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#81 - Mushishi
1999-2002 / 2005-2006, Ages 16 and Up
Gather round and I’ll tell you the tale of a wanderer who studies the ethereal organisms that exist on the fringes of the tangible world.
1999-2002 / 2005-2006, Ages 16 and Up
Gather round and I’ll tell you the tale of a wanderer who studies the ethereal organisms that exist on the fringes of the tangible world.
All was darkness. All was silence. My family was away for the night. No work awaited me in the morning. Thus, all was also contentment. Not ready for bed just yet, I was wandering through the vast halls of Netflix when I came across an anime that seemed unusual for reasons that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I decided to spare one more half hour and watch the first episode. As clichéd as it sounds, the next twenty-four minutes really did pass like a dream. The sensation stayed with me long after the credits finished rolling. I didn’t begin the second episode right then and there. I simply turned off my TV and laid on my couch for what I thought was just a few more minutes, never wanting this feeling to leave me. The ending theme flowed like a starry river through my mind’s ears, until my stepfather’s heirloom clock chimed midnight and sleep at last beckoned me. And what a beautiful, peaceful sleep it was. [Note: as of writing, this anime is no longer available on Netflix.)
They are known as mushi. They have existed since time immemorial in a myriad of forms, from plants and animals to weather phenomena to shapes unnamable. They exist on a plane where the corporeal can never tread, more primitive than bacteria and yet as powerful as gods. Some worship them as bringers of miracles, while others fear them as bringers of madness. Humans who make their living studying them are called mushishi, or mushi masters, one of whom is a lone young man named Ginko. With his striking silver hair and single piercing emerald eye, he is as much a mystery as the mushi he researches. In strict lifelong devotion to his work, Ginko wanders the countryside, aiding those he finds afflicted by the mushi, and ever teaching them and himself about these otherworldly organisms along the way.
The initial concept of Mushishi was inspired by author and manga artist Yuki Urushibara’s childhood love of insects and grade-school science. This makes sense considering that the Japanese word mushi primarily means “insect” or “bug.” The idea was later shaped by her pragmatic approach to belief, or lack thereof, in the supernatural, as she states in Volume 1:
“I absolutely do not believe (nowadays) in ghosts or fairytale creatures, but I wish they did exist. [. . .] ‘Mushi’ were born as a part of that dilemma, and so they take on the form of monsters at times. But only a little while back, monsters lived very close to people. I’m kind of envious of that.”
For his part, upon reading the manga, anime director Hiroshi Nagahama was impressed by its emphasis on how we often miss smaller, seemingly insignificant things the first time around, and how personal and life-changing rediscovering them can be. According to an interview statement from the Complete Series DVD:
“Just by glancing at the cover of the manga, I couldn’t tell what this book was about. [. . .] So, that made the shock I got when I read it bigger [. . . It’s] not something that deals with good or evil [or] portrays only happy endings [or] focuses only on characters [or] emphasizes story settings too much. The Mushishi manga is something that’s really close to the feeling of meeting and talking with people. [. . .] Like this, you’ll discover new things. So, if you read it at different times in your life, you’ll be surprised to find things that you missed before. This is a manga that makes you notice many things that you overlooked before.”
To be honest, I don’t think the monochrome comic style of manga does Urushibara’s story justice. Nagahama uses all the powers of visual media to bring her series to life in every sense of the word. Ginko’s travels take him through lush green forests; towering mountains covered in autumn leaves and immaculate snow; and picturesque cobalt oceans, all painted in gorgeous watercolors and filled with the natural sounds which stir the heart and calm the spirit. Speaking of sound, composer Toshio Masuda did for Mushishi what Austin Wintory did for Thatgamecompany’s 2012 indie adventure video game, Journey. The show’s soundtrack is an exquisite blend of gentle piano, synth, and percussion and mystical chimes, bells, and wind instruments. Each episode has its own end-credits theme unique to its own individual story, ranging in tone from hopeful, meditative, and wondrous, to disquieting, cryptic, and melancholy. Combined with enigmatic vignette titles reminiscent of nature poetry—such as “The Pillow Pathway,” “Those Who Inhale the Dew,” “Where Sea Meets Man,” “The Sleeping Mountain,” A Sea of Writings,” and “The Sound of Footsteps on the Grass”—these tracks provide a Zen-like experience for any listener.
This is why this series feels so down-to-earth despite its supernatural elements. Another reason is its anthological format. In each of these vignettes, Ginko encounters a new set of characters and a new mushi to contend with, resolves the issue at hand, then leaves without ever seeing them again. The anime is so faithful to the manga that literally the only difference between the two is the order in which these vignettes occur. To borrow a sentiment from Tolkien, you can “wander” through any story and never feel truly lost. Such a format is a wonderful way to illustrate how life, not unlike Ginko and the mushi, has no beginning or end; it simply flows, and everything just flows with it. That said, I would personally recommend starting with the very first story, “The Green Gathering” (manga)/“The Green Seat” (anime). This is where Ginko provides an ambiguous yet beautifully profound explanation of the mystery that is the mushi, representing familiar flora and fauna with parts of the hand and arm—away from the heart—and the Mushi with the heart, the last being so close to the source of all life as to be life itself.
GINKO: I suppose there’s really no simple way to explain what they are. But let me give you an analogy. (Points to the parts of his body accordingly as he explains.) Say these four fingers represent animal life and your thumb represents plant life. Human beings would be here, at the tip of your middle finger, the furthest point from your heart. Moving toward the palm of your hand, you find the lower forms of animal life. When you get to your wrist, though, that’s where your blood vessels combine into one, right?
SHINRA: (Listening intently.) Right.
GINKO: This is where you would find fungi and microorganisms. From here, it becomes more and more difficult to distinguish between plant and animal life. Even so, there is still life beyond this point. And if you keep going, all the way up your arm, past your shoulder, when you get to this point, at the place that’s closest to your heart, right here, these creatures are the mushi. They are life in its purest form.
But what else is it that makes mushi so strange—and so dangerous? What separates them from ordinary parasites is their unfathomable abilities. Examples include:
Consuming sound or silence as food;
SHIRASAWA: (Concerned.) Even on nights like tonight, when all is silent, Maho can still hear things. Roars, whispers, movements. The sounds never cease, even if he plugs his ears. Those horns seem to serve as new ears that never deafen.
Literally bringing a host’s dreams into the waking world;
JIN: (Bitterly.) That green mold disease. It first began to spread through the people that were closest to me. It took my wife, then my neighbors, and after that, it spread to the houses across the way. There, before my very eyes, the exact same scene that had been in my dreams became a reality.
Dissolving other lifeforms into water;
DR. ADASHINO: (Urgently.) But her body. It’s transparent! [. . .] (Thinking out loud.) The seawater washed off the green pigmentation, but I’m still concerned about her condition. Her body, it’s like uncooked dough.
And living in a host’s eyeballs and granting prophetic sight.
AMANE: (A little sadly.) As time went on, I could see more and more through my eyelids. The past, the future, everything. Nothing could obstruct my view. But strangely enough, there was still one thing I could never see. And that was . . . my own future.
And then there’s Ginko himself. As if his pale complexion isn’t enough to make him stick out, there’s his 20th century attire—button shirt, slacks, trench coat, etc.—in what is supposed to be a fictionalized 19th century Japan. Urushibara had originally wanted to set Mushishi in modern times and designed him accordingly. Even after changing the era, she kept his design, partly as a subtle nod to his more worldly knowledge. In fact, Ginko has no choice in his occupation as a mushi master, as he is a rare individual who attracts mushi wherever he goes, hence why he can’t stay in one place too long and why he constantly smokes a special tobacco to repel them. But he is neither a tragic hero nor a semi-divine being. Others, whether they understand it or not, can see mushi or at least sense them, just as well as he:
SHINRA: (Filled with fascination.) Sometimes when I’m by myself, these creatures suddenly appear out of nowhere. I have no idea what they are or where they come from, but they’re fun to watch. So one day I drew these pictures and showed them to Grandma so she could see them, too.
_____
SUZU: (Puzzled after a butterfly-like mushi flies unseen out of the container she’s just opened.) That was strange . . . It seemed as if something flew out.
_____
TAGANE: (Shocked.) What was that?
FATHER: (Worried.) What’s wrong?
TAGANE: Was that smoke? Something came out of the inkstone. (Points excitedly at the cloud-like floating by the ceiling.) Look! It’s right there!
FATHER: (Confused.) I see nothing.
TAGANE: (Stammers, equally confused.)
And like any human, Ginko can also be sarcastic, crack jokes, and get grumpy, but thankfully minus the “cross vein,” “sweat drop,” or other over-the-top anime emotion symbols that would clash with the story’s solemn aesthetic:
GINKO:
- (Smirking at Renzu.) You’re a cheeky one, aren’t you?
- (Hangs his head with a sigh.) I knew I’d regret this.
- (Grinning at his boat mate.) You’ll be lucky she hasn’t forgotten you by the time you get home.
- (Frustrated when he sees Miharu obliviously digging for mushi in a hole.) Hey! Are you even listening to me?
Nevertheless, his interest in all things mushi and his satisfaction in helping affected people are genuine. Equal parts scholar, physician, biologist, and counsellor, Ginko’s teachings regarding the mushi are freely given with a fatherly patience and dignity:
GINKO
- Very few have the gift of seeing them, but they exist in every corner of our world.
- See, the mushi aren’t really our friends at all, more like unusual neighbors. You can never really trust them. But . . . you’re perfectly free to like them.
That’s not to say all Ginko’s cases are straightforward or have nice, neat endings. Whether due to his own inexperience, or to foolish civilians and arrogant fellow mushi masters wanting to abuse mushi’s power, adore them with dangerous obsession, or take reckless vengeance on them—things that his principles as both a mushi master and human being would never allow—there are times when people won’t heed his advice, with dire consequences:
GINKO:
- (To Nagi to keep him from fighting Akoya’s father.) Those who continue to use the mushi for their own needs slowly lose their sanity. And soon after that, they’ll die. (With distain to Akoya’s father.) You don’t have what it takes to handle the mushi.
- (Sharply to the villagers cutting down their trees to get rid of the mushi.) You’re acting like a pack of frightened monkeys, not men. [. . .] Face your fear like rational men, instead of burning it like a mob.
Still, all Ginko can do is move on and try again. While his priority is the humans in his care, it is rarely with pleasure that he will kill mushi. The one rule that he lives by is that no matter how ghostly or frightening or bizarre, they are as much a part of nature as any lifeform, and as such, are just as deserving of existence:
GINKO: (Softly to Jin as he sleeps restlessly.) You are not to blame, and neither are the mushi. The both of you were just carrying on with your lives. This wasn’t anyone’s fault. Don’t die. You’ve done nothing wrong.
Mushishi may not seem impressive at first glance to the typical hardcore manga/anime fan. There are no epic battles, exaggerated character designs, alien landscapes, or excessive fan service. Here instead is magical realism at its most honest, as much a fictional nature documentary as a supernatural mystery, with a protagonist and side characters each as authentic and relatable as its eponymous creatures are each fascinating and unique. Mushishi is a rare piece of Japanese fiction that quietly invites us to look at the natural world with awe and wonder and contemplate our woeful ignorance and ever-fragile relationship with it. Best experienced at night, one story at a time, without rushing, just as real life intended.
CREDITS:
Special thanks to KTWH 9.55 Two Harbors Community Radio. All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.
MAIN THEME:
“The Call” - Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund
https://www.briandmorrison.com/
https://www.facebook.com/BriandMorrisonGuitar/
https://www.youtube.com/user/briandmorrison
They are known as mushi. They have existed since time immemorial in a myriad of forms, from plants and animals to weather phenomena to shapes unnamable. They exist on a plane where the corporeal can never tread, more primitive than bacteria and yet as powerful as gods. Some worship them as bringers of miracles, while others fear them as bringers of madness. Humans who make their living studying them are called mushishi, or mushi masters, one of whom is a lone young man named Ginko. With his striking silver hair and single piercing emerald eye, he is as much a mystery as the mushi he researches. In strict lifelong devotion to his work, Ginko wanders the countryside, aiding those he finds afflicted by the mushi, and ever teaching them and himself about these otherworldly organisms along the way.
The initial concept of Mushishi was inspired by author and manga artist Yuki Urushibara’s childhood love of insects and grade-school science. This makes sense considering that the Japanese word mushi primarily means “insect” or “bug.” The idea was later shaped by her pragmatic approach to belief, or lack thereof, in the supernatural, as she states in Volume 1:
“I absolutely do not believe (nowadays) in ghosts or fairytale creatures, but I wish they did exist. [. . .] ‘Mushi’ were born as a part of that dilemma, and so they take on the form of monsters at times. But only a little while back, monsters lived very close to people. I’m kind of envious of that.”
For his part, upon reading the manga, anime director Hiroshi Nagahama was impressed by its emphasis on how we often miss smaller, seemingly insignificant things the first time around, and how personal and life-changing rediscovering them can be. According to an interview statement from the Complete Series DVD:
“Just by glancing at the cover of the manga, I couldn’t tell what this book was about. [. . .] So, that made the shock I got when I read it bigger [. . . It’s] not something that deals with good or evil [or] portrays only happy endings [or] focuses only on characters [or] emphasizes story settings too much. The Mushishi manga is something that’s really close to the feeling of meeting and talking with people. [. . .] Like this, you’ll discover new things. So, if you read it at different times in your life, you’ll be surprised to find things that you missed before. This is a manga that makes you notice many things that you overlooked before.”
To be honest, I don’t think the monochrome comic style of manga does Urushibara’s story justice. Nagahama uses all the powers of visual media to bring her series to life in every sense of the word. Ginko’s travels take him through lush green forests; towering mountains covered in autumn leaves and immaculate snow; and picturesque cobalt oceans, all painted in gorgeous watercolors and filled with the natural sounds which stir the heart and calm the spirit. Speaking of sound, composer Toshio Masuda did for Mushishi what Austin Wintory did for Thatgamecompany’s 2012 indie adventure video game, Journey. The show’s soundtrack is an exquisite blend of gentle piano, synth, and percussion and mystical chimes, bells, and wind instruments. Each episode has its own end-credits theme unique to its own individual story, ranging in tone from hopeful, meditative, and wondrous, to disquieting, cryptic, and melancholy. Combined with enigmatic vignette titles reminiscent of nature poetry—such as “The Pillow Pathway,” “Those Who Inhale the Dew,” “Where Sea Meets Man,” “The Sleeping Mountain,” A Sea of Writings,” and “The Sound of Footsteps on the Grass”—these tracks provide a Zen-like experience for any listener.
This is why this series feels so down-to-earth despite its supernatural elements. Another reason is its anthological format. In each of these vignettes, Ginko encounters a new set of characters and a new mushi to contend with, resolves the issue at hand, then leaves without ever seeing them again. The anime is so faithful to the manga that literally the only difference between the two is the order in which these vignettes occur. To borrow a sentiment from Tolkien, you can “wander” through any story and never feel truly lost. Such a format is a wonderful way to illustrate how life, not unlike Ginko and the mushi, has no beginning or end; it simply flows, and everything just flows with it. That said, I would personally recommend starting with the very first story, “The Green Gathering” (manga)/“The Green Seat” (anime). This is where Ginko provides an ambiguous yet beautifully profound explanation of the mystery that is the mushi, representing familiar flora and fauna with parts of the hand and arm—away from the heart—and the Mushi with the heart, the last being so close to the source of all life as to be life itself.
GINKO: I suppose there’s really no simple way to explain what they are. But let me give you an analogy. (Points to the parts of his body accordingly as he explains.) Say these four fingers represent animal life and your thumb represents plant life. Human beings would be here, at the tip of your middle finger, the furthest point from your heart. Moving toward the palm of your hand, you find the lower forms of animal life. When you get to your wrist, though, that’s where your blood vessels combine into one, right?
SHINRA: (Listening intently.) Right.
GINKO: This is where you would find fungi and microorganisms. From here, it becomes more and more difficult to distinguish between plant and animal life. Even so, there is still life beyond this point. And if you keep going, all the way up your arm, past your shoulder, when you get to this point, at the place that’s closest to your heart, right here, these creatures are the mushi. They are life in its purest form.
But what else is it that makes mushi so strange—and so dangerous? What separates them from ordinary parasites is their unfathomable abilities. Examples include:
Consuming sound or silence as food;
SHIRASAWA: (Concerned.) Even on nights like tonight, when all is silent, Maho can still hear things. Roars, whispers, movements. The sounds never cease, even if he plugs his ears. Those horns seem to serve as new ears that never deafen.
Literally bringing a host’s dreams into the waking world;
JIN: (Bitterly.) That green mold disease. It first began to spread through the people that were closest to me. It took my wife, then my neighbors, and after that, it spread to the houses across the way. There, before my very eyes, the exact same scene that had been in my dreams became a reality.
Dissolving other lifeforms into water;
DR. ADASHINO: (Urgently.) But her body. It’s transparent! [. . .] (Thinking out loud.) The seawater washed off the green pigmentation, but I’m still concerned about her condition. Her body, it’s like uncooked dough.
And living in a host’s eyeballs and granting prophetic sight.
AMANE: (A little sadly.) As time went on, I could see more and more through my eyelids. The past, the future, everything. Nothing could obstruct my view. But strangely enough, there was still one thing I could never see. And that was . . . my own future.
And then there’s Ginko himself. As if his pale complexion isn’t enough to make him stick out, there’s his 20th century attire—button shirt, slacks, trench coat, etc.—in what is supposed to be a fictionalized 19th century Japan. Urushibara had originally wanted to set Mushishi in modern times and designed him accordingly. Even after changing the era, she kept his design, partly as a subtle nod to his more worldly knowledge. In fact, Ginko has no choice in his occupation as a mushi master, as he is a rare individual who attracts mushi wherever he goes, hence why he can’t stay in one place too long and why he constantly smokes a special tobacco to repel them. But he is neither a tragic hero nor a semi-divine being. Others, whether they understand it or not, can see mushi or at least sense them, just as well as he:
SHINRA: (Filled with fascination.) Sometimes when I’m by myself, these creatures suddenly appear out of nowhere. I have no idea what they are or where they come from, but they’re fun to watch. So one day I drew these pictures and showed them to Grandma so she could see them, too.
_____
SUZU: (Puzzled after a butterfly-like mushi flies unseen out of the container she’s just opened.) That was strange . . . It seemed as if something flew out.
_____
TAGANE: (Shocked.) What was that?
FATHER: (Worried.) What’s wrong?
TAGANE: Was that smoke? Something came out of the inkstone. (Points excitedly at the cloud-like floating by the ceiling.) Look! It’s right there!
FATHER: (Confused.) I see nothing.
TAGANE: (Stammers, equally confused.)
And like any human, Ginko can also be sarcastic, crack jokes, and get grumpy, but thankfully minus the “cross vein,” “sweat drop,” or other over-the-top anime emotion symbols that would clash with the story’s solemn aesthetic:
GINKO:
- (Smirking at Renzu.) You’re a cheeky one, aren’t you?
- (Hangs his head with a sigh.) I knew I’d regret this.
- (Grinning at his boat mate.) You’ll be lucky she hasn’t forgotten you by the time you get home.
- (Frustrated when he sees Miharu obliviously digging for mushi in a hole.) Hey! Are you even listening to me?
Nevertheless, his interest in all things mushi and his satisfaction in helping affected people are genuine. Equal parts scholar, physician, biologist, and counsellor, Ginko’s teachings regarding the mushi are freely given with a fatherly patience and dignity:
GINKO
- Very few have the gift of seeing them, but they exist in every corner of our world.
- See, the mushi aren’t really our friends at all, more like unusual neighbors. You can never really trust them. But . . . you’re perfectly free to like them.
That’s not to say all Ginko’s cases are straightforward or have nice, neat endings. Whether due to his own inexperience, or to foolish civilians and arrogant fellow mushi masters wanting to abuse mushi’s power, adore them with dangerous obsession, or take reckless vengeance on them—things that his principles as both a mushi master and human being would never allow—there are times when people won’t heed his advice, with dire consequences:
GINKO:
- (To Nagi to keep him from fighting Akoya’s father.) Those who continue to use the mushi for their own needs slowly lose their sanity. And soon after that, they’ll die. (With distain to Akoya’s father.) You don’t have what it takes to handle the mushi.
- (Sharply to the villagers cutting down their trees to get rid of the mushi.) You’re acting like a pack of frightened monkeys, not men. [. . .] Face your fear like rational men, instead of burning it like a mob.
Still, all Ginko can do is move on and try again. While his priority is the humans in his care, it is rarely with pleasure that he will kill mushi. The one rule that he lives by is that no matter how ghostly or frightening or bizarre, they are as much a part of nature as any lifeform, and as such, are just as deserving of existence:
GINKO: (Softly to Jin as he sleeps restlessly.) You are not to blame, and neither are the mushi. The both of you were just carrying on with your lives. This wasn’t anyone’s fault. Don’t die. You’ve done nothing wrong.
Mushishi may not seem impressive at first glance to the typical hardcore manga/anime fan. There are no epic battles, exaggerated character designs, alien landscapes, or excessive fan service. Here instead is magical realism at its most honest, as much a fictional nature documentary as a supernatural mystery, with a protagonist and side characters each as authentic and relatable as its eponymous creatures are each fascinating and unique. Mushishi is a rare piece of Japanese fiction that quietly invites us to look at the natural world with awe and wonder and contemplate our woeful ignorance and ever-fragile relationship with it. Best experienced at night, one story at a time, without rushing, just as real life intended.
CREDITS:
Special thanks to KTWH 9.55 Two Harbors Community Radio. All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.
MAIN THEME:
“The Call” - Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund
https://www.briandmorrison.com/
https://www.facebook.com/BriandMorrisonGuitar/
https://www.youtube.com/user/briandmorrison
EPISODE SONG:
“Dream Chimes” - Jake Searl
https://www.facebook.com/JakeSearlMusic
“Dream Chimes” - Jake Searl
https://www.facebook.com/JakeSearlMusic
All other music and sound clips are from the English dub of Season 1 of Mushishi (written and directed by Hiroshi Nagahama; animated by Artland; licensed by Funimation)
EPISODES:
Ep. 1: “The Green Seat”
Ep. 3: “Tender Horns”
Ep. 4: “The Pillow Pathway”
Ep. 5: “The Traveling Swamp”
Ep. 6: “Those Who Inhale the Dew”
Ep. 8: “Where Sea Meets Man”
Ep. 10: “The White Which Lives Within the Ink Stone”
Ep. 15: “Pretense of Spring”
Ep. 16: “Sunrise Serpent”
Ep. 19: “String from the Sky”
Ep. 24: “The Journey to the Field of Fire”
Ep. 25: “Eye of Fortune, Eye of Misfortune”
Ep. 26: “The Sound of Footsteps on the Grass”
Download the full 15-minute episode here!
Mushishi on Wikipedia
Yuki Urushibara on Wikipedia
Hiroshi Nagahama on Wikipedia
Mushishi (manga) on Goodreads
Mushishi (anime) on IMDb
Mushishi on Tv Tropes
Mushishi on Fandom
Mushishi (anime) on Crunchyroll
Mushishi on Barnes & Noble
Mushishi on Amazon
Mushishi on eBay
^^ Back to Adaptations, Retellings, and Old Tales in New Light
EPISODES:
Ep. 1: “The Green Seat”
Ep. 3: “Tender Horns”
Ep. 4: “The Pillow Pathway”
Ep. 5: “The Traveling Swamp”
Ep. 6: “Those Who Inhale the Dew”
Ep. 8: “Where Sea Meets Man”
Ep. 10: “The White Which Lives Within the Ink Stone”
Ep. 15: “Pretense of Spring”
Ep. 16: “Sunrise Serpent”
Ep. 19: “String from the Sky”
Ep. 24: “The Journey to the Field of Fire”
Ep. 25: “Eye of Fortune, Eye of Misfortune”
Ep. 26: “The Sound of Footsteps on the Grass”
Download the full 15-minute episode here!
Mushishi on Wikipedia
Yuki Urushibara on Wikipedia
Hiroshi Nagahama on Wikipedia
Mushishi (manga) on Goodreads
Mushishi (anime) on IMDb
Mushishi on Tv Tropes
Mushishi on Fandom
Mushishi (anime) on Crunchyroll
Mushishi on Barnes & Noble
Mushishi on Amazon
Mushishi on eBay
^^ Back to Adaptations, Retellings, and Old Tales in New Light
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