Review of Parasyte: The Maxim

I got recommended this show from friends and upon seeing the first episode I was somewhat surprised at the originality of the premise. The 'monsters' in Kisijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu are unique compared to other fictional monsters. The story starts with a young man Izumi Shinichi getting infected by a parasite that doesn't reach his brain which puts him on a dividing line between human and parasite, a line that the series does its best to blend as it goes on. The story does a good job creating tension and an atmosphere of unease which builds up to heated and exhilarating battles . It alsofeatures the 'monsters' organisms that want what ordinary organisms want: to feed and to live which makes introduces a lot of nuance into the story. I found the limitations placed on the parasites made them feel more grounded in the ecology. Izumi Shinichi made for and conflicted and compassionate yet rational main character who serves as a great vantage point to explore the complexities of this world of parasites and humans due both to his relationship with Migi (the parasite who infected him) and the other people in his life. I like that the series shows a lot of the mechanics of how the world works rather than forcing exposition onto us. We can observe a lot of the things that we learn throughout the story this also creates an aura of mystery about what the parasites are and how they really operate. This creates a lot of questions that can be answered or not but kept me glued to the screen. Overall I recommend Kisijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu for fans of dark, supernatural and gory anime.