Title : Parasyte
Written by : Hitoshi Iwaaki
Published by : Kodansha
Magazine : Morning Open Zōkan(1988–1989), Monthly Afternoon(1990–1995)
Original run : 1988 – 1995
Volumes : 10
What is a human being?
Synopsis
Unidentified parasitic organisms suddenly appear on earth. They possess intelligence, invade people’s brains, take over their bodies, and prey on other humans. The parasite sneaks into Shinichi, a very ordinary high school student, fails to invade his brain and takes up residence in his right arm, calling itself Miggy and offering him coexistence. Shinichi is forced to live with Miggy and is led to a strange fate.
Review
It is the greatest masterpiece in the history of manga, with an enormous amount of themes such as global environmental issues, the meaning of life, the significance of smiles and tears, friendship, family, and the insanity of human nature, all packed into only 10 issues. Although it contains many grotesque scenes, the story is not just horror science fiction about the battle between parasitic organisms and humans; the story centers on a philosophical theme that questions the reader about the value of human existence.
