 | | ▪ | RELEASED BY: | | DEL REY | | | ▪ | AUTHOR / ART: | | HITOSHI IWAAKI | | | ▪ | FORMAT: | | JAPANESE / B&W | | | ▪ | PAGES: | | 304 | | | ▪ | RATING: | | OT | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 10/28/2008 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 11/24/2008 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | SCOTT CAMPBELL |
Not enough good things could be said about Parasyte. It is an extremely captivating series for a number of reasons – it’s one of those manga you can’t possibly put down and end up reading the whole volume in one sitting. The story of Parasyte revolves around a 16 year old boy named Shin and the alien life form that falls from the sky one day to make Shin its host. This “parasyte” is just one of many that have suddenly dropped down to earth. They arrive in silence and darkness – descending from the sky. They have a hunger for the flesh of whatever they latch onto – those hosts usually being humans. Basically they are parasites, alien creatures who to survive must invade – and take control of – a human host. Once they have infected their victims, they can assume any deadly form they choose – monsters with giant teeth, winged demons, or creatures with blades for hands. But most of these parasytes have chosen to conceal their lethal purpose behind ordinary human faces. No one knows their secret – except for Shin of course. Shin is battling for control of his own body against an alien parasite – but you’ll come to ask yourself whether he should, or should he instead try to coexist. In volume five, the plot thickens considerably as the lines between “monsters” and men become blurred. Shinichi was just an ordinary high school student, until his body was invaded by a parasyte, a horrifying alien being. Now Shinichi is a monster with a human face, and a human conscience. He is unlike anything else in the world - part man, part alien, and caught in a desperate struggle to save his own soul. The man that had seen him change form at the end of volume five manages to escape Migi’s need to kill him, and actually becomes a bit of an ally. Rather than killing this privately hired investigator, Shin and Migi tell him their secret and use his help to discover more of what is going on with the parasites in the surrounding area. The parasites are getting much more organized – they are coming together to ensure their survival in a world mostly inhabited by humans. And the biggest surprise comes in the form of the most dangerous parasyte yet… one body with multiple parasites held within it – a deadly, unified team. Everything that you will have liked about Parasyte from the get go is still going strong right through volume five. The author has often stressed within notes contained in the chapter breaks that he wanted this series to never be boring. This manga is always moving, and the heat is always on one way or another. The visuals are proficient and stylized in the way that they have been throughout the series, but it is important to note how great some of the action scenes are drawn in this particular volume. Fights are becoming more brutal and frantic as newer and stronger opponents square off with Shin and Migi, and the visuals showcase this action in the exciting way we are used to from Parasyte. For a series that is almost 20 years old, it certainly holds its own as a fantastic piece of entertainment that is still more than relevant today. This all-around great series continues to impress – it’s such a good story, so you really shouldn’t miss out!
IN SUMMARY:
Parasyte is so involving – much of the intensity is born out of the fact that with every step Shin takes, it’s more than likely a step towards another life and death battle. The characters are deep and developed in their emotions and motivations, and the action is awesome – if you haven’t taken a look at this series, it’s about time that you did. |
