Parasyte -the maxim-

"Someone on Earth had a sudden thought. Life must be protected."

At it's core, Parasyte -the maxim- is an anime about environmentalism, humanity and coexistence. Parasites are beings that inhabit human bodies and have a directive to kill humans, the reasoning for it can range from saving the environment, or individualistic purposes. There's a strong message on how humans need to be kept in check, and how they're the "real monsters" (I know it might seem cliché, but this was written in 1989). It showcases how privileged it is to simply be born as a human being.

Parasyte's outlook on altruism was also interesting. They explain that altruism is simply rooted in the nature of living beings as a means to passing on the gene, as well as Shinichi's dialogue on how Humans do what seem to be "altruistic" deeds such as preserving the life of other species is because of loneliness and how humans save the environment as a means avoid their own extinction, therefore these acts are selfish at it's core.

The theme of coexistence was presented very well, and explains that if you are born, you have a right and a reason to live. All species have this right, thus all must find a way to acclimate to nature.

It really is quite the philosophical anime, although it's environmentalist theme seems to rush itself towards the ending section of the anime, I think it's conveyed in a well-thought and appropriate manner.

The main characters, Shinichi and Migi are the perfect duo. Their dynamic is perfect, Shinichi being on the altruistic, empathetic and sympathetic character, as opposed to Migi, a perfectly True Neutral character with the single desire to survive and has a 100% logical mindset. Seeing the growth of their dynamic and how each of their characters progress in the story was interesting to watch unfold. This is not to say the side characters weren't interesting, the individual character arcs of Tamura Reiko and Kana had some powerful themes that I won't get into much due to spoilers.

Animation-wise, it was pretty stunning for the most part. The action sequences were great and I think the art style is quite pleasing to watch. The OST also really grew on me, it captured the essence and atmosphere in all of the scene perfectly, and I was never really sick of hearing any of them. The VA performances were fitting and emotive, I enjoyed hearing a good portion of the dialogue as well.

TL;DR Parasyte is a philosophical story that touches on environmentalism, humanity and coexistence. Presented with great animation, memorable soundtracks and great VA performances. It's a must-watch for new and old anime watchers.