Interest
Some Upset Over Change in Parasyte Live-Action Film's Climactic Scene
posted on by Eric Stimson
The live-action adaptation of Parasyte faces the challenge of working with 25-year-old source material. While updating technology and fashion might seem natural, other changes are more controversial. A key detail in the second part's climax has been altered, prompting consternation on Twitter.
WARNING: Spoilers ahead
In the original manga, Shinichi stabs Gotō with a steel rod poisoned by toxic chemicals (technically "organochlorine compounds"). The anime adaptation refers to it as cyanide. The live-action version, however, changes it to "high amounts of radiation." What's more, it includes a sign in the background reading "Oppose Accepting Radioactive Waste."
Radiologist and Parasyte fan @PKAnzug was offended and wrote a post on TwitLonger to explain why. No other elements of the story were changed. This doesn't explain why both Shinichi and Gotō were able to survive in an incinerator filled with radiation. If the rod had enough radiation to cause cell death, it doesn't explain why Shinichi could hold it.
In an interview with Tokyo Shimbun, the director, Takashi Yamazaki, explains that he wanted the viewers to "be left with something important" after watching, and that he chose to alter the scene because dioxins were particularly controversial at the time the manga was made while at present he feels that radiation is "the most evil thing humanity has produced and we have to fight against it." @PKAnzug scoffs at this reasoning, pointing out that dioxins and toxic compounds still exist, and suggests a DVD and Blu-Ray edit of the offending scene to redub the dialogue and digitally remove the anti-radiation sign.
Other fans have chimed in on Twitter, pointing out, for instance, that it doesn't make much sense for Migi, an alien, to be affected so much by radiation given how much radiation there is in space.
[Via Yaraon!; Images from tunagu. and Naver Matome]
