Parasyte -the maxim- cover art

Parasyte -the maxim-

Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu寄生獣 セイの格率Kiseiju - L'ospite indesideratoParasite : La Maxime

2014 · TV · 24 eps Finished

AniList average score
81%
On AniList users' lists
506,023

What is Parasyte -the maxim- about?

Parasyte -the maxim- is a TV anime series of 24 episodes animated by MADHOUSE, adapted from a manga. It aired from October 9, 2014 to March 26, 2015. AniList classifies it as action, drama, horror and psychological.

They arrive in silence and darkness. They descend from the skies. They have a hunger for human flesh. They are everywhere. They are parasites, alien creatures who must invade–and take control of–a human host to survive. And once they have infected their victims, they can assume any deadly form they choose: monsters with giant teeth, winged demons, creatures with blades for hands. But most have chosen to conceal their lethal purpose behind ordinary human faces. So no one knows their secret–except an ordinary high school student. Shin is battling for control of his own body against an alien parasite, but can he find a way to warn humanity of the horrors to come?

Synopsis from AniList, which credits Del Rey. The summary above it is written by FreeAnime.xyz from AniList's data.

Themes AniList users associate with it: Body Horror, Shapeshifting, Survival, Philosophy, Male Protagonist, Seinen, Urban Fantasy, Super Power, Aliens, Anthropomorphism.

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Streaming rights differ by country and change over time. A listed title page means AniList records it for this entry; it does not confirm the title is available in your region today.

Other official links listed on AniList

Official trailer on YouTube

Main characters

Characters AniList lists in a main role, with spoiler-free notes.

  • Shinichi Izumi 泉新一

    Main character

    Shinichi is a thoughtful, compassionate high-school boy whose hand is infected with a Parasite. Shinichi is repeatedly put into difficult positions.

    Japanese voice: Nobunaga Shimazaki

  • Migi ミギー

    Main character

    Migi is the Parasite which lives in Shinichi's hand. Unlike "successful" Parasites, Migi has no desire to kill humans for sustenance, and is nourished by the food Shinichi eats. Migi is, like other Parasites, completely without emotion.

    Japanese voice: Aya Hirano

Supporting characters

  • Ryouko Tamiya 田宮良子

    Supporting character

    Shinichi's substitute math teacher. She is infected with a parasite.

    Japanese voice: Atsuko Tanaka

  • Kana Kimishima 君嶋加奈

    Supporting character

    Kana is a disobedient "bad girl" who develops a crush on Shinichi. She is attracted to him because of his sensitive personality, and because she can sense something "different" about him. (Source: Wikipedia)

    Japanese voice: Miyuki Sawashiro

  • Satomi Murano 村野里美

    Supporting character

    Shinichi's best friend and sometime companion. Shinichi and Satomi develop a romantic relationship over the course of the series, but their attraction to and fondness for one another is hampered by Shinichi's fear of his own monstrous nature, and Satomi's fear of Shinichi's secretive behavior and the mood swings that…

    Japanese voice: Kana Hanazawa

  • A A

    Supporting character

    Mr. A is a Parasite who considers Shinichi a threat. Reiko calls him a fool while Migi describes him as "not one of our smart ones." Mr. A has no capacity for subtlety or deception, and no qualms about using his shapeshifting abilities in view of the public, reasoning that he can always get out of trouble by fighting…

    Japanese voice: Makoto Yasumura

  • Kazuyuki Izumi

    Supporting character

    Shinichi's father. 44 years old. Photographer. Had been a magazine reporter.

    Japanese voice: Masaki Aizawa

  • Nobuko Izumi 泉信子

    Supporting character

    Shinichi's mother. 40 years old. Housewife. (Source: Wikipedia)

    Japanese voice: Chieko Sasai

  • Hideo Shimada 島田秀雄

    Supporting character

    Hideo is a Parasite with a teenager's body who decides to integrate with human society. Hideo enrolls in Shinichi's high school and expresses a desire to become friends with Shinichi, who does not trust him.

    Japanese voice: Akira Ishida

  • Gotou 後藤

    Supporting character

    Gotou is an "experimental" Parasite created by Reiko. He is actually composed of several combined Parasites, whose shapeshifting ability has advanced to the point where they can switch positions, each forming a different limb as the situation requires.

    Japanese voice: Kazuhiko Inoue

  • Mamoru Uda

    Supporting character

    Uda is, like Shinichi, a human who had a Parasite merge with a part of his body other than his brain. In Uda's case, the Parasite lodged in the lower part of his head. Uda's Parasite originally does not have a name, but is later renamed Jaw.

    Japanese voice: Takuma Suzuki

  • Takeshi Hirokawa 広川剛志

    Supporting character

    Hirokawa is the leader of a cabal of Parasites which counts Reiko and Goto among its members. The group attempts to accrue political power in order to set up safehouses where they can take their victims, killing and eating them in secret.

    Japanese voice: Yuu Mizushima

  • Kamijou 上条

    Supporting character

    Student at the same school as Shinichi.

    Japanese voice: Yuuya Murakami

  • Mitsuo ミツオ

    Supporting character

    Student of Kita High School. Likes Kana. Gets jealous and beats up Shinichi.

    Japanese voice: KENN

Full cast list

Related works

Prequels, sequels, side stories and source material, as linked on AniList.

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