Johan's Motives

[Psi]

There was some interesting stuff about this in the episode thread, so I thought I'd start a new topic. No spoilers please.

Johan's motives are really obscure in the anime. We know he's killing off the families that he lived with, but why? Is it just because he's psychotic, or does he have some other plan? It seems to me he's killing off everyone who's able to recognize him. Except for Wolf, Tenma, and his sister. And does he have multiple personalities? Or is he just writing the stuff about the monster to mess with Tenma?

And then there is his relationship to Tenma. Johan seems to be grateful to Tenma for saving his life, but at the same time he knows Tenma is after him and deliberately leaves him messages and taunts him. Someone in the other thread thought that he was deliberately trying to frame Tenma for the hospital murders. Another person said that since Tenma and Wolf both saved Johan's life then he would be in their debt and COULDN'T kill or harm them directly. Anyway, what do you all think?

Edit: Added no spoilers to topic. I want to be surprised by what happens, but speculation is fun. And I'm a she, not a he, thx.

[musouka]

Oh, I don't think Johan COULDN'T hurt Wolf or Tenma. I think he chooses not to because they both saved his life. I think everyone in the world falls under three catagories for Johan: "Strangers", "Strangers that have literally saved my life", and "Nina".

"Nina" is safe, because she is his sister. For reasons only known to him, he won't kill her.

"Strangers that have saved me" are currently safe. Johan will not actively seek to kill them for, again, his own reasons. Perhaps those reasons could change, or perhaps they are just as safe as Nina is.

"Strangers" are everyone else Johan has ever come into contact with, whether it is for a day or for a year. Johan feels nothing towards these people and will kill them whenever he he feels like it.

[krem]

the guy is simply schizo. there is a good part of him, and a bad part of him. why isn't tenma dead, because johan keeps moving or cannot be traced. he's either playing a game with tenma, or he's struggling to control himself. he wants tenma to destroy him i think, because tenma saved his life, and therefore it's only fair that he take his life.

[FireBorn]

I think he has two personalities.. the Johan and the Monster.

I think they're both evil, but I dunno. Johan may just be the body for the monster.

I think the Monster kills the families simply because he doesn't want Johan to exist anymore, just the Monster. We definetly know a 'Monster' exists inside these killers.

[avmoghe]

I dont buy this multiple personality business at all. Why does his other personality write notes to Tenma or some old housewife (episode 19).

Why not write a detailed confession of his crimes.. and send it over to the police? That would surely be the best way to stop himself if he was sincere about it.

If his other personality is NOT sincere about stopping... then why write the notes sin the first place?

So... I dont think Johan has two personalities at all.

[FireBorn]

Why not write a detailed confession of his crimes.. and send it over to the police? That would surely be the best way to stop himself if he was sincere about it.

... Because then there would be no story..?

Do you have a better explanation?

[dreamless]

post deleted.

[avmoghe]

dreamless - No one in this thread is "looking for spoilers".

Just because we anime-viewers discuss something... that does not imply that we want to manga readers to tell us which of us is indeed correct. We are not asking any of the manga readers to tell us what really Johan's motives are.

So, next time, please do restrain yourself and do not post spoilers in a thread that specifically asks us asks for no spoilers.
Let us anime viewers blabber on and speculate in our ignorance.

[dreamless]

dreamless - No one in this thread is "looking for spoilers".

Just because we anime-viewers discuss something... that does not imply that we want to manga readers to tell us which of us is indeed correct. We are not asking any of the manga readers to tell us what really Johan's motives are.

So, next time, please do restrain yourself and do not post spoilers in a thread that specifically asks us asks for no spoilers.
Let us anime viewers blabber on and speculate in our ignorance.
well, then IMHO maybe he should make the topic more obvious, like put a [anime only] or [no manga readers allowed] sign at the title. Currently his topic looks to me like he's asking "what's Johan's motives?" :eyespin: Also I'm not sure if I posted can really be considered as a spoiler since it doesn't reveal anything anyway... I guess I'll edit my previous post then :)

[ChainLegacy]

I like the idea of him just being a maniac who kills who he wants, when he wants.

[Sephon]

From watching all 27 episodes in 1½ day I've started to believe (coming from the latest episodes) that Johan is still educating himself and building up power.

It was mentioned in an earlier episode that Johan wanted to destroy the world (The ep. where Tenma met Dieter) and be the only one left, watching.
So he's probably a "monster" in the sense that he has no compassion, just think of everything as a playground, where he manipulates and sets the stage, like a director. Without the players knowing that they are playing after his whip of course.

But the last episodes was interesting, I thought he was going to be more cruel (ep. 27) instead of doing what he did. But that's why I think he's trying to build up some fronts which he can work through.

I really enjoy the show, only find a few problems with the story. But as usual that is comparing to real life.

[FromageTheDog]

I think he has two personalities.. the Johan and the Monster.

I think they're both evil, but I dunno. Johan may just be the body for the monster.

I think the Monster kills the families simply because he doesn't want Johan to exist anymore, just the Monster. We definetly know a 'Monster' exists inside these killers.

Absolutely the most lucid post in this thread, whether it turns out to be correct or not. You're comment picks up on what Wolfe was lamenting -- that Johan was killing everyone he knew, and hence 'Wolfe' was ceasing to exist. This is something I had only dimly -- if at all -- associated with Johan's actions.

Thanks for your post.

- Fromage