Monster

[The Shadow Gentleman]

I finished it.

Yeah, I don't really need to say anything.

[Spark Of Spirit]

It's really hard to discuss it without spoiling everything, isn't it?

The ending is still one of my favorites.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Now go read 20th Century Boys and get your life sucked away from you all over again.

[Foggle]

And watch The Wire! Which isn't by Urasawa, but do it anyway.

[LumRanmaYasha]

I guess I was lucky that I started and finished the show on Hulu while I could...

Viz has dropped the rights to Monster. Which means the likelihood of a proper release of it on DVD or BluRay is absolutely zilch.

...

...

...

I'll forgive them for this if they actually come through with those Ranma 1/2 and Maison Ikkoku blurays (and pick up and properly distribute the anime and/or manga of Urusei Yatsura, but I don't have my hopes up for that happening).

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

This may be kind of a stretch, but does Viz giving up the rights to Monster maybe mean that HBO would now have no problems acquiring the rights to it for that proposed live-action adaptation that Guillermo del Toro wanted to do?

[LumRanmaYasha]

I don't know. From the podcast on Anime News Network, basically the decision to drop the series was done because of low sales and streaming hits and such. I don't think outside pressure on HBO's part played any part in it, but I suppose that can be left to speculation until someone gives a definite yes or no answer.

[Foggle]

That's pretty lame. Viz was doing NOTHING with the license, though - the manga's been out of print for years and was never put on VizManga, and they only ever released the first 15 episodes on DVD - so maybe this will give another company a chance to do a better job with it. Maybe Discotek would grab it, since it's already been dubbed and all.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Seeing as how the entire anime has been dubbed into English already (with a very good dub, at that), it'd be a shame to not have the entire series released on DVD. Perhaps FUNi can rescue the series like they did for several of other dropped shows from both Geneon and ADV, because they'd definitely give it the proper respect it deserves in regard to its releases. That's one thing that you've got to give FUNimation credit for. They KNOW how to properly treat their properties, and for the most part, their DVD packaging is top-notch and completely worth full price if its a show that you want to own.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Yeah, I would have easily scooped up a complete series set. This is that type of show.

Volumes just aren't going to do it. It's probably the same reason streaming hits go down since you have to sit down and invest yourself in the show to enjoy it which doesn't lend itself well to episodic viewing habits.

I really wish they would have put out a complete series set over that one volume. It's about all I really wanted from Viz. (Well that and omnibus editions of the manga, but that probably won't ever happen.)

[LumRanmaYasha]

Yeah, I would have easily scooped up a complete series set. This is that type of show.

It's probably the same reason streaming hits go down since you have to sit down and invest yourself in the show to enjoy it which doesn't lend itself well to episodic viewing habits.

I think Monster is an incredibly addictive experience, though. I couldn't help but watch it in chunks of episodes at a time- I was just that invested in the series. Heck, I got through 21 entire episode during the course of one lazy Friday completely by accident  . I can see though that most people wouldn't be interested in watching a series multiple episodes at a time, though, but I feel the show itself was engaging enough to keep people's interest, but I guess the majority of casual anime viewers disagree with that  .

I hope someone ends up releasing a complete series set of Monster. While it sucks Viz has dropped the series, there is definitely hope. Bobobo, while not a Viz title, was rescued and released in full a good 4 years after it went off air and it's license was put in limbo. And, more recently, Zatch Bell!, which Viz dropped 4 ago, is apparently getting a complete series release from New Video Group (well, a complete set of all the licensed and dubbed episodes, but that's still 104 legally available episodes so I'm not complaining as long as I can watch subs on the set too).

Sooner or later Monster should be relicensed and distributed. I just don't know how long we'll have to wait for that. 

[LumRanmaYasha]

HBO has passed on Del Toro's live-action Monster adaption. It is now being pitched to other networks.

If this does finally get off the ground, I could see Netflix picking it up. I think this would fit their format very well.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

It's a shame that HBO passed on it, but if any other network was to snag it, I'd certainly hope for Netflix. They don't have to adhere to censorship rules like Cable TV does.

At any rate, this wouldn't be the first time that HBO has turned down a potentially great show. Breaking Bad is a famous example of that.

[gunswordfist]

Heh, I think I remember hearing how they turned down Breaking Bad.

I thought Del Toro either abandoned or development hell'd Monster. I guess that was an assumption...this time. Anyway, Netflix is slightly better for me due to the fact that I'll actually be able to watch the show if that happens.

I already said how well this series could translate into live action. Probably moreso than any other Eastern or Western comic book I've ever read.

[Avaitor]

Mad Men as well. In fact, Weiner got his writing job on The Sopranos after David Chase found a copy of his pilot spec.

Netflix seems like a better option, actually. Monster feels like something that would be better to get into at a marathon pacing rather than on a weekly basis. It might seem too slow for new fans in that format.