Guillermo Del Toro To Bring ‘Monster’ Manga To HBO

Eight years after the end of the anime based on writer/artist Naoki Urasawa's acclaimed horror manga Monster, the story is coming back to TV under the guidance of Hellboy and Pacific Rim director Guillermo del Toro.

Along with screenwriter Steven Thompson, whose credits include The BBC's Sherlock and Doctor Who, del Toro will bring Monster to HBO. Thompson will write the pilot episode, with del Toro planning to direct. This will mark the first time the network has delved into adapting manga. At least there's plenty of material to mine; Urasawa produced 18 volumes of the series between 1994 and 2001.

[Warning: Potential spoilers for those who haven't read the series or seen the anime follow.]

Monster focuses on Dr. Kenzo Tenma, a young Japanese surgeon working in Germany. He saves a young boy named Johan's life only to discover years later the boy is an extremely dangerous psychopath. The story follows Tenma's quest to make up for his mistake of saving Johan.

Unlike some of Urasawa's other prominent works, namely 20th Century Boys and Pluto, Monster, which was published in the U.S. by Viz, doesn't appear to be in print anymore, though used copies are available on Amazon. If you're interested in catching up via the anime, Amazon does have episodes available for streaming at $2 a pop.

[Via Deadline]

Filed Under: Guillermo del Toro, GuillermoDelToro, hbo, monster, naoki urasawa, NaokiUrasawa, Steven Thompson, StevenThompson

Categories: Anime, Manga, Television