For several decades, the anime and manga industry has been heavily dominated by the Shonen demographic, and most of the mainstream series are thrilling battle action. A majority of the best-selling manga of all time are also Shonen series, including One Piece, Naruto, Dragon Ball, Demon Slayer, and more. On the other hand, while most Seinen anime and manga often fall behind in global recognition, they always offer some of the most unique stories of all time. The 1980s and 1990s were not only a phenomenal decade for Shonen series, but Seinen thrived during the era. Among the several incredible stories, Hitoshi Iwaaki’s 1989 manga, Parasyte, claimed its spot as one of the most acclaimed series of all time.
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It’s Iwaaki’s most renowned work so far, following which he created more acclaimed series such as Historie and Reiri. Comic Natalie confirmed an exhibition featuring original artwork from the manga creator opened on June 6th at Yokohama Coast in Kanagawa Prefecture. The exhibition celebrates this renowned manga and features over 400 original drawings, including illustrations from the original series. Additionally, the exhibition also showcases a gallery of manga volumes, character introduction panels, walls adorned with designs, and several comments from Iwaaki that answer questions from fans. The exhibition will be open until June 21st, 2026, and hasn’t shared any updates on moving to another location yet.
What Is Parasyte About?
The manga was serialized in the Afternoon magazine by Kodansha and released in 64 chapters from 1989 to 1994. The series was originally compiled in 10 volumes before releasing an eight-volume edition in 2003 for fans in the U.S. Additionally, the manga’s popularity skyrocketed in 2014 after it received an anime adaptation by studio Madhouse, one of the most renowned animation studios of all time. Many series question humanity and what it means to be human, but few do it as beautifully yet heartbreakingly as Parasyte.
This complex series is a profound psychological coming-of-age story that follows an ordinary teenage boy who lost his humanity without even knowing what was missing from him. Shinichi Izumi, a seventeen-year-old high school student, falls victim to the worldwide alien invasion, where worm-like alien parasites take over human bodies and blend into society. Because Shinichi was wearing headphones, the alien ended up infecting his right hand, and the two somehow learned to coexist as a means of survival. However, while Shinichi’s alien doesn’t crave mindless destruction, the same can’t be said about the others.
These flesh-eating aliens target the people around them and cause senseless destruction. Left with no other choice, the boy must confront the threats in front of him and find a way to save humanity. However, as the story continues, he begins losing his own human emotions without even realizing it. All physical and digital copies of the manga are available for sale on the official website of Kodansha. Additionally, the anime is currently streaming on Netflix.
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