10 More Psychological Works To Watch!
Monster is one of Naoki Urasawa’s greatest works to date. This anime starts slow but gradually becomes more intriguing and mind-numbing as you proceed. It features a doctor named Tenma who aims to rewrite the wrong he committed years ago. He had chosen to save the life of a young boy over his town’s mayor. Little did he know, the boy would grow up to become a serial killer named Johan Liebert. Viewers follow Tenma on a journey of redemption as he plans to put the boy he saved behind bars.
Fear not if you’re having trouble finding anime similar to Monster! We’ve discovered 10 alternate shows that’ll give you a similar experience as Monster.
Additionally, for each anime we’ve reviewed, we’ve included a link that allows you to view our full thoughts about the series to see if it’s worth your time.
So without further ado, we present 10 TV shows that should whet your appetite when you’ve finished streaming Monster!
Psycho-Pass
Similarities – Themes & Tone
This is an intruiging anime series that delves into the problems regarding technologically advanced and run societies. Psycho-Pass’s mature storytelling, tone, and characters will resonate with audiences who found Monster’s cast enjoyable and complex. With some mesmerizing visuals and an emphasis on crime, you’ll find yourself at home with Psycho-Pass.
Our story takes place in futuristic Japan, where the city’s Sibyl System determines a person’s societal threat level. At the center of this narrative is Akane, a woman who uncovers the system’s shortcomings. She’s dead-set on exposing her findings to the world in hopes of bringing an end to the Sibyl System. It won’t be an easy task, but she’s determined to accomplish her mission.
This series maintains a serious tone throughout and offers some graphical content to excite specific audiences. Fans will enjoy its psychological themes and stance against technology. With several mysteries sprinkled throughout its storyline, you’ll find yourself enjoying its crime-centric thrill ride.
Death Note
Similarities – Characters, Themes, Tone
Death Note is an incredible crime series that uses its supernatural elements well. It has well-written characters who engage in satisfying cat-and-mouse antics that’ll leave you entertained. Death Note knows how to keep its suspense flowing as its multiple twists will keep you begging for more.
In it, we follow a high schooler named Light Yagami. He’s an intelligent fellow who wants to rid the world of criminals. One day, he finds a mysterious notebook called the Death Note. The holder can murder anyone with it, as long as they write the person’s full name and cause of death inside the book. After murdering several people under the alias, Kira, Light gets worshipped like a god.
His popularity backfires on him when he draws the attention of a gifted young detective named L Lawliet. With L on his tale, Light must formulate articulated strategies with his shinigami pal Ryuk, if he hopes of escaping punishment. It’s Light and L’s dynamic that serves as the heart of Death Note. These two have an impressive rivalry that’ll keep you wanting more. If you haven’t watched this epic crime thriller, do yourself a favor, and watch it.
You can read our thoughts on Death Note in our full-season review here!
Terror in Resonance
Similarities – Characters & Mind Games
What would happen if the world was under the palm of two terrorists’ hands? That idea serves as the crux of Terror in Resonance’s narrative. With its well-written cast and storyline, this is an underappreciated work that deserves your attention. Along with its gorgeous animation and gloomy setting, this is a serious work with a tight emphasis on psychological warfare and tragedy.
Our take revolves around Nine and Twelve. They’re two male terrorists known for bombing a nuclear facility in Japan. They challenge the police force and its detective Kenjirou Shibazaki. It’s up to this group to put an end to their emotional tirade as they plan to cause more controversy until they’re caught.
Like Monster’s Johan Liebert, Nine and Twelve are horrifying criminal masterminds. They both operate in shady ways and will cause so much panic that’ll make viewers question if Kenjirou’s capable of bringing them to justice. This series delves into the show’s psychological components well and will make viewers ponder. With small mysteries sprinkled in, this is another great show that’ll keep you on your toes the whole way through.
Berserk
Similarities – Mature Storytelling & Characters
It’s safe to say without Berserk, fans wouldn’t be enjoying titles like Dark Souls or Elden Ring right now. This is a work that went on to influence many creators from across the world. It offers a deep narrative, complex characters, and dark subject matter that’ll hit home with many folks. Along with its incredible fantasy setting and epic fights, you’ll find yourself entranced by this masterful work.
It follows a young warrior named Guts. He joins a strong syndicate run by the admirable Griffith. Later, Guts becomes the commander of Griffith’s syndicate and helps him earn several victories. Unfortunately, Guts will encounter something dark looming in the area that’ll change his life.
This isn’t an anime series for everyone. It features some explicit imagery and gore that’ll scar the faint of heart. Give this one a watch if you’re a fan of mature works that don’t hold anything back regarding violence and psychological material.
Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor
Similarities – Characters & Psychological Aspects
Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor is a series filled with countless mind games, likable characters, and a thrilling world. It offers elements that’ll tinker with your mind in exciting ways and some epic mind-numbing bouts that’ll keep you hooked. In it, we follow Kaiji, a man who is down on his luck. He forces himself into debt thanks to his lackadaisical co-worker.
To pay it off, Kaiju attends an event on a cruise ship. The attendees can get their debts cleared if they can complete each game. Losers will find themselves becoming someone’s indebted servants for life though. With nothing else to lose, Kaiji embarks on a mission of lies and wit as he attempts to clear this debt.
Like Monster, there’s always this looming sense of doubt and caution. While fans will get a kick out of its action-centric bits, the show thrives off of its psychological mind games and strategies. The show can feel more comedic than Monster occasionally because of our cast’s over-the-top reactions and expressions. If you’re okay with that, you’re in for a swell time with this anime.
Rainbow: Criminal Seven of Compound Two Cell Six
Similarities – Themes
This anime offers an incredible perspective on brotherhood and sacrifice. While it can feel overly depressive at times, the show throws in some friendly interactions to balance things out. In it, we peer into the lives of six teenagers. They’re sent to a reform school because of their crimes and establish a bond with a former boxer named Rokurouta.
Under Rokurouta’s leadership, the boys discover a way out of their dire situation. Monster and Rainbow place their protagonists in gritty and realistic environments with an ounce of uplifting qualities. They provide excellent analyses of human nature and present viewers with moral and philosophical questions that’ll last with them for a lifetime.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Similarities – Story & Characters
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (Brotherhood) is regarded by many as the best shonen jump work today. It presents viewers with a wonderfully-crafted narrative, a well-written cast, and many heartbreaking and uplifting scenarios. The show offers more comedy than Monster, but when it gets into its deeper subjects, the tone shifts into something mature and serious.
Our tale follows Edward and Alphonse Elric. They’re after a mystical stone that can revert the changes made to their respective bodies. After tampering with alchemy to bring their mother back to life, Edward lost a few limbs while Alphonse’s soul lies in a giant suit of armor. Unfortunately, their journey won’t be easy, but the brothers are determined to rewrite the wrong.
Monster and Brotherhood are faithful adaptations with short narratives. Their stories reach a satisfying conclusion and are filled with memorable twists and mind-numbing elements to keep you hooked. Brotherhood has more action than Monster, but the mature topics it tackles will resonate with those who enjoyed Monster’s serious nature.
Gunslinger Girl
Similarities – Stray The Course Between Fiction & Reality
Gunslinger Girl offers a unique experience akin to Monster. It’s a show that tackles multiple genres from drama to sci-fi. While it’s not the tightest narrative, the show crafts a compelling tale that’ll resonate with a specific audience. It takes place in Italy, where an agency rescues badly-wounded and handicapped women from hospitals.
The agency’s tasked with giving these women artificially enhanced bodies. Afterward, they brainwash and train them to assassinate specific individuals for the Italian Government’s cause. Despite not feeling human, the girls retain their child-like innocence and struggle to attain recognition from peers. We follow their tragic lives as they’re forced to murder anyone who opposes the government.
This show offers slight instances of lighthearted commentary to avoid feeling too gloomy. However, the series is at its best when it delves into its deeper concepts. The series features some incredible action scenes. The girls’ weapons will leave you speechless with how unbelievably detailed they look and sound. If you enjoyed Monster’s handling of human values and its European scenery, check this one out.
Blood +
Similarities – Thriller
Living in a world where you have no recollection of your past can feel daunting for anyone. This is an obstacle Blood +’s protagonist Saya deals with in her life, but that’s just one of her issues. She learns that she’s a hybrid warrior with vampiric strength and abilities. A strange man informs her about these latent powers after helping her defeat a blood-craving monster.
Upon learning the truth, Saya aids the Red Shield agency and vows to defeat all foes who oppose them. Unlike Monster, Blood +’s narrative isn’t as complex and mostly has Saya fighting a variety of monsters. While both shows delve into the notion of monsters, the creatures Saya encounters feel more monster-like unlike the primary enemy Tenma must defeat in Monster.
Then again, Johan Liebert instills a level of fear into everyone he encounters like the creatures you’d find in Blood +. That said, both anime offer incredible suspense and you’ll find yourself glued to your screens by the horrid scenarios our heroes encounter. If you’re in the mood for a bloodier and action-centric time, give Blood + a try.
Perfect Blue
Similarities – Psychological Character Studies
Perfect Blue is one of the late Satoshi Kon’s ground-breaking works. It follows Mima, a girl who abandons her idol career to pursue the field of acting. She hopes she’ll become more recognizable to the public. Little does she know, the horrors that await her in the entertainment industry. This film knows how to instill fear in viewers with its cruel depictions of one’s lust for popularity.
Mima will come face to face with many obstacles that’ll make her uncomfortable. Viewers will see how her lust for wealth and fame changes her into something vile and inhuman. She’ll endure many psychological situations that’ll make her snap. This anime may leave the viewers with headaches at the number of mind-numbing images present in the narrative.
If you enjoyed the way Monster tinkered with your thoughts and left you speechless, Perfect Blue will give you more of the same.
So there we have it, our 10 anime/TV show alternatives to watch when you’ve caught up with Monster!
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!