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.

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.

I was in search for an anime that was finished and was short that is when I stumbled across this spectacular anime.

This anime comprises of 26 episodes each stands alone from the other. Ginko the Mushi-shi travels around japan encountering Mushis.

Mushis are creatures that are neither animals or souls, they are living things between them. Not everyone can see them, Ginko and a few others can see them. Mushis can be good and could be bad. Ginko helps people who are facing problems with Mushis.Every encounter Ginko makes with a mushi is breathtakingly fascinating.

I suggested this anime to a couple of my friends and they all asked me "It doesn't have a story-line as such. does it? Then how is it fun?"

I can only tell you that if you don't watch this you are just going to miss a great amount of fun.

Every time I watched one episode I would be persuaded to watch another and then another. The art is extraordinary, music is spectacular, and the stories is just Brilliant. Its not just about the Mushis or the Mushi-shis, Its about Human emotions and love.

A must watch anime. If you decide not to see this you just missed "Serenity"!

My rating : 9/10

If you're looking for an anime with quick-paced action and loads of screaming and fan-service, look elsewhere. If you seek an engrossing anime with meaning and a certain "sentimental" charm, Mushishi is the deal. While there's nothing totally wrong with the former type of anime, Mushishi really sets itself apart from the others - with a very melodic and abrupt opening, calm atmosphere and music throughout the show, as well as minimal dialogue that is quite monotone.

The story is a very interesting one that explores the world inhabited by creatures dubbed "Mushi", which surround us and are much more complex than any standard organism. We are introduced to an enigmatic man nicknamed "Ginko", who is a self-proclaimed "Mushi master" and seems to possess a considerable understanding of these perplexing creatures. Each episode is standalone and the series does not have any discernible ending, but this is a huge part of the charm of the series and that allows it to be easily picked up from any point. In each episode, Ginko meets individuals who have been affected by the Mushi in some way.

The dub is surprisingly great and lacks the melodramatic and over-the-top voice acting that other anime tend to have, so I would definitely recommend it just as much as the original. This is a great watch for viewers of virtually any age. What's more? It's great for stress and insomnia.

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!