Review of Parasyte: The Maxim

*No Spoilers* Summary: Parasyte: The Maxim is a horror-genre anime with a simple premise: A parasite infects the protagonist but is unable to take over his body. The plot is relatively straightforward and elicits questions about humanity, social norms, and how animalistic humans can be. Overall, this is an excellent show with a captivating plot. If you are interested in deep and dark themes, then this is an excellent choice! Story: 9/10 Although it starts off pretty straightforward, the plot does have some twists and mixes romance, dark themes, death, and identity into the life of the protagonist. A parasite infects the protagonist but is unable to take overhis body. The plot elicits questions about humanity, social norms, and how animalistic humans can be in an entertaining and intriguing way. There are some scenes that focus too much on romance with dialogue or emphasize the themes repetitively, but for the most part, the plot is excellent.

Art: 9/10
The art style is fitting for the genre: Some scenes are gory, and they help to convey the dark themes within the story.

Sound: 8/10
The original soundtrack is beautiful and utilizes a diverse genre of sounds. The ending theme is absolutely gorgeous and meaningful. Some of the sound effects sound fake or unrealistic, but the overall sound quality, including the voice acting, is above average.

Character: 8/10
The characters are the most essential piece of a show, and the protagonist and his parasite definitely grow throughout the story. There are times where the protagonist’s changes are too brazen; however, the overall growth is meaningful. Also, some of the side characters are blatantly support characters, and the romance is ruined by one such character. Otherwise, the characters go on a journey through this dark story.

Enjoyment: 10/10
This is one of the only anime that captivated me from the beginning to the end. There aren’t any filler episodes, it blends the plot and characters nicely, and it doesn’t make the viewer research information from the mange to fill in gaps as many anime do. The story as a whole is intense, somewhat emotionally-jerking, and definitely thought-provoking.

Overall: 8.8/10
Parasyte: The Maxim is a horror-genre anime with a simple premise: A parasite infects the protagonist but is unable to take over his body. The plot is relatively straightforward and elicits questions about humanity, social norms, and how animalistic humans can be. Overall, this is an excellent show with a captivating plot. If you are interested in deep and dark themes, then this is an excellent choice!