Parasyte: The Maxim Character Analysis: Reiko Tamura

Reiko Tamura, also known as Ryouko Tamiya, is a character in the anime Parasyte: The Maxim. She is one of Shinichi Izumi's high school teachers and a parasite. This article explores her appearance, personality, abilities and powers, as well as the plot she is involved in.

Appearance

Ryoko Tamiya had shoulder-length light purple hair with hair strands swept to the right side and sharp brown eyes with bags underneath them. Her average height and slim build, along with her good looks, caught the attention of students and teachers alike. As Reiko Tamura, her skin became fairer, and she had upper-back length black hair with bangs swept to the left side and a more pointed face. Her expression was calmer and relaxed, and she was often seen wearing formal attire and lipstick.

Personality

Reiko Tamura was a highly intelligent parasite with scientific inclinations and a drive to discover the biology, origin, and purpose of parasites. She was initially cruel and unfamiliar with human psychology, like her fellow parasites, but she slowly grew to understand human emotions and reactions. She was logical and reasonable, allowing Shinichi Izumi to live unmolested because she found him an interesting anomaly worthy of study. She was also manipulative, capable of using her studies on human and parasite psychology to predict reactions and steer individuals towards her own aims.

Reiko's maternal instincts developed after giving birth, and she became increasingly emotional towards her son. She sacrificed her own body to keep her son safe, revealing that she truly believed humans and parasites to be the same.

Plot

Ryoko Tamiya started off as a substitute teacher in Satomi Murano's homeroom and math class, having managed to keep her original host's identity free of suspicion. She meets with Shinichi Izumi and convinces Migi to meet with her for the purpose of sharing information. In secret, she brings along Mr. A, who identifies Shinichi and Migi as a threat. She reveals that she is pregnant with a human child and concludes that parasites have no means of reproducing themselves.

After Mr. A's human host body is damaged by Shinichi's actions, he tries to find Ryoko in hopes of transferring to her host. He tracks her to a room where she sets explosives, and she jumps out the window as the room explodes behind her with Mr. A still inside. Later, Ryoko is invited to a staff conference and, because she is a pregnant single mother, she is given special attention. She is eventually killed by the police while protecting her son.

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