Parasyte: The Maxim Season 1 Review: Gritty and Psychological

Parasyte is a unique anime in that it touches on a lot of deep and dark themes alongside an engaging storyline. The ordinary main character turned extraordinary by some means beyond their control is no new trope, but in Parasyte we see the real struggle Shinichi faces as he undergoes several changes both mentally and physically, in an atypical situation.

The storyline is intriguing, outlining the relationship Shinichi has with his family and at school. He’s no significant member of his class but he has made enough of an impression to garner attention when he changes. Other themes of bullying and societal prejudice are touched upon when Shinichi is revealed to be treated as an outcast worth beating up and he’s mocked for being weak. As an underdog at the start of the series, it is satisfying to see him evolve quite literally with the aid of his newfound “strength” and ability from Migi’s possession.

On the topic of Migi, he is an incredibly unique and interesting character, having only ever been the habitation of a hand! Despite his lack of physical form, his personality is a neutral yet high-advising confidant for the less certain Shinichi in moments of peril. This is akin to the typical mentor archetype, where Shinichi often turns to the aid of Migi when he doesn’t feel strong enough on his own. Migi is more than willing to step up to the plate and together they make for a great team during a number of badass fights.

The animation for Parasyte was clean and crisp, not as flamboyant as other animes, yet suitable for this show. The focus was on the simplicity yet complexity of the characters and the movement of the story. The animation depicted more realistic renderings of the general population and this was fitting given the grim overtone of the anime. The gory elements were also well done and visually stimulating.

As with many animes, the theme of friendship and unity are covered with psychological elements woven in. One complaint: Shinichis’ relationships with some of the women in his life felt a bit underdeveloped to me such as his fleeting connection to Kana before it came to a sad close. One could argue that this anime was a more accurate mirroring of real life as relationships come and go, some more in depth than others, which is completely true.

The soundtrack was enjoyable with a variety of good scores to match the scenes. While some tracks were thought provoking, some were redundant. Certain scenes of romance or school life were a bit drawn out in my opinion. I understand the need for balance between normal life and crazy life but some of the scenes didn’t add as much value to the show as hoped. I also did not particularly care for the boring disposition of Shinichi’s main love interest Satome. While this was the first season and there could possibly be more, it seems unlikely from the way things were tied up at the end.