Urushibara Yuki - Mushishi, vol. 01 (Eng. trans.)

[oyceter]

This is an odd beastie of a manga series.

Ginko is a mushishi, a master of mushi. "Mushi" usually means "bug" in Japanese, but in this case, mushi are primitive creatures that all other living things are connected to. The manga explains: If humans are the very tip of your finger, and animals and plants are represented by your palm, the muscles and blood and bone of your hand and arm would be insects and amoeba, smaller and less complex organisms. The further inside your body you go, the more primitive the things are, until finally, you reach the heart, which embodies mushi.

In this case, they are so formless and vague that they can take on many different forms; they act in a nearly supernatural capacity. Some take away your hearing, some live in your eyes, some become swamps or dream-eaters.

This first volume consists of several stories; Ginko diagnoses a person afflicted by mushi and attempts to cure them. The cases aren't straightforward, nor is Ginko's method scientific. He's a blend of doctor and shaman.

One of my favorite stories is about a boy whose left hand draws things that come alive. He writes, and certain kanji begin to change. The sun character begins to shine, the tree character puts forth delicate roots and branches, the bird character lifts its head off the page and wings through the air.

The stories themselves are beautiful and strange, the art sketchy but detailed. Ginko arrives and learns about the mushi, but he also listens to the people, of their fears and their hopes. The mushi clearly aren't monsters, though sometimes their effect on people is monstrous. Sometimes Ginko succeeds, and sometimes he doesn't.

These feel more like rediscovered folklore or small fairy stories; they brim over with the unexplained and the unexplanable.

I am not yet sure if this is the best thing I've read all year, but it's odd and delightful and strange, and it doesn't feel like anything else I've read.

Comments

[shati.livejournal.com]

One of my favorite stories is about a boy whose left hand draws things that come alive. He writes, and certain kanji begin to change. The sun character begins to shine, the tree character puts forth delicate roots and branches, the bird character lifts its head off the page and wings through the air.

I made a tiny squeaky noise of delight when I read that paragraph. I'm glad my roommate wasn't in. *g* That sounds fantastic, though!

[minnow1212.livejournal.com]

Oooh, sounds fascinating. I'll have to see if my library system has it.

[hysteriachan.livejournal.com]

*perks* I should call my comic store and see if it came in this week!

[rilina.livejournal.com]

I've requested this via ILL--can't wait for it to come in!

[telophase.livejournal.com]

This is one of those things that is almost exactly a perfect telophase book. A sense of the numinous, otherworldy creatures, another world just this side of our own. ♥

[jinian.livejournal.com]

I was hoping no one would remind me of the dodgy taxonomy. :) Very good stuff, though.

[coffeeandink.livejournal.com]

I must finish my review of this, damnit.

[rushthatspeaks.livejournal.com]

I highly recommend the anime, too. It's a perfect adaptation, gorgeously animated and lovingly voiced and with the correct sunny/wistful music. Anime and manga do not overlap entirely, and I think there's stuff in each that isn't in the other. It's a twenty-six episode series, and I can send it to you if you can't find it.

[oyceter]

It's so lovely! This huge smile broke out on my face when I realized what was happening.

[oyceter]

It is very interesting! And it may work as an intro. manga, since it doesn't use most of the manga stylizations that can throw people off.

[oyceter]

The Del Rey version is more expensive (12.95), but it has flaps on the cover!

[oyceter]

Yay! Will be interested to see what you think.

[oyceter]

It is very lovely!

(you've read it, right? I keep remembering you as one of the people talking about it...)

It reminds me a bit of Spirited Away and Peter S. Beagle.

[oyceter]

I know! I was thinking, "Riiiiiight."

But I love that some of the mushi look like tiny unicellular critters.

[oyceter]

Your icon! I got to that page in the manga and squeed because I recognized it!

Looking forward to your review ^_^.

[oyceter]

Oooooo. I may have to take you up on that. I will check torrentspy today and see if I can find it.

[telophase.livejournal.com]

Yes, I read the scanlation and got the translation, too. XD And Spirited Away is very close to being the perfect telophase movie. XD

The Moomin books also come very close to perfection for me. I think I imprinted on them as a child.

[telophase.livejournal.com]

*big wibbly eyeballs*

[hysteriachan.livejournal.com]

*puzzled* There's more than one version? (I wonder which one my store ordered? Hmm.)

[oyceter]

Oh, I love Spirited Away beyond all measure. Particularly the entire train sequence, where's it's gliding quietly by all these little ghost towns.

[oyceter]

Oh, sorry! Just meant as compared to normal manga and versus the untranslated one.