Review of Parasyte: The Maxim

The top reviewer for this show - who heavily critiqued the story, ends with this passage: "What was the point of the show? Was it to show that humanity is corrupt and that we're the reason other species can't move forward? That humanity should embrace other species and try harder to understand? Or that reality is a cruel place?" Honestly, the answer to all these questions is yes, and still, to me that only feels half way there. The question of what morality is, and particularly how it affects things that aren't human, is incredibly complex and at the heart of a variety of ongoing debates(veganism, environmentalism, etc.) This is also the center of the philosophy debate in Parasyte.

Spoilers ahead:

Perhaps the main philosophical question the show poses is "what does it mean to be human?"

One scene that directly represents part of the show's answer to this is in episode 23.
The ending fight, where Shinichi and Migi fight the powerful Goto was a perfect representation of one hard to understand aspect of humanity. Human's intrinsically think about themselves over other creatures. This message comes up throughout the show. This is even represented in how Shinichi injured Goto - using trash that humans have dumped in the forest because those humans were 'above' the forest and creatures who lived there.

However, before finishing Goto, Shinichi realizes that this creature has a life and the same will and right to live that Shinichi has. This sparks an intense internal debate over whether Shinichi has the right to end its life, with him initially concluding:
"He's different, not human. I don't want to impose human values on him. [...] Can I say an organism has no right to live because it's harmful?"
This idea, that human's shouldn't have the right to decide the fate of other creatures, because they have the same right to life that humans do, is incredibly important. This question, in everyday life, is less of a moral dilemma - we kill for food and protection constantly. We have more of a right to life than animals do.

There are a few common warrants to this modern philosophy. The main one is usually that animals are less advanced than humans. Animals can't experience human happiness and love. This show and this scene perfectly shows a reality where that isn't necessarily the case, where these arguments are invalid. Not only are parasites in many ways more advanced than humans (physically and mentally), but Shinichi at this point is essentially half-parasite half-human. He has also experienced the story of Tamura Reiko, someone who clearly showed love and compassion to her baby. Thus, it makes this moral dilemma even more difficult.

This show, in this way, represents and frequently asks the commonly asked hypothetical: if aliens came that were more advanced than humans, to the point that humans were to them what livestock is to us, would it be fair for them to treat us like livestock?

When Shinichi interestingly changes his decision to finish Goto off, he is left with the words: "I'm just a lowly human being. All I can do is protect my small family."

This is one aspect of the reality that we live in. Humans, sometimes, only value those close to them, and this pressure takes Shinichi over. This part of the show is arguing that despite the realization that creatures, in this case parasites, have the same right to life that humans do, especially with them being more advanced than humans and the protagonist understanding their philosophy after having a friend parasite and being part parasite... despite this intense realization and understanding, Shinichi, and humans as a whole, still sometimes only value themselves. We kill creatures with the trash we dump, and we finish them off for protection. We answer that alien hypothetical with: "Yes, but they would never be able to because we, humans, are supreme."

The serial killer of the show adds to this narrative. He is arguably even more of a monster than the parasites, and yet he still is valued over them by other humans (shown through his lack of immediate death while the parasites are killed off without trail).

So yes, humanity is corrupt. We take life from other species because we value ourselves over them. Yes, reality is cruel.

But...

The show also comments on the beauty and uniqueness of humanity. At the end, when presented with Murano's expected death, Shinichi is torn up (as any human would be). Migi then comes to Shinichi and talks to him, answering that this pain is because of "how much time human's have on their hands". This time allows humans to "have room to spare in their heart". This is the true uniqueness of humanity.

In my eye, this show is arguing that the true value of humans is because of this trait. Humans are able to care about other humans and other creatures, a beautiful trait that isn't shared, at least to the same capacity, by any other creature.

The last quote of the show, "We were all born here on Earth. We try to understand, using tiny points of reason we slowly accumulate. We find something to be close to... until our lives someday end," sums up humans response to this dilemma. We never truly understand, and in the end of the day, we live out our lives as humans do.

So what are humans? The show answers: We are a creature that has the capability to care about other creatures. This is a beautiful and unique trait. But at the same time, this trait has its limits. In the end of the day, we tend to only value those close to us, and we prioritize our lives, and human lives, first.
And the show further asks, "is this the right answer?" and states, "Well maybe, maybe not." Humans generally have very little clue about how this world actually works. In actuality, we spend most of our time living out our normal lives as societal creatures.

This philosophical questioning and answering is absolutely amazing and made me, at least, think about this show for hours on end (clearly).

As for the rest of the show's review, its amazing. The combat is sick as hell. The music is absolutely bonkers with epic dubstep at some scenes contrasted with beautiful saddened piano masterpieces. The art is dope.

9/10