Goddamn bulletproof episode this week. The conclusion to Shimada arc was the show’s best material yet – for once, the execution actually elevated the material, and the episode was filled with gorgeous shots and legitimately effective musical cues. Really, really hoping this is the turning point for Parasyte – this felt like the show it’s always just barely fallen short of reaching, and if it can keep this up, we’ll likely have an actual classic on our hands.

As I’ve been doing, all my breathless mid-episode notes are available after the cut. They’re a big garbled mess, but maybe you’re into that sort of thing!

“TELL ME WHERE HE IS, HAND.”

Shinichi’s angry faces are so good now!

“What Mad Universe.” Nice episode title

Oh man, she fucked him up with that acid! Nice going!

Oh, badass! She got him with acid, escaped through the window, and leapt to a tree as he chased her. She totally got herself out of that! Really, really nice seeing someone other than Shinichi take initiative here – it was almost reaching harem levels with the number of girls interested in him, so it’s nice to see his platonic female friend be a total badass and take care of herself

Some interesting bits about how the parasites function here. The dead cells keep him from morphing, and having his cells burned by the acid actually weakens his thought process?

Three people murdered! It’s getting serious!

“Combat will be impossible in these circumstances,” Migi says in response to seeing the group of classmates. He’s accepted Shinichi’s values as something non-negotiable

The police are late. Oh shit

They’re really nicely portraying Shimada’s attacks here – this show is always extremely good at showing just enough to imply a great deal more. A nice thing to see in these days of ridiculous censorship

“Was that our last conversation? I can’t accept that!” YOU ARE HUMAN, SHINICHI!

Oh god, so many dead

Shinichi breaks down again, but pulls himself together. He’s torn between two very distinct halves, and what he’s being forced to deal with is pushing them further apart

“I’m going to protect Murano. To do that, I will kill him.” Animal again

Aaand they run and immediately get slashed

Oh my god, that shot of the parasite in shadow against the bloody wall is fantastic

This episode’s framing in general is great. And the music is great, too!

“We knew what he was, and did nothing. We’re partly responsible for this.” Shinichi’s values have hardened, but they remain intact. He is still the man he always was

And Migi even calls him out – “you’re saying peculiar things again.” Music to my ears, Migi

No dubstep or electronic anymore – just urgent strings, chants. It all works

And another gorgeous shot of him heading to the roof

“Do I think Shimada is at fault? That is for humans to decide with their arbitrary metrics.” Yep. Just survival to him

Shinichi just calmly thinking up badass plans

And the plot’s finally getting blown open, too, which makes this whole story much more dynamic

Aw what, they’re covering it up? Well, guess I shouldn’t expect EVERYTHING…

“I am my own ally. I am not an ally to the human species.”

Migi reading Crime and Punishment lol

“I don’t care about killing my own kind. But what if you were in my position?” Damn Migi, you really understand him too well now, huh?

“Saying this distresses him. This is what humans are.” Is that the first bit of Migi internal monologue we’ve received? Hmm

“There are rumors that they’re trying to weaponize parasites in the U.S.” OH ANIME. Well, I guess we’ve earned it

I like that we just jump into the obviously-ongoing government research project, instead of having to show it being established or something

“Pull out their hairs to tell them from humans.” Sounds silly, but again, this was very naturally foreshadowed by Migi’s experiments with separating himself into pieces

“I request that you let me pull out one of each of your hairs.” Getting to The Thing, finally

“She’s always been a strong person.” Damn right