Review of Parasyte: The Maxim
In order to gain something, we must lose something with equal value. That was something that screamed at me during the series. One can argue that sometimes you can gain something just by, for example, working hard, but that does not fit into this context whatsoever. The main character of Parasyte - the maxim - gains something incapable to humans, but, it was at the expense of a piece of his own humanity. What I initially thought of as a generic and typical plot turned out to be a perfectly told and executed storyline, rich with well-made characters and meaning. There's really not much moreI can say about it, but the fact that the storyline had a great build-up from beginning to end. A possible flaw may have been that it lacked a definite climax but that aside, I reckon the story had progressed quite satisfactorily.
Character development? Let me tell you about the character development. It was done so well that it honestly broke my heart at times. Shinichi's hardships and accomplishments all played a part in making him into the character he is. Watching all of those factors in play from beginning to end – I can't say it didn't leave me, as a watcher, not feeling anything.
Migi's cold and inhumane nature juxtaposes Shinichi's altruistic and kind human heart, so the two make an unlikely yet well-matched combo. That's honestly all I have to say – the characters, especially Shinichi are all very well developed.
Adding to that note, all of the females in this anime are extremely perceptive, and I mean all of them. Not just the main ones but even the side characters too; it's actually quite amazing watching the writers incorporate this little fact into the show.
The art had a style unique to the series, and was something that had grown on me. It's often quite dark at some scenes but it all contributes very well to the overall genre and mood of the anime. Together with this art style, the music was befitting of each scene, I especially loved the opening and ending theme songs, I think they offer a nice contrast to each other.
Parasyte offers an extremely accurate and realistic standing of how the world would react if there were indeed other life forms coexisting on the planet with human beings. It portrays the reaction humans would have, the thoughts that they'd process and the actions they'd take in response to discovering such a thing – and I believe this is very close to what could actually happen (that is, if aliens were actually real).
The anime explores what it means to be human, and fathoms further on the idea of greater life forms other than ourselves, and why they too, have the capability to question the meaning of their existence much like we do. It teaches us about fear – true, human fear – and how deeply it roots in our hearts.
The thing that makes this series so precious is the fact that it seriously and strongly questions humanity as a whole. For an animated work to tread on a such philosophical journey while doing so successfully and with characters that connect with the audience so meaningfully, it'll have to be one of my all-time favourites. Despite all my praise for Parasyte, it's a series that should definitely not be passed by unless you really can’t handle a little bit of gore. But hey, there's a censored version just for you guys too.