Mushishi

Mushishi is a strangely calming anime. It takes place in almost feudal Japan (they seem a lot more liberal and have access to some technology like microscopes and the mushishi talks about genetics in one episode) and follows Ginko, a man that can see the strange lifeforms that are all around us, called Mushi.

In the end the episodes are rarely tense, with no or almost no violence. The mushi themselves are not perceived as evil that must be killed, but as a part of the ecosystem. Unlike most mushishi (a sort of mushi hunter/doctor), Ginko, the lead character, seeks only to restore the balance between normal life and mushi life.

The anime itself takes place for only 26 episodes, all self contained, you could watch any of them in any order without losing any continuity. The manga is of course much longer and you can read it online.

The calm music and the elements of traditional Japanese life and history are most welcome for a leisurely time when you want to relax and take your mind of things.

MUSHISHI?! How on Earth did I end up here, smack bang in a middle of this wide-eyed& reason-free land taken over by some mysterious creatures, called sweetly but completely unlikely, errr - "Mushi"?.. Not exactly Fullmetal Alchemist, or Ghost In The Shell, I knew that before I even started watching, ahem, MUSHISHI, but I thought I'll give it a go (too scared to watch El Orfanato tonight anyways, what with all the April's rain beating against the window panes, and all). Half way through the first episode (23 minutes or so each, btw, including the obligatory long sing-along intro) and I knew I was caught hook line and sinker on the simple but haunting beauty of the whole thing. Watched 10 episodes by now, head filled with strange yet strangely believable, and, um, highly desirable world of Mushishi, with its magical scenery, just-so characters and non-judgemental story lines delivered with quiet ease and confidence by someone who knows what they are talking about. Unmissable.

Being a huge fan of Anime i was looking for a really interesting anime to watch. i stumbled upon Mushi-shi on amazon and bought the set for reasonable price. I could not have been happier with the result. Mushi-shi is one of my now all time favourite anime series. It's only flaw is that there is not enough of it! The stories portrayed in the series are heartwarming, creepy or just plain intriguing. It kept me going back to the DVD player every day just to see the next episode. The animation and audio is all very stunning and adds a tranquil feel to it. Mushi-shi is a pure jewel and also emits all the right messages about nature and life. Anyone looking for a gripping anime with great stories. Watch Musih-shi!

Mushi-Shi (2005) from Japan is a brilliantly written and thought-provoking anime series, with lots of surprises in store for you if you are patient and open minded.

With Mushi-Shi you will refreshingly NOT see your typical anime cutesy big-eyed girls having crushes on boys, shallow harem sex stories that get old fast, or violent, senseless samurai blood letting. Mushi-Shi is in a class by itself, a gentle show with class and poignancy. As the teachers used to tell us in school, "You will need your thinking caps for this one."

At first you think you are watching a series about a life force called "mushi", and a traveling man named Ginko who is studying them, but the episodes all have moral tales to teach that transcend the outline of the basic stories. Most episodes are really about the relationships between human beings. The mushi are really incidental and act as catalysts to the dynamics of personal relationships.

For instance, in the incredible "A String from the Sky" episode the story isn't really about the mushi string that captures the girl, flinging her into the sky; the real lesson being taught is the essential trust that has to exist between a man and woman who claim to love each other. The relationship will not survive without that trust. In "One Night Bridge" the episode really isn't about a mushi bridge that appears once every twenty years; rather the story is about a love so powerful between a young girl and boy that even the experience of death cannot truly break the devotion of their relationship.

There are also surprising touches of humor in the stories and the main character of Ginko, both of which help bring some levity to serious situations taking place in most of the episodes.

I watched in both Japanese with English subtitles and then all over again in the English dub, and I ended up liking both equally. Also special mention should go to the beautiful music soundtrack, which was perfect for the series. If only all anime were of such superb quality! Each episode is basically a stand alone segment, with different characters interacting with Ginko, who is the traveling "Mushi Master" out to help them, if he can, extricate themselves from the mushi's influences.

I rented the series from Netflix. Although the rating there is TV-14 I disagree with this completely. There is nothing in Mushi-Shi that children ten years of age or older couldn't watch. No sex, hardly any violence, the language is clean except for a "damn" once in a blue moon. Compared to most other anime out there Mushi-Shi is very clean.

I have watched my share of anime series by now, but I could easily throw all the others out after watching Mushi-Shi. It's that phenomenal. It deserves its high rating on the IMDb. It is intelligent and boasts beautiful animation. Don't miss this wonderful series!

Mushishi is an episodic anime comprised of 26 parts. Each episode stands alone from the rest and often the only common denominators in the stories are the presence of Ginko, the main character, and occasional appearances of his friend, Adashino-sensei. Ginko is a Mushi-shi (or bug master, if you'd prefer a literal translation) who travels around the far reaches of Japan examining and documenting various species of mushi. At the same time he helps those who come into contact with these entities: it seems many types of mushi are parasitic in nature and there are unfavorable results when they cross paths with humans. Throughout the series we're shown many magnificent creatures as well as a few intriguing glimpses into Ginko's past.

Mushishi is an extraordinary series. It was refreshing in that it was so serene to watch – the art is beautiful, the atmosphere is peaceful, and yet the series was able to create excellent tension when it was called for. The stories within it are intriguing and one is left with a sense of wonderment when all is said and done.

However, I was left yearning for more from the series. I found myself so interested in the characters that I wished for more plot – perhaps an arc or two that consisted of multiple episodes. There were a few opportunities in the show where they could have done just that, but instead they chose to remain true to the manga. As a result, you have to be patient while watching the series and enjoy it for what it is; its pacing is so different from other animes that you might be more familiar with.

This series has easily become one of my favorites, and I hope it receives more recognition outside of Japan – recognition that it so plainly deserves.

9/10