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riewritten · 10 months

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𝐒𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐄

˚ · .─𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬. johan liebert, nina fortner, kenzou tenma

˚ · .─𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬. 2.3k | READ ON AO3

˚ · .─𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬. found family, hurt/comfort, sibling love, trust issues, tldr: it was tenma who found the twins at the border, not general wolff

Once upon a time, in a land far away, there lived a nameless monster. The monster was dying to have a name and thus decided to embark on a journey to look for one. But the world was such a vast place. The monster split in two and went on separate journeys. One went east, while the other headed west.

Johan was sure it was precisely what he was, precisely what Nina was. The one who went east was him. The one who headed west was her. But then, in the storybook, the arrangement was agreed upon between the nameless monsters. It was voluntary on their end. It was something they collectively decided in pursuit of finding names.

Only now did Johan realize a lapse in his judgment.

Johan and Nina heading in two opposite directions were never voluntary; if circumstances may, they stick to one another like glue. A tight glue, perhaps. Bound together. Inseparable. Because Nina is him, and Johan is her. All be damned if anyone or anything ever dares to separate them.

He had seen himself and Nina in the same manner. They were monsters who bore no names. It was just that rainy night when Nina voluntarily decided to head somewhere Johan would never go—an opposite path where she's rightfully suited. Only then did he realize that the monster all along was someone outside. The monster was the one who separated them for the very first time. And then the one who made Nina cry, then the couple who agreed on giving them to the police, until it became him—when he scared Nina with his gun.

Wait, a gun?

Johan’s eyes fluttered open. The storybook with reeking blood is now out of his vision. It’s replaced with a white ceiling, the smell of flowers from the air freshener, and Nina’s worried eyes. He just woke up. The young kid immediately sat up in alarm. He slept. He slept. He slept in a stranger’s room. He left Nina awake in that stranger’s room. Since when did his small stature start to lower his guard?

“Finally, you’re awake,” the raven-haired stranger smiled. He looked at the worried Nina lying beside him. Johan almost asked why, but for strange reasons, Nina could sense he was having a nightmare despite how silently he slept. There’s no use trying to root it.

“Gun…” the young blonde mumbled.

“Gun?” his twin sister repeated.

“Gun?! Where?” the adult exclaimed in alarm.

Johan had never held a gun. At least not yet. He had only used knives to slash the necks of the couple who almost gave them to the police. He would use a gun if he could, but only knives were there.

Then he and Nina walked. They walked and walked and walked on a land far away. It was as though they were the only two people in the world. And they had no names. Johan was sure they would die. A part of him was relieved. Only to wake up at somebody’s home. The stranger introduced himself as Tenma. He is a former doctor in a hospital Johan couldn’t pronounce, and he said he plans to travel around Germany before returning to his homeland—at least until he came upon their unconscious figures.

It’s been two weeks since Tenma took them in. Johan pondered silently to recall those two weeks, perhaps an attempt to recollect himself from the strange nightmare.

In the first few days, Tenma was asking for their names. It garnered no response, just the same silence from the couple who took them in. As far as Johan could remember, Tenma asked for it three times.

“So, if you don’t like to tell me, would you rather choose names for yourselves instead?”

Only when he restructured his question that the two react, Johan was intrigued while Nina tried to hide her excitement. Tenma looked confused. Is it the first time they will ever have names? The question etched his features. Johan didn’t point it out. Not that he cares enough to point it out.

Tenma searched thoroughly for suitable names. According to his observation, the twin sister would suit a name that holds the meaning of grace. Not only does she have a charming and pleasing personality amidst her silence, but she also seems to be his brother's saving grace.

Why? Johan’s confusion made Tenma chuckle, albeit sheepishly. The question is silent but still apparent. How did my sister become my saving grace?

Tenma admitted the lack of rational answers to simplify to a very young boy. Instead, he recounted the time Johan finally woke up after a week-long unconsciousness. “You only bothered to open your eyes after hearing your sister cry. It was as if you had no plans to wake up anymore until you heard her voice. You decided to live because she’s still alive, no?”

“Really?” Nina looked at him, anticipating to hear the answer.

Just as expected, Johan didn’t respond. That’s not something he could comprehend. If anything, it could also be a standing question for him, too. Did the monster really choose to live because his other half is still alive?

Tenma cut the silence off by laying down the papers containing names. “That being said, you go first, little girl.”

Grace. Nina. Hannah. Jane. Anna.

Nina’s hands contemplated two papers — Nina and Anna. She mumbled the two pair of names, perhaps checking which sounded more beautiful or easier to pronounce. Tenma and Johan weren’t sure, but since Nina was taking too much time, the older man just laid down the names Johan could choose from.

Estmund. Hulbert. Ian. Johan. Ivan.

Tenma was unsure if Johan was also conflicted about choosing or if he just didn’t care about this activity. His face was just blank on the papers. One word and Tenma would be offended.

“If you’re interested, I can explain the meaning of the names.”

The twin sister nodded gleefully, “What do Nina and Anna mean?”

“Uh, well, Nina means god is gracious. This might be fun to know, but Nina holds the same meaning as Johan. Anna, however, is—”

Tenma was cut off again when the twins abruptly grabbed the respective papers, Nina for the girl and Johan for the boy. Tenma almost laughed out loud at the swift and precise action.

“It’s decided now, eh? Johan and Nina, how beautiful!”

Johan did not care about the activity, he really didn’t, but something in him awakened. Johan. Johan. Johan. The name of the monster—this reason would consume his mind if not for the doctor’s gesture. But now, Johan’s choice now reverberates on a much lighter note.

It’s because it holds the same meaning as Nina’s chosen name.

Tenma jumped onto the following vital questions as the name was all resolved. He asked Nina and Johan if they have parents, which, again, gained no response. He repeated the question for the next few days, albeit still futile. When night came, Tenma changed the structure of his inquiry.

“Would you mind if we go to the authori—” only for him to cut his statement short, perhaps in alarm, due to the sudden change of air inside the room.

It was suddenly filled with dread, with anger, with warning even. It was as though the air begged Tenma not to dare continue his suggestion. His eyes lurked to where the dread reeks, and he eventually realized it was coming from Johan. The tiny blonde glared at him, and it didn’t take the doctor’s astuteness to recognize that going to the authorities was out of the question. At first, he thought that maybe the proposition could sit. Perhaps he’d just bring it up again once the twins fully recuperate. However, there was something in Johan’s reaction that retracted his effort. Johan is not someone to react so strongly. He’s almost unnoticeable if not for his very visible ray of sunshine twin sister. There must be a reason for a kid as detached as him to respond so gravely to a suggestion he hadn’t even finished yet.

He observed Nina’s reaction next. She was shaking in fear, contrary to Johan’s disdain. It seems like he had hit a bullet there. Now the twins are up on their guard again. It was as if the walls they put down while choosing their names had risen up high again. Tenma was not sure how to respond until he realized that he had to take priority over one thing at a time. Nothing would matter but letting the twins realize they’re in a safe space as of the moment.

If the authorities are not a safe space, then Tenma would think of other methods.

“I wouldn’t bring both of you to them if you don’t want to,” Tenma assured the twins, “but I have to know why, you hear me?”

“Monster.”

What? Tenma raised his eyebrows at the young boy. Is he calling him a monster?

“We’re running away from a monster.”

Oh. Tenma appreciated the boy for articulating it the best way he could. The metaphor wouldn’t be too complex for him to construe. “Does the monster work alongside authorities?” Johan didn’t answer, so Tenma pressed. “I have to understand why, Johan.”

“Aren’t all adults considered authorities?”

Tenma halted. He had a point, but beyond that, so many questions inside him were answered, too. Where did they come from? Why were they so delighted at choosing names as if someone had never given them before? Who takes care of them? And whoever they were, why would they leave these two beautiful kids to die at the border? When Tenma spotted them, despite being unconscious, they held tight to each other. It was as if they were utterly terrified to be separated even at the brink of death. It was a silent plea, even, that if they were to die, so long as their corpse would remain together, they would mind nothing else.

Oh, poor, poor children. Tenma almost felt like crying.

Whoever they are, Johan and Nina might be better off without them.

And considering that the monster they’re talking about might be connected to actual authorities, Tenma couldn’t risk harming the two. He’s a mere migrant. Someone like him would stand no chance against a local—let alone a person of authority.

“No, not all adults are considered authorities. The one I’m on is the police. But then, if bringing both of you to them would be the same as bringing you to the monster, then we can’t risk it, yeah?”

Nina’s face slowly calmed down. Johan’s was etched with confusion, perhaps surprise.

This is the first time someone has understood. Not even that, but the doctor agreed with no qualms.

Tenma smiled, “No monsters are allowed in my vicinity. That’s what I’m sure of.”

“Why?” Nina’s voice cracked. Tenma felt bad for almost making her cry.

“You’ve chosen Nina because it holds the same meaning as Johan, right?”

Nina nodded.

“Well, then it would be safe to assume that you did it so you wouldn’t be separated from him, yeah?”

Nina nodded.

“Then anyone who’d try to separate you again would be damned!” Tenma flashed his fists with a mighty smile, perhaps to make the atmosphere lighter or to brush away his tears without the kids noticing. “I’ll tell them, ‘You’re in a place where the twins graced by god had chosen their names! Any monster who’d dare harm them would suffer eternal perish!’” Tenma’s change of voice—one akin to superheroes in movies—made Nina chortle. Tenma was glad Nina was easily amused. Now all he’d worry for is Johan. He turned to the boy and patted his head. “No need to worry. You’re not the only one who’d protect your sister. Not anymore.”

Johan stayed in his seat, albeit hiding the crack in his composure. The poor boy doesn’t know what to feel. Everything feels foreign to him. It’s in disarray. It’s as if one move and he’d lose himself. He thought that perhaps the doctor’s astuteness saved him from the same fate the couple from the border had faced, but deep inside him, deep inside this poor, poor boy, he knew that it wasn’t as simple as Tenma’s sharpness. It was something beyond that, something his little mind couldn’t name yet. Even if Johan’s trust isn’t something to be gained overnight, he’s scared that come what may, Tenma would be able to break him the same way their mother did.

Johan finally finished his ponders.

So, that’s the reason why he fell asleep. He let Nina in the company of someone without his consciousness.

Johan almost groaned. Since the doctor took them in, Johan is on the constant edge of losing himself. He’s having nightmares. His temperament is getting a bit too hard to hide. His constant disdain for the world is gaining the attention of his sister. It wasn’t this hard to be flat before. It wasn’t this hard to conceal his vulnerability. Tenma is doing something to him.

Nina leans her head on Johan’s lap with a smile of assurance, “No guns here!”

Tenma realized it, too, so he heaved a sigh. A chuckle followed suit, “Yeah, no guns. Stop scaring us, Johan.”

Johan closed his eyes and fixated on caressing Nina’s hair.

No guns. No guns.

He had never held a gun. A time may come that he’d have to, but not right now. Perhaps it was something he’d do as a last resort because the dream said that his holding a gun would make Nina go opposite ways from him.

He doesn’t want to go opposite ways from his other half. Not again.

Not when they already have their names.

CONTINUATION but in the form of fan comic (my goofy ahh is too lazy to draw this. drawing is hard.)

y'know, i was planning to give nina her original name "anna" but when i discovered how nina & johan share the same meanings, i was like—oh man. OH MAN. i can't let that pass.

also, i've made a johan liebert x reader fanfiction (just in case you read this kind of stuff too ^^)

#nina fortner #johan liebert #anna liebert #monster anime #monster manga #naoki urasawa's monster #naoki urasawa monster #kenzo tenma #tenma kenzo #monster #monster fanfiction #johan liebert fanfiction #nina fortner fanficiton #anna liebert fanfiction #johan liebert fanfic #monster imagines #tenma kenzo fanfiction #liebert twins #johan and anna

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leovoid · 1 year

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Johan did NOTHING wrong | An Analysis of Naoki Urasawas Monster: Johan Liebert

******YOU CAN FIND THE VIDEO HERE*******

Merry Christmas to all and to all!

In just a few days Naoki Urasawas Monster will hit netflix, and although this video took me almost an entire year to complete (Started writing back in February)

I made it a goal to complete this before Monster hit netflix, in hopes that fans both old and new can stumble on this video and spark healthy discussions (ahem...) of our thoughts and perceptions.

I'll preface here as well, but...

Despite the title of this video, JOHAN LIEBERT HAS DONE PLENTY OF WRONG, it is merely a bait title to some degree.

Justifying ones actions vs. rationalizing ones actions are completely different.

I am in no way attempting to discard the accountabilities that Johan should face for his actions, but instead attempt to make sense of it all.

Johan for the past 20 years has been an unexplainable enigma, and as such after extensively watching and reading Monster I wish to make an attempt that could potentially answer the many questions that fans of Monster may have.

To help extinguish the perception of Monsters ending to be one that falls flat or does not meet expectations, Monsters ending did exactly what it needed to do and ended rather greatly.

But is not as impactful unless one decides to try and make sense of it all. And in this video, I present to you what I believe to be... the closest thing to the truth and the motives of the antagonist of the story, Johan Liebert.

THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO FOLLOWED ME ALONG THIS JOURNEY, LIKED, REACTED, REBLOGGED, ETC...

I’m so sorry it took me such a long time, but I hope that it was all worth it, thank you so much once again and have a Merry Christmas!

#monster anime #Naoki Urasawa's MONSTER #naoki urasawa #johan and anna #Johan Liebert #Dr. Tenma #kenzou tenma #wolfgang grimmer #The nameless monster #anime discussion #anime essay #anime

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xxxangeleyesxxx · 1 year

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Born to Die

OOC - a reply to this Trigger Warning - Blood

The tip of the knife chilled against her throat. A drop of her dark blood just barely dripped down onto it, tainting the fine craftsmanship. The beautifully carved and engraved steel gleamed in the moonlight, reflecting the stars and the fear in her wide blue eyes… but that wasn’t what had her attention. It was him.

He was so pale he glowed in the moonlight, his skin such a flawless perfection that Nina couldn’t even see his pores. His eyes were like diamonds, shining like sparkles in the cold fluorescence. He was beautiful, more beautiful than a vast majority of women Nina had seen, probably even more beautiful than her. The white curtains almost fully encased him, flowing around him like wings. Nina shouldn’t have kept the window open tonight, but it was too warm in her room for her to sleep, and she was stupid.

After what had to have been a few minutes in this position, Nina got impatient. Was he or wasn’t he going to kill her? Was she not his target? God, she hoped she was his target!

She was afraid to speak because his blade was itching dangerously close to her already bleeding and abused larynx, but she did anyway. “Y-You’re going to kill me aren’t you? Why are y-you prolonging this?”

This must have struck a nerve, because he pushed her back all the way into the opposite wall. Nina almost tripped on her feet, but caught herself not even a half-second into it. If she did, she would fall into the knife and die, no doubt about it. Surprising Nina even more than she already had been, the man looked, almost confused as well?

It was easier for her to see him now. He pressed the side of his blade into her neck with his covered thumb. His eyes were narrow and sharp, like a shark, but they were far more wide than they had been a second ago.

A drop of sweat fell down Nina’s face. She gulped. Down the hallway across her room was where most of the children slept. Was he after them? She had to protect them…

“If you’re going to kill me, then-then do it.” She closed her eyes and took it in. “I’m ready. Just-don’t hurt any of them, please! I don’t know what you want or why someone would send you, but please,” she didn’t cry, she felt like she was going to, but she couldn’t. Not ever since her other half was taken away from her. She had already cried enough for one lifetime that day… “Don’t hurt them, they are just little kids. Kill me, and be done with it.”

The blade held against her neck ever so slightly drew back, and that was all that Nina needed. Her eyes flew open. She grabbed the dagger and wrestled it out of his hand, pushing him back as she did so. Her hands were bleeding everywhere, but she hardly noticed thanks to the adrenaline coursing through her veins. The blood ended up working in her favor, since he was wearing leather gloves and therefore had a less-than-ideal grip on his blade, allowing Nina to wring it out of his hands. She couldn’t believe she was actually ready to die right then.

She breathed heavily, holding the knife in between his eyes. “Who sent you?! Who wants to hurt us?”She was shaking like crazy. The man’s bewildered stare wasn’t helping any. She never particularly liked seeing people in pain, even those who hurt her. “Who are y-“

His eyes were gentle, confused, pleading, and longing. She recognized those eyes. They were the same eyes that laughed at her naïveté and cried over her wounds. This was the same face that stared back at her in the mirror, only with a slightly masculine touch. Was this the same boy who she lost 15 years ago? They were only 6… it couldn’t be.

She used the dull end of the blade to flick his light bangs away from his left ear. There, underneath it, was the scar she accidentally gave him when they were little kids. A mark from when they were playing and she threw a rock at his head. It was smaller and noticeably fading… but it was there. She used to kiss it when they went to sleep.

“Johan… is that you?”

#reply to Anon ask #we threading it!#I’m really excited I’ve always wanted to do a AOT/Monster Au #AOT au #anna liebert #theartifxce #johan liebert #johan and anna #nina fortner rp #naoki urasawa's monster #johan x anna

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ofmiceandmonster · 1 year

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All I Ever Wanted

TW - Strangulation, PTSD, and Nightmare

Nina was woken up by screaming. Her brother’s screaming.

The first time this had happened, Nina scrambled out of bed and ran to his bedroom door which he always kept locked, and called out to him. When she hadn’t received an answer, she busted it down with her entire body, only to find that he was fine. He had only had a nightmare.

After they replaced the door, he no longer kept it locked.

The next couple of times that it had happened were responded to similarly. Nina would run out of bed and to his bedroom, forcing the door wide open to check on him, but it was always the same.

Nightmares.

Johan apparently dealt with them almost every single night. Sometimes they just happened to be so bad that he would wake up in an absolute frenzy, screaming and fighting a foe who did not exist outside of his realm of slumber. It sickened Nina to think that in a little over 3 months, she had gotten completely used to this.

But tonight… she was tired of letting Johan suffer by himself. She grabbed a pillow and blanket and walked towards his bedroom.

She kept the lights off as she walked out of her room and into the hallway that separated their bedrooms. The moonlight was all she needed to find her way. Anymore would strain her eyes.

She could still hear him screaming from the other side of the door. She couldn’t even begin to imagine how torturous they must be, they didn’t even give him the mercy of waking him up right away.

She turned the doorknob and walked inside.

Thankfully, Johan didn’t keep his curtains closed.

Johan’s bed was in the far corner of the room, illuminated poorly by the large windows that were placed to the side of it. She could see him scrunched up under the covers, his head was turned in the opposite direction, his hair a wavy mess on his head. He was panting, drawing the covers in tighter on himself, towards his chest. He called out to Nina, using her old name.

“Anna!… Anna!” Nina ran to his side, snapped out of her daze. She gently and slowly got onto the bed and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. She had never engaged in physical contact before with his episodes, so she had no way to prepare for what happened next.

He turned around and grabbed her by the neck in a single movement, squeezing hard. When Nina tried to speak his name it only came out as garbled nonsense. She grabbed the hands holding her, trying to get away, but it was futile. His eyes were open, but it was like he wasn’t seeing what was right in front of him.

Which was fair it was dark.

She had to try something, something to let him know it was her without speaking.

She reached out slowly up to his cheek and caressed it, her thumb coming up to swipe underneath his tired eyes. With her other hand, she went to brush out his bangs and massage his scalp.

His expression changed very subtly. Instead of the uncanny blankness, he held before, his eyes widened with a hint of recognition. A frown sunk his lips…

“Nina?” He let her go.

Nina coughed violently, holding her neck and sucking in as much air as her lungs would allow. Johan was still in temporary shock, but soon enough his hand came to gingerly rub her back. Nina grabbed at her delicate neck, checking for any spot that it might hurt more than others, and found none. He bruised her, but she was ok. She didn’t have to go to the hospital or anything.

Getting up on her hands and knees, she looked to Johan’s shocked face and smiled. “I’m ok.” She rubbed his shoulder. “Are you alright?”

Johan blinked, then seemed to snap out of it all at once. “Nina… why are you in my room?”

Nina just smiled sadly, expecting to receive an answer like that. “I heard you calling out for me, so I came to spend the night with you.” She picked up the blanket and pillow she had brought for emphasis.

“…oh… Nina that is very unnecessary-“

Nina was unfazed, giggling. “So what? We used to sleep together all the time. What’s wrong with doing it now.”

Johan looked like he was about to say something, but then gave up. “Nina… I just got done almost strangling you. Do you really think it’s a good idea to sleep next to me after that?”

“Yes.”

“We are too old for this.”

“It doesn’t bother me if it doesn’t bother you.”

Johan let out a deep breath from his nose, having given up. “I’m not going to convince you otherwise am I?”

“No. You. Are. Not!” Nina replied with a toothy grin.

Johan closed his eyes… then opened them. “Alright…” He scooted over and gave her room, patting the bed. “Get in before I change my mind.”

Nina hopped in, not excitedly but very contently. She wrapped herself in her blanket and cuddled in next to him. Johan groaned and covered his head in his comforter, tired of her antics.

Not much happened for a while, and for a moment, Johan thought that Nina might have already gone to sleep.

She wrapped her arm around him, spooning him.

“…Nin-“

“We used to sleep like this when we were little kids, do you remember?” She pressed her face into his back, inhaling his scent. “Back when we lived with Mommy… she couldn’t afford to buy two beds. We slept like this every single night. I was always the big spoon.” This was true, Johan wasn’t exactly the cuddling type even back then, but he didn’t mind when she cuddled him.

“I remember.” He replied, no longer tired, but he didn’t want to tell her that, especially after he heard her yawning.

“I missed this.” She sounded very sad.

He hated touching, he hated being vulnerable, but he couldn’t help but want to hold her in that moment.

He didn’t turn around, he just listened to her spill her heart out to him. He didn’t understand it, not when she was one of the few people who knew how manipulative he was.

“You know… even when I forgot about you-“ She breathed in and sighed, apologetic. He hoped she wasn’t going to start apologizing about that all over again. “I-I wouldn’t feel right unless I had something big and warm. I couldn’t sleep unless I was holding a teddy or a big pillow.

She held him tighter.

��I missed this… I missed you so much, Johan…”

She had no idea how to tell him she loved him. Her brother who was so cold, so closed off, so broken and so hurt. He would probably reject the information. This was the closest she would allow herself to go.

“Having you here with me right now… I may have not known it then, but it was really all I have ever wanted. I have felt so empty and so alone, for seemingly no reason, for almost my entire life… It’s only when I’m with you, that I feel complete.”

Johan didn’t say anything, but he shared the sentiment.

“Thank you, Nina. You have no idea for how long I have wanted to hear that…” Johan smiled, knowing full well that Nina couldn’t see it.

“But you know there are easier ways to say I love you… right?”

#sibling love #johan and anna #Johan and Nina #fluff #cuddles #ptsd #hurt/comfort #post monster

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lightningstrikes-art · 2 months

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#monster #johan liebert #anna liebert #nina fortner

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sugar-grigri · 5 months

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who is she…?

#monster #urasawa #naoki urasawa #nina #nina fortner #anna liebert #johan liebert #my art #illustration

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shebsart · 9 months

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But the world was a large place, so the monster split into two on his journey.

#naoki urasawa's monster #monster #johan liebert #anna liebert #nina fortner #franz bonaparta #on my monster revival era <3 im trying to reread it #manga #anime #my art #fanart

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johanxanna · 1 year

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Credit:

#johan x anna #johan liebert #anna liebert #nina fortner #naoki urasawa's monster #johan and anna #johan x nina #johan and nina #anime twins #monster anime

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pauhpau · 9 months

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It's only Anna and me in this whole world

#monster #monster anime #johan liebert #anna liebert #nina fortner #kenzo tenma #naoki urasawa's monster #naoki urusawa #anime #illustration

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cyanogoth · 8 months

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#naoki urasawa's monster #johan liebert #nina fortner #anna liebert #art #artists on tumblr

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leovoid · 2 years

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Johan did NOTHING wrong...

Hey you guys, I was in the middle of writing a script for a Monster analysis video I was making towards Johan's character, for a while I've seen many different kinds of interpretation of Johan's motives and character, but I find myself questioning a lot of them, not to say that they are wrong, as these are all interpretations at the end of the day, including my own, but I strive to find the interpretation that sounds the most logical.

As such I strived to create a video that can perfectly explain everything there is to understanding Johan as a character, and the nuance to his place in the story.

*******YOU CAN FIND THE VIDEO HERE*********

THIS IS THE START OF THE VIDEO

Despite being over 20 years late to the party, I had decided to finally watch Naoki Urasawa's Monster last year and I loved it. Granted, being a fan of manga like Berserk, Vinland Saga, and Homunculus it was quite common to see recommendations or parallels be drawn frequently between the manga shown and Monster.

Oftentimes stated as being a masterpiece, and they weren’t wrong.

Not only does Monster tackle incredibly dark themes, filled to the brim with realistic characters, and has beautiful sounding music that compliments its settings.

But narratively, and thematically speaking, Naoki Urasawa's Monster is a very deep and arguably complex character study, as Urasawa tends to utilize subtlety to convey information to the viewer.

As a mystery and psychological thriller, Monster was always meant to be a story that provoked thoughts and intrigue us as the story progresses, however, Naoki Urasawa never gives the answers out right, as I believe, as much as he leaves the information to be figured out towards a conclusive answer, he utilizes those subtleties to allow the viewer to reach their own conclusion of the messages and themes that is Monster.

Unfortunately however, it is within those subtleties where a lot of criticisms and

misunderstandings lie

The ending of Monster is notoriously known for being inconclusive and ambiguous, where fan theories and interpretation takes the forefront of what exactly the last few minutes of the series meant. Usually leading to frustrations and criticisms for its ambiguity, or misunderstandings due to its nuance.

But to its credit, the entirety of Monster is a story meticulously wrapped around those delicate subtleties and nuances that as a whole reinforces the amount of philosophical and thematic impact this story continues to demonstrate and remains actively compelling for well over 20 years

And this is not to say that the criticisms and frustrations that Monster is met with aren’t justified, however I believe that most of these frustrations, at the risk of sounding pretentious, has to do with a lack of understanding of what Naoki Urasawa is attempting to portray with the character, Johan Liebert.

Forgive me if I sound like a broken record… But Monster was never a story that gave you all the answers at face value, leaving us hints and abstract clues alluding to the questions that the viewer may have.

Johan Liebert, for all intents and purposes, is the antagonist of the story, and is the central focus to the questions the story invokes.

The initial perception of Johan is that he is evil incarnate, wherever life is, in his presence, life is brought to ruin.

And despite Johan Liebert's place as the antagonist of the story and rarely being seen, the amount of depth to his presence in Monster is staggering, overshadowing Kenzo Tenma as the main character, as while the overarching narrative is centralized around Tenma's fetch quest for Johan's tyranny to end, the narrative overall is entirely predicated on Johan's history, both past and present circumstances, and the end goal towards his actions.

And while that end goal in question isn’t nearly as conclusive or apparent as we would like it to be, the initial perception and perhaps even some current perceptions would commonly align with the notion that whatever the end goal is would bring devastation, the narrative of monster constantly alludes to Johan's presence being one filled with apprehension, as simply his existence being known or even the utter of his name bends people to their knees, depicting a foreboding looming evil that they can only be described as a monster.

But synonymous to the monster are those like him, who are known or perceived as psychopathic criminals. However, in the narrative of Monster, Naoki Urasawa constantly substantiates their actions with motives and reason.

To be human, is to have morality and to have morality is to have the ability to reason.

And this facet extends not just to the labeled criminals of the show, but to even the like minded and personal companions of Dr.Tenma Lunge and Eva's motive to find Tenma, Grimmers motive to expose the truth of Kinderheim, to even Dieters motive to be the shows absolute badass.

But for those who have fallen to the abyss, when we gaze at them, the abyss looks back.

At the potential risk of compromising one's sense of morality, we can find ways to rationalize the inhuman behaviors these characters set before us.

Peter Jurgens extremely abusive environment from his mother, to Reinhard Dingers hate for those who do not conform to his obtuse sense of ethics, to Muller and Messeners desperate act to hide their crimes, to even Adolf Junkers initial desire for something as immaterial as a common nutcracker clock.

And in no way am I attempting to persuade anyone in finding sympathy for criminals or even murderers, but to set the precedence of what Monster is attempting to demonstrate. As inhuman or downright insane these criminals' actions were, they are not void of the one thing that rules over their actions; their motives, their reason.

It is a common perception among many, that when one takes another's life, regardless of the reason it is painted in a negatively unexplainable connotation, making it near impossible to sympathize with such a cruel act or to believe that these people could hold a semblance of humanity within them. Saying such things like “He killed because he is pure evil!” or “He commits murders because he's insane!”

Labeling them as psychopathic monsters, for the sole fact that some of us would never dare to see or even TRY to see how an individual is able to commit such a heinous act.

Sounds familiar doesn’t it? (Johan Liebert)

Monster challenges this stance, as the show constantly drives to the forefront that these “Monsters” were compelled by a very human influence.

Every villain in the series, with the exception of a few minor characters, is never directly placed in a black and white setting, instead, even though these people have committed heinous crimes, we are still given an opportunity to see them under a sympathizable and arguably an empathizable perspective.

Naoki Urasawa clearly respects and adheres to the moral disposition of the common man, as he never blatantly attempts to make you think differently from yourself, but instead allows you to take the narrative as you will.However, if you are willing to compromise your moral compass and gaze into the darkness for the sake of understanding or rationalizing, will you be happy with what you may find?

Detective Muller for example was responsible for murdering the Fortners, however it wasn’t until we see him with his family, and the guilt that sets in once he gained a family of his own that he was afraid to lose, as he saved Annas life where we were able to see him in a moment of redemption just before his final moments.

And with Mr. Rossos bubbly and cheerful demeanor, only to spine chillingly reveal that he used to be a cold blooded killer, shattering our possible initial perception of his character, which begs the question, which part of our impressions were true, what picture is Naoki Urasawa trying to paint here with his characters?

What does this mean for the antagonist of the story, Johan Liebert?

Johan's motives are mostly….unconventional. Always being alluded to but never to be clarified; shrouded around the perception of fear and evil, even by those who some would consider monsters themselves.

But this does not mean that Johan is free of the motives and reasons for his actions, and the criminals mentioned before are Naoki Urasawa subtly pushing the envelope of what he strives to get his viewers to understand.

From its narrative, all the way down to the stories title is a subtle attempt at asking the viewer a question:

Who or what is the real Monster?

On the surface a title like Monster seems self explanatory, and the way the narrative shrouds Johan with the term and the reactions he receives upon his presence may lead to the initial interpretations such as, Johan is the villain, Johan is evil, Johan is the Monster of Monster.

But that is far from the truth…

Upon closer inspection, the story shows us that Johan does indeed have motives, not nearly as vague as we are initially introduced and while the title of the video may say differently, I just want to preface that Johan Liebert has done plenty of wrong but that does not mean we cannot try to make sense of his actions, and upon doing so...

you may come to find that the monster is more human than we may have initially thought.

Kinderheim 511: Empiricism vs Rationalism

To this very day, Johan's motives, emotions and his very thoughts are mostly unknown, kept away from the viewer to further compliment the subtlety that Urasawa incorporates in Monsters Narrative.

To its credit, for Urasawa to be able to create a character with so much intrigue without explicitly revealing anything around a narrative that demands answers is a stroke of genius. Creating a story where each episode carries a multifaceted weight, depending whether this is your first or second time watching it.

As children, our parents and the nature of our environment helps build the foundation in which we can begin to establish our personal sense of morality, but what happens if you strip a child of those basic necessities, nurture, and identity?

What is Naoki Urasawa trying to say when you rob a person of everything?

Johan Liebert is the antagonist of the story, the narrative constantly portrays him as a serial killer, a demon, a monster…

In a story completely immersed in subtle conveyance, is it possible that the focal point of the entire story may be more than what the narrative is giving us on the surface? Upon closer inspection, one may find out that Johan Liebert may not be the monster that the story is initially making him out to be…as we take a look at the story through the eyes of the monster

One of the most contentious issues in society is how we react to a situation or circumstance that oversteps the boundaries of one's personal moral disposition.

The virtues and vices that comprise one's moral character are typically understood as dispositions to behave in certain ways in certain sorts of circumstances.

For example, an honest person is morally obligated to speak the truth when asked, but when acting in complete opposition to one's moral disposition the individual in question may begin to feel guilt or shame. Sticking to one's own personal sense of life and morality is commonly associated with finding a greater sense of happiness and pride towards the self.

Kantian ethics would argue that there are universal sets of moral principles that apply to all people, such as not wanting to feel pain or for their life to be extinguished. So with that said, the circumstance of an individual committing murder would usually be met with hostility from an outside perception, as it conflicts with the arguably hereditary morality of the preservation of life.

Moral Rationalism is the concept that moral principles are known by reason alone, this refers to the idea that if something were to be proven to be ethically or morally good, then it must be so. For example, if one were to kill another, the affected parties response to it would prove whether or not it is morally just or not.

Omitting the circumstances of the Antagonist Johan Liebert for example, most people would commonly align themselves in the position of ovation at the circumstances in which ended the reign of Johan's murderous spree, in Utilitarinistic fashion, one could argue to point that the elimination of Johan is the morally correct choice. Obviously this opinion may vary based on the majority vs. minority argument however…Moral Empiricism is the idea that all concepts of morality originate completely from experience, that all rationally acceptable beliefs or propositions are justifiable or knowable only through experience. Using the same example stated previously, while there could be those who see Johan's death as an auspicious moment, there could also be those who mourn and grieve, challenging the idea of what is truly morally just in this world.

Obviously the further we probe this line of thinking, the more flawed it becomes, but I believe to find the best choice, a balance of both is needed.

For all intents and purposes, Johan Liebert represents empiricism while Kenzou Tenmo represents rationalism initially.

As a rationalist, Kenzou Tenma is under the belief that as long as he follows orders he will be able to move up in the world and live a happy life developing his research, not too long afterwards we see that belief challenged when a Turkish woman meets Dr. Tenma with immense grief at the loss of her husband in which could’ve been prevented had Dr. Tenma operated on the husband instead of the opera singer.

At this point, Dr. Tenma's frame of mind shifts slightly, instead of his own personal gain at the forefront, saving the lives of whoever he can takes precedence; supporting his personal logical belief that “All lives are equal”

As an empiricist, Johan Liebert is under the belief that all lives are not created equal, and instead the only thing man can be equal in is death. His personal belief given birth from the history and circumstances of Johans environment, in which we’ll get into later.

Upon meeting each other, both of their beliefs are put to the test Johan's empiricist circumstances leads him to embody nihilism, that all life is meaningless, while Tenmas' rationalist mindset leads him to embody stoicism, in which promotes the values in life, starting the ideological battle against the Dr. Kenzou Tenma, and the monster Johan Liebert.

Now what does any of this have to do with Kinderheim 511?

Well this has little to do about Kinderheim 511 and more so how you the viewer responds to the information presented to you of the experiments within the orphanage and its aftermath.

Kinderheim 511 in my opinion is where most peoples misconceptions of Johan's character begins…

At this point in the story, we are given information that Kinderheim 511 was an orphanage where our serial killer Johan resided in before he was adopted by the Lieberts.

We soon find out that horrible experiments were done on the children there, however the exact contents and procedures of those experiments are mostly unknown, instead of explicitly detailing what transpired, Monster instead allows our minds to sink into the abyss as to WHAT horrors that could’ve possibly taken place that ultimately ended with the death of everyone involved in the orphanage.

At this point it wouldn’t be a surprise if we could surmise that Johan became the monster he is due to the events of Kinderheim, but we soon find out that Johan has always been the Monster before he ever came to Kinderheim, and that he himself caused the uprising within the institution.

At this point in the story, a lot of peoples arguments on Johan's nature is met with several logical fallacies which determines what side of the argument they may fall in. For example there are those who believe that Johan was simply born a psychopathic killer, and while the argument of if that is realistically possible has no concrete evidence, In Monster, Naoki Urasawa does not humor the idea of any person being born inherently evil.

If we take a look at the criminals of the show, all of them share similar environmental circumstances in which lead them to commit the crimes they did.

I often see several opinions of Johan's character usually leading to the idea that he is the anti christ, or that he every action he took in the story was simply Johan toying with people, wanting to manipulate Tenma and Anna, driving Anna to insanity in order to kill her, but that is far FAR from the truth

The truth is that those conclusions are typically drawn while missing integral pieces of Johan's characterization, and/or the themes and messages that Naoki Urasawa is attempting to demonstrate not just with Johan Liebert, but the rest of the cast as well, each character, both main and side characters development dualistically juxtapose themselves with what Naoki is attempting to paint around Johan Lieberts character in some manner or form.

For example, Tenmas fear of loneliness or his perception of the value of life, while it may draw parallels to Johan, it serves as the groundwork towards putting the pieces together of understanding just who Johan is

For example, the common idealistic perception of life is that all lives are equal, however those who think differently are usually either of privileged circumstances, or able to disregard those values all for the sake of some monetary or political gain.

Naoki implies early on of the motives and reasonings to have such a perception, but does Johan Liebert have any of that?

Monster: A Story about Love

Johan does not have a personal motive to obtain a large sum of money, or to advance himself in a political world in a world he does not care to exist in. At this point most people would conclude that the actions he takes are simply for his own personal enjoyment, but that never is and will never be the case.

To understand Johan is to come to terms with the almost impossible perception of Johan's reasonings, the integral part that most are missing towards his character is that everything he did, all the blood he shed, the people who were destroyed or manipulated, was all for the sake of love.

In a story plagued under abysmal levels of pessimism and cynicism, Naoki Urasawa's Monster melancholically explores the concept of love and the dualistic ramification it imposes. Despite being a narrative surrounded around death and nihilism, characters such as Dr. Tenma, Dieter, Grimmer and more set the undertone of hope in the face of a world wrapped in despair

But on the opposite side of the same coin, because Monster IS a narrative surrounded around death and nihilism, Roberto, Franz, and Johan shroud themselves in the despair the story prevalently finds itself placed in.

But regardless of the setting Monster finds itself in, Naoki Urasawa establishes a bitter sweet and yet beautifully poignant theme such as love into a setting where it shines dimly but yet casts a shadow that envelopes completely.

I’ll try to keep this part brief as I feel this point could make an entirely new video, but to better understand my point, we first have to recognize that love plays a very integral part towards Monsters themes and its characters.

Love is considered to be both positive and negative, with its virtue representing human kindness, compassion, and affection, as "the unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another" and its vice representing human moral flaw, akin to vanity, selfishness, and egotism, as potentially leading people into a type of mania, obsessiveness or codependency.

What this means is that dualistically, while love is most commonly seen in a positive light, it can also drive those to do the impossible.

For example, Tenma's love for life drove him to be a doctor, ultimately finding fulfillment when a life in his hands has been saved, however, it wasn’t until Johan, a life that Dr. Tenma had saved in the past, resulted in Dr. Tenma shouldering the responsibility of bringing a harbinger of destruction back to life. In utilitarian fashion, Tenma's devotion towards his love has driven him to ultimately take Johan's life to prevent more people from dying.

And this facet can be extended to every character in the show if you look hard enough, that in some shape or form, Love is the driving force behind both positive and negative actions.

Eva's love for Tenma, Lunges love for his job, Richards love for his daughter to end his addiction, to even the darker side of the spectrum as the counselors radical love for their country To The Baby's extremist affection towards his race, to even Jurgens insatiable lust for murder.

In many different ways, love compels us to do many different things, for better or for worse.

So in what way does love coincide with the charming blonde?

There is a saying recently that I feel coincides quite well with what I am trying to say

““A hero would sacrifice you to save the world but a villain would sacrifice the world to save you ”

But perhaps this evokes even more questions towards Johan's character…

For what reason does he devote himself to these atrocities?

What love does he have that compels him to take the lives of many at seemingly random with no apparent connections with each other?

For what reason does Johan want to die?

Everything can be answered with one sentence.

Everything Johan did was for Anna…

Thank you for reading my mess of a script, this is still in the rough draft phase and I have a ton more to write, but I hope you enjoyed it none the less, I'll be working hard on this video in hopes to do Naokis Urasawas work justice ^3^

#Johan Liebert #Naoki Urasawa #Naoki Urasawa's Monster #anime meta #meta #anime essay #anime analysis #Anna Liebert #Nina Fortner #Dr. Tenma #kenzo tenma #Monster anime #Johan and Anna #monster meta #meta essay #anime discussion

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xxxangeleyesxxx · 2 years

Text

Trigger Warning - Blood and Action Violence

Beautiful Crime

Curled up in the bathtub, with the shower curtain covering her shivering body, Nina cried. The blood from the bullet wound on her stomach drenched the fabric of the curtain and one of her favorite dresses. She screamed when another bullet came flying through the wall and hit a blue tile above her. She hoped that the metal and concrete of the bathtub would be enough to save her from another shot. Was this Dad coming to save her? Or was this a rival gang? Either way, she was terrified. She was probably going to die all alone in this bathroom. A causality of war.

—————————————————————————

When the men who brought her here had first put the bag over her head and stuffed her into the car, Nina had struggled and panicked at first. It was a natural human reaction. But, like she had always been taught to do, Nina calmed down as quickly as she could and listened to her surroundings. She gaged the time she had been in the car to equate about 40 minutes and had listened to the voices around her. She recognized several. They were Goedelitz and The Baby’s men. She was probably being trafficked. Even though the knowledge of this was horrifying, Nina remained calm. Dad would probably find out she was missing in no time, and come to get her as soon as possible.

What she had not expected when she had arrived at the location however, was to be treated like an esteemed guest. Goedelitz and The Baby themselves had come to greet her, with a gourmet dinner nonetheless. Nina didn’t touch it, she wasn’t hungry, didn’t trust that it wasn’t doused with something, and any appetite she might have had left her when she watched the man across from her eat his meal. The way the “professor” slobbered all over himself while he bit into and slurped up the fruit made Nina feel more ill than she already had.

They told her then that they had found out that she, the sweet little bartender and cocktail waitress who worked at that underground bar, was actually gathering intel for the Bonaparte family. And not just that, instead of killing her had opted to hold her hostage to put her father in a corner. They had somehow figured out Nina’s relationship with Franz Bonaparte, her cover was completely and irreparably blown. Even if she did survive this mess she wouldn’t be able to do work out in the open anymore, she wondered if Dad would even let her outside by herself after this.

“Once my father realizes where I am, he will come! And when he comes he will make each and every single one of you wish you were never born!” Nina got up from her chair and slammed her hands on the table, tired of all of this fake politeness.

The two men across the table just chuckled at Nina like she was a naive child. Goedelitz cut into one of his pears and popped the piece into his mouth, the juice slipped out of his lips. Nina shivered in pure disgust. “Oh believe me, we fully intend for him to come. Once he realizes you’re here no force on earth could keep him away.” He looked behind her at his bodyguard and nodded his head, signaling her to be “escorted” out of the room.

And so she ended up in here. A small bedroom with a queen-sized bed and a bathroom connected. Nina hid in the bathroom, because if someone came to get her at least the other door opening would serve as a warning. She checked to make sure her spare revolver was secure in its place on her garter. She turned off the safety.

There was a weird sound coming from the sink. A strange tapping sound. Nina cautiously approached.

“Help me.” A woman’s voice said, it was light and accented. Nina looked around the bathroom and ever so slightly peered outside into the main room, but couldn’t find the source.

“Help me…” It was coming from the sink. Nina put her hair behind her ear and tuned in. “Please help me!”

“Where are you?” She was probably being trafficked, the thought made Nina’s heart quicken and her blood run cold.

“The third floor.” If Nina’s calculations were correct, she was currently on the second floor. She looked above her. “Please get me out of here! I have a baby boy, he’s too young to live without me!”

“They are holding me here too,” Nina admitted. “We have to work together. What’s your name?”

“Ayse.” The voice answered. Nina thought it was a pretty name. “We have to get out of here soon. I heard them talking, they are expecting to have a shoot-out!”

“A shoot-out?” It made sense, this was a rival mafia, and a lot of people had a vendetta against her father. This location could just be here solely to serve for his execution, and by extension hers. She had to remain calm however, her father had raised her to do such. “Ok Ayse, listen to me, here is what I need you to do. Go into the bathtub and make sure to cover your head.” Ayse immediately understood what Nina was getting at based on her quick agreement. Nina whispered into the sink the next part, being just loud enough for Ayse to hear. “I have a gun, if the shoot-out happens, we will both wait until it’s almost over, and I’ll grab you so we can both get out of here.”

Ayse let out a massive breath, Nina could even hear it through the pipes. “Thank you, a lot of bad things have been happening to me lately. You’re the first good person I’ve met. Are we friends?”

Nina smiled for the first time in what felt like an eternity but was probably only half a day. She felt the same way about Ayse. “Yes. We are friends.” Nina wanted to give her a hug, goodness knows they both needed one. Feeling a bit bolder Nina asked a little more loudly. “What’s your boy’s name Ayse?”

Before Nina could get her answer, a bullet flew past her head.

——————————————————————————

Over the course of what was probably only about 20 minutes, but felt like a few hours, Nina lay there. Stuck in that sterile paper-white bathtub, watching so much of her blood leave her body. She was beginning to feel faint and a type of fear she never thought she would feel. This wasn’t the type of fear you get when you are on a rollercoaster or the fear you felt as a child hiding under the covers from imaginary threats. This was the fear of the inevitable. She was afraid of how tired she was getting, if she fell asleep she didn’t know if she’d wake up. She hoped, at the very least, that Ayse was ok.

The screams and the sounds of bullets ricocheting off of the walls had died down considerably, so Nina could listen to quieter sounds. One of which was the door to the bedroom opening, and immediately thereafter the knob to the bathroom being fidgeted with. She shakily held up the gun, her vision was blurry. After a moment, the person on the other side had enough and just shot the damn thing off of its hinges. They opened the door. Nina lowered her gun.

Thankfully, he wasn’t one of Goedelitz's men, but he also wasn’t one of her father’s either. She recognized him. He was the handsome blond man with pasty skin and an often aloof face that frequented the bar she gained intel from. She never got his name or any of the other men he usually associated with. It simply was not her job. She was there to keep an eye on bigger competitors, not whoever he was.

She breathed shallowly. “I’ll shoot.” She couldn’t yell even if she tried. “I-if you come any c-closer, I’ll shoot.” He came closer anyway. Nina couldn’t read his expression. She tried to pull the trigger, but her own blood made it slippery and she fumbled with enough to give him the upper hand. He grabbed her gun and set it aside. Then he, ever so calmly, pulled back the shower curtain.

Nina almost laughed when she saw his shocked expression, but that would just cause her more pain. “I’m pro-bably g-going to die.” She was surprised by how calm she sounded, she was anything but. Black spots appeared all over her already tunneled vision. She wasn’t thinking straight and said something then that she probably would never have said otherwise. All she could think about was Ayse, so she blurted out, and probably blew the poor woman’s cover, “Please make sure Ayse is ok.” before passing out.

@theartifxce

#theartifxce #anna liebert #johan and anna #johan liebert #new rp #mafia au #sorry I’ve been gone for so long #a lot of things happened #happy to be back!#Beautiful Crime rp

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