Picture this: An enigmatic character (who looks and dresses like no one else) drifts about the countryside, conveniently showing up at some remote locale to investigate some bizarre, supernatural occurrence that has most of the town residents crapping their kimonos off. He then promptly informs them that little bug-things are the problem, tries to help a bit, then high tails it. And he does this some 25 times.
Well, that’s not a very selling endorsement of the critically-acclaimed anime series “Mushishi”, but it’s an amusing way to break it down. The series takes place at an unidentified time in Japanese history, presupposing a world where exists “Mushi”, basic organisms that have a profound and often confusing effect on the greater world. The main character is Ginko, the quintessential drifter, but also by trade a “Mushishi”, a person skilled in identifying and handling such creatures. The 26-episode series documents his journey to various places, as well as his confrontations and relations with various Mushi and people.
The production qualities of the series are of especial note. Heavily concerned with the poetic and pastoral nature of the story, the animation quality is expressed best in its vibrant and bold color contrasts, as well as the flair and detail in its landscapes. More so than most other anime, viewing “Mushishi” is like viewing a moving canvas. There is a plainness in some of the character designs, but the fact that characters as consistently disposed of at the end of each episode (not to mention the fact that everybody’s wearing a similar outfit) makes this somewhat forgivable. The viewer ultimately favors the scenery and the strange designs of the Mushi more than anything else.
Sound quality is not only excellent, but just about always appropriate. The musical pieces establish the appropriate moods of tension and mystery quite well, and dulcet music often encapsulates both the ideal, pastoral nature as well as highlighting the calm after the denouement. You yearn for a soundtrack before you finish the series. Voice quality is done well (I viewed Japanese with English sub-titles), with all the important characters having some personality to their lines. Yuto Nakano, the seiyu for Ginko, is enjoyable for his ponderous and relaxed voicing of the character. It’s also important to note how well the series does in “quiet moments”; the production team does well in knowing when silence is golden.
The series is of an episodic nature, meaning that each episode has a self-contained story and little is carried over to the next episode other than the character Ginko and his involvement in other strange events. This feature, often found in shorter anime productions (“Cowboy Bebop”, for example), tends to infuriate some fans of the genre. But this works perfectly for this subject, as every story is a short combination of mystery and magic realism. Especially in the case of “drifter stories”, it’s highly appropriate.
The Mushi, different in every appearance, comes across as both primal and complex. Man is often fearful or unaware of its existence, and even those who deal with them are often at a loss to describe its actions and reasoning. This fact is importantly established early on, as the reader understands that not even Ginko the expert can always handle Mushi-related phenomena. Ginko, with his anachronistic look and strange features, is just as uncanny as the Mushi, but that makes him perfect as the willing liaison between it and humanity. But as deep and contemplative as Ginko is, he is also sharp, sarcastic and amusing when needed.
People who enjoy the series will have been able to suspend their disbelief a touch. If you can accept that some of the inconsistencies make for neater mysteries, then “Mushishi” becomes all the more engrossing with its aesthetic qualities enhancing the experience. People who like more epic story arcs may also struggle with this, but remember that watching an episode of “Mushishi” is like reading a Sherlock Holmes story; when it’s over, you enjoy the climax and move on to the next story. The series is more enjoyable when you put yourself in the same shoes as the minor characters, who find themselves forced to deal with strange events they can hardly understand, sometimes without any resolution.
My Review: 5 out of 5
Lasting Appeal: Own. Unless fantastical anime is not your cup of tea, this is something that you can easily return to.
Look up more information here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushishi
