One Of The Most Underrated Animes of All Times: Parasyte
Released in 2014, many may already know about this anime.
Although it seems to be fairly mainstream, it’s not grouped with the big anime names, which is unusual because it’s one of the best animes of the 21st century. Parasyte: the Maxim is a thrilling, gory yet sentimental anime on the purpose of humanity in parallel with alien life.
Parasyte [Kiseijū] was originally a manga first released in 1988, written by Hitoshi Iwaaki. The plot follow 17-year-old Shinichi Izumi, a victim of a surreal parasite. This otherwordly parasite takes over his right arm, leaving Shinichi’s body altered for an indefinite period. At first, the high schooler is not in any way eager to let this being live in him, but the two develop a relationship, thanks to Migi, the parasite, being highly intelligent and possessing incalculable strength.
Its excellence lies in the art and the storyline’s delivery. While staying relatively true to the manga, Parasyte’s anime takes place in modern Japan. Unlike other animes, it’s fairly short, offering only one season of 24 episodes, but it plunges into philosophical questions like the value of humanity compared to other live organisms, developing answers as the story continues. The character development is one of the greatest, showcasing a shy and meek Shinichi turning into a heroic persona. Even Migi the parasite seems to have some development, rather an evolution through adaptation than regular growth.
New viewers must beware of the hefty gore in Parasyte: the Maxim. This psychological thriller does not shy away from action, and those scenes are full of bloody fights with monstrous bodies gutted out like fish. It’s enough to make you resent your own biological constitution since the infection of the parasite engenders horrific changes to the psyche and body of the host.
Morality, massacre, and monsters are on the menu. As new as this genre is, this anime strays from cliche and is a whirl of suspense - nothing is ever predictable. With a twist of romance and a punch of mind games, this body horror is unmatched and every aspect of this anime scores a perfect 10.
About the Author:
Mizuki Khoury
Born in Montreal, based in Tokyo. Sabukaru’s senior writer and works as an artist under Exit Number Five.
