Review of Parasyte: The Maxim

There could not have been a more fitting end. Shinichi and Migi's dream in the final episode, along with the internal monologue life preaching that followed immediately after (consisting of HALF the sodding episode!), aptly summarised everything wrong with an anime that may as well have been titled 'Parasyte: Maximum Chatter Within'. It was telling that, with the chance to have AN ACTUAL CONVERSATION outside of Shinichi's head, instead the last exchange between the two characters played out internally. Migi said it was because he (genderless, but forever a bro) wanted Shinichi to forget. And I most certainly agreed with Migi's sentiment. One of thegreatest challenges in adapting manga is transferring static thoughts to a medium with motion. Madhouse's solution? To simply transfer EVERYTHING not involving internet modernisation 'Google snake + hand' awkwardness, instead of attempting to rework it into conversations... or maybe just having faith that the target audience do not need to be spoon-fed the obvious. Throughout the entire series, even the most basic of thoughts, such as "Oh no, I am going to die!" was shoved down my throat. Towards the end, it got to the point where - as if in response to the series spamming me with simplistic obviousness - I was internally screaming 'SHOW; DON'T TELL... WHY!?'

In a psychological series, it is important for the lead's thought process to be broken down into comprehensible chunks. But in the case of Shinichi, it was like I was listening to my West Highland Terrier's thoughts as she hunts her mortal enemy, the local squirrel. For example, in episode 23 Shinichi marches off to certain doom to do battle with THE ultimate enemy. Only when finding this last boss that he previously ran from - crying, I might add - does it occur to him a plan would be quite handy. Beforehand, he even monologues about how the situation will surely work itself out, as if certain the author will save him. Predictably, Shinichi found himself thinking "WHAT DO I DO!?' as my eyes rolled into my head. Then, in a moment of 'I will stand here ominously while you think' inspiration, he remembers the old woman he met a few days ago. "Never give up!", she says in his head (not meaning don't give up in the context of a 1 vs. 1 battle with a monster, but I digress). Only then does Shinichi - still in his head - miraculously remember a weak-spot based on plot convenience.

The internal monologues are more of a superficial problem. Irksome but perhaps ignorable for those demented by anime. The real issue? Madhouse adding emphasis to the flaws of something decades old and not fixing ANY of them. At the start of the show, Migi - in his loveable matter of factly way - pointed out that humans are the true parasites on Earth / eat cows. At the end of the show, after it somehow stumbles into politics, a politician says THE EXACT SAME THING, as if it is a revelation. He even gives a dramatic speech. And that is all Parasyte has to offer: what it offered at the very beginning. The rest of the 'plot' simply had Shinichi fight parasites hiding in human skin as Migi told him what to do and/or saved him, whilst I had to plug my ears whenever Kana Havawank's character appeared to avoid punching her face on my screen; especially when the 'romance' became horribly overwrought with THAT damnable piece of music. Never before did I realise adding a voice could make me go from indifference to hatred. Her most noteworthy contribution was supportive sex--a modern day Japanese comfort girl, if you will.

So, what else does the series offer? Well, unlike in the manga, Shinichi starts out as a scrawny four-eyed representation of the what anime has taught me to be the average Japanese high school student. Most of the time, he sounds like he is on the verge of tears. Naturally, three girls still gathered to talk about him, without the bitchy detest reality requires. But before even being halfway done, Shinichi finds himself some hair gel and contact lenses; becoming a new boy, as it were. And then... CIRCLES. The annoying wannabe girlfriend of the piece runs around questioning whether Shinichi is still human after he put a dog in a bin, whilst I simply questioned if he is just an outright moron. Then another girl - with moe earphones added in the anime - decides to also run around after Shinichi due to the 'red string of fate'. Cringe. At this point all I remember is episodes upon episodes of meandering as girls chased Shinichi as he got lost in thought over his inability to cry. Then, towards the end, he discovers he can cry, loses all composure and reverts back to how he started, making me question the point of life/this story. After that, the series randomly just ends on a bizarrely abrupt and 'parasites are hiding now, OH WELL; bye, Migi!' note.

The single most disappointing aspect? Madhouse's (lack of) budget. Over 20 years late, and the only impressive visuals come in an opening that screams 'TEENAGERS: WATCH ME!' so loudly I feel almost old, an exciting intro though it is. So poor is the art consistency that eyes did not even line up correctly in key episodes. And the parasites quickly took a nosedive towards blob animation, so lacking was the detail. It was so limited I started to believe that the mid-battle internal monologues existed to save even more money by avoiding fluidity. And the colours were on the bland side of dull throughout. I just do not understand: why wait all these years to half-arse something?...

I do like some things. Not many, but some. Migi, for one. The brains AND personality of the series... in spite of being emotionless and machine-like by nature. Easily one of the most unique characters ever created and, despite not being human, more relatable than the rest of the the human cast combined. His intentionally unintentional deadpan "That would be a problem" moments of comedy gold are my favourite parts of the series, along with the bizarre grotesque broship bond he shares with Shinichi. And Parasyte does have an undeniably cool concept. There is something genuinely disturbing about a head turning into a mouth and eating people. Some of the music is uniquely excellent, also: 'hypnotik' being my favourite, if only for the previews. But the rest of the show?... the lack of a plot, or any kind of answers given by its tacked-on 'ending', were issues all those years ago. All the anime added is internal monologue emphasis emphasis suffering and... Aya Hirano as a talking hand. An uninspired adaptation of a manga lacking direction and without any closure does not satisfy me, and nor should it satisfy anyone else.