I um... wow. This manga was incredible. It has a completely different feel to it from any other manga I've read or anime I've seen. This is truly a masterpiece.

- - - S T O R Y - - -
Parasitic aliens taking over humans, disguising themselves to kill/eat more humans. You might think it sounds like your average horror movie, but that line of thinking is completely wrong.
Only Shin's right hand is taken over by a parasite and he has to learn to co-exist with it. The parasite is as logical as math itself and has conversations with Shin. The story is not so much about some alien takeover horror, but instead about the way these characters change and grow throughout the series, as well as the way the other parasites learn to become less conspicuous in today's society. Some of them even learn to become more human than humans. It's just amazing to follow the plot and see how these things develop, and infinitely better than some simple war against aliens.

The story is very thought provoking. I also find that it's written in a way that can be taken literally and make perfect sense - or - you can read it with an alternate interpretation for an even more thought provoking experience when you think about things like how Shin's "right hand" is killing parasites guised as humans, and how the parasites are the same as humans. You can also read it as a simple battle manga, I suppose, if the plot is too complex for you. It's like 3 full manga series packed into one.

- - - A R T - - -
Seeing as this is from the '80s to early '90s, the art is from a time before "moe" and 2D wives existed. Truly, a better time for real stories to be told. Some of the characters have lame hairstyles and they don't look sexy like modern art styles, but who cares about that? This manga is dark and the art fits it nicely. It aims for a realistic approach, making it easier to take the story seriously.

I really liked how the characters' faces actually had emotions. The artist did a really good job of showing the sorrow in Shin's eyes when he'd give a distant look. One part of the art that had an impact on me was when a character was shown looking cheerful, then the next panel was pretty much the same drawing, except the smile was small, half-hearted, and the eyes looked like those of someone who's lost their way. It was just so perfectly executed and showed the emotion loud and clear.

- - - C H A R A C T E R S - - -
I suppose I was hoping for a little more with the characters, though they are quite good as is. Some characters simply fade out of the story, but I suppose there isn't really any reason to keep them around (for example, the girl Shin met on the ferry). A little more closure would be nice, though, as long as it doesn't devolve to pointless interactions. Many characters die even after we get to know and like them, so this manga may cause your emotions to react.

The way Shin's character developed was surprising and is also open to interpretation. Did he become the way he was because of the parasite's influence on his body or did he become that way due to psychological reasons? I'm leaning towards thinking it was psychological since even Migi acted more human than Shin at times, and that's really saying something. Still, you could just as easily see it the other way, which makes it interesting.

- - - O V E R A L L - - -
Well, this left me on the edge of my seat. I was completely engrossed in the story. Some moments were so tense and suspenseful I was sweating. Other moments were so sad I nearly felt like crying. In any case, it's addictive and has you wanting to know what happens next.

I have mixed feelings about the ending. Chapter 63 is the true ending. Chapter 64 is more like a little add-on to give closure to a few more things, but leaves you with a kinda empty feeling. So, if you read this, keep that in mind and look at chapter 64 as just a little bonus.

This manga is fairly short, so you should just read it if you have time to waste reading a long ass review like this. If you like stories with depth and value, you'll probably enjoy this.