First Impression – Parasyte
Something bugging you? Let me give you a hand…
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Heya folks! It’s been a while that Cools and I tagged but it’s always a fun ride whenever we do. This was the perfect series for us to collaborate because what better to talk about than some unknown specie taking over humankind? We always end up empathising with the other parties (Shiki, Martians), but in the end it all works out. |
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…And we would have tagged together sooner if I had organized my schedule better and remembered to write something for this on time. HAHA OOPS. Anyways, I’m glad Kyo is putting up with me for this first impression because there’s a lot to cover for this fast-paced opening episode. |
A Handy Pal
Hey…wanna study for my math test for me?
Kyokai// Meet Parasyte-chwaan – Imagine if the virus we saw in Matrix got a side-story and actually got to live its life rather than being sucked out of Neo’s navel in a mess? Yep, you got it and it’s the Aya Hirano voiced Parasyte! I liked how the story didn’t beat around the bush but had the alien go all guns-a-blazing inside its host. I was shouting at my screen, “Go, inside his mouth! See that’s the shortcut!” But of course, the fourth wall is strong in such stories and our parasyte ended up inside our Protag-kun’s via his right hand rather than another nearby orifice. There was no blood and near-death struggle… Che…!
But this is not a cute kaleidoscope or even chainsaw, which turns our hero into a magical girl (I miss Korewa Zombie Desu Ka), rather a deformed version of Shinichi’s right hand, Migi, a separate entity from him. Shinichi seems to be a cool dude; a bit too straight but I was just glad there was less moaning and more action from him. He actually tried his best to fight and stop the alien thing from trying to vandalise his body. However meek he looks, I’d say he has brains and a good collection of books. You have to always appreciate that. Thus, after the big incident of tadaima, in a day’s time, Shinichi ends up reflexively saving a girl from being run over. Including getting saved from the head tap by his childhood crush, it seems Migi is actually in-tuned with his reflexes and emotions more than he realises. Rather than parasitic tendency, I see a symbiotic relationship between Shinichi and Migi, further proven by the alien encounter and its quick destruction.
Brain Food
“Hmm…you look different from usual. Did you cut your hair or something?”
Overcooled // The bizarre relationship between Shinichi and Migi is what makes the opening episode for Parasyte so immediately intriguing. No one would ever want to try and get along with a creepy alien that tried to take over your entire body. Likewise, no alien parasite wants to have some half-assed transformation where the host is still in control. That mutual(ish) relationship will be paramount for their survival and they will have to co-operate.
But they’re the only ones co-operating, as parasites are not supposed to co-operate with their hosts. By definition, parasites form parasitic relationships with their host – reaping all the benefits in a one-sided relationship while the host slowly wastes away. However, there has to be the perfect balance. If the parasite kills the host too quickly, they will no longer have a vessel to live in. If the parasite is too lenient, they won’t get enough nutrients to live. It’s all about balance…on the part of the parasite. The host really has no say in things unless they find a way to get rid of it. Unfortunately, we haven’t really mastered brain transplants yet, so if a parasyte eats your brain then you’re toast. But I’m curious to see what the parasytes have done to the less fortunate humans who have lost almost everything.
So far the only other of Migi’s kind we’ve met personally was a dog, and he wasn’t very evolved either. But I’m excited to see what happens when we meet parasytes who have full control of their host and can use their transformation skills to become truly terrifying creatures. Why do they slaughter humans recklessly? What are the limits of their powers? How will Shinichi stand a chance against full-fledged parasytes when he just has a goopy hand with eyes to defend him? While the opening episode puts a larger emphasis on acquainting us with Shinichi and Migi, we musn’t forget that these two are the exception to the rule. It’s tempting to get attached to Migi, but he’s still an alien and his kind are not ones to be taken lightly. The surface has only just been scratched.
Final Thoughts
This was much light-hearted than what I was originally expecting. I’m sure it’s going to get dark soon but still it was a nice surprise of not seeing Darkness-kun and Beam-chan. I sure as hell am tired of seeing them in Terra Formars! Humans in general are really unlucky this season with a bunch of monsters, aliens and even supernaturals beings after their skin. Oh humanity there is no saving you, buckle up!
Anyways, story wise, I liked pacing of the introduction episode and even both opening and ending themes for a change. It was also refreshing to see actual PARENTS in an anime! It has been a while because minus Prisma Illya last season and the tragic excuse in UBW, we are used to parents being away for a trip/business/career (every other anime), or sadly dead. So, it was nice seeing Oka-san making breakfast for Shinichi and a normal dad joking with his son. This fact made the alien living in Shinichi’s hand a stark contrast, which I have to applaud. Overall, a good beginning and I’ll be sticking for more.
I suppose I can’t definitively say Parasyte is a good adaptations when I’ve never even glanced at a single page of the manga. However, it really does seem to be a great anime. The art looks great, the pacing is wonderful, the animation on the alien twisting and warping into different things looks wonderfully creepy (but not so much that I can’t bear to look at it), and finally…there’s no censoring. The censoring in Terraformers (another anime from a highly praised manga) is so bad that I’m giving up watching it until the uncensored version appears. It just isn’t fun to watch something where your screen is taken over by black blurs or blinding sunbeam-chans all the time. Parasyte fully embraces being weird and dark. But not too dark, either. There’s a lot of levity to break up the ridiculousness of a dog growing wings from its face and trying to devour the main character whole. His parents off-handedly commenting about him doing drugs was one of those great moments. If you’re making an anime about aliens that can turn into just about anything, you should have fun with it. And I think Parasyte has the right mix of whimsical imagination and dark, edginess. In fact, it’s hardly all that dark aside from a few gorey shots of things like people leaving innards and organs out to dry on laundry racks. All in all, Parasyte is an incredibly fun and engaging show that had an extremely successful opening episode.
Say goodbye to everyone’s favourite moe mascot character of the season!
About Tag Team
We live, laugh, enjoy and strictly believe on "more the merrier". When together, we usually come up with very chatty, conversation-based episodics and interesting posts.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
This was fantastic. The mutant smorgasbord was insane and fun! And three cheers for Aya Hirano for giving such depth to Migi. From Moe Panda to Mutant Right Hand.
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
People love to hate her but I have to say her variation is really good! I loved Migi and I hope she keeps on entertaining us.
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
Parasyte’s getting 2 live action movies in Japan.
The first is due late 2014, the 2nd is due in 2015.
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Special effects better be good then.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
I have a feeling the effects are going to be low budget.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Sounds like they’re trying to pull off what Warner Bros. did with the second and third Matrix films, having a six month gap between releases. For their sake, they better do a good job.
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
I was a huge fan of the manga, which is why I was so excited to see an anime adaptation. While they’ve taken some liberties (they almost have to given the time lapse), I really enjoyed the premiere episode and look forward to more.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Welcome to Metanorn, Luftwaffle! Hope to see you around more!
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
I’m planning to check out the manga once the anime ends like Tokyo Ghoul, which I’m binge reading right now.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
I understand the manga is about two decades old. I wonder why they suddenly decided to pull it out of the huge pile?
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
You could say that guy who ate his wife and daughter… got ahead in life! Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
A twisted newtype evolution…
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
We don’t need that kind of evolution!!
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
What a disturbing way to look at it.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
HNNGGGAAH SOO CUTEEEEE-O!
Interesting episode and damn I was getting the Thing vibes from this! Creepy aliens that can take the form of humans? DO NOT WANT, but I will still watch this for my weekly WTF cause this series looks to be full of that and animated gore doesn’t really scare me LOL
POWUH: 900-999 with 915 comments
This was weirdly cute, somehow. The voice won me over too.
I’m not sure what to say besides the fact that it looks as amazing as I expected. And it’s gory when it has to be gory. It’s not Tokyo Ghoul’s kind of gore too.
Why they kill people recklessly? Probably because they want to dominate the world… And there probably isn’t 7 billion parasites to take over the world’s whole population.
One thing I’m wondering is if they have any kind of code, if the aliens are together, if they intend to create somekind of society after they are to do the Sekai Seifuku stuff. So far, both Migi and the dog parasite seemed to act solely on instincts.
When Shinichi ended up touching the girl’s breasts, I thought that the alien was perverted, but why would an alien with no knowledge about human body besides the fact that they have to get to the brain to be able to live know that the breasts are an erotic place? This symbiotic relationshio Kyoukai mentioned is very plausible.
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
As I understand it, the boob grabbing was not in the source material. My guess is it was added here for some gratuitous fanservice under the pretense of Migi learning more about human biology.
POWUH: 900-999 with 915 comments
I thought that Migi surpassed Shinichi’s supression of his desire to touch her breast hahaha
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
I was under the impression that migi is interested with the heart. Probably how migi was able to pinpoint the dog’s weakness (heart).
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Creepy stuff here. I might actually get nightmares from this because the way the parasites deforms their victims’ bodies to feed after taking them over makes my skin crawl. All in such bizarre way, no less. Looks to be a potentially good series with a lot of room for development since it’s confirmed for 24 episodes. My one concern is the lead. To me, he’s kind of pathetic to watch.