakdown video covering everything. And this was that video thank you this was incredible!!!

[@alessandrajackson3768]

This anime rocked me to my core. It gave me genuine chills

[@Alex-ip1dn]

You're awesome Max. Thank you ❤️

[@nathancann6254]

this is actually soo crazy, i was just thinking of some sort of hypothetical in my mind almost exactly like the story of faucost where some guy sells his soul to a demon to live infinite lifetimes in search of true knowledge… now when i go to yt I see this recommended, im utterly flabbergasted

[@waleedirfan5045]

One of the best analysis concerning underrated show Monster

[@faisalb8003]

Wow man. What you said in the end “to demonstrate the eternal upper hand that love has over hate” moved me so much. Thank you for this piece, excited to watch the anime now

[@odinsrensen7460]

God I hate it.

[@moitreyo619]

I have never before went on such a journey of an almost Dostoevskian world. A journey into the unbound aspects of the human experience specifically the manifestation of the Jungian Shadow in ordinary life. It is terrifying in the truest sense, a horror not on the crutches of jump scares and good score but a peek into the depth of abyss which stares you back. The Japanese are masters of story telling in every aspect. A true masterpiece.

[@theflash9735]

What a video! What a script! Just...wow! Been hyped ever since you posted about you making this video in a community post and you exceeded my already super-high expectations! Phenomenal work!

[@seanchan4478]

I'm going to need to watch your soma video, you gave me cold chills when you mentioned an ai devil

[@Arcticgreen]

13:20 - 13:30. I had to wonder if I heard this correctly... "The only thing worse than having a killer get away with his heinous crimes, is to not have a killer to blame those heinous crimes on". I seriously had to replay this bit just to make sure I'd heard this correctly. This seems to embody and glory in the concepts of revenge and blame, which are themselves, to me, "of the devil". If we focused more on just making repairs, helping where help is needed, moving on, and then staying the course, rather than allow such criminals to rock us, we'd find our lives much more peaceful. By focusing, or believing that the most important thing, is to have a criminal to put blame upon for such heinous crimes is focusing too much on a sense of revenge and retribution. When hurt happens, what is more important, healing the wound, or punishing the wounder, knowing that doing one will not do the other. The more we focus on punishing the wounder, the more recursive the process becomes. Revenge begets counter-revenge, retribution takes more than others are willing to accept and thus they demand retribution in turn. Whereas if we had focused on healing the wound more in the first place... such recursion wouldn't happen, as much.

[@ThePereiraAlex]

I understand what you mean, but, the never knowing of why, reason, meaning of such things happening is what never allows people to move forward. there will never be acceptance, closure, peace... it destroys one from inside and gives one no purpose in life, with constant fear of living. truly... the most rational or "intelligent" thing is to move on and stay on course..... but humans need to find some meaning and some way to try to at least have some explanation, some reasoning, and some attempt to avoid it happening again. there are cases in monster that display this, but to be honest, it has been years since I watch it, so i will refrain from quoting specific details as I don't remember exact episodes.

[@Arcticgreen]

@@ThePereiraAlex It sounds very small-minded, the way you worded it. Take a step back and see a bigger picture. Even if we have no idea who to blame for our own injuries, said injuries are small when we start thinking in bigger terms. And, by not knowing who made the hurt, it often means that the hurt is not ongoing, so the source thereof is gone.

[@vivvy_0]

@@Arcticgreen closure is important for healing

[@Arcticgreen]

@@vivvy_0 It can be, but letting go once we've reached the limit of what we can do is also important.

[@DDRMR]

Big metal gear AND monster fan? Time to bingewatch all of your videos during bed time

[@radioactivedragonite2420]

Great video. I love Monster and manga in general so was pretty excited for this video. Would love you to cover Urusawa's other masterpiece 20th century boys. Although perhaps 20th century boys is more of a storytelling masterpiece than a philosophical one.

[@frog6054]

20th century boys is the best manga I've ever read!

[@demonassassinator5441]

There are also Pluto and Billybat

[@J0ezah]

Was waiting for this one, keep up the good work!

[@gobi6316]

Excellent work. I think you could make this video even longer. Or make another video about Johan. Especially about his philosophy vs philosophy of Dr Tenma and their relationship. And. When I first watched Monster and saw that Nameless monster I always thought it was familiar. Or, that I saw it before. But I never did. And It was frightening. Does anyone else experience that?

[@cjwinchester1206]

This is video is just perfect. Thank you for making this.

[@yodoleheehoo90]

I finally finished the series today and NOW I can come back here and watch your video without being spoiled by the plotline and ending XD I can say with certainty that ALL the characters in the series were really fleshed out and connected to each other in some way or another, hell even Roberto as unlikeable as he was had a deep story himself! I love Tenma and the choice he made, but I also want to love Johan in the end because of how he was treated/raised by those who only saw "an experiment" :(

[@athenatheshewolf]

I LOVE THIS ANIME AND MANGA! I'm so glad that you're doing this video.

[@juanos97]

I remember Reading and watching the manga of monster and the calm and almost mind-reading Interactions of Johan

[@joshshrum2764]

Luinga, was pretty manipulative too, this series just has some many great characters.

[@legoastray]

the start to this was quite spooky to watch at nearly 1 am

[@leizero]

I just finished the anime and it reminded me so much of Frankenstein's monster. From not having a name to devoting himself on making one person suffer (or in Johan's case, Tenma and Anna). Great story; highly recommended.

[@jonkorpi]

I needed to see this today. Thank you.

[@senmonkashonen5875]

Thanks a lot for this video, i watched it when it was released. I came back now because I wanted make a video suggestion for you: can you talk about assassin's creed myth of creation?

[@marverak]

Max, this is REALLY good stuff Pretty please keep making more videos 👍

[@KINGSTUNAX]

i am shock to see this video because yesterday i discover this anime i was interested to see someone explain this here you who today came to explain like you heard my mind thanks for this video max derrat love you

[@abdullahhasnain4701]

great video dude, i love all the explanation you have put into this video, just love it

[@colonelmustard2652]

Matrix nerds seriously need to just lay off their false reality. Humans are way more flawed in their judgement than computers. It’s such a tired metaphor. Instant sus.

[@maxderrat]

Is it possible to program human fault into an algorithm?

[@janesmith5269]

Yes just add the human condition program.

[@SiriusCygnus]

I think we live in a simulated reality, however its not like the matrix. We arnt being connect to the simulation from the outside but part of the simulation itself and a consequence of it. Its not a false reality we are tricked into being within. This reality is our true reality cause this reality is what produced our consciousness. Whats The purpose of the simulation then? To satisfy the curiosity, boredom, or loneliness of the entity/entities that started the simulation.

[@dasuero7489]

@@maxderrat Now, that’s an intriguing question for perhaps another day

[@willydirt9355]

And who builds computers genius?

[@mickb5854]

Incredible. Thank you for your hard work

[@ZeranZeran]

My grandpa always told me the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was "Pull my finger" I'm sorry. Amazing video Max :).

[@hassansabbah4241]

Video about greatest anime villian ever? Gotta smack that like

[@kaizerhall3138]

This video is amazing, especially with the conclusion regarding the power of love and how it could have been what saved Johan's soul. (Before you proceed any further, I recommend that you check out Explaining The Ending of Monster. What you're about to read is based on what I learned from that explanation. Not only that, but it's a very good video that really gives you some insight into the character of Johan Liebert.) I believe that the title refers not to Johan, but to the sense of nihilism that guided him throughout his life. Something that he described as a monster that was growing inside of him. This monster kept him from developing (morally and emotionally) as a person, and guided him through random impulses that he gained no satisfaction from. Johan has often been compared to the Anti-Christ. But just as how Jesus Christ spent his life trying to spread a divine message, I believe that might be the same case for Johan, in his perspective. Take his interaction with Milos. Given that they both suffered from mother issues, it's possible that he may have seen himself in that boy. I'm not excusing what he did. Not by a long shot. But I do think that, in his own sick and twisted way, Johan thought that he was 'helping' Milos to come to terms with his mother. In fact, a lot of Johan's manipulation could be interpreted as him trying to enlighten others. In the end, Johan Liebert was nothing more than a child who spent his life feeling empty inside, seeing the world as a miserable place where the only solution was to submit to death. He lived two lives, listening to the monster within himself. And now, that he's been saved once again, as well as told that he is loved and wanted, by someone who knew about his true nature, he can start anew. I can only hope that this young man can find his place in the world. One where he can atone for past, but still live a wonderful life.

[@sravankiran2685]

Found this channel few weeks ago and this is fav content to watch now

[@StormCrow702]

Perfection good sir. I’m happy you got to experience this horror with the rest of us. But, I think there is another fiend in literature that would be perfect for you. Judge Holden from Blood Meridian. If Johann is John Milton Lucifer than the Judge would be Dante’s Satan. Thank you.

[@specialknees6798]

yooo, I just commented this and scrolled to see if anyone else felt the same. Honestly, they both come from the John Milton archetype. I really think their main differences can be chalked up to their setting and medium. The judge is an archetype of war and conflict on the American frontier, and Johan is a paragon of nihilism after the second world war in Germany. They both exist to represent the ultimate evils of their times and places. One could even think of them as the same character. The devil could appear however he wanted after all.

[@Cugelclever]

I just found this channel. And damn, it is so good. Thanks for the great content.