Review of Parasyte: The Maxim

Having enjoyed marathon-ing Iwaaki's Parasyte manga back in the mid-noughties, I couldn't help but jump at the chance to wade in its parasitic waters on screen. It was entirely enjoyable. Sporting some pretty cool tracks (as in me-serenading-my-wife-cool tracks) in the intro and ending, the story is neatly compiled and flows somewhat smoothly up to a point. Some characters have some depth, such as Shinichi and Migi's progression throughout the series and how they change. Migi is a complex, fascinating little organism who arguably serves as the 'in-between' for the dueling human and parasyte conflict. Its motives are never truly clear and it serves tofurther the series' philosophical discussion: where do we fall in the 'Great Plan,' or lack thereof?

Aside from the notable flaws: a slightly disjointed plot, forgettable characters (I'm looking at you Murano), along with some lackluster fight sequences, Parasyte never fell below the average level to me. The drama and philosophical discussion kept me pushing until the end and I was not disappointed by the experience. The questions regarding morality and corruption were effective in that they were an interesting way of pushing the plot forward while having us question the character's motives. Tamura Reiko, for example, was one of the most exquisitely tragic portrayals of any character Parasyte has brought to the screen and perhaps one of the most complex and intriguing. It was only through her character when I started to really care and wonder about the Parasyte's biology and thought: how it was evolving and whether or not we were right to pass judgement on something we could not possibly understand.

All in all, it was a fun ride despite not being 100% flawless.