volkman.reta - 2014-05-18 13:48:15

Mushishi Review

Mushishi is certainly a weird one. On one hand, it's just plain different than any other show you've ever seen, on the the hand it could be a chore to watch, especially if you're watching it all at once (not recommended). It is boring at times, but every once in a while does something worthwhile.

First off, the show has the kind of atmosphere that you never see in a show, mush less an anime. It's very calming, seren, and just beautiful. Part of the reason is the sound, which was a joy to hear. The opening was nothing short of brilliant, and the rest of the soundtrack fit the show perfectly. The background noise was also very full of life, so you can tell there was plenty to of attention to detail here, which is expected from the Hiroshi Nagahama and Kazuya Tanaka. The dub was also great, and I suggest you watch it that way if possible, as Travis Willingham did an amazing job as Ginko. It's to the point that watching the show subbed is a noticeably worse experience (based on my watching of the special and S2 subbed).

So with all that said, what could possibly be wrong with the series? Well, a good amount actually. My biggest gripe with the series is the it doesn't know how to keep its viewer engaged. We are put in this beautiful world with all these strange creatures, yet the show finds a way to be boring as hell. All the characters have a similar sob story, someone close to them died and Yada Yada, now they have a Mushi problem and it's up to Ginko to save the day. It gets tiring and repetitive after a few episodes. The sound was great, but it sounds the same every episode. The animation was fluid, but the color palette was very dull. I would have liked to hear something more upbeat every once in a while, and maybe a brighter color palette when the show is less gloomy. This is why I find episodic shows like Bebop and Samurai Champloo (I know they aren't totally episodic just bare with me) superior. The stories were different, told different from each other, had different sound and animation, etc. Yeah, I get it, the Mushi are beautiful creatures that just act on instinct, they aren't purposely harming people. But that idea can't keep this show going. My favorite episodes are the ones that tell a worthwhile story, something I can get something out of, be it a moral or a theme. But most of the time I got nothing, and I was just sitting there wondering the purpose of this show.

Let me get something straight, I enjoyed watching Mushishi for the most part, and I wouldn't hesitate in calling this show beautiful. I get it, the atmosphere is amazing, but the atmosphere can only get you so far. You still need a good story to keep the viewer interested, and that's where this show comes up short. Mushishi was indeed an experience I think all people seriously into anime should watch, but I wouldn't call it good, and certainly not a masterpiece (maybe a masterpiece in specific aspects like sound and atmosphere, but not as a whole).

What do I want to see from this next season? Personally, I want some worthwhile stories. I want to Finish and episode and feel like I didn't waste my time, I want to feel like each episode was trying to convey something to me. If it can do that, I'll gladly give S2 an 8 or higher.

cklocko - 2014-04-22 11:37:03

I'm going to breakdown the review now!

[*] STORY:-
Mushi-shi is the only anime that I've come across which is unique than any other I've watched.The narration was totally awesome and the whole concept of "Mushi" was provoking.Mushi is a phenomenon/entity which is neither animal nor plant.Some of these "Mushi" are quite dangerous and Mushi-shi are people who research on mushi.The protagonist of Mushi-shi was treating the people from mushi rather than researching on them.This section isn't exactly Story,it is a Concept actually.As for the story,this series an episodic anime and each and every story of a "mushi" holds a great lesson.

[*] Music:-
I don't expect the original score of any anime to be fantastic.The Opening of this series,The Sore Feet Song,is totally awesome.The background music synced really with the appropriate scenario and I totally loved it.

[*] Visuals:-
The art of an anime which makes me watch it without losing interest whatsoever and Mushi-shi did a pretty well job(actually ArtLand).The scenery and landscape were gorgeous and beautiful and made me stick with it.But I was totally disappointed with the character designs,each and every character than Ginko encounters in each and every problem he runs to are same,except that the kimino are different.Of course,there are some exceptions but most of the characters were identical!

[*] Character:-
I'm not going to discuss about the character design here.Ginko is the one of the highlight-kinda thing in this anime.He loves what he does and treats mushi equally.Every character in the anime are present only in one episode.There is an exception here I guess,the doctor who likes to collect antiques.My favorite character is (lel) Ginko! and and the twins that appear in one episode.

[*] Enjoyment:-
Truth to be told,I dropped it once after second episode and again after seventh episode.This is purely because I've been watching anime of totally different genre and later I forced myself to watch it and it was really boring and later it was interesting when Ginko's past was shown,I wanted to see more of Ginko's past but they restricted it to one episode again. I didn't enjoy this series as much as I enjoyed the other series because this was my first episodic anime but to my surprise they did a pretty good job.

Mushi-shi is also one of the most underrated anime and everyone watch it asap.

[*]The Final verdict:-
Story-5/5
Music-5/5
Visuals-5/5
Character-5/5
Enjoyment-3/5
Overall-5/5

A must watch!

eschmidt - 2014-04-15 19:13:40

ANIME-Mushishi

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EPISODES-26

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GENRE-dark, supernatural....blah blah just see myanimelist for other things

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REVIEW

mushishi shows a different story in each and every episode, and i was quite amazed by that, its like interpreting the things in our lives in terms of mushi doing them. this was overall a great anime and i must watch for the people who like dark and sad anime, ginko is a very realistic and reserved character whose developement has been excellently shown over the course of the anime. the collecter of mushi is also a very realistic and knowledgeable character. here is an episode by episode review of the anime:-

#‎episode 1- this episode was quite sad at first and when the boy saw the memories of his grandmother i was about to cry, the sake cup was overflowing and it was one hell of an emotional episode lol.

#episode 2- this episode actually made me cry when ginko said that the girl had lost her eyes, well it showed a dark side of the mushi world, it was quite sad but the end made me smile.

#episode 3- well my first expression to this episode was "WTF". lol using salt to kill un like you kill snails and covering your ears to kill the ah! lol i dont know how they took the covering ears concept....but in the episode it is mentioned that by covering your ears you hear the sound of an earthquake, and it is because for the muscles of the hand, well, scientifically speaking, it is not the sound of the hand, because when you have covered your ears, your hand muscles come to a rest so they are not moving, so the sound could either be the sound of blood rushing through the veins or the sound of the fluids that are inside the ear.

#episode 4- wtf that man tried to kill himself(though unknowingly) then he actually killed himself.....lol what an episode, i didnt like it! and by the way....i am aqfraid of my pillow now.....

#episode 5- this episode has got a bit of a storyline, only a bit, rather than the random stories in the previous stories, as it mentions the horns and the sake cup from the stories prior to it, it was a really sad story this time and it made me cry as i saw that girl being sad for the swamp.

#episode 6- it was a really beautiful story, but in the end when akoya sniffed the flower again, it became dark and gloomy.....btw the storyline from episode 5 has come to a hault again

#episode 7- this episode was POINTLESS! a boy searches for a mushi for 5 years then when he finds it he cannot touch it as it will attach to his body.....just how pointless can this be?? seriously this episode looked tome nothing more than a filler.

#episode 8- wew this episode was pretty good, the story is awesome, and i am happy that shiro found his way back to the shore in the end.

#episode 9- i was....um.....happy to see the way things turned out in the end in this episode. it was good that the saisho used the seed togain immortality and help the people forever. though it is kind of sad how greedy people can be, to wait for another person to die so as to get food for ones own self.

#episode 10- well, this one was pretty bad if you ask me, i didnt like this story too much. i just liked the last pard where the big pink cloud mushi is there, it looks beautiful.

#episode 11- wow this episode was really sad i cried a lot when mujika died, it was not what was supposed to happen, but well, it was for good. mujika's past surprised me a bit, it was not he who killed the legitimate guardian but his wife.....and i was like "WTF?!?!"

#episode 12- wow this was really shocking, to see that ginko had such a past and he doesn't even remember it! well, it was a good thing he survived but now i am thinking that will he survive long? as he has turned white already!

#episode 13- this is was pretty sad, the boy finds out that his lover is dead already and has been taken over by a mushi and then she finally turns into a normal corpse, then the boy kills himself and turns into a corpse taken ov3er by a mushi, that is absurd but sad

#episode 14- that was a really good story i liked it very much, at first i was surprised with the bamboo babies but afterwards it became normal lol, well this episode is the best one yet for me.

#episode 15- kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ginko's love story!!!! finally he has someone who loves him i hope he also loves her back and they marry finally in the future episodes!!!

#episode 16- this episode was good, it is hard to explain....it is like i gained a kind of.....peace after watching it, it is good to see such a warm and happy family of two.

#episode 17- really great story but completely unexpected end

#episode 18- wow this episode had a great and emotional story but it wasn't as 'dark' as the other episodes. it turned out really well in the end.

#episode 19- this episode was so touching i cried at the end, i think that bit by bit mushishi is getting better at the stories.

#episode 20- wow i loved the girl's technique of writing and also sealing the words with chopsticks O_O i hope her leg gets well.

#episode 21- super dark, super disgusting green glob, super sad....i hated this episode....i have come to a conclusion that dark anime arent my thing but i will finish this anime

#episode 22- good plot, i am really curious about that new mushi though, what could it be??????????????

#episode 23- i hated the way the villagers treated shige, overall it was a good story and it could have been better if shige's ability to attract mushi was eplained.

#episode 24- kyaaa ginko has done it again his wits have again caused good i love the way he works and remains calm even in bad situations!

#episode 25- the story was good but the eyeballs popping out was disgusting....as i thought, i am no good with dark anime.

#episode 26-wew a perfect story with a perfect end, though i kinda feel bad for that mountain and how the koumyakusuji was driven out of its homeland.

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CONCLUSION

overall it was a good anime, not too good, but not bad. it required a bit of an extra touch at some places and a vaster main storyline too, the "new story every episode" concept was not good for me, but everyone has their own opinion, it could just be me.

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RATING- 6/10

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***end of review***

nicholaus.rowe - 2014-02-26 00:43:12

Quaint and peaceful are the most important strengths of Mushishi. What I loved most about it was being able to sit down, relax, and enjoy it one episode at a time without feeling the need to rush through it so quickly. As our main character Ginko travels through lush forests and beutiful scenery to get from village to village to solve the most mundane of problems dealing with the "Mushi" which are the supernatural fungi living on the land, there was never a doubt in my mind I was in for something special.

The story of Mushishi is an episodic journey and very non-linear, it doesnt rely on past knowledge from previous episodes and can be a little repetitive at times especially when it comes to the character designs, however, since it isn't really a character driven show it never really bothered me too much and doesnt interfere with the overall enjoyment of the show.

Not much really needs to be said about the animation, besides the fact that it was nearly flawless for its time. One nitpick I will make on it was the disappearing facial features when the characters were viewed at from a distance.

The sounds in Mushishi were a great addition to the series. I found each track very soothing and relaxing and as mentioned before the peacefulness was most certainly one of the best parts about Mushishi. The relaxing charm of the soundtrack had the ability to drag you in to each setting.

As far as enjoyment goes there is definitely a few ways to spin it. If you enjoy episodic shows like this and have seen many of them before then you wont be put off by how slow the pacing can be at times. If you try to marathon Mushishi there is a good chance you may find yourself bored quickly, its one of the side effects from its story in general. A lot of the episodes can seem similar in many ways to one another whether it be the characters or the conflict itself.

Overall, this is not one to be ignored, from its stunningly beautiful scenery to its soothing soundtrack Mushishi will bring you in to its supernatural world, and you'll leave with a smile 26 episodes later.

ybosco - 2014-02-13 19:01:42

Unequivocally One of the best. Beautifully captivating and endlessly enjoyable. You MUST see this now. Drop everything else if you haven't.

mavis59 - 2013-08-08 15:50:33

Mushishi is one of the finest anime of it's decade. Every episode focuses upon the same exact thing and yet every episode feels entirely unique. Sometimes there is happiness, sometimes there is sadness, but mostly this is a bittersweet rhapsody of life.

Because this is a collection of stories rather than an actual narrative It is hard to talk about they story. They all boil down to the problems that the mushi cause to real people in real situations out of neither malice nor love. The mushi are the central focus of the story-they are fairy like creatures that either have a sentience that is non-understandable or lack sentience but to ensure their "survival" cause situations that endanger, trap, and kill human beings. Every story is self contained, but they all allow you to connect with characters that will most likely never be seen again.

The animation is beautiful and properly catches the award winning artwork of the original mangaka. It is the best possible art style to properly convey the fey and somewhat elusive nature of the mushi and their effect on the world around them with the muted earthy atmosphere that gives a real depth of the world around the mushi.

The sound team is phenomenal every single sound either builds to the proper emotion of calms one into a sense of understanding pertinent to the situation.

The character is the weakest part of the story because other than a few tridary characters only the white-haired mushi-hunter is really developed, but boy is he developed. Through snippets of conversation or moments of true soul-barring honesty the show slowly reveals the life of a man who constantly watches people lose everything and wakes up every morning for the few times he can actually help.

Enjoyment, this is not a show of joy, this is a bittersweet lullaby. That said it always leaves me breathless to watch an episode and there is not a single rotten apple in the bunch.

kendra71 - 2013-07-21 00:43:40

Slow and emotionally intense. If you are looking for a serious show with complex issues, this is great. A nice change of pace from other anime shows I have watched. The only downside is that there is very little character permanence. Ginko(main character) is the only character which you get to know on any deeper level then see again in following episodes

parisian.kristoffer - 2013-07-19 19:39:41

First of all I want to say that Mushishi is very different from most of animes. It´s worth seeing it, because of its difference.

Every episode is not depending on the one before or after. There is no big story or complicated secret. It is more like telling some fairy tailes. May this makes this anime so fresh and interesting, but also tough to watch some times. By the way I was disappointed by the ending. But I do not want to spoil.

All in all I expected more of Mushishi. The special story telling, the relaxing envoirment and also the sometimes thrilling endings of every episode are not very gripping and exciting facing other animes like Code Geass or Steins Gate. So it was kind of lame sometimes. But for people who enjoy watching "chill-animes" this is a good choice.

elouise43 - 2013-06-09 01:15:42

The genius of Mushishi comes from its simplicity. The story follows Ginko, a "Mushishi", a specialist on the spirits that inhabit the world. There is no overarching plot, the episodes each have their own story and conclusion, the only thing in common being the main character and the presence of the spirits, called "Mushi". Each episode is unique and unpredictable, and there is a mix happy and sad endings. More importantly, there is a lesson taught as well as symbolism and metaphor in each episode, making it so much more than the mindless anime there seems to be so much of nowadays. The scenery and animation is beautiful, one of the best I've ever seen. The character development focuses more around the side characters, as very little is revealed about the main character himself. This too is superb. Overall, I would say this is a great anime for both veterans and those new to the genre, a must-watch.

dean.schroeder - 2013-04-10 00:33:17

This will be a review particularly for those interested in the show and want to know what they're getting into. Mushishi follows the journeys of mushi-master Ginko and his many encounters with mushi and the people afflicted by them. mushi are neither animal nor plant - life in its purest form that can vary greatly in all areas.

Story The series does not follow a specific plotline but is episodic, in which every episode contains its own story. Although many people love anime as a medium because it is much more plot-based than other mediums, Mushishi executes it better than any show before it.

Your average episode of Mushishi consists of our protagonist Ginko finding people that are struggling because of the negative influence some mushi may cause - most are harmless, but because they are usually not able to be seen by most, when mushi are the source of a problem it's hard to identify it. That's when Ginko swoops in to save the day - or at the very least, explain the effects of the mushi on those afflicted. How it will turn out can't always be predicted - often times tragic and full of despair. The best part is seeing how it plays out.

Mushishi is the only show able to pull this off. Even with the episodic format every story is compelling. It's an entirely original story. I can only say that the story's pace and mood may not fit everyone's taste but it can certainly still be appreciated. 9/10

Art and Animation Mushishi is one of the most relaxing shows around and has a very supernatural feel to it, and it has artwork to match. The cool natural color palette fits the feel of the show. This surreal style captures the show and traps you inside. With a one-man main cast, Mushishi is best appreciated for its beautifully designed setting. Absolutely stunning. 10/10

Sound Let me throw in a little personal opinion: Mushishi has, by far, the best soundtrack to any show I've ever watched. I'm not one to pay attention to the soundtrack so much, but that ambiance. The tracks are so peaceful and really get through to you. Much like the visuals, the audio matches the series better than any show. A huge contributor to the calm, appealing mood and feel of Mushishi. One of the best parts about the satisfying end to every episode is the music that plays - if I'm not mistaken, it changes every time. 10/10

Character Ginko is a unique character - usually calm and collected but can rarely lose his cool when the situation gets harsh. Always extremely helpful to those troubled by mushi on the occasion that they stir up trouble. An interesting dynamic in Mushishi is that there's not much continued interaction between characters, but you see a variety of different personalities and see how they handle each situation their thrown in as Ginko, one of the only reoccurring characters, aids them. I only wish that even with the great variety of different characters and the way you get to see their struggle unfold, I'd like to have seen more outward emotion coming from them. 7/10

Enjoyment What you often get out of Mushishi is that mellow mood. I would imagine it's every stoner's favorite. You can't get deep into some complex plot like you can with something like Code Geass or Fullmetal Alchemist, but watching an episode of Mushishi is so soothing, it's a great way to wind down after anything intense. That's also definitely possible seeing as how it can be watched in almost any order and you can just pick up any episode and start watching. I really come to love the vibe Mushishi gives that no other show has been able to match. Enjoyment certainly tapers when things slow down though. As I stated before, the show isn't universally enjoyable, and if you demand fast paced action, comedy, fanservice and a plot to follow, Mushishi won't fit your tastes and you may not be able to fully enjoy it for what it is if it is not your type. 9/10

Overall All the different aspects of Mushishi combine to make it a fantastic show. The art, animation, music, voice acting, character dynamic, format - all the different parts work with each other so well, that even those that couldn't get into Mushishi would tell you that they admire it greatly for being so well put together. A great choice if you want to switch things up a little and many agree that it's a must-see. Venturing out of your comfort zone will be rewarding when it comes to Mushishi, as diving into the world Ginko travels through invokes a mood that no other anime can give. 9/10