Major modifications from the anime in Parasyte: The Grey

Hitoshi Iwaaki’s well-known manga series, Parasyte: The Grey, has recently been adapted into a K-drama that departs slightly from the famous anime based on the plot.

Anime fans were thrilled to see a new, fresh perspective on the well-loved narrative in Netflix’s adaptation of Parasyte: The Grey. Although it’s not the first time, the live-action adaptation stayed quite faithful to the original. There are a few obvious contrasts between the two dramas, such as the fact that the female lead instead of a male adolescent is the major character—but more on that later.

The K-dramas resemble extraterrestrial parasites that descend into Earth with the intention of infecting and living among humans. Once infected, they develop a raging, murderous drive to kill. There is an attack on humanity, and Jeong Su-in might be able to save us. She helps her parasite fight back while coexisting with it.

Parasyte: The Grey will diverge significantly from the anime, with a pivotal character providing clarification towards the conclusion. There will be spoilers ahead!

Su-in is not a male teenager

The biggest change in Parasyte: The Grey is the leading character being Su-in, a female grocery worker, compared to high school senior Shinichi Izumi from the anime.

Unquestionably, Su-in is the most noticeable distinction between anime and K-drama. Shinichi, a male resident of Japan who is 17 years old, is the main character in the original plot. While he sleeps, he contracts a parasite infection.

The situation is a little different in the K-drama. An adult named Su-in works at a grocery shop. She offends a client one day, and as a result, he follows her home and attempts to murder her. A parasite invades her body while she is hurt and takes over her brain. It murders the consumer in an attempt to safeguard its new host body.

The parasite’s account varies as well. In the anime, Shinichi wakes up and the parasite burrows into his right arm instead of his head. As a result, Shinichi and the parasite may coexist.

However, due to Su-in being stabbed multiple times by the customer and on the brink of death, the parasite uses its energy to heal her. It was unable to fully take over her brain because of it.

How the parasite manifests

Instead of the right arm, the parasite in the K-drama appears from the right side of Su-in’s head.

This distinction is also readily apparent, but it still requires discussion. Migi, Shinichi’s parasite, manifests in this distinct form, utilizing an eyeball from his right hand. But it’s not quite as charming as the K-drama. The parasite Heidi, as shown in the K-dramas, emerges as a long, gnarly, arm-like projection from Su-in’s right side of the skull.

Heidi has the same anime-like ability to change into a lethal, sharp weapon. One other significant distinction is that Heidi has the ability to temporarily inhabit Su-in’s body and speak whenever she pleases. Migi is a self-contained character in the anime, akin to a small sidekick.

However, the K-drama does depict parasites in the same way as the anime does: as hideous creatures that burst open into tentacles and teeth from the head of an afflicted human.

The K-drama has an entirely different storyline

It’s hard to compare the K-drama to the anime for one main reason — it’s a separate storyline within the same universe as the anime/manga.

Parasyte: The Grey had a surprise cameo during its finale that changes how fans of the original anime see the K-drama. One of the main reasons why it’s hard to compare both is because the storyline exists within the same universe.

As he travels to see Jun-kyung at the conclusion of the K-drama, it is revealed that Shinichi exists. It is said that he is a journalist with a strong background in parasites. This demonstrates that, in contrast to Shinichi’s from the manga/anime, Su-in’s plotline in South Korea is original and has already taken place.

Consequently, the variations seen in Parasyte: The Grey have a purpose since Su-in’s narrative is apart from Shinichi’s. The brief appearance perhaps pays respect to the original or suggests a larger movie universe.