Note: this review will contain some spoilers but I will try and keep some of the more major spoilers vague. Enjoy Wow. Having just finished this show last night I feel like the morning after is the best time to let my raw and unfiltered thoughts about it be known. Lets dive right in. Right off the bat the main premise of the show is this: Shinichi who is a senior in high school becomes a byproduct of a failed brain takeover by a parasitic space alien. The alien instead takes over his right hand and just like that the two beings are stuck together and have to find out how to coexist. Meanwhile these brain invading parasites are taking control of humans en masse. Throughout the rest of the series the right hand named Migi and Shinichi explore what it means to be human while combatting the droves of parasites that they encounter simply in the name of survival. The first few episodes kind of the first 1/3 of the show in which Migi and Shinichi are first learning how to use one another and coexist are excellent. They move fast and the internal struggle Shinichi experiences with the fact that Migi is only using him as a host and means of survival is really interesting. I really loved the interactions between Migis cold and calculated demeanor and Shinichis often panicked and obviously more human reactions to the insane happenings all around him. After the conclusion of the first major arc however things change a lot. First of all Shinichi has experienced a huge tragedy. Due to this Migis cells have spread throughout Shinichis body giving him superhuman athletic ability and stonecold composure. Furthermore Shinichi has become more like Migi he doesnt display a whole lot of emotion and is behaving more like Migi had been. During this middle section of the show Shinichis relationship with his girlfriend Murano is put under serious pressure. Shinichi cant tell her that hes part parasite or else Migi will kill her but he also wants to protect and care for her. Through his further interactions with Murano during this part of the show Shinichi begins to rediscover his more human side again. Theres one scene in particular that I really loved between the two that demonstrates this really well while also pulling at your heartstrings pretty hard. Despite all of this the middle 1/3 section of the show is probably the worst part. A character named Kana gets introduced whose arc and general involvement with Shinichi feels kind of clunky and aimless at times. Shinichi also kind of turns into an asshole during this part for lack of a better word. I do kind of forgive the show for this since his abrupt personality change as well as the change of the general tone and feeling of the show during this section is kind of the whole point of this arc. The pacing during this part also feels very slow and disconnected. It definitely feels like we are watching Shinichi grow and change but its being done through events that only feel very loosely related or lightly strung together. Once we get into the stretch of the final 8 or so episodes the show improves a lot. I will leave the ending unspoiled for those of you reading this but I really loved Shinichis progression over this stretch and Migi has some really awesome moments too. The ending feels natural I liked the resolutions for both Migi and Shinichi. Despite the pacing issues of the middle section I really did like this show. To me Parasyte is a character study of Migi and Shinichi whose relationship totally carries the entire show. I forgive the issues with the awkward middle of the narrative since the pacing and tone is intended to reflect Shinichis changed nature. Its kind of storytelling through the style of the show itself rather than strictly the characters. The animation is excellent the main characters and their relationship are really fun to watch and the concept itself is great. If you are a fan of psychological brain twister shows sort of in the same vein as Death Note then I highly recommend this show. Itll give you something to think about. I think an 89 is appropriate for Parasyte. Hope you enjoyed this review and that you decide to give Parasyte: The Maxim a watch