oyceter | Mushishi, ep. 01-03

I didn't think anything could really be more beautiful, eerier, or flat out stranger than the manga, and yet...

So far, this is a series with really high production values. The backgrounds and the music (as far as I can tell) are gorgeous, as is the animation and the voicework. And they really add to the experience of the story, so much so that I wasn't at all bored, even though the first three episodes are completely straight and very faithful retellings of stories from vol. 1 of the manga.

I love all the little details: how Ginko wears slightly Western clothes while everyone else is clad in traditional Japanese clothing, the emerald green of Ginko's one eye contrasted with the muted browns and greens of the background, actually being able to hear the silence or the noise described in the story about the silence-eating mushi.

rachelmanija has a better write-up of the basic premise of the series.

And even though seeing something animated should have completely horrified me or squicked me out (mushi in ears), there's something so matter-of-fact about Ginko's attitude and the animation. I just watched, eyes wide and mouth open in wonder, as Ginko smears the sticky remains of a mushi off his hands and a little boy gets grossed out.

I think this is going to be one of the rare shows in which I want to both read the manga and watch the anime, even if it is repeating storylines.

Really, really recommended, maybe even for people who don't normally like anime.

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The Mushishi anime makes me feel peace in a way I don't get much of outside streams in forests and fresh-baked bread and really excellent churches. (And then something will happen on occasion to remind me, "Oh yeah, this is a horror series." But that does not disturb the soothing nature of it.)

Yes, me too! It's odd, it gives me a bit of the same feeling that I get watching Honey and Clover. Have you seen that, btw? I have stuff to mail from you and I can throw in a disc if you want and are willing to brave the vacillations of my DVD-burning software. Also coming is a little sumo wrestler daikon radish keychain!

I watched the first episode of H&C waaaaay back when it first came out, I believe. I liked it very much (I love the mysterious alto song that plays near the end!) but I got distracted by school things and never ended up downloading the rest of it. I would love a disc! (Also ZOMG daikon keychain thank you very much!)

Ok, I will definitely try it then!

I love the daikon keychain.

I am obsessively refreshing in the hope that you have posted photos. Please post some photos and save me from OCD and RSI.

*snorfle*

I think I will pick photos and post with commentary as soon as I get this stupid problem set turned in. Otherwise, math has basically completely eaten my brain...

Oh, Mushishi. I remember seeing the first episode and being hit in the heart by the procession up to the banquet--the beauty of the animation and the colors and the brightness. I usually had to watch each episode at least twice, because the first time through I was bound to get so distracted by watching it that I forgot to pay attention to the story.

It's so gorgeous! I want to try and read the manga first and then watch the anime so I'll know what's going on already and can focus on the visuals.

Hmm. I am thinking of episodes 10 & 11 of the anime—two of my absolute favorites of the series, for Ginko-love. I don't remember how they appeared in the manga, but I'm pretty sure the anime rearranged the stories to put them together, and I feel they have more emotional resonance that way. Which isn't a huge deal either way; this is mostly just an observation/heads-up that the anime doesn't match the manga exactly.

(I watched the anime first so that when it was over and broke my heart with being gone I could at least think "Well I still have the manga!")

Hi, I friended you after reading your hilarious (and really well written) post about folk music, and then found this post. It prompted me to order the first Mushishi disk from Netflix, thinking it would be something nice for my son and me to watch. It was, for all of the reasons you write about. We are hooked, and have added the rest of the series to our queue. So thanks for posting!

Oh that's so awesome! I'm really glad you're enjoying it; I've been loving the episodes so far. It's just so wonderfully quiet and strange.

It's soothing, yet incredibly sad sometimes. Some moments affect you so deeply that you'll be crying without knowing when and without knowing why. Seriously, even thinking about it makes me feel all poetic.

You haven't lived if you didn't see this series.

It really is gorgeous... I need to finish watching it some time.

Mushishi, ep. 01-03

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