WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Parasyte: The Grey
Parasyte: The Maxim, a popular anime that ran from 2014 to 2015 adapting Hitoshi Iwaaki’s Parasyte manga, just got a sequel in the form of Parasyte: The Grey – sort of. There are plenty of live-action anime adaptations on Netflix, from poorly-received projects like Death Note (2017) to hits like One Piece, but Parasyte: The Grey is quite different from other movies and TV shows based on Japanese properties. The Netflix K-drama followed new characters for the most part, yet one important scene at the end made it a sequel to Parasyte: The Maxim.
Parasyte: The Grey is not the first live-action project based on Parasyte. The 1989 manga received two Japanese live-action movies released alongside the anime’s premiere between 2014 and 2015 – Parasyte: Part 1 and Parasyte: Part 2. Even though Parasyte: The Grey was marketed as a brand-new story set in the world of Parasyte, the series included a major Easter egg that makes it clear how it connects to the manga/anime.
Parasyte: The Grey was mostly a standalone story until the show’s final scene, which saw Jun-kyung meeting a Japanese man called Shinichi Izumi. The fact that Shinichi exists in Parasyte: The Grey means the K-drama takes place in the same continuity as Parasyte: The Maxim. Additionally, the circumstances of Shinichi’s cameo in Parasyte: The Grey all but confirm that his scene takes place after the events of the anime. Shinichi never goes to South Korea during Parasyte, meaning Parasyte: The Grey’s final scene is technically a sequel to the manga/anime.
Shinichi looks relatively older in Parasyte: The Grey compared to the first half of Parasyte: The Maxim, further indicating his cameo in the K-drama takes place after the anime. It would make sense for Shinichi to become a consultant on the matter of parasites after the end of his story, using all the knowledge he acquired to assist other people. Shinichi would make a valuable addition to Jun-kyung’s Team Grey as he has more experience with these life forms than anyone else on her team. That said, Migi should be currently hibernating based on how Parasyte ended.
Parasyte: The Grey is not a retelling of the Parasyte manga or a live-action remake of the anime but rather an original story set in South Korea. The Netflix series takes place concurrently with Shinichi’s story for the most part, and they only converge at the end when Shinichi appears at Jun-kyung’s office. Parasyte: The Grey is already one of the most unique adaptations of a manga ever made as it expands the story through a live-action spinoff instead of retelling it. Apart from Shinichi, none of the Parasyte: The Grey characters exist in the source material.
There are several callbacks to Parasyte in Parasyte: The Grey. The horror K-drama makes sure not to contradict the lore of the manga, although it takes some liberties when it comes to how the parasites work. For example, the parasite invasion is exposed much sooner in South Korea compared to Japan as Parasyte: The Grey begins with a parasite attacking a crowded area in front of cameras. Still, things like the strand of hair test and the way the parasites’ abilities work are relatively faithful to the manga and the anime.
Parasyte: The Grey season 2 has not been confirmed by Netflix yet. While the K-drama could work as a limited series considering it had a very satisfying ending, Shinichi’s cameo leaves the door open for it to continue. A potential Parasyte: The Grey season 2 could see more of Shinichi Izumi working as a consultant for Team Grey, giving Parasyte an actual sequel several years after the manga was concluded. It would be interesting to have Shinichi in a supporting role, serving as an important ally to Su-in and Team Grey in future stories.
Parasyte: The Grey already has its protagonist and should not just be a live-action sequel to the anime focused on Shinichi. Still, combining Su-in and Shinichi’s stories in season 2 would be a great way to continue the live-action series while also expanding the legacy of a beloved anime. Whether the events of Parasyte: The Grey should be considered canon to the manga is open for debate, but the Netflix series offers a fresh way to continue Parasyte. Shinichi is a great character, and his perspective of the parasites is very unique compared to Jun-kyung’s or even Su-in’s.
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