‘Parasyte’ Watch Order: The Complete Guide, Including Live-Action Show
Parasyte is a seinen manga by Hitoshi Iwaaki. It was published between November 1988 and December 1994 and was compiled into a total of ten volumes. An anime television series aired between October 2014 and March 2015, and two live-action movies were released in November 2014 and in April 2015. A spin-off series titled Parasite Reversi, scripted and drawn by Moare Ohta was published between March 2018 and May 2021. In 2024, a South Korean live-action adaptation, Parasyte: The Grey, also premiered. In this article, we have decided to bring you the complete chronological watch guide to the whole Parasyte franchise, including all the anime works and the upcoming live-action series. Enjoy!
Editor’s Note: This post is regularly updated to provide you with the latest content and streaming updates related to the Parasyte franchise which is at the moment, expecting the premiere of the live-action series on April 5, 2024.
How many Parasyte seasons and episodes are there?
The structure of the Parasyte franchise is not really that complex, but it needs to be explained properly. Initially, the series was adapted in the form of an anime series, Parasyte -the maxim-, which ran from 2014 to 2015 and consisted of 24 episodes. During the same period, a two-part live-action movie adaptation was also produced; Parasyte: Part 1 premiered in 2014, while Parasyte: Part 2 premiered in 2015. Since, then, no adaptation has been produced until 2024, when Parasyte: The Grey appeared on Netflix; the series is a South Korean live-action adaptation of the original manga, set in Korea.
So, overall, there are 24 anime episodes, two live-action movies, and a live-action television drama with an unknown number of episodes as of the time of writing.
Parasyte watch order at a glance
In this section, we are going to bring you the complete list of Parasyte works by their respective release orders. As we have said, the overall structure of the Parasyte series is not that complex, but it is always good to have the whole series at a glance. This is what it all looks like:
- Parasyte -the maxim- (anime, 2014-2015)
- Parasyte: Part 1 (live-action movie, 2014)
- Parasyte: Part 2 (live-action movie, 2015)
- Parasyte: The Grey (live-action series, 2024)
Do you need to watch Parasyte in a specific order?
As far as how you want to approach the Parasyte series, there is no specific order in which you have to watch the works in question. All three groups of works adopt the same core material but are not interconnected. The anime is its own continuity, the movies as well, and the upcoming live-action series is going to have its own continuity as well. And while the anime and the movies adapt the same story, the live-action series is going to adapt the original manga but from a South Korean perspective.
What is the best way to watch Parasyte?
In our opinion, the best way to watch Parasyte is by following the release date as we’ve listed above. You should start off with the anime, as it is the best adaptation of the original manga, then watch the movies to get a better perspective on things and, finally, watch the upcoming live-action series to expand the whole setting. This is without a doubt the best way to enjoy the franchise as a whole.
Parasyte watch order – the best way to do it
1. Parasyte -the maxim- (2014-2015)
If you’re wondering where to start, the anime series is the way to go. It is a high-quality adaptation and a seinen classic, so we definitely recommend you start off with it. The structure is as follows:
| No. | Title | Original Air Date | English Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | “The Metamorphosis” Transliteration: “Henshin” (Japanese: 変身) | October 9, 2014 | October 4, 2015 |
| 2 | “The Devil in the Flesh” Transliteration: “Nikutai no Akuma” (Japanese: 肉体の悪魔) | October 16, 2014 | October 11, 2015 |
| 3 | “Symposium” Transliteration: “Kyōen” (Japanese: 饗宴) | October 23, 2014 | October 18, 2015 |
| 4 | “Disheveled Hair” Transliteration: “Midaregami” (Japanese: みだれ髪) | October 30, 2014 | October 25, 2015 |
| 5 | “The Stranger” Transliteration: “Ihōjin” (Japanese: 異邦人) | November 6, 2014 | November 8, 2015 |
| 6 | “The Sun Also Rises” Transliteration: “Hi wa Mata Noboru” (Japanese: 日はまた昇る) | November 13, 2014 | November 15, 2015 |
| 7 | “A Dark Night’s Passing” Transliteration: “An’ya Kōro” (Japanese: 暗夜行路) | November 20, 2014 | November 22, 2015 |
| 8 | “Freezing Point” Transliteration: “Hyōten” (Japanese: 氷点) | November 27, 2014 | December 6, 2015 |
| 9 | “Beyond Good and Evil” Transliteration: “Zen’aku no Higan” (Japanese: 善悪の彼岸) | November 27, 2014 | December 13, 2015 |
| 10 | “What Mad Universe” Transliteration: “Hakkyō-shita Uchū” (Japanese: 発狂した宇宙) | December 4, 2014 | January 3, 2016 |
| 11 | “The Blue Bird” Transliteration: “Aoi Tori” (Japanese: 青い鳥) | December 11, 2014 | January 10, 2016 |
| 12 | “Heart” Transliteration: “Kokoro” (Japanese: こころ) | December 25, 2014 | January 17, 2016 |
| 13 | “Hello Sadness” Transliteration: “Kanashimi yo Konnichi wa” (Japanese: 悲しみよこんにちは) | January 8, 2015 | January 24, 2016 |
| 14 | “The Selfish Gene” Transliteration: “Rikoteki na Idenshi” (Japanese: 利己的な遺伝子) | January 15, 2015 | January 31, 2016 |
| 15 | “Something Wicked This Way Comes” Transliteration: “Nanika ga Michi o Yattekuru” (Japanese: 何かが道をやって来る) | January 22, 2015 | February 7, 2016 |
| 16 | “Happy Family” Transliteration: “Kōfuku na Katei” (Japanese: 幸福な家庭) | January 29, 2015 | February 14, 2016 |
| 17 | “The Adventure of the Dying Detective” Transliteration: “Hinshi no Tantei” (Japanese: 瀕死の探偵) | February 5, 2015 | February 21, 2016 |
| 18 | “More Than Human” Transliteration: “Ningen Ijō” (Japanese: 人間以上) | February 12, 2015 | February 28, 2016 |
| 19 | “In Cold Blood” Transliteration: “Reiketsu” (Japanese: 冷血) | February 19, 2015 | March 6, 2016 |
| 20 | “Crime and Punishment” Transliteration: “Tsumi to Batsu” (Japanese: 罪と罰) | February 26, 2015 | March 13, 2016 |
| 21 | “Sex and Spirit” Transliteration: “Sei to Sei” (Japanese: 性と聖) | March 5, 2015 | March 20, 2016 |
| 22 | “Quiescence and Awakening” Transliteration: “Sei to Sei” (Japanese: 静と醒) | March 12, 2015 | March 27, 2016 |
| 23 | “Life and Oath” Transliteration: “Sei to Sei” (Japanese: 生と誓) | March 19, 2015 | April 3, 2016 |
| 24 | “Parasyte” Transliteration: “Kiseijū” (Japanese: 寄生獣) | March 26, 2015 | April 10, 2016 |
2. Parasyte: Part 1 (2014) and Part 2 (2015)
After the anime series, you can watch the two movies in succession, as they are directly related. This two-part live-action adaptation tells the story from the original manga but in a significantly shortened format. And while they do adapt the same story, they are not connected to the anime.
3. Parasyte: The Grey (2024)
Netflix’s upcoming live-action television drama will be a South Korean adaptation of the original manga. It will be set in a new country and follow different characters, but the gist of the story will remain the same. Currently, no details about the show have been revealed save for a rough plot outline.
Where to watch the anime & movies?
Parasyte -the maxim- can be streamed on both Netflix and Crunchyroll, Parasyte: Part 1 can be bought on Vudu, just like Parasyte: Part 2. The upcoming live-action series will only be available for streaming on Netflix.
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