Parasyte: The Maxim Character Analysis: Hideo Shimada

In the world of Parasyte: The Maxim, parasites are an alien species that infect human hosts to survive. Hideo Shimada is one such parasite who is a significant character in the anime and manga series. In this article, we'll take a closer look at Hideo Shimada, his appearance, personality, and abilities.

Appearance

In the manga, Hideo has a slightly above-average height and a sturdy build. He has pointed eyes and wide, flat eyebrows. His hair is black and neck-length, with two short bangs on either side of his forehead. On the other hand, in the anime, he is smaller with a lankier build. He has brown hair, light brown eyes, and a pointed fringe that spikes down in the middle of his forehead. He wears a white shirt and a blue blazer, which is the same school uniform as Shinichi, while in the manga, he wears a white shirt with black suit pants.

Personality

When Hideo first appears in the series, he portrays himself as a peaceful parasite with no intention of harming humans. He expresses his interest in getting to know Shinichi and Migi, two other characters in the series, and claims to be learning to eat normal food. However, as the story progresses, it becomes apparent that he is not as peaceful as he initially appeared. He has no qualms about killing bullies who start fights with him and continues to hunt humans, despite his claims of wanting to learn to eat normal food.

Hideo is an active sports player, and he believes that it helps him control his human host body better.

Plot

Hideo's first appearance is in a conversation with Reiko, another parasite who asks him to observe and gather data on Shinichi Izumi. Reiko tells him that it is for the greater good of their species. Hideo then enrolls in Shinichi's high school and expresses his desire to become friends with Shinichi. However, Shinichi does not trust him.

Kana Kimishima, another character in the series, mistakes Hideo for Shinichi due to her parasite sense, which gets his attention. He begins to question her and asks why she thought he was Shinichi when they have little physical resemblance. Shinichi comes across them with Kana trying to escape Hideo's grip and threatens to kill Hideo if anything happens to the people around them or in their school.

After a confrontation with Kana that Mitsuo witnesses and tries to intervene in, Hideo beats up Mitsuo in a bathroom and threatens to kill him next time. Later, Yano, the leader of Mitsuo's gang, asks Mitsuo what happened, and the group goes to teach Hideo a lesson. Hideo brings them to a quiet area where he could presumably kill them all without witnesses. However, Migi detects his readiness to kill and warns Shinichi, who leaps over a high wall to stop them and inadvertently reveals his superhuman ability to Hideo. Hideo allows Shinichi to take care of the gang and leaves.

Yuko Tachikawa witnesses Hideo reforming a large dent in his head from being hit by a baseball. Due to her brother's work as a police sketch artist, she is peripherally aware of parasites and begins stalking Hideo. She confronts him alone at school, and when he tries to attack her, she throws paint thinner into his open head cavity, causing him to go out of control. She manages to escape him by leaving through a window and jumping into a tree. Hideo's head is stuck in attack mode, and he rampages through the school, murdering 17 people. Several policemen attempt to stop him

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