Parasyte: The Grey

As someone who saw the anime almost a decade ago, which was an adaptation of a manga by the same name, I was very curious how this story could possibly be adapted into live action without looking very silly (see the Japanese live adaptation films).

Without spoiling anything, The Grey is not another live-adaptation of the manga, nor is it a sequel to it. It's more like a spin-off. The events that happen in Parasyte, in the original material, we only saw what happened in Japan. The Grey looks at what happens when the parasytes affects a different country. In this sense, you don't have to read the manga or watch the anime, as the TV series cover the worldbuilding fairly well.

Now, the big question is, did it end up looking as silly as the films? No. I'd say the special effects in The Grey were awesome. Probably the best parts of the show. It will no doubt look a bit cartoonish still but I was very impressed. How much of it was practical effects? How much was it VFX? They have blended it very well.

However, the shaky cam definitely didn't do the show any favours. Maybe it was a necessary evil to make the VFX looks as real as it did, but I rather have the camera stationary so we can focus on the fights, because some of the fights were pretty insane. But again, it might be because the cuts and shaky cams hid a lot of glaring issues and is why it was used.

Still, Parasyte was and still is an interesting series just because it asks some interesting questions about humanity, survival, and morality. I don't think the philosophy was as in-depth as the manga or anime, given there were only 6 episodes, but there is enough to ponder here and definitely makes me want to watch the anime again (highly recommended but also has its fair share of flaws). For those who knew the source material, the last couple minutes in this show was super cool to see.

In summary, Parasyte has an interesting premise and the TV series did an excellent job adapting it as a live action. Slowly, I think Netflix is producing more and more quality live adaptations which had been known for a long time to be a joke (Cowboy Bebop and Death Note is still a joke but Alice in Wonderland and One Piece was very good).

Filled with action and cliffhangers.

It's not often I watch these sort of gore fest action show. This show was engaging from start to finish, it's common for shows to have lows and highs but this is a stable high show that exceeded my expectations. The designs of the characters and their surroundings is unique and plays a role throughout the show. Everything in the show is intertwined and in the end the plot is naturally engaging without any over the top elements. However there's nothing to really analyse, there's no deeper meaning and overall it's more of a time crunch than a movie you learn something from.

So I did not know about the manga I just saw this had pretty good reviews and got into it.

Graphics/CGI are definitely on the lacking side but I mean nowhere near cartoon/anime level so I'm ok with it however it is rough to watch if you are picky about that.

Got pulled in with the interesting story of an alien 'parasyte' invasion which take over the host and then a small and odd war happening. Characters were good with a decently explained backstory which was spread well throughout the series instead of in huge amounts (i.e. I don't like to see a whole episode be a backstory).

Story continuity 9/10 Acting 8.5/10 Special Effects 6/10 # of episodes 6/10 Fulfillment 7/10

Overall I was interested in finding out what was happening and how they were going to defeat the 'enemy'. The end result was to be expected but the way they got there was quite entertaining and kept things interesting.

No overtelling or under telling of the story was noted. Although season 1 was literally 6 episodes I'd say they could and should have expanded on a few elements more seeing as how they have a whole manga to base from.

Enjoyable and entertaining but too short to be memorable or really fulfilling. The action was good and understandable with a good flow, there is no dawdling on insignificant matters. The ending is a surprise and you might need to read into who is introduced and what significance they have to the universe.

Needs to have more story and something of actual importance or value happen in season 2 to not ruin it. Season 1 was really just introductory imo. Worth checking out for sci fi lovers.

For those who loved the original "Parasyte" anime and movies, "Parasyte: The Grey" is a definite must-see. I recently binged through all six episodes, and I must say, I was hooked from the get-go. While the detectives may make some questionable decisions in certain episodes, it's possible the creator intended for us to see the story unfold from the unique perspective of the female lead - a half-parasyte and half-human girl - navigating the complexities of our human world. Despite these minor hiccups, the show remains a thrilling ride from start to finish, making it well worth a watch."

The cast delivered stellar performances, with a dash of humor courtesy of the male lead. What's great is that even if you're new to the "Parasyte" universe, you can easily jump into "The Grey" without feeling lost. The series cleverly introduces the alien invasion storyline through a detective's eyes, offering a refreshing take on the familiar concept.

While the aliens' goal remains the same - wiping out humanity - the plot takes unexpected twists and turns that kept me on edge. It's exciting to see the universe expanding in new and surprising ways. I have a strong feeling a second season is on the horizon, given the show's success and fan enthusiasm.

I accidentally started watching in Tamil, my native language, and it added an unexpectedly funny touch to the whole experience. The climax was a real nail-biter, blending action, suspense, and intrigue seamlessly. Overall, "Parasyte: The Grey" is a solid addition to the genre, offering a fresh take that both newbies and long-time fans can enjoy."

Plot

A group of humans wage war against the rising evil of unidentified parasitic life-forms that live off of human hosts and strive to grow their power

Cast

Written by Hotishi Iwaaki (As it should have been) and starring various folks who you'll recognize from various comparable shows and movies.

Verdict

We've had quite a bit of Parasyte, from animated series to live action movies and not one bit of it has been bad despite it not being a fan of the Manga. You know what else has consistently been great over the last few years? All things South Korea, I don't know what's happened but they've been on form for quite a while now and therefore a Korean Parasyte most certainly got my attention as soon as it dropped on Netflix.

Initially you notice it looks great, as it needs to being Parasyte. It needs fantastic gory visuals and it delivers, though arguably the gore is quite light here. It tells a story revolving around a person comparable with Shinichi but delivers a very different bigger scale story. The trouble is we only have 6 episodes so is it able to deliver?

Well, mostly but I still found it lacking. It looks solid, it has decent characters and the plot is passable but as with any 6 episode tv show it's difficult to really pace it correctly and get much character development done.

The Grey is enjoyable and a welcome addition to the Parasyte universe, I'm also looking forward to season 2. But something is missing, and it feels pretty integral.

Rants

I feel as though we need a Parasyte horror movie, no real depth, no real connection to the canon universe but a 90 minute movie that grabs hold of the horror elements of Parasyte with both hands and really delivers. Can you imagine how genuinely unnerving, creepy and intense it could be? Seriously, if they can do a horror movie with Bambi, Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh I'm pretty sure we could get a Parasyte one!

The Good

Looks great Solid character

The Bad

Plot could be better Feels rushed.