Monster ep.47-49

July 14, 2005 | 8 Comments

And the quest to complete the backlog begins. I have so many episodes and series to keep up that this is not fun anymore. But I better stop complaining and start getting the recaps properly done. Well, it's been a while since I watch this series but watching these 3 episodes immediately reminds me of the various story threads that have appeared thus far in the series. Out of those threads, there is one pattern that has consistently present right from the beginning: the cautionary tale about children and how they're brought up. In this regard, the series presents a message to adults to set good examples for children so that these children will eventually become kind and compassionate human being instead of cruel and malicious monsters.

In episode 47, Nina is crept out when some people from a neighbourhood that she never visited recognises her as 'Anna'. Meanwhile Tenma and Grimmer comes to the hospital where Suk is supposedly taken care of but the two soon find out that Suk is not there anymore. Before the two can walk far away from the hospital, however, a man insists that Grimmer and Tenma come to see his boss, Colonel Karel Ranke, a top man in the Czechoslovakian STB. The conversation begins with Ranke demanding Grimmer to hand in the tape he got from Petrov. The topic, however, changes to 511 Kinderheim when Ranke finds out that Grimmer used to live there. Ranke admits that he once had a nephew he placed in the orphanage and ever since then, he's been regretting his decision. While he finds it hard to remember, Grimmer eventually realises that Ranke's nephew is none other than his friend, a kid called Adolf Reinhardt.

Meanwhile, Nina finds herself in the not-so-enviable position of receiving sudden flashbacks of her childhood when she comes close to the three frogs motel. At the same time, Ranke has come again to visit Grimmer and Tenma to ask for the tape. Tenma, who's fed up with Ranke's stubbornness decides to spill the bean about Johan. In exchange, he wants to know what the STB did to Johan back then. Ranke claims to not know but he suspect that someone who used to be called "The Man of Red Mansion" aka Franz Bonaparta may know something about it. Much to Tenma's surprise, Franz Bonaparta is also the author of childrens' picture books. On top of this, one of his pen name is Klaus Poppe, the author of the "Monster without a name" picture book. Meanwhile Nina realises that back when she was a kid, she once opens a door inside the motel only to see someone who looks like her welcoming herself back.

Episode 48 begins with faux Nina aka Johan arriving at the hospital where Jan's mother is being taken care of. Johan quickly uses his charm to gain the trust of the old woman so he can obtain the tape that was given by Suk to his mother. Not long after this, Tenma and Grimmer arrives at the hospital, accompanied by Ranke. The two, however, are shocked when they find out from the nurse that a blonde girl had just visited Suk's mom. They're even more surprised when Suk's mom demands them to take her to Suk. Upon hearing the old woman's plea, Ranke decides to take her to see Suk. In exchange, Suk's mother allows the three to listen to the tape containing Johan's interview. From the tape they found out that Johan was afraid that he'd lose his memory of Anna due to the 'strange lessons' he got from 511 Kinderheim.

Unfortunately, they are unable to listen to the rest of the conversation because Johan has managed to erase the rest of the taped conversation. Johan, however, tells Tenma that he hopes Tenma understand what he's about to do now that Tenma has listened to the tape. Meanwhile, Runge is seen arriving in Prague police station and is immediately asked to help with the whole Zeman/Grimmer/Suk case. Runge, however, has other intention for coming to the station. He wants someone to translate the "Monster without a name" storybook into German language. His reluctance to get involved in the case, however, is quickly brushed aside when he hears that Suk's ex-girlfriend is someone called Anna Liebert. He's even more intrigued when he finds sketches belonging to an artist called Klaus Poppe illustrating a pregnant woman and her two twin children.

Episode 49 begins with a boy called Milos being scolded by an orphanage caretaker for running away from the orphanage. But as it turns out, Milos didn't actually run away from the orphanage. He was actually following faux Nina in order to prove Grimmer's innocence. Meanwhile Grimmer himself is in the middle of taking Tenma back to the old orphanage where Petrov was killed. Inside the apartment, he found a soccer trading card purposely left by the children from the orphanage for him. Upon seeing the card, Grimmer laments to Tenma how as usual he doesn't know how to react in situation like this. Their discussion, however, is interrupted when a group of children arrives to tell them that Milos has disappeared when they were in the middle of looking for the blond woman aka faux Nina/Johan.

Tenma and Grimmer are surprised to hear this and begins the search for Milos. Meanwhile the poor boy himself is in the middle of receiving some mind-bending indoctrination from Johan who basically tells him about the harsh reality of life. Johan slowly but surely manages to persuade Milos that no one wants him in this world, including his own mother and that is why she abandoned him. And to put salt into the wound, Johan purposely neglected Milos in the middle of Czech red-light district to search for his mother. What happens to Milos after this and what he ends up seeing in this area is unbelievably cruel. It is a harsh reality that should not have been seen by someone of his age. Milos comes out of the experience looking disturbed and possibly lost whatever hope he had before the experience. Although Grimmer eventually manages to reach out to him and ensures him that he is truly wanted, one has to wonder what will become of Milos.

Impression:

Episode 47 is such a revelation. I think right now I have a vague idea of what happened back then in the Three Frogs motel. I'm not clear if it's Johan or Nina who was taken by that STB agent but it seems even back then Johan already cross-dressed to imitate his sister. I am not too impressed about episode 48 but I'm kind of hoping that this is a sign that Runge finally sees the truth. Episode 49 is probably the best out of the three. Having said that, it was hard to see Milos having to go through something that cruel. As children becomes adults, it is inevitable that along the way, some of them ends up losing parts of their trust in humanity. It's hard not to become jaded and cynical when humans often willingly hurt others. Milos, however, was cruelly over-exposed to a harsh reality in such a short period of time that one can't help but wonder about the sort of damage that Johan has done to the boy.

© memento 2003