About “Parasyte” in a few words:

Parasyte: The Maxim is a popular Japanese anime series that follows the story of Shinichi Izumi, a high school student who becomes infected with a parasite that takes over his right hand. The parasite, named Migi, forms a symbiotic relationship with Shinichi, and together they face the dangers of other parasitic creatures who are taking over humans to survive. The series explores themes of humanity, survival, and morality, as Shinichi and Migi navigate their way through a world where humans and parasites must coexist, but not always peacefully.

Meet the characters from Parasyte

Shinichi Izumi

Shinichi is the classic awkward-turned-hero — a quiet high school kid shoved into situations way above his pay grade who has to learn to grow up fast. He’s stubbornly moral, hates hurting people, and then somehow becomes cold when survival demands it, which is heartbreaking and kind of amazing to watch. Suddenly hyper-observant (like a detective who forgot how to be a teenager), he’s fiercely protective of the people he loves and terrible at small talk. There’s this tug-of-war inside him between empathy and pragmatism, and you can literally see him switch gears from giggling kid to stone-faced problem-solver in a heartbeat.

Migi

Migi is the pure, unbothered logic in a tiny parasitic package — lives in Shinichi’s right hand and approaches everything like a lab manual with a dry sense of humor. Emotionally minimal? Yes. Curious? Also yes; he mimics human quirks and sometimes does a near-smile that is equal parts creepy and adorable. Razor-sharp at problem-solving and selfishly pragmatic, he nonetheless develops a weirdly protective routine with Shinichi (like an extremely efficient roommate). He insists feelings are irrelevant but then gets oddly possessive sometimes, so either he’s lying or learning, and both possibilities are hilarious.

Satomi Murano

Satomi is the warm, stubborn anchor of normal life — kind, patient, and somehow the most grounded person in a world of body horror. She sees Shinichi’s awkwardness and sudden coldness and keeps being gentle, which is brave and maybe a touch too forgiving at times. Quiet but fierce, she will argue ethics with you and then make you tea like nothing happened — very practical, very human. She can seem naive about how dark the world is, and yet she nails people’s motives with a single look, which is confusing and wonderful.

Yuko Tachikawa

Yuko is the loud, impulsive friend who drags everyone into mischief — bubbly, opinionated, and incapable of sitting still. She’s endlessly curious and a little reckless, asking the questions everyone else is too polite to voice. Super loyal (like midnight-ramen-level loyalty) and trusts people a beat too quickly, which makes her moments sparkle — and sting. She doesn’t hang around forever, which is tragic, but it makes her scenes feel extra bright and painfully short.

Akiho Suzuki

Akiho is this weird, ethereal kid who seems ancient in some ways and totally childish in others — all soft smiles and unnerving conviction. She has a quasi-spiritual, cultish vibe about connection and nature, earnest to the point of being manipulative without necessarily meaning to be. She idolizes Shinichi with this poetic intensity and carries talismans or notebooks (or both), humming to herself sometimes in a way that’s oddly chilling. Childlike yet frighteningly persuasive — you keep wondering if she’s naive or an old soul stuck in a small body.

Kazuyuki Izumi

Kazuyuki is Shinichi’s dad and the ultimate comfort-dad — clumsy, kind, a touch sitcom-ish but genuinely trying his best. He makes terrible jokes, loves his family fiercely, and will defend them with surprising seriousness when things go sideways. Not the strategic mastermind (nope), but emotionally steady and awkwardly supportive, proud of Shinichi even when he doesn’t fully get him. Also, he has weird tiny habits (humming old songs, making the same sandwich) that make him feel painfully, wonderfully human.

Reiko Tamura

Reiko is the elegant, terrifyingly curious parasite who treats human life like the most fascinating experiment — composed, stylish, and intellectually ruthless. She studies people with this clinical intensity and then, weirdly, explores motherhood and emotion like case studies (so she’ll be maternal in a way that’s both touching and chilling). Charming but utterly capable of doing harm if it suits her curiosity, she’s the sort of character who makes you re-evaluate what “human” even means. I love that she oscillates between sincere inquiry and cold calculation — unpredictably brilliant and a little scary.