License covers N. American, S, American, UK, Australian, New Zealand rights

North American anime distributor Sentai Filmworks announced on Friday that it has licensed Parasyte -the maxim- for North America, South America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.

Sentai Filmworks released a teaser trailer:

The 24-episode series premiered in October. Crunchyroll is currently streaming the series as it airs in Japan.

Kenichi Shimizu is directing the series at studio Madhouse with Shoji Yonemura (Guin Saga, Glass Fleet) in charge of series composition. Tadashi Hiramatsu (Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi, KareKano) is designing the characters and Ken Arai is composing the music.

Sentai Filmworks describes the story:

Unbeknownst to mankind the world is quietly being invaded. Alien beings known as “Parasytes” begin infiltrating humans one by one, burrowing into their brains to take complete control of both their bodies and their identities. With an insatiable hunger for human flesh these cold and calculating creatures mutate into grotesque monsters who feed on the unsuspecting when they're not hiding behind the faces of everyday people. Only Shinichi Izumi, a lone high school boy, is aware of the terror lurking in plain sight. After one Parasyte's attempt to take over his brain ends in failure, Shinichi's right arm is instead possessed by this monster with a mind and an agenda all its own. As Shinichi and his unwanted cohabitant, “Migi,” struggle for dominance of his body, the alien infection continues to grow and so does the trail of bodies in its wake. Now Shinichi and Migi must become more than host and parasite if they hope to not only protect themselves, but Shinichi's loved ones as well. As Shinichi and Migi's symbiotic bond deepens, will Shinichi be able to hold on to his humanity, or will he evolve into something more than he ever imagined?

Hitoshi Iwaaki serialized the manga in Kodansha's Afternoon magazine from 1990-1995. Mixxine, the company that eventually became Tokyopop, published Parasyte in its Mixxine magazine and later in compiled book volumes. Del Rey then republished the series from 2007-2009, and Kodansha Comics republished the manga again from 2011-2012.

The manga will also get two live-action film adaptations, the first of which opened in Japan on November 29, and the second film will open April 25.