- Home
- Anime and Manga
- Anime Review: Mushi-Shi Vol. 6
Anime Review: Mushi-Shi Vol. 6
- By Gretchen Lee
- Published 03/9/2008
- Anime and Manga
- Unrated
Gretchen Lee
Gretchen is an anime junkie who spends far too much time reading manga and searching for that elusive new favorite series. She lives with her cat, and raises tomato trees.
View all articles by Gretchen Lee
As quietly as it began, Mushi-Shi ends on a similar note, with the same style and format, and all of its creepy goodness. If you've enjoyed the previous volumes of Mushi-Shi, then this last installment is sure to please. It shouldn't be surprising, given the format of the series, that the final four episodes contain no huge revelations or big surprises, just the self-contained folktale-like stories we've come to expect. In some senses, it doesn't really feel like an ending, but more as though the traveling storyteller has finished his or her repertoire, and has packed up and moved on to another town. Those of us left behind can hope that storyteller will come back with more tales, but if they don't, at least we have the memories of the ones he or she shared.
A young woman has been cursed with a voice that attracts a certain mushi that causes everything, including people, to turn into rust. Shunned by the villagers, she hasn't spoken in years, in an attempt to stop the rust's spread. The answer to her dilemma is held by a young man who comes from a village near the sea.
When a new form of mushi is discovered, Ginko and another mushi master need to figure out how to control it before a village's crops are destroyed. The battle of wills that ensues, of arrogance over gaining understanding before acting, wastes precious time. With winter coming, what do you do with a fire that provides no heat, and a field of withered crops?
There is a mushi that lives in the eye that can provide sight to the blind. It is, however, the gift that keeps on giving. As the mushi settles in, a person sees everything, even with their eyes closed, even into the future. All that sight becomes too much and can overwhelm a person, leaving them with few options.
Some people sensitive to mushi and the flow of the river of light travel in groups, following the river and maintaining the life in the areas where it flows close to the surface. One such group makes a yearly visit to a mountain owned by a family who's job is to guard the lake that is home to the mountain god. The family's young heir befriends a boy who travels with the group, but he gets a little jealous when his friend shows up with another boy who has white hair and only one eye...
The final volume completes the series with a strong finish. The nice thing about Mushi-Shi is that if one tale isn't quite as fascinating as one would hope, there's always the next one that might be more to one's liking, and it's all a matter of taste. Personally, I particularly liked the episode about the heatless fire and the final episode about the travelers. The tension between Ginko and the other mushi master over what to do about the new mushi and how best to deal with it demonstrated Ginko's insistence on learning to live with mushi rather than destroying them outright. It's a good morality tale of what can happen when a person is governed by fear and acts before thinking things through. The final episode was appealing because it gave a little more insight into Ginko's early life. If I made a complaint about this series, it would be that I wish there was more about what led Ginko to his current path, and why he seems to be so different from other mushi masters. The last episode helps to answer those questions, and for that I am very happy. It made for an appropriate ending to a series that doesn't really have an ending.
The artwork is as lovely in this volume as it is in the rest of the series. The episode with the mushi that lives in the eye is particularly beautiful for the varied palette. The colors practically glow, adding to the wonder the character feels at being able to see for the first time in her life. On the other hand, the episode with the rust takes place in winter and the monochromatic predominance of the color grey is striking in its starkness. That's what I love about this series. The careful use of color sets the perfect mood for each particular tale.
Ah, goodness. I'm sorry to see this series end. It's become a favorite, for the beautiful artwork and thoughtful stories. It doesn't matter if not all the conclusions make sense, or if some episodes aren't as strong as others. Nothing is perfect, but Mushi-Shi offers such an ethereal, dreamlike experience filled with the beauty of life in all its ugliness that I can't complain, and will instead look forward to watching it again and again.
Details: Runtime 100 minutes, contains episodes 23-26. Extras include a Mushi-Shi production site tour, actor/director commentary, textless songs, trailers, a booklet, a reversible cover, and an art card.
A young woman has been cursed with a voice that attracts a certain mushi that causes everything, including people, to turn into rust. Shunned by the villagers, she hasn't spoken in years, in an attempt to stop the rust's spread. The answer to her dilemma is held by a young man who comes from a village near the sea.
When a new form of mushi is discovered, Ginko and another mushi master need to figure out how to control it before a village's crops are destroyed. The battle of wills that ensues, of arrogance over gaining understanding before acting, wastes precious time. With winter coming, what do you do with a fire that provides no heat, and a field of withered crops?
There is a mushi that lives in the eye that can provide sight to the blind. It is, however, the gift that keeps on giving. As the mushi settles in, a person sees everything, even with their eyes closed, even into the future. All that sight becomes too much and can overwhelm a person, leaving them with few options.
Some people sensitive to mushi and the flow of the river of light travel in groups, following the river and maintaining the life in the areas where it flows close to the surface. One such group makes a yearly visit to a mountain owned by a family who's job is to guard the lake that is home to the mountain god. The family's young heir befriends a boy who travels with the group, but he gets a little jealous when his friend shows up with another boy who has white hair and only one eye...
The final volume completes the series with a strong finish. The nice thing about Mushi-Shi is that if one tale isn't quite as fascinating as one would hope, there's always the next one that might be more to one's liking, and it's all a matter of taste. Personally, I particularly liked the episode about the heatless fire and the final episode about the travelers. The tension between Ginko and the other mushi master over what to do about the new mushi and how best to deal with it demonstrated Ginko's insistence on learning to live with mushi rather than destroying them outright. It's a good morality tale of what can happen when a person is governed by fear and acts before thinking things through. The final episode was appealing because it gave a little more insight into Ginko's early life. If I made a complaint about this series, it would be that I wish there was more about what led Ginko to his current path, and why he seems to be so different from other mushi masters. The last episode helps to answer those questions, and for that I am very happy. It made for an appropriate ending to a series that doesn't really have an ending.
The artwork is as lovely in this volume as it is in the rest of the series. The episode with the mushi that lives in the eye is particularly beautiful for the varied palette. The colors practically glow, adding to the wonder the character feels at being able to see for the first time in her life. On the other hand, the episode with the rust takes place in winter and the monochromatic predominance of the color grey is striking in its starkness. That's what I love about this series. The careful use of color sets the perfect mood for each particular tale.
Ah, goodness. I'm sorry to see this series end. It's become a favorite, for the beautiful artwork and thoughtful stories. It doesn't matter if not all the conclusions make sense, or if some episodes aren't as strong as others. Nothing is perfect, but Mushi-Shi offers such an ethereal, dreamlike experience filled with the beauty of life in all its ugliness that I can't complain, and will instead look forward to watching it again and again.
Details: Runtime 100 minutes, contains episodes 23-26. Extras include a Mushi-Shi production site tour, actor/director commentary, textless songs, trailers, a booklet, a reversible cover, and an art card.