Parasyte: The Maxim has finished airing after 24 episodes. If you haven’t checked out the series yet, then be sure to do so if you are into science-fiction and horror. The final episode, titled “Parasyte,” is exclusive to paid subscribers on Hulu and Crunchyroll. Free subscribers can watch the final episode six days from now on April 1st.
This series is adapted from Hitoshi Iwaaki’s original manga, which ran from 1988 until 1995 under the Kodansha imprint. I started watching Tokyo Ghoul Root Alpha about the same time that the second half of Parasyte: The Maxim started airing, which I could draw a list of commonalities that the two series share with each other.
There is no news yet on a possible English dub to the anime series.
I will go as far to say that Parasyte: The Maxim is one of the best anime series that I have watched for the 2014-2015 season. This was an anime series that required me to think deeply, despite the action and gore present.
STORYLINE
The story centers on 17-year-old Shinichi Izumi, who is a mind-mannered high school senior from a good family. His life is turned upside down because of mysterious worm-like creatures, Parasites, appear from outer space. The Parasites take over their hosts by entering the body and working their way towards the brain for full control.
But that isn’t the case with Shinichi when one Parasite tries to take over his brain. It instead takes over Shinichi’s right arm and becomes Migi, who retains his own individual intellect. The two of them have a unique bond, where they must work together in order to survive encounters with other Parasites.
Shinichi initially wants nothing to do with the other Parasites, but Migi does whatever to survive.
Parasyte: The Maxim starts off with being a character-driven story for the first half, but becomes a plot-driven story for the second half. The first half centers on the relationship between the unlikely duo, where Shinichi gradually becomes more “mechanical” and Migi gradually becomes more “human.”
Migi asks many questions, which forces Shinichi to carefully think.
It is brand the Parasites with the title “monsters,” but it becomes subjective as the story progresses because they are doing what is in their nature. This is not different from a falcon grabbing a fish from the water, a school of piranhas eating something that falls into the pond, a wolf eating a sheep, a polar bear eating a snow seal, or a lion eating a zebra.
At the end, the story asks us: Who are humans to judge other lifeforms by their standards?
It’s a very deep intellectual and emotional story, where combat is heavily involved as well. Shinichi develops a “worldly view,” while Migi learns what it means to be “human.” I could also compare Parasyte to John Carpenter’s The Thing, which came out in 1982.
You have no idea on who is a Parasite.
The story progresses as Reiko Tamura, one of the antagonists, develops new experimental Parasites and even forms a cabal of them to infiltrate politics. They organize, which means they become more threatening to the existence of Shinichi and Migi. It becomes apparent that Shinichi and Migi are the only hope to stop the Parasites, but they are reluctant out of the sake of their own lives.
There is a deeper reason, which is the Parasites have knocked humans off as being the top of the food chain.
Shinichi ultimately learns that he cannot run from his “destiny” as he deals with one Parasite killing his mother. S—t ultimately hits the fan midway through the series when Hideo, one of Reiko’s experiments, goes berserk and slaughters nearly half the school’s student body. The whole f—ked situation puts Shinichi in a lot of emotional duress and pain, but can’t tell anybody out of several risks like being experimented on or Migi killing those people to keep everything a secret.
It ultimately becomes one intellectual mindf—k that keeps you hooked.
The Parasites learn to adapt to society and start “acting human,” which is Reiko’s ultimate intention for survival of the specials. Shinichi learns that humans can be the “true monsters” near the end when he is forced to work with Uragami, a convicted serial murder, with latent ESP.
Parasites kill only if hungry or threatened and Uragami kills out of fun.
Shinichi’s “destiny” ultimately leads him to fight for his life against Reiko’s ultimate creation, Goto, who controls five Parasites in his body.
Parasyte has a deep story and I would recommend the series to anybody studying or working in journalism, political science, environmental conservation, zoology, ecology, biology, food service, and other major fields of study.
CHARACTERS
Parasyte has a unique cast of characters, where I will start with Shinichi Izumi.
Shinichi is the unlikely hero dragged into this by dumb luck because Migi failed at taking over his body. He acts as the “moral compass” to Migi, who starts off as being logical and emotionless. Time takes its toll on Shinichi as he becomes mechanical.
Migi, the Parasite in Shinichi’s right arm, is different from the others because of his desire to neither kill nor eat humans. This makes him a threat to the other Parasites. Migi becomes a quick study as he learns about the human world in many different ways, where he starts off as being emotionless and caring only for his self-preservation.
He becomes more “human” as the story progresses.
Satomi Murano is the “damsel in distress.”
I could compare her to being the Mary Jane to Shinichi’s Peter Parker. She is completely in the dark about Shinichi’s situation, but has her suspicions because of his recent superhuman feats. Satomi is obviously concerned, but the relationship has its bumps and bruises because of the Parasites. Shinichi wants to tell her, but he is afraid of the possible consequences such as Migi possibly killing her to keep everything a secret.
The story gets a twist when psychics, like Kana Kimishima and Uragami, are introduced. They have the ability to detect Parasites, but nowhere near Migi’s level. Kana, the “bad girl,” acts as a romantic rival to Shinichi because she senses something special about him.
Kana acts as Shinichi’s stalker when she develops a strong infatuation with him, which causes her to die by her own recklessness.
Reiko Tamura is one of the major antagonists of the series, but develops feelings after giving birth to a healthy human baby. She is the equivalent of a “science,” where her contributions cause the most problems for Shinichi.
Shinichi ultimately finds an ally in Mamoru Uda, who is also merged with a Parasite. Uda doesn’t get much attention, but he is one of Shinichi’s most valued friends and allies.
OVERALL
This is a unique story.
There is action in Parasyte, but that is not the main focus. I think that the story is set up to be one compound lesson on the environment. If you can look behind the gore and violence, then you can see that Parasyte has a deeper meaning.
This makes you think carefully about what life ultimately means. It makes you carefully consider the possibility of no longer being at the top of the food chain. Parasyte teaches you to develop a worldly view in a dark and twisted sense.
I would give Parasyte an A+.
