Parasyte has got to be one of the most surprising shows I've watched this year.
The anime follows the life of Izumi Shinichi, whose right hand had been forcefully taken over by a parasite aptly named 'Migi'. Shinichi struggles to coexist with the new creature that has replaced his hand, Migi's cold and apathetic personality constantly clashing with his own caring and kind-hearted one.
But trying to keep this new secret from getting out may be more difficult than expected when Shinichi finds out that Migi is not alone and that his own kind, dubbed 'Parasites' are all over Japan.
Story-wise, I am pleased to say that Parasyte was pretty interesting and kept me guessing. As our main character Shinichi tries to hide his new 'friend' from the people around him, other parasites which have successfully taken over the host (by reaching the brain) also pose a threat to him, since Migi is deemed as a failure of sorts by his own kind.
The pair face many obstacles, and in between Migi's search for truth about his existence and Shinichi's ongoing struggle to survive what comes his way, they meet many dangerous characters ranging from a intelligent parasite and a notorious serial killer.
I like that Parasyte kept me in suspense most of the time, the foreshadowing was done fairly well and there are many emotional moments and amazing action sequences that'll leave your jaw hanging. Seeing as the parasites can take the form of anyone or anything, fights never get boring and the creative use of their shapeshifting abilities was a spectacle to behold.
This is not to say that the anime is without any downsides though, but it isn't anything so remotely bad that it would turn you off before you even started. Parasyte started out slow, but in my opinion it did it's job of creating tension and had good payoffs in the end. While the tone of the show did get draggy and slower toward the end, it didn't take away any enjoyment I'd experienced in the previous episodes!
The characters in parasyte are no pushovers. I like how Migi and Shinichi's personalities balance each other out. After the first few episodes, I began to realize that Shinichi's reckless and self-sacrificing behaviour is more or less kept in check by the cold and rational Migi. I can't count how many times Shinichi might have gotten himself or someone else killed without the parasite's intervention. But that's not to say that Migi is without his flaws too!
Also, you could also say that Migi is the physical manifestation of Shinichi's consciousness. You know, that nagging voice in the back of your mind, the one that warns you before you pull some stupid shit.
Parasyte is quite dark too. Not like 'Madoka magica' dark, but something comparable to that of 'Psycho pass'. As the anime goes on, I came to see that many of its characters, both antagonists and protagonists, are not bound to the norms of 'morality'. Despite his protests, Shinichi himself operates in a morally grey area, and even the police have questionable ways of trying to rid Japan of parasites.
Parasyte shines because of it's brilliant characters, and most, if not all, are fleshed out during the course of the anime. There are some cliched stereotypes here and there, but that is to be expected. The main thing, is that the characters are not confined to roles of the 'bad guys' or 'good guys'.
Let me just say that Tamura Reiko is my favourite character in Parasyte. She's one of the characters who can keep Shinichi on edge, and the reactions she can get out of him is always a treat. Her social faux passes gave me good laughs time and time again simply because it's so amusing to see a 'superior' species struggle with mundane stuff and saying things weird things out of the blue. There were a few moments in which Tamura Reiko stole the show, and I absolutely adore her for it!
Animation is done by Madhouse and while it's not as gory as some have claimed it is, there is several disturbing moments that made my stomach turn. But fortunately, nothing so utterly horrible that it would scar you for life. I give the anime props in how they designed the parasites; indeed there are generic looking ones but for the most part they vary in looks, and it did creep me out at some points.
Overall: Parasyte was a pleasant surprise. The ending was kinda meh in my opinion but to its credit, it did tie up most of the loose ends and was fairly satisfying.
No comments:
Post a Comment