As thoughtful as it is beautiful, Mushi-Shi is one of the best animes I've seen in a long time.  There's a quiet beauty to this series, from the subdued colors to the pleasantly sedate pace to the lovely music that keeps me wanting more.  I was enchanted with this series from the first episode, and the third volume continues to uphold the high standards set previously.  If I weren't so cheap, I would have already purchased the first three volumes and pre-ordered the fourth.  It's definitely on my wish-list.

Mushi-Shi takes place in a rural Japan-like setting where humans live alongside vaguely spiritual invisible creatures called mushi.  Neither plant nor animal, mushi exist on a separate plane that still allows them to have contact in the human world.  They are described as the "essence of life" and behave like any other creature doing its best to survive.  As such, sometimes the mushi's activities interfere with those of humans, and a solution for coexistence must be found.

While most humans can't see mushi, there are a few who can.  One such person is Ginko, a mushi master, or mushi-shi, who travels throughout the land helping people who have been affected by mushi.  Ginko has no home, and explains that he never stays in one place for long due to his tendency to attract mushi, causing problems for those around him.  Mushi aren't evil, or even ill-intentioned, but from time to time their contact with humans can be unpleasant.  Some mushi eat sound, and live happily in a person's ear, causing that person to go deaf.  Others alter one's perception of time, making a day feel like a fleeting moment.  Some even have the ability to cause a person's dreams and nightmares to become reality, unintentionally wreaking havoc.  Preferring understanding over extermination, Ginko helps the mushi move on, although there are times when no amount of help can save the person or the mushi.

Episodic in nature, Mushi-Shi is more of a collection of stories rather than a series with an overarching plot.  This may change later, but for now each episode brings a different set of characters and a different situation, threaded together by Ginko's travels like beads on a string.  With this type of set-up, it's entirely possible that the series could become repetitive, but so far, that hasn't happened.  Each episode is different and tantalizing tidbits about the mushi and about Ginko are dropped along the way.  Pragmatic, reserved, and kind, Ginko is the type of character that warrants observation.  He's the constant throughout the shifting plots. 

The varied plots are thoughtful, and very strongly resemble folk tales.  In this Japan, gods exist, swamps are alive, and a single seed will grow a bountiful crop...at the cost of a human life.  The dilemmas presented, such as choosing between one life and the lives of many, are what keeps this series so interesting.  Each story explores human nature and what it is to be human, to love, to fear, to choose a path.  The episodes in this third volume explore such themes as duty, love, and the price of curiosity.  What happens when an aging mushi master assumes the role of mountain god?  What lengths would a person go to keep another alive?  What would a person be willing to sacrifice for the one they love?  And just how did Ginko end up with only one eye?  With a new story each episode, some of the narratives are stronger than others, but I've yet to encounter one that I wouldn't watch again.  Not all of the stories have a happy ending; some are rather poignant, but all come to a satisfying conclusion. 

I love the look of this series.  It's absolutely beautiful with its subdued colors.  The palette isn't drab by any stretch of the imagination, but there is a soft, dreamlike quality to the artwork that's very appealing.  The rural setting allows for lovely renderings of mountains, forests, the sky, and water.  Some of the backgrounds remind me of Japanese ink paintings, where suggestion becomes reality.  The characters are nicely drawn and fit in well with the gorgeous backgrounds.  My only complaint, and it's not even much of one, is that some of the male characters, especially children, tend to look a bit similar from episode to episode.  This bothered me most at the beginning of the series, and hasn't been as noticeable by this volume.  Either I've gotten used to it, or the characters have become more varied.  I'm not sure which.

The score fits so well with the action, and is just as dreamlike and beautiful as the artwork and plots.  If you're one to skip the credits, it's worth sitting through the beginning for the opening theme, "The Sore Feet Song" by Ally Kerr.  The acoustic guitar and simple tune really set the mood for the rest of the series.

As far as dub versus sub, I have a tendency to go with what sounds the least cheesy, or what is most convenient at the time.  This is a very good dub, along the lines of Wolf's Rain or Fruits Basket.  The English voice actors sound natural and comfortable with what they're doing, much like the Japanese voice actors.  Whether you're a sub person or a dub person, either way works well.

Extras include director interviews for sound direction and shooting direction, both of which are worth watching, as well as textless songs and a few trailers.  There's also a little easter egg for added fun.

The more I watch this series, the more I see.  It's rich and beautiful and leaves me thinking about it long after the dvd player has been turned off.

Details: Runtime 1:40, contains episodes 11-14