Mushishi

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.

describing the meaning of mushi-s without emerging some false ezoteric- extraterrestial blabla is almost impossible, probably thats why this masterpiece of anime remained quite unknown. each episode is a different hymn of life. amazingly visualized, breathtaking beauty of life, as it flows mysteriously and appear in different manifestation, like animals, plants, and mushis creating a wonderful and complex ecology. a scratch on the balance of lifeforms symbiosis results strange, unusual phenomenons, that can be cured by the Mushi-shi, a kind of para-doctor who is destined to smoke (thc) in order to keep mushis away from himself. and the atmosphere! it just picks you up from the world around for 23 minutes, and shows some real values using the average, common people to show the greatness of humans, and mushis, and above all: life. cheesy, cheesy, but if you watch, you wont have other options than agree:)

Mushishi is does not have a linear plot, but I find that great as each episode holds a new wonder. Some of with are horrifying and others end up good. It feels very naturey but has sort of a paranormal spin to it ending up with the this. The anime is interesting and unique and I'd recommend it.

What can I say about a show like Mushishi? All you really need to know is if you want a calm/serene experience with some of the most beautiful pieces of music anime has to offer then this show is made for you. If, like me, you are tired of the character tropes most anime use these days, then Mushishi will be a breath of fresh air because every character here acts like a normal human being. The best compliment I can give Mushishi is that it is like a nature documentary that you will never forget.

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.