Review of Parasyte: The Maxim

Following my brother's recommendation who had just started watching this, I started watching as well, so I didn't really have any previously constructed opinions about it, just curiosity. I will try not to spoil any direct events and keep this as concise as possible. It started with that "weird beings are infecting humans" type of vibe, where small alien-like worms would find their way in human bodies and take control over the brain and try to blend in society. But that was not the case with the protagonist, Shinichi, and only his right arm was infected. But what seemingly was just an intelligence-less parasite searching fora host to leech on turns out to be an intelligent life form whose intellect and learning abilities rivals and possibly even surpasses that of humans, learning in hours what a regular person would take months or years.

These parasites also turn out to have individuality and no emotions, always doing a cold logical analysis of situations and acting accordingly. Their primary way of killing is turning the upper limbs and/or head into blades and then consuming the victim. A lot of background information about them was simply not there and if you are the type of person that needs an answer for everything and is not satisfied with things just happening and an excuse-like explanation, you will be disappointed.

In the initial phase of events you might think this is a world-wide situation and humanity as a whole is in danger, battling for survival and supremacy as rulers of the planet. As the episodes go by you end realizing the plot is not pretentious and the ending is not a closure to the situation and instead of that just makes the viewer confused as to what the show is really about.

Is it about humans being the real monsters? Is it about saving the planet from pollution? Is it about what makes us really humans? Is it about learning how to co-exist with other forms of life and respecting them all? We are offered possibilities, but no definite answer.

The character development and utilization was also something I think could have been better. Shinichi's personality takes sudden changes for better and for worse in a very inconsistent way. Sometimes you feel he is coming more like Migi, and sometimes you feel Migi might be becoming more humane. A couple important characters are eliminated from the story even though they could still add a lot to the plot. The interactions between Shinichi and everyone around him is as inconsistent as his view of the world.

The sound and the art of the anime are elements that are decently done. The animation goes a little 3D every now and then, I noticed no big mistakes, the episodes have a consistent level of quality, and the soundtrack plays its part. These aspects aren't the highlights or the downsides of this show.

All in all, I feel this is an entertaining show. There are good fights, there is a lot of blood, there are episodes that I found myself very anxious to find out what happens next, some nice horror scenes, some romance. The last episode gives an ending to the story we were presented, but also leaves room for a bigger plot that could happen in a different time, in a different place.