Parasyte – Episode 16

We finally got some of Parasyte’s energy back this week, with a pretty solid fight sequence and some general character-rearranging back in the city. It’s kind of sad to admit that Parasyte seems to be at its best when it’s just being a visceral action thing, especially since its aesthetics honestly aren’t that great, but but that’s where we’re at. It’s still fun, it still keeps me engaged – it’s just not the show I was hoping it would be.

Anyway. That’s enough moping, this episode was fine. My full ANN review is available here, and my notes are below the cut!

Parasyte

Oh wow, opens with blowing up the P.I.’s family. That’s… pretty unnecessary, considering he’s already out of the plot

Yeah, there’s just only so much drama the show can pull out of murdering everyone around Shinichi

This guy’s laugh and commentary on his laugh is great. Assessing Shinichi’s combat ability a bit less so

As often is the case, the fight is a lot of busy motion-blur

Migi can’t get a read on where the parasites are located

His own tentacles collided in midair. Only so much coordination

Migi figuring out his powers. The leg’s not human

This is good. Assessing an enemy through battle is engaging

This episode’s a mix of good strengths and standard weaknesses. The show burned out what goodwill it had on murdering side characters for dramatic effect with Kana – her arc’s kind of a show albatross

“Trust me” says Migi. Not explaining himself, but asking for an expression of faith in their common interests

Migi uses the facts that he’s directing independent actors, not moving his natural limbs, to create a delay between his predicted movement and where he actually has to be to stop them

Nice shot of Shinichi leaping into his target here. The execution of the second half of this fight is quite good – some dynamic angles, good shot pacing

As I said last week, Parasyte has largely given up on being a horror show. It’s an action show

But there’s actually five of them! And they can switch around!

Yeah, just “big fight with a super parasite” is a decent mode for this show to move in

HE LEVELED UP! HIS MOVEMENTS ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT NOW!

And now he’s jumping between the trees!

Onoooo the really bad synth music returned. Noooooo

This guy’s basically the parasite’s full potential – instead of one crazy flaily arm, every limb is terrifying, and the whole can morph to become any kind of animal

Migi’s gotten really good at preemptively coming up with arguments to deal with Shinichi’s morals

Shinichi’s dad trusts him! Hurray for dads

Finally got some momentum back this week

Kuwamori (the P.I.) is finally talking to the police. Whew

Shinichi talking to creepy-ass dream Migi again

“You all underestimate humans. What you need to recognize is that they are a single lifeform comprised of millions of individuals.”

And Tamiya’s got enemies on both sides now