Kiseijuu

Groundbreaking even today.

Although many have tried to look at Parasyte as an Alien Invasion manga (and it is a fresh one at that if not slightly relying on a successful shonen coming of age formula) what none of the reviewers have alluded to is how much realistic Parasyte is towards explaining the role of parasites in the ecosystem.

Albeit the manga doesn't scientifically "verify" the role of parasites, many of what you see in this manga happen to coincide with real parasites all over the world.

If parasites' existence were easy to explain this manga would only be slightly noteworthy but the things from how parasites need additional food to how they have a close symbiotic almost mutualistic relationship with their host separate this from your average invasion manga.

What makes this especially noteworthy is that, by accident or by purpose, reading this manga allows you to separate the complexity of why parasites exist in reality maybe even more so than a biology text book.

The thing that makes this happen is because parasites are sort of easy to define but to comprehend the theory behind their existence like how they outnumber several top species or how they break the food chain theory of humans being on top or how certain parasites complement and extend the host's instinct (like our desire to procreate) it's really hard to fill all this in if you know little about parasites. Especially as you go deeper into the rarer parasites that act like the parasites in this manga where they insert and change the inner anatomy of their host as well as their instincts.

By sort of turning parasites into living weapons with a catch and a virtual pet hunger meter, it transcends most of the explanation needed for the basic necessity of parasites and as you dig deeper into the manga and as the parasites' objective match closer to that of the humans - it becomes a sort of bridge as to how parasites seem to harm their host while at another extent seem to be useless outside of harming their host for self-preservation. Seeing parasites depicted like this in the manga helps bridge one closer to the interpretation that maybe just maybe parasites harm their host because they adapt slower to their host's habits and mentality and yet they stick very close to what makes their host survive and the combination in turn becomes very chaotic like the events shown in your typical fantasy war or battle or coming of age series but sort of alien.

The story of Parasyte thrusts an ordinary high school student, Shinichi Izumi, into a world far beyond his imagination when a creature attempts to take over his brain. Although the creature appears to fail, Shinichi soon realizes that his life will never be the same. The creature has taken residence in his left hand, forcing Shinichi into a monstrous reality where he learns about the species now part of himself.

Shinichi struggles to balance his new existence with his old one, discovering it's impossible. As the narrative unfolds, he converses with the creature inside him, named Migi. Feeling a duty to confront the alien invaders preying on humans, Shinichi embarks on a journey that forces him to reflect on the intricacies of humanity and the various species they share Earth with, both old and new.

This manga emphasizes humanity and the so-called "foolishness of mankind," redefining the term 'parasite' from the newcomers to humans themselves. Several characters preach this idea, suggesting these "alien invaders" are not parasites but rather a cure for Earth's toxic inhabitants: humans.

The manga delves deeply into the coexistence of parasites and humans, paralleling human coexistence with countless other species on Earth. Questions like "Who has the right to be at the top of the food chain?" and "Who decides if another organism deserves to live?" highlight mankind's hypocrisy. Shinichi learns that parasites are akin to early human life—clumps of cells unable to survive alone—and discovers that neither parasites nor humans are superior; they are fundamentally the same.

The overarching theme in Parasyte is the humanity and selflessness inherent in mankind towards their own kind. We sacrifice ourselves to help others, care for those who cannot fend for themselves, and act altruistically even without personal gain. We cherish our shared moments and ensure our behaviors continue through future generations.

Parasyte masterfully unfolds an extraordinary story filled with philosophical, contemporary, and social themes through seemingly ordinary characters. These characters are realistic, believable, and relatable, normal people forced into abnormal lives. The story strikes a perfect length—not too long, not too short—without feeling rushed or inconsistent. My only complaint is that it ended. I consider Parasyte the best work I've consumed, featuring a unique story with understandable, relatable characters. It leaves much to ponder, delivering an important message: "Hold close to something... Until the day you die."

Title: Parasyte

Alternate Title: Kiseiju

Mangaka: Hitoshi Iwaaki

Rating: 5.5/10

Genre: Difficult to categorize

Length: 64 chapters compiled in 10 volumes

Summary: The world is overrun by Parasytes, creatures that can take control of human bodies. Their origins and purpose are unknown, but they must kill and consume human flesh to survive. They can manipulate their hosts' bodies in various ways, such as jumping great distances or transforming limbs into weapons. The scariest part is their ability to blend into society unnoticed.

One Parasyte makes a mistake and ends up controlling only the right hand of its host, Izumi Shinichi. This leads to a symbiotic relationship between Izumi and the Parasyte, named Migi (which means "right" in Japanese). Together, they fight other Parasytes.

Analysis: This manga is essentially a coming-of-age story centered on Izumi. Both he and Migi maintain separate minds within one body, leading to significant influence from Migi's logical and detached perspective on Izumi. The narrative follows Izumi and those around him as he evolves and adapts to these changes. This aspect is intriguing. Additionally, some Parasytes, like Migi, view humanity as an experiment, making their interactions and observations about humans fascinating.

The manga also hints at an eco-friendly message, suggesting that Parasytes were sent to Earth to cleanse it of the plague known as humanity due to our environmental abuses.

However, my main issue is with the fight scenes. Despite the premise offering potential for dynamic battles, the execution falls flat. Most fights feel unnecessary and do little to advance the plot or character development. Only two, perhaps two and a half, fights in the series actually contribute meaningfully. The rest seem superfluous, which influenced my lower rating.

The primary reason to read this manga is for the characters and their development. That's the standout feature, along with occasional insights into humanity, the world, and society.

Characters:

Since the manga revolves around character development, I'll briefly mention four key characters without spoiling too much.

Izumi Shinichi: The protagonist starts as a disinterested youth with a cynical outlook. After merging with Migi, he gradually becomes more Parasyte than human.

Migi: The co-protagonist inhabiting Izumi's right hand. He's fascinated by human society but prioritizes his and Izumi's survival. His worldview is narrow yet intelligent.

Murano Satomi: Izumi's childhood friend who pursues a romantic interest in him. She serves as a gauge of Izumi's remaining humanity throughout the series.

Tamura Reiko: A full-bodied Parasyte who is more thoughtful than her counterparts. Possessing a teacher's body gives her a unique observational perspective on humanity. She is less violent and more rational compared to other Parasytes, and her views evolve significantly over time.

Review adapted from animeruwelz, see profile for more details.

Kiseijuu seems to have a compelling plot that sets it apart from other manga in similar genres. However, I found reading Kiseijuu to be quite disappointing. Initially, I decided to check it out because of the rave reviews I had heard. The main issues I encountered with the series are its occasional lack of excitement for the reader. There is often no shocking reveal or cliffhanger to keep you on edge. As a result, the series becomes a tedious read, waiting for something exciting to capture the reader's attention. For me, there was no spark of interest that made me eager to finish this series.

I'm not typically into gore, unless there's a compelling reason for it. And Parasyte provided plenty of good reasons to keep reading! The manga wastes no time with long introductions; it dives right in. As people sleep, these organisms called Parasytes start taking over their brains by entering through their ears. However, Shinichi Izumi has headphones on, so when a Parasyte tries to enter his ear, it ends up in his arm instead! Shinichi discovers that the organism (which he names Migi) can transform his arm into a weapon. Others infected with Parasytes have become man-eating monsters. Thus begins a fast-paced adventure to uncover the Parasytes' purpose in the world.

Story: 9
I can't reveal much without spoiling the whole story. I loved the concept of Parasytes taking over humans and turning them into monsters. Shinichi and Migi's journey is definitely worth reading. They face many challenges to uncover the truth about the Parasytes. The plot twists were mostly subtle but well-executed. I'm still unsure about the ending, but overall, the story was great.

Art: 7
Some drawings may look a bit rough, but I liked the character designs, especially Migi and the Parasytes. I occasionally got confused with some older male characters and had to reread parts to match faces with names. The Parasytes are terrifying, and the gore scenes are drawn vividly with little left to the imagination.

Character: 8
Oh, Shinichi. His character development throughout the story was excellent. I appreciated how he fought to maintain his humanity while hosting a Parasyte. The struggle to stay human and understand what being human really means was moving. Migi completed the story—he was probably my favorite character. He's blunt and tells Shinichi like it is. His development was also well-done. The female characters contributed significantly to the story. Satomi Murano kept Shinichi grounded as he battled to stay human. She wasn't particularly strong, but her presence helped stabilize him, which seemed to be her main role. Kana Kimishima, who could sense Parasytes, felt flat to me—she just existed without much depth. Reiko Tamura was another strong character whose transformation was intriguing. All the other characters added value to the story, no matter how small their roles.

Enjoyment: 10
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Parasyte.

Overall: 9
This is an awesome manga. Don't let its age (over twenty years old) deter you from reading it. It's just as good, if not better, than many modern manga series out there.