Parasyte 4
Posted: October 8, 2008 Filed under: Parasyte 1 Comment »I promised I would try to do shorter reviews. There is a lot to say about this volume, but one of the events that happens is a pretty big spoiler, so I can’t say too much about it. I think it’s important to note that there is a death, but I’ll leave it at that since it could be one of many people.
The interesting thing about this volume was the fact that it is very obvious at this point that the main character has almost completely divorced himself from some pretty basic human feelings. The death does the most to illustrate this, as he does not grieve in ways you would expect. Others note this, but Shinichi is the one that takes the most note, and it really bothers him. There’s nothing much he finds he can do about it, either.
Interestingly, despite the fact he’s lost some more… subtle emotions, perhaps, he still worries a great deal about protecting his friends, and he is still very concerned with stopping the parasytes before they integrate themselves too seamlessly into society (some are, rather hilariously, running for public office). I wonder if later on down the line his motives for this will be questioned, and he’ll find he isn’t sure if it’s the right thing anymore. Before, he did it out of compassion, and this still may be true, even, but… he’s unable to grieve, which seems like it will lead to other things. But I wonder if protecting will eventually just turn into a duty, and then he’ll find he can’t figure out why he’s doing it anymore. That would actually be great, and it seems like a direction the series could go.
At the very end, we are again asked a question of morals. I have to admit, my reaction was the same as Mugi’s when the pair was stumbled upon. Shinichi’s reaction was different, which surprised me, but it looks like Mugi may have his way. I’m really quite fond of these moral quandries that keep coming up, and I can only imagine they keep getting more and more intense as the series goes on. I’m very much looking forward to what the more serious questions wind up being.
[...] she’s focusing more on horror at the moment, with reviews of vol. 1 of Category: Freaks and vol. 4 of Parasyte. Emily takes a look at Mama no Koibito at Emily’s Random Shoujo Manga Page. Tiamat’s [...]