Mushishi

Story & Characters In the world of Mushishi, there exists a form of life known as "mushi" - strange creatures that are more primitive than animal, plant or bacteria, yet are closer to the source of life than any of the former. Although only a few people can actually see the mushi, they interact with the world in bizarre ways. It is not (generally) in their natures to cause harm, but their entirely alien natures means that when human and mushi interact, neither comes off better. This has led to the rise of Mushishi - people who mediate human-mushi affairs. Ginko is one such mushishi, a man who is constantly traveling from village to village to study these mysterious beings and the effects they have on people, trying to help out where he can. Each episode of Mushishi follows Ginko's journeys through a world that resembles rural, medieval Japan. Although the series is episodic in nature, there are a few recurring characters besides Ginko because Ginko will occasionally return to a village to check up on the friends he has made there. The series is essentially a "mushi of the day" type of show as there seem to be an infinite variety of the creatures; no two remotely alike. However, unlike hero series where the "monster of the day" always ends up in a battle (with recycled footage), Ginko is not always trying to fight the mushi unless he is given a good reason to (i.e. it is deteriorating the life of the villagers.) Ginko is more of a researcher than a mushi exterminator (although the show implies most mushishi are of the latter mindset) so the mushi battle episodes are greatly interspersed with mushi investigation episodes and help keeps the series from being too repetitious or predictable. This also helps maintain the portrayal of mushi as being utterly foreign to our understandings, not as malevolant beings (with a few exceptions.) Because of this, the story remains relatively peaceful and subdued, and one that makes you think instead of one where you can tune out and watch people fighting crazy things. Summary: The story is simple and episodic, with each following a general formula (Ginko arrives at village, finds mushi, deals with mushi) but the variety of mushi and people that Ginko interacts with helps maintain a freshness for each episode. As the series progresses, you can see how Ginko truely cares for the people and mushi that coinhabit the world and often gets emotionally involved in events, allowing the viewer to also develop an attachment to people and events. If you're looking for something other than high-school romantic drama or fighting mechas, this is a good series to try out. Besides, with its episodic nature, you can check out a few now, see if you like it, and come back a good time later to see more if you decide to continue with the series. Art The art of Mushishi is subdued and simple in nature, which is fitting to how the series is presented. The colors are often in a dull grey/brown/green palette which helps set a somewhat somber (but not dark) nature to the show. There's not a whole lot of variety in character design (except for Ginko, with his surprising white hair and green eyes) or scenery (there are only so many ways to portray a forest or a rural village.) If it weren't for the different mushi themselves, the artwork for the scenery and people in each episode would be interchangable. However, the true variety lies in the design of the mushi. They can be glowing, floating jellyfish, or feathery birds, or a rainbow with the colors inverted, or a white bamboo in a grove of green. Each mushi's form is generally relevant to their nature, and there is plenty of variance in that. Summary: Simple artwork with a subdued palette, there's not a lot of variety in a rural medieval Japan setting, but the amount of different mushi help address the lack. Effective, but nothing to knock your socks off. Sound Voice acting: Sort of like the interchangability of the character art (except for recurring characters), their voices are fairly interchangable as well. Although competently done, unless you tie character art + voice + story + mushi together, it can be difficult to tell people from different episodes apart. Thankfully the few recurring characters do have distinct voices (Adashino-sensei is voiced by the well-known Yuji Ueda, who also voiced Honey and Clover's Morita, Love Hina's Keitarou and Kenshin's Sanosuke, among others.) Ginko also maintains a distinct voice, but my favorite performance was Mika Doi's Nui, who portrayed Nui as a reclusive hermit who is old before her time, yet manages to develop a deep attachment to Ginko in the short time they are together. She also does well as the narrator, using the same elderly voice that conveys authority to the narration. Music: The music of Mushishi is fairly quiet and simple but still very beautiful and haunting. No heavy orchestral workings in these songs - they rely more on simple piano/synth and a lot of traditional Japanese bells and chimes, which helps it maintain the medieval Japanese setting. Most of the music is slow and somber, but then most of the episodes are slow and somber. There are a few fast-paced pieces that are used when Ginko is fighting a music, but for the most part the music is soft and idyllic like the episodes. The opening song is a little ditty that sort of reminds me of a Bob Dylan piece (except the words are more easily understood) with its simple harmony and stylings. The lyrics fit the series well (it talks of traveling) but took me a little while to get used to. Summary: Relatively bland voice acting (with a few exceptions) but a soundtrack that really sets the stage for the story and scenery. Presentation Mushishi is a relatively simple series artistically, musically, and in the set-up of the plot, but the content of each episode, and the relationship between humans, mushi, and how Ginko deals with them can be very complex. Due to the episodic nature, it's hard to get attached to anyone except Ginko himself, but the degree to which Ginko gets attached to people and places makes you at least want to try. The episodic nature also means that you can go back and watch any episode you feel like if you found any particular village or person or mushi rather interesting. This series is suited for people who want a more thoughtful series at the expense of gorgeous art, action-packed battles, extensive character development and teenaged angst, and is aimed at a slightly more mature audience. There are a lot of comparisons between Mushishi and Kino no Tabi considering both are episodic series that follow a person traveling from land to land and learning about the people/nature of each place. There are some major differences between the two, which actually makes me enjoy both series better: Kino is the detached traveler who takes Star Trek's Prime Directive directly to heart; she almost never gets involved in a country's business, and sometimes goes out of her way to maintain her distance. Kino no Tabi is a showcase of different lands, each one with a dark and horrible twist at the end that makes you go WTF and think the author is smoking something serious. Kino's detachment allows you to view each country from an outsider's perspective and see what the locals cannot, what makes their land utterly absurd and ironic. Ginko is rather the opposite - he goes out of his way to help people in very place he visits, often coming back several months later to see if he had truely been able to help. He can and often does get deeply, emotionally involved in the situations he comes by, even if he knows things will not turn out the way he wants. This makes him an accessible character and one you can emphathize with, and his fascination with the mushi and their endless variety are transferred to you. With each episode, you wonder, as Ginko does, what sort of people and mushi he will encounter, and what he might be able to do to help both. It's refreshing to get different perspectiv…

The story is captivating much like movies of Miyazak Hayaoi, the drawings are beautiful. I was immediately charmed by the story that takes us in a peaceful world, totally de-stressing and very episodic. An anime to see ! Ginko, the Mushishi, guide our steps through a traditional Japan, where nature has the rights and duties of men. Unpretentious, this lively opens the door to a strange world, sometimes even a little morbid, but always poetic. Assorted decorations and backgrounds worthy of the greatest, Mushishi invitation to dream and escape. The sober design of the characters that best highlights the importance of mushi, these little creatures half animal, half plant, cohabiting at their own pace and according to their rules with even close human being from its environment.

A wonderful anime all around. The entire show has a feeling of calm serenity about it and is extremely relaxing. The music and art style of the anime blend seamlessly. It is truly a beautiful work to look at. Now this is a slower anime so the animation quality is kept quite high throughout the series. Additionally alot of the music is purely instrumentals that blend into the background. Now this anime does take up an episodic approach, meaning that each episode starts from scratch for the most part with a different situation coming up at the beginning and generally being resolved by the end. Rinse wash repeat. This is not the type of show that is meant to be binge watched, there is no overarching story. One should watch this show when they want to relax and watch something peaceful. Basic Idea: There exist spirits that live alongside us and interact with us throughout our daily lives and we have no perception of them. For better or worse these spirits go about their business and some cause problems when they interact with humans. Our protagonist is a Mushi master and can see these spirits. He goes about helping people throughout the land with these problems that arise.

Mushishi is one of my all time favorite anime's the score given because at a realistic view it does have its problems The story isn't exactly put together in one entire season, more of a series of mini stories involving mushi (which can take a little getting used to depending on your tastes) but overall the story is drawn together and shares interesting plot points as an episode. The art and sound are BEAUTIFUL. depicting water colored backdrops whether its a forest or looking at the cliff of a mountain. The sound also makes you feel like you're drawn into Japanese culture as you are watching the story unfold as well as the aesthetics of both calming you and giving you the relaxing feeling you are looking for. Unfortunately the main character development is lacking. You don't find anything out about the main character's history or backstory in depth, basically it is just rolling with the punches. And considering the episodes are completely different each episode, you don't find anything out about the characters in the story after the episode is over so its easy to forget them. The enjoyment value is good as long as you're willing to give it a chance and use your noggin when watching the episodes. Its more of a thinkers anime rather than a balls to the wall action story but it holds it's own in a different way. Overall with the mixed score I have to give it a 7 out of 10.The story is ok but never has a huge plot point. Basically each episode being a mini story about mushi, and the ending could use some work (then again thats usually an anime's weakness lol). The art and sound are a beautiful mix which is relaxing and breathtaking, which goes along the same beauty as the major movies mihuzaki has created. Character development is lacking and needs a little bit more padding on Ginko's backstory, And it will only fit certain audiences if you are willing to give it a chance and are a fan of episodes that make you think and make you have to focus to understand what is going on.

Most relaxing and mellow anime I've ever seen, including the opening. After watching each episode, they would leave me feeling somewhat sad but yet bewildered and calm. If that's understandable at all. This anime is one that I can fall asleep to at night. Sometimes that's what I actually use it for. NOT that it's boring. NOT AT ALL BORING! My reasoning for doing this is written above. It's such a simple anime as far as the art goes. It keeps pretty much in nature through different seasons. But the stories are far from simple. They are very thought-provoking and some even eerie. Highly recommend if you want to chill and relax and work your brain at the same time.

I personally have never really liked anime that had a different story each episode but Mushishi was what changed my mind for a while. You get to see just plain amazing art and the voicing of both sub and dub mixed with the sounds of nature and such are so refreshing and calming. The main character is shrouded in mystery but reveals bits and peices every now and again and I just really loved watching this anime.

Ever get the need for an anime that is nice to watch alone, where you don't need 100% of your brain to enjoy? This is not to say that mushishi requires you to turn your brain off, instead i'd say it requires some thought, but enough to keep it at a mellow middle of brain power. It's beautiful to look at, interesting to listen to and follow and just genuine fun to watch. Though it is a more melancholy then happy, It's not enough to depress you too much, and the amazing fun and happy moments make up for a lot of the tear jerkers. just watch and love it.

first of all there is great news for mushishi fans..there is a ova episode and the 2nd season to this anime is on the way guys they have officially announced it ..!i cant wait!!!!! i have been wanting to write a review for this masterpiece for a long time but i just didn't know what to say, the experience i got from it was something i cant put it in to words ..never the less i'll try my best! story- is great! absolutely mind blowing ... literary you have to see it to believe it! it takes us to a world that's full of amazement and wonder .. where anything and everything is possible but it doesn't mean its always good or bad. the story takes place in a alternative world where nature and humans are greatly involved and twist around because of this the viewer can easily relate to any character and can think realistically. when a world this unique appears before you its very hard to find meaning in plot because your distracted by other things but that's where the mushishi writer is a genius because the writer kept the balance between mythical/spiritual/supernatural and realism that's what make mushishi perfect..! art- is fantastic its a perfect match for the story's theme. i fell in love with the main character in first few minutes and for me to that have happen is rare. art was very cool and relaxing also very fluid. back ground and the characters goes smoothly together as well..i am saying this because sometimes the characters are greatly drawn but the back ground is soo off it doesn't go with the theme of the anime .. but here its superb 100%.. goes with the mood the characters are feeling. i have to say there are a lot of characters in this anime and it must have took real hard work to make them look so different from each other.. and seeing significant details on these characters proofs that it is magnificent. respect for the animators and art team. sound- wow what can i say.......i love it. the song is so calm and soothing and very catching full of meaning .. you will be happy to know (because i was) its in English which is rare to find and the band pulled it off because its still have its Asia flavor. i remember the song by heart word for word ...also the back ground music was fantastic.. its very quite (natural like with a twist) and shrine like..have beautiful bell involved melodies but suddenly when action scene or fast moving this happen it pick up like a rocket and the beat gets to you ..it was the trick to take it to next level. character- main character ginko is the bomb he has a very amazingly inspiring perspective of life that you will come to admire soon. you will wish that you should be like him (ginko). .. oh.. there are so many to choose from.it is like a dessert or a candy store... which is good because there are each and every flavor that you want eat and don't want to eat. every character you see here i bet you have seen in real life. every one is different .the way they react to situations is soo unlike you will never get board. this is symbolism it says even though we are all humans each person is unique to a another no matter how much we look the same! enjoyment- okay i love it what more can i say ...i remember every episode like it is carved on my brain...i watched it in English dub...oh........it was wonderful....ginkos voice actor is mustang from FMA brotherhood!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ,,,,awwwwwww .... what more do you need... every actor did a splendid job ..when we hear it we can tell they put their heart and soul in to their work.. you will feel the passion burning through their voice... they gave soul to such beautiful characters ..i loved every second of it and i hope you love it too.. and theres more coming :3

Wow. That is my impression upon finishing the series (at 3 o'clock in the morning, I may add). I tried to start this series online a month or two ago and just couldn't get past the 2nd episode, but I recently bought it on DVD (because I wanted to see what all the fuss was about) and was hooked from the 3rd episode on. Story: 10 This is the kind of story that sneaks up on you. At first, everything seemed a bit unconnected and I wasn't sure if I liked it, but when I picked it back up, watching a few episodes a night, I realized what a beauty the anime really is. The story is told in an anecdotal sort of format. Rather than showing the lives of a small group of people, the story seems to be more about life itself. There is a big focus on the world and staying in harmony with the creatures that live in it, even the "mushi" who can only be seen by some people but can affect many. One of the nicest parts about the anime is that it's really relaxing. Sure, there are suspenseful bits, but the aura of relaxation never entirely goes away. I was never scared of any of the mushi in the show (I tend to get paranoid in the dark) because even the detrimental mushi weren't the kind that would jump out and scare me, so I was able to retain a calm mindset. Art: 9 All of the art is beautiful. The story is set mostly in rural Japan during older times, so there aren't electronics and technology featured--just nature, which I think is one of the most beautiful things to look at. The only problem I found with the drawings was that many of the characters looked extremely similar--the same coloring, similar hairstyles, etc. even between genders, so it was hard to tell them apart. However, characters never really crossed storylines, and the recurring ones were given significant characteristics, so it wasn't that much of a problem. Sound: 10 The soundtrack for the anime is soothing and musical. I love the opening, which reminds me of summertime and nature, and the endings are all different instrumental pieces created specifically for each episode, so the mood of each story is carried through the credits. Character: 10 There are only two recurring characters that I can remember (the main character, Ginko, and the doctor in one of the fishing villages). That being said, the characters in each episode all seemed extremely human, which was refreshing. Watching an episode is like meeting a new person and catching just a glimpse of their life while simultaneously being introduced to the creatures/mushi that occur where those people live. Ginko was also fun to watch, with a likeable and sometimes funny personality, and I really enjoyed learning his backstory. Enjoyment: 10 The series did feel a little unfinished at the end, but then, the beginning wasn't that significant either, so I believe it serves its purpose as just a glimpse of lives over time. Overall: 10 Watch it. Yes. Please do. Especially if you're stressed or something of the like--it's not a comedy, but it makes everything feel a bit more beautiful and profound (with not a lot of thinking involved). Take the journey along with Ginko and see how even though all creatures live differently, they are all part of this wonderful thing called life.

Mushishi was (and is) definitely one of the most satisfying, well-thought anime series I've seen so far. The genre is both supernatural and romance, which pairs very well in a story like Mushishi's, so I would definitely recommend this to fans of supernatural beings and/or friendships between abnormal beings and humans. Story: 10 Jumping straight to the story, it was excellent and deep-hearted. It actually flowed with the manga quite well with an easy-to-understand setup. Each episode contained a complex message or moral that all tied together in the end, and with the atmosphere it consented with it was very enjoyable to piece these hidden messages together. Although some episodes skip through entire manga arcs, the plot was well enough to efficiently satisfy me, completing its series without leaving me hanging or wondering "What next?" However the location, era, and origin of each character is unknown, so to first-time readers or watchers, this may be a bit confusing. For fans who are more into the hype of anime, a plot as tricky as Mushishi's will be totally unfitting. Art: 10 The art and animation was beautiful and full of both warm and cool colors. I found the character designs very interesting and well-blended with the natural forest-like scenery, which served as eye candy for the most part. Mushi (the so-called "ghosts" in the series) were colored in different tones and hues, which ranged from relaxed and calm to fiesty and angered. As for the animation, it was extremely enjoyable to see these creatures that not even the viewer knew just floating around like plasma water in air. The characters' movements were fluent, but the camera angles were shaky and sudden at times, which subtracted little from the overall enjoyment. Sound: 8 I usually don't pay much attention to sound very much, but the soundtrack was a bit unfitting along with character movements. The opening and ending was very meaningful and followed a deeper aspect of Mushishi, which made up for sound errors just a smidge. Character: 9 Ginko, the main character, was an enjoyable protagonist along with some side characters. I could tell that Ginko had probably spent most of his life wandering an unknown area, studying these strange beings after an incident as a child and had a very deep interest in Mushi, while teaching those who could see Mushi about these strange beings. Most of the side characters were cliched a bit, and shared a pattern of not knowing about the Mushi, but acknowledging they were harmless creatures after Ginko came along. They all had the same reactions to the Mushi (with the exceptions of a few helping characters). Enjoyment/Overall: 9 As a huge fan of paranormal/supernatural and hidden messages in the plot, I found Mushishi to be a refreshing series. The plot pacing was slow in the beginning, but adequately sped up between the last few episodes, which subtracted from the deeper side of Mushishi. Another minus for me was being a big shounen, sci-fi, and cyberpunk fan, so by gut I didn't enjoy the lack of action in this series. However, Mushishi was a beautiful series with meaningful plot, enjoyable characters, and plenty of eye candy, and always will be in my straight opinion. Again, I'd recommend this anime/manga to fans of supernatural beings and friendships forming "along the way", as the blend of romance and supernatural would make up for sound errors and character tropes.

Wonderful. Outstanding. The art is awesome, it was definitely worthy to watch. Some of you might find it boring because every episode is the same as before [episodic], some people get trouble because of "Mushi" and Ginko is helping them. Super slow, yet relaxing, if you like fast anime this might not be for you. There is so little violence in it, no jumping around or out of the world movement. Each episode is mind boggling and it left you wonder. Filled with fantasy and reality, it's a definite masterpiece-at least for me. As for the character, there's just too little explanation for the main character, but he's cute and mysterious so left it at that. Read the manga if y Go watch it, the first episode get me hooked.

I guess there won´t be anything I can say that has not already been said a few times but I still want to tell you my opinion about Mushishi because this anime certainly is worth the effort of writing a review. It took me a lot of time to start watching this anime due to the synopsis, I just didn´t know what to think about it and so I ignored this anime for quite some time. But oh boy how wrong have I been by doing so After watching the first episode I was kind of confused to see that there is no real introduction and I was even more confused after finding out that the whole anime is about just one guy, seriously ? This may be a point someone might criticize but after watching a few more episodes I thought it was kind of unique, or let at least say refreshing. Refreshing is the right word for this anime and is even more suitable for the only main-character : Ginko A constantly smoking, one-eyed, weird-looking fellow with white hair and green eye(s), who seems somehow creepy at first... this could be seen as some kind of antagonist within some other anime but this is the hero of Mushishi and damn what a good one ! Wandering mostly through the nature of medieval Japan (which is, by the way, drawn in an extremely beautiful way) and occasionally visiting tiny villages and towns, Ginko makes his living by solving problems based on the so called "Mushi", beings very close to life itself and extremely versatile concerning appearence and dangerousness. Every episode takes a look at other people, other places and other Mushi, some of the stories are good, some are decent, some are genius but all of them are unique just because the Mushi and their effects when exposed to humans are that versatile. ( For those who already know, just remember the moonlight bridge, the string from the sky, the bamboo- mushi and all the other crazy stuff that happened, I mean... seriously, they had quite some fun writing stories like that ) Moreover, the art is very special too, almost every side character looks the same, once again, I won´t say this is something that shouldn´t be criticized but I won´t because I liked it a lot. The repetitive style of the side characters sets the focus on their actions and their feelings, you have no chance but to take a look at their personlaities, rather than their looks, in order to judge them. To make it even more interesting, your final judgement can be even more complex after thinking about how they deal with their individual "Mushi-problems", or maybe are even the Mushi at fault for the people acting the way they do ? Can they even be charged for just being alive ? These are some questiones that came to my mind while watching Mushishi and I´m glad about that because this anime managed to make me think about somehow important questiones but without punching a certain image and problem right into my face and saying " this is it and now make up your mind!" What else can be said about Mushishi ? Sadly enough, it´s nothing that will become mainstream but maybe that´s for the best because that way it keeps this special status in my heart ( sry for writing stuff like that but I couldn´t come up with a better way to describe it ). It may be anything but mainstream and it may be very peculiar but that´s what makes Mushishi so great, that fact that there won´t be an anime that can come close to it. I had a great time watching Mushishi and can only recommend it to everyone, it sure is worth trying out so you better do so or else you will miss a truly one special, one BIG anime.

This story is quite lovely. Each episode is pretty much closed off. You can start watching anywhere in the actual show and never really miss anything. The story doesn’t really overlap and the only real character that you need to know is Ginko. It helps keep the story straight and you don’t have to remember every little detail like when it’s a show like Durarara!!! that has a number of different main characters and secondary characters in it. The stories themselves are so cute and yet most of them have a rather sad ending or beginning that really makes you feel depressed and doesn’t help you feel better though. The only times I did feel better is the tiny bit of comedy that happens with Ginko and some of his friends. Ginko is sadly not explained much except for one episode in which they talk about his past but I really would like to know much more about that past. The whole art style is a feast for the eyes and animation almost never falters. This is a show that you would watch if you want something slow and calming as there aren’t ever fighting or hard core battle scenes. Most of the time it’s more talking and careful thinking within the story. Each background is carefully detailed, even when the show is clouded in mist, you can still see a lot of details within it. Characters seem a bit lacking at times though, some of the side profiles look a little dull and skulls seem deformed. It is just the art style though and not laziness. You can tell that they put a lot of heart into the product. The music is very pretty, gentle and sweet. The Background music never ever breaks the show and each story has one main song although it is hard picking out that one song out of the many. I fell in love with the Opening as it really sets a mood. I believe it is in English in both the Japanese Dub and English Dub. The dubs are also good in both English and Japanese, though I lean to the English in this. That does mean that there are a lot of voices that are reused but as I never really notice that stuff, I didn’t really care. This is a must see for anyone that likes slow shows but don’t touch it if you are really into fast pace Mechas.

Mushi-Shi is my all time favorite anime Story - 9 this anime is more of an episody one... where there really isn't one plot that goes through the whole series... it's more like... each episode is a small vignette of the main character, Ginko, solving a problem with mushi. I like this part of the anime because you can watch any episode at any time and still understand it because there is no plot. I don't like it because.... well the same reason if that makes any sense. It's also a very creative idea... It's all about nature and living htings and how they interact and how that's bad or good. It deals with things like that... So there are no fight scenes at all.. But each episode is very calm and soothing and has a very important moral. Some episodes are a bit weird and far-fetched... but most are just amazing. Art - 10 the art is absolutely beautiful. Especially landscapes.. it depicts ancient Japan and its wonderful scenery.. The mountains.. oh god.. they are so beautiful... It's just so hard to tell you all about it. you should watch it and marvel at the beautiful backgrounds. Sound - 10 Masuda Toshio (who actually composed the music for naruto as well) is a GENIUS!! the music for htis series is soooo calming... It's soft and very simple.. maybe one or 2 notes and that's it but it does wonders... Listen to it when dooing homework, you will be so focused on it... Listen to it when you're trying to get to sleep but can't .... You'll fall right into a deep sleep. Listen to it when your stressed. it'll calm you down. just LISTEN TO IT!! some songs are so beautiful that it actually brings tears to my eyes no matter how many times i listen to it. Character - 8 because each episode is a stand alone, they all have different characters, so you can't see any development over time in that. Not even the main character because it just shows you random snapshots of his life helping people with mushi. but the lack of character development in no way demeans the overall anime at all. enjoyment - 10 everything comes together in the most dazzling anime i have ever seen. I fell in love with it. I would immerse myself into each episode and be staring at the screen by the time the end credits come on saying "wow.... that was beautiful" but each episode has a similar aura if you know what i mean. You can't watch too much of the show at once.. After 3-4 eps i suggest to stop because you're watching a similar pattern of events happening and each episode has a lulling effect. overall - 10 just watch it. you won't regret it

Story: Most of the episodes vary in quality, some are amazing while some aren't as powerful though not necessarily bad just not as good (example:the episode about the rainbow). The effects and the purpose of the Mushi were pretty diverse which made it feel almost like a different story each episode. The show can be sometimes quite tragic, not every episode end in a good note, though I wouldn't say it's dark, it's more like the show isn't afraid to shy away from the typical happy ending. Animation: The character design could have used a bit more diversity, since every literally looked the same, I understand that it's pretty much the same case with most anime but everyone had practically the same haircut and facial features that some people would think hey didn't I see you last episode?, at least Ginko actually looked different, though the plain looking characters are easily forgivable because the overall quality of the animation is top notch, like the fantastic looking environment, a lot of highly detailed scenery that helps giving the show an a feeling of epicness. Sound: I watched the dubbed version which was actually quite decent, there was virtually no awkward dialogue and it the voice actors didn't sound robotic, there was some instances where the some voice actors were used repeatedly for different characters but it's not really such a big issue since most games and anime dubs abuse this even more and to be honest I'd rather have that than shit voice acting that most dubbed versions of anime have. The OST usually consist of subtle (and effective) guitar and piano scores, the OP was good I suppose it's a little bit too happy for the show though. Character: Ginko is a good main character he's not annoying but I felt that they could have handled his character a bit better since he doesn't really have that much of a personality, at least the show had one or two episodes dedicated to his back story which prevented Ginko from being a boring character. The show does it's best trying to make you care for the side characters during each episode, while they do a good job making you care even with the fact that the characters look practically the same. Overall: Well I have to say episodic shows are possibly the home of great anime; Aria, Kino's Journey and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (too an extent) are all episodic shows and they are definitely anime of the highest quality, these kind of shows manage to make each episode different and interesting, even as most of the time they have a recurring theme each episode, it never feels repetitive. Mushi-shi is definitely one of the best anime out there, it might have some faults but it has a lot more aspects that it does pretty well. it's a show that's absolutely impossible to hate, and is definitely something every anime fan needs to see.

Like most other reviewers, this anime is very hard to categorize, so i'll just simply say its a slice of life anime which is episodic in nature, and based on the travels of a mushishi called Ginko who is kind of like a traditional shaman/herbalist. The atmosphere is very surreal/melancholic and realistic at the same time, and the stories told capture that childlike imagination we all have/had at one stage of our lives. Highly recommended if you're looking for something unique and spellbinding, although the animes deeper levels would probably be wasted on the kiddies. The only real beef i have with it is the character animations. A lot of the supporting cast looks exactly like other people in the previous episodes, but if you can look past that and accept that they did it intentionally and it's not that important for the story since the characters are all in different situations and have a different personality, you will like this. Also, i suggest you do not marathon this one, and rather enjoy it slowly and in the right state of mind, otherwise you will waste it, because it does move quite slowly and it could turn some viewers off initially. It did for me and i dropped it the first time round, but then later on, it became one of the top 10 for me(same thing for OP, first 30 eps put me off, but for other reasons).

Mushishi is an anime that has an episodic structure and a higher-level action is missing. be Much More Pulls like a thread through the episodes the phenomenon Mushi and the exploration of these - with each episode one penetrates deeper into this mysterious world of fantasy and mysticism. Ginko is traveling, usually he gets from his client mail, asking him that he may come to them or he goes to a village at random and snaps there rumors. If he is somewhere asked he goes to the house of the client and this tell them about strange events that they can not be explained. If this exceeds their judgment and thinking, you are looking for a Mushishi. Then briefly describes what it is and Ginko examined this case in more detail. He gives his thoughts award by which Mushi is and explains what it means to be on and covers solutions. Each episode stands alone as an independent story, yet sometimes we see that a certain chronology and a link between the episodes is when Ginko told about certain cases. So each episode is very fascinating in itself. For each episode represents a particular Mushi and each episode illustrates how strongly with those of Mushi depends people's lives together. As both influence each other. How different the Mushi-species may be. Some are neutral, some also harm people. Especially often it happens that a Mushi itself per se does no harm, because it simply exists. But mere its existence and unintentionally negative impact on the people make him seem like a plague. characters: Each character was incredibly well written. They arrived in front of a like real people and not as a fictional character drawn. Ginko is one of the best characters I know. He is intelligent, is understandable and sympathetic. Visually is "Mushishi" for me a masterpiece. Seldom does one see so stunning, detailed images of nature and everything seemed so eerily alive. The appearance of Mushi is something that a terror inspires and can hold their breath. Somehow the anime looks like a series of paintings that really makes you sink into this wonderful world. The drawing style of the figures is rather simple, but just to be realistic about it. There are no colorful, flashy colors or any things that look like cuteness, as it is known from other anime. Everything seemed so mysterious and uncanny. Musically, I must say, I had often quite goosebumps, especially if there were exciting places where Ginko explained something or anything weird happened, managed to build this mysterious atmosphere and the music. More often even melancholy, quiet pieces of music were played that go under your skin, especially if a story has come to an end. My opinion: Moreover Mushishi is very philosophical. He treated many subjects about which one should think. Can it be justified to take the life of another human being, just so there the group is going well? What's in a single life? And you can live with the bad conscience that another person has died for. Is it selfish to live so on? What is more important, his own interests, or the nature? As you can see is Mushishi experimenting with supernatural things, the viewer moves through the fantastic setting in its spell an anime. But just by addressing the ambivalent phenomenon "Mushi" and the interaction between them and the people shows that the anime mainly everyday things, crises, problems and issues dealt with, which are surrounded by supernatural elements. delve into this fantastic world to get to know more of Ginko and the Mushi, to learn more about the Japanese folk belief, but even thinking about the philosophical questions - that makes the anime from. I particularly wish to emphasize the story in which it comes to a Mushi, who lives at the top of the sky and a thread can be downloaded, with which he can lure his food. Accidentally woman has taken up the thread and is pulled upward. Without a statement that it is a Mushi, one would think that supernatural things were at work. Even more important to the story, however, was that the woman since then could not stay on the floor and there she moved again upward. I found the theme behind thought-provoking: The woman needs to the bottom of the facts, so to stay on earth, something she holds. It is the unconditional love of her friend, she needs so that she can stay on Earth. Are not they, they would disappear. In essence, the story was about the unconditional acceptance and love towards a person. No matter how much you will be despised by society, no matter what efforts you have to take upon themselves. The point is that you love a person, with all their faults and quirks. Then they will remain at a. It was one of the few love stories that ended well and I was very touched. Also something that I found very appealing, was the idea that the dead are reborn. What I would do if my mother would be born as my daughter again? Would I be happy about it or I would not have rather mixed feelings? Because no matter how you look at it, even if the daughter as an image of the mother appears, she would never replace. You could be my mother never again. Such complicated feelings towards the people that represent an incarnation of the deceased, are discussed in the story. I found the subject so far also exciting because I had not seen so often such theories about reincarnation etc. in Anime. As "Mushishi" can be philosophical and profound, I was able to prove to some stories, but there were other episodes where you have to think much. So the people had to decide whether to burn down the mountain or should starve in a story. It was not an easy decision, eventually you wanted a hand not quite sure destroy nature, but when it comes to the welfare of the community - once again - you have to make certain sacrifices. That this decision in the end but that caused even more misfortune for the people came, nobody could imagine. Here is the message that one should think through decisions and their consequences thoroughly and always, no matter how it turns out, should take responsibility. Ever have to wonder what you should consider important, his own interests or the welfare of nature? What man claims the right over the fate of nature to decide to destroy his life to his rescue again? This can be transmitted as well subject to our world, where environmental protection is more important than ever. If animals are not kept under appalling living conditions and the environment exploited, so that man has well? Okay anime is somewhat understandable, because it is about survival. But we think ahead and to the present excessive consumption society, you have to reconsider the attitude to nature critical.

**All of this is based solely on my opinion and to anyone who feels offended or troubled by it. My deepest apology** Well, Mushi-shi is one of the anime i think is underrated by everybody. When i show it to my Dad, he said it's boring. When i show it to my best friend, he said it's shitty. And so on and so on. Every people, i showed this anime will say it's boring. But i find myself quite fascinated by this anime, so read on, please. From what i think, this anime is really similar to "Kousetsu Hyaku Monogatari","Jigoku Shoujo", and last but not least "Jigoku Sensei Nube" and if you want it American style, the "Supernatural" series, except the MC goes solo and kicks ass in this anime. If people found this anime to be boring, i'd say some of the episodes are, even i fell asleep in one of the episodes. But i really like the MC, Ginko. He really amazes with his calm and careful approach to the source of the problem. Rarely shows any signs of fear, and rather he shows amusement in the face of danger. I guess what really pulls me to this anime is the way Ginko carries himself through the problem. Definitely the anime for you if you like calm MC The music in this anime brings the vibe of old japanese era with extra creepy feeling. The OST, i'd say is doing their job nicely by adding a certain emotion to the anime. The artstyle and graphic animation, is just fine. Don't really love it, but i guess i can't imagine this anime going with other artstyle (Like SAO for instance ^^). So it's fine i guess The main cons of this anime though, is the lack of storyline. It's just all about Ginko travels around and solving problems along the way. Ginko meets several new character along the way, but they're just acting like some kind of bonus, and didn't really matter if you just forget them. Similar to "Supernatural", but "Supernatural", have more solid storyline, they have a main enemy, at least. But Mushishi just don't have it. I've watched the "Mushishi Zoku Shou" and the second season of it. And the my review is still the same. Cause the creator of this anime never heard of climax, rising action, and denoument. Das ist der Erste Friede! **I've made several mention of other anime and things in this review. If you liked this anime or you're just curious. It won't hurt to check it out**

Mushishi is an episodic anime, meaning that every episode doesn't particularly connect with the other. At the first glance it may not seem very captivate or interesting, but please believe me, it won't cost much to give Mushishi a try, cause it's not as boring as you may think it is... Story 10 The story is simple but still unique and pretty interesting. Every episode's story is told in a very poetic and enjoyable way, that makes you want to watch the next episode. Every episode is relaxing, breathtaking, and has a deep meaning. But still the story is not the only thing that makes this series so charming. Art 10 The art is gorgeous, it has a wonderful pallet and an excellent design, it is exactly what the story needs, the art and the story are perfectly match with each other. The backgrounds were wonderful and of course the character design was nicely done in order to show how perfect the main character is. Sound 10 Once again... The sound was fitting perfectly with the other elements of the show (story, art, characters). The voice actor of the main character Ginko (Nakano Yuto) was just excellent, I really enjoy his voice acting. Also the seyuu of the supporting cast done a really good job (especially with the younger characters). But what I really loved was the soundtracks, even thought they weren't very catchy they make you lose your self in the series and helps you relax. Character 10 Ginko..... Just how brilliant this character may be? He loves what does, and he always tries to do what he can in order to help people with their mushi-problems. His background story was also beautiful. He really is a very captivating and charming character that I will always treasure. But except Ginko there are still the supporting characters. Even though they only play for one episode, be sure that you will remember them because of their background. Enjoyment 10 This Anime is seriously recommended for everyone, and I mean it. To be honest at first I thought I would get bored of this series and drop it, mostly because a teacher of mine (art teacher, non-anime fan) suggested it to me... but even though I gave it a try, and hontony I loved it, and I watched it 3 times and when I get bored or want to relax I still watch my favorite episodes, I'm pretty sure that I will remember this Anime for a long-long time.

Society is obsessed with labeling things and producing like-minded offspring, and I can only venture to guess those labels are an even bigger part of culture in Japan from what I've come to "learn" of it (for instance bias against outsiders is a strong motive during the whole series) which makes the main character shitting on all of those labels that much more interesting. Like Aku No Hana (which is something Mushishi fans should enjoy) it's quite subtle in its narration and displays an interesting point of view on morality. Although it uses supernatural forces the outcomes of its stories are somewhat realistic in the sense that one side doesn't win all the time and isn't displayed as some kind of morality God-can you really blame a species for wanting to survive (there was a really cool dialogue between Ginko and Mushi on that subject actually) ? As a result every episode feels dramatic yet Ginko's ending speeches always manage to give you a sense of fulfillment no matter what side "wins" because victory is nowhere near the focal point of this anime. Enchanting; one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.