What Are You Watching?

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

The arc ends with the end of the 11th volume. After that is the Carlos Rivera arc which is also quite different in the ani em and that arc lasts up until the end of volume 13, so by the time you finish that arc, you could probably start watching the anime to see what it does differently. It gets pretty close to the original story again by the time it hits the Dragon Kim arc, but still refreshingly changes things up and makes some additions, so it's definitely worth experiencing both versions.

[LumRanmaYasha]

Yeah, I still don't agree with you on the music at all, CX. Then again, going by your taste in the competition threads, I'm not surprised.

Feh, you've never read the manga. I have, and for my money, dubstep/electronic music simply does not fit the series, especially in the scenes it's been used in so far. That kind of music feels more appropriate in a show that emphasizes cool action and fights over everything else, and that's not what Parasyte is about, at all. The action scenes are great, mind you, but it's the message and themes of the series, which were subdued and contemplative, that made it resonate with people back in the day and made it one of the highest regarded manga out there. Dubstep/electronic music is loud and in your face, which does not reflect at all the tone Iwaaki was going for in his manga in the slightest. So...

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Feh, you've never read the manga.

Exactly. This is an anime adaptation and I'm judging it on its own merits. I. Glad that I don't have to play comparison and can just enjoy it for what it is. I can always just check out the manga after I finish the anime.

I have, and for my money, dubstep/electronic music simply does not fit the series, especially in the scenes it's been used in so far.

This isn't the manga, though, so your point is moot. The music I'm hearing fits in with the tone of the anime that I'm watching. What I'm seeing isn't some super subtle slow-paced, atmospheric Sci-Fi thriller, since the first 2 episodes at least have been mixed in even parts with comedy and action. If this was A story along the lines The Thing, you would have a point. Based on these first 2 episodes of the ANIME and not the manga, it's not, so the music fits the horror comedy nature of the SHOW.

That kind of music feels more appropriate in a show that emphasizes cool action and fights over everything else, and that's not what Parasyte is about, at all. The action scenes are great, mind you, but it's the message and themes of the series, which were subdued and contemplative, that made it resonate with people back in the day and made it one of the highest regarded manga out there. Dubstep/electronic music is loud and in your face, which does not reflect at all the tone Iwaaki was going for in his manga in the slightest.

Look. I'm telling you as someone who has NOT read the manga and is judging this as it's own entity that based on what I've seen, the music clearly fits what's happening on screen. If the tone is supposed to be different, then that's a failure of the anime, not the music itself, since even without this music, I wouldn't be getting the tone that you are describing based on what I have actually seen. In that regard, I'm glad that I haven't read the manga first, because clearly I'm enjoying the anime for what it is more than you are. I'd be happy to read the manga after it finishes, but until then, I'm happy to view the anime as a standalone product.

That said, looking at other people's opinions of this anime on message boards (specifically comments from people who have read the manga), I haven't particularly noticed any complaints about the soundtrack outside of the opening theme, so as far as I can tell, your either in the minority on this opinion, or no one cares enough about the music either way for it to bother them to mention it.

Also, the music isn't dubstep. Look up actual examples of dubstep on YouTube. There is a completely different sound style to that and the music that you hear in the series. I don't exactly know what genre of music you'd call the type in the series, but it's definitely not dubstep.

[gunswordfist]

Wuh-what? Like a month or so, Trigun was on there. If you jinxed this for me, I'll never forgive you, you bastard.

[gunswordfist]

Fuuuuu...it's gone.

So before all of this, Jojo 14 was watched

Spoiler

When Mark said he was going to get married, it was so obvious that he would die in that episode. One of the most blatant uses of a trope I've ever seen.

[close]

[Spark Of Spirit]

What is Parasyte like? Is it a comedy, horror? Or is it a gorefest like Gantz or Elfen Lied?

Wuh-what? Like a month or so, Trigun was on there. If you jinxed this for me, I'll never forgive you, you bastard.

Yep, Funi took it down a couple of weeks ago. Totally lame.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Well, CX is probably more equipped to answer that question since he's so anal about how only HE HAS READ THE MANGA which thus disqualifies anyone else from having an opinion.

However, based on what I've seen of the anime, it plays out like a horror comedy.

[LumRanmaYasha]

Parasyte is one of the greatest action-horror manga ever, if not the greatest. It is not a horror comedy. Bad shit happens to people in this story. But at the same time it's not an overly grim series, and there is a healthy dose of light-hearted scenes and comedic moments throughout, so it certainly never becomes completely devoid of humor...but it really becomes a very serious, at times tragic, story starting from the second volume. I suppose it is a gory manga, but the content is honestly tame by today's standards. The point of the series is not the gore, though, and it doesn't go overboard with the violence, because that wasn't what Iwaaki was drawing the story for, and it wasn't what readers really connected to in the series either (which is evident from the Q&A sections if you read the print volumes). At it's core it's about a fairly basic environmental message, much more complicated moral ones, and most importantly, it's a story about what it means to be human. It's a highly regarded classic and widely considered one of the best manga ever made.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I figured that it gets darker later on, but I'm just going by the first 2 episodes so far.

That said, it made me realize how awesome a full-fledged horror comedy manga or anime would be. And no, I don't mean like Franken Fran. I mean more along the lines of Evil Dead, except as an anime.

[gunswordfist]

What is Parasyte like? Is it a comedy, horror? Or is it a gorefest like Gantz or Elfen Lied?

Wuh-what? Like a month or so, Trigun was on there. If you jinxed this for me, I'll never forgive you, you bastard.

Yep, Funi took it down a couple of weeks ago. Totally lame.

Come on, Funi? Jeez, why is it so hard for Netflix to keep or have anything? I swear if Blockbuster didn't completely ignore them, they'd still be here.

Parasyte is one of the greatest action-horror manga ever, if not the greatest. It is not a horror comedy. Bad shit happens to people in this story. But at the same time it's not an overly grim series, and there is a healthy dose of light-hearted scenes and comedic moments throughout, so it certainly never becomes completely devoid of humor...but it really becomes a very serious, at times tragic, story starting from the second volume. I suppose it is a gory manga, but the content is honestly tame by today's standards. The point of the series is not the gore, though, and it doesn't go overboard with the violence, because that wasn't what Iwaaki was drawing the story for, and it wasn't what readers really connected to in the series either (which is evident from the Q&A sections if you read the print volumes). At it's core it's about a fairly basic environmental message, much more complicated moral ones, and most importantly, it's a story about what it means to be human. It's a highly regarded classic and widely considered one of the best manga ever made.

That sounds a lot like how I feel about The Walking Dead comics.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I really should get back to The Walking Dead comics. Great characters and great writing make all around. It puts the TV show to absolute shame, for sure.

[gunswordfist]

How far did you get? It's of course my favorite ongoing book.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I finished the first 3 volumes, and then took a break from there, and that was at least 2 years ago.

[gunswordfist]

Nice. I think I am a Volume or 2 behind. Couldn't tell you how many issues behind. I haven't read it in two years myself.

[gunswordfist]

Watched JojoBA episode 15 earlier. Jojo coughing very loudly to get the Pillar Men's attention and him playing dead and then crawling away repeatedly was funny. I like this show's charm.