Disclaimer: Post includes spoilers.
According to the heroine in the Monster, Nina Fortner, “The tree that bends doesn’t break (p. 230)”, when ironically this entire volume (chapter 1-16) is all about Dr. Tenma, a talented neurosurgeon, breaking down. He couldn’t shake the thought that all human lives are not equal. And that a doctor’s job is more than just saving lives (p. 172). He’s a good a doctor, and one that many can trust.
But when politics are thrown into the mix, it complicates his job. What would you do if your boss says someone’s life is more valuable based on their social status? Do you follow your boss blindly to get the promotion? Or do you listen to your conscience and question your superior? What if you listen to your conscience, but then it backfires? This is what happened to Dr. Tenma.

He saved the life of a child nine years ago. At the time, he thought he was performing his duty as a good doctor. But it turns out that the nine year old boy is a serial killer. Does he still think all lives have equal value? That’s a hard question.
This type of question is what got me hooked with the anime, although so far, the manga is better. I’m picking up important cues that I didn’t even know existed. I see more clearly what type of story Naoki Urasawa is trying to tell. These intriguing moral questions do make me think. It makes me think about the holocaust. How did one person motivated the mass to commit crime against their will?
Have you seen the anime? Have you read the manga? Stay tuned for my thoughts on volume 2.
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