Review of Parasyte: The Maxim
It's new, it's hip, it's edgy. All coming from a 1989 adaption... I have to say, Madhouse has done an excellent job modernizing such a relic. As much as I would love to talk about how polished the series looks, Parasyte is much more than just that. Essentially, it can be interpreted on many different levels; whether it’s a coming-of-age story or a moralistic story of the supremacy of humanity, Shinichi's struggle with his new found metamorphosis on top of his altruistic ideals make for an interesting story. The body horror in this anime can be interpreted in so many ways because a lot of thethings mentioned are left ambiguous. Parasyte can teach us the fear of what we cannot run away from, whether that's losing someone dear, or losing your own humanity. Other interpretations could even relate to that of Peter Parker. Unfortunately, this range of themes isn’t followed through. More on that later.
Parasyte's story is coupled with a revisit to the character designs and animation that have best fitted to the advancement of technology and trends of society. I personally love this. Appealing to the modern audience isn’t necessarily worthy of praise, but it’s certainly an aspect that makes the series much easier to watch. Superficially, the thought of large, flashy shounen-esque battles is not usually well received... but I believe that is what's part of its charm. Plus, in Parasyte, the 'big battles' are more of a side-thing if anything else (they’re kind of lame, sometimes). It balances the ticket of a psychological horror, as the battles are more for advance of story than its face value (at least for the initial half of the series). That being said, Parasyte's coupled with a modernized OST filled with not only dubstep, but a number of poignant songs for the more meaningful moments.
One of the things I liked doing during the first half of the series was interpreting from the development it provided. For example, we can see when Shinichi is united with Migi, his new hand-infested friend, many of Shinichi's perhaps dormant desires are catalyzed. Of course, Shinichi's huge metamorphosis is a physical one, so any change he takes on a psychological level can be interpreted in different ways. Shinichi becomes much more brave, and he takes a much more heroic role for humanity and for himself. Is Shinichi changing to some sort of a superhero, reminiscent of Peter Parker? Or does it stray from that, and instead of a superhero story, it's a coming-of-age story about leaving one's parents behind, starting anew? The question, unfortunately, does have an answer. The show provides it.
I had been describing the initial half of the series. The latter half is not as convincing, and herein lies the problem with Parasyte. Shinichi’s struggle in the first half of the series is very personal -- it beckons not only his personal growth with respect to Migi but also his family relations. The struggle was built up extremely well, but never had a satisfying conclusion (that’s not to say it wasn’t concluded). One could argue that the show really was never deep in the slightest. Even so, the motivations and struggles were interesting to watch and easy to sympathize with. The rest of the show comes as a disappointment, as less relevant characters are built haphazardly, and a generic and vapid theme is pushed towards the audience. It is because of Parasyte’s pushing of certain ideals and philosophical inquiries that the show falters. Parasyte had the potential to be good because of its ambiguous body horror and personal development of conflicting goals. It essentially tries to become a superhero story, which it ultimately fails to deliver under.
Ultimately, the show is definitely one that sparked some interest, but somehow ended up being much more shallow. One thing I can say about Parasyte is that it does try. Even in the latter half, there are a few meaningful moments. Alas, the series is definitely worth a watch; especially so if you only seek some enjoyment. Just don’t expect a fascinating follow-up on what potential it builds.