Review of Parasyte: The Maxim

Entertainment factors: Gripping story, battle scenes, romance, emotional ride, serious themes, dying characters. _____ Similar to Attack On Titan, this anime does not paint a rosy picture of humanity, ie. showing scenes of bullying and animal torture in multiple episodes. Shinichi comes in contact with not only the monstrous parasites, but street gangs, politicians and a serial killer. The dark side of man is well-represented in Parasyte the Maxim. Despite the violence and gore, the anime is deeply heart-warming and very, very human. People around Shinichi keep dying and it scars him to a point of total numbness. His isolation and relationship troubles parallel the feelings of thosereeling from harrowing personal losses. Even after Shinichi’s dark experiences and the parasite in his body begin changing him into a selfish, uncaring person, he never stops struggling with his need to help people. He is brave, cowardly, selfish and altruistic. His conflicting character is so very human and a serious literary feat from Iwaaki Hitoshi, author of the original manga.

The deathtoll in the series builds up quickly. It’s actually bizarre that the constant killing doesn’t become too uncomfortable to watch. I’m personally very sensitive to violence, often deriving anxiety from it, but Parasyte The Maxim did not provoke this reaction in me. The show remains both thought-provoking and entertaining from start to finish and I can only recommend you watch it.

The animation style is more realistic than on most anime - even Deathnote was more artsy than Parasyte. The character designs are refreshing, not abiding to any recent anime clichés. Voice acting is natural, all voices fit their respective characters. The soundtrack has both lighter tunes and darker, horror-enhancing electronic beats.

Not a minute spent watching Parasyte is a waste. Due to its heavy subject matters, and the grace with which it handles them, Parasyte The Maxim is one of the most relevant anime in recent history.