Reviews for Mu Shi Shi, Volume 1

The average rating for Mu Shi Shi, Volume 1 based on 2 reviews is 5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2018-03-12 00:00:00 Shannon Lange I just finished rewatching the entire anime version of this, which after years of media exploration still holds its place as my #1 favorite anime series. This was triggered by stumbling across the complete second season (but not the first) on Crunchyroll, which I'd only seen part of before, so that was like unexpectedly finding gold coins in the sofa cushions. While the storyline is very episodic, I do think it worthwhile to begin at the beginning with season one, if you can find it. The anime sticks unusually closely to the manga upon which it is based, but the subtle color, music, movement, and voice acting add greatly to it without changing it. Either or both formats are highly recommended. The tales, usually complete within each chapter or episode, follow the adventures of Ginko, a mushi-shi (which translates literally as "bug master"); but the mushi are semi-supernatural sub-life entities that come in all the complexity of living organisms. Ginko is part mushi naturalist, part traveling doctor and medicine seller, part shaman, and altogether enchanting, in his own low-key, dogged, chain-smoking manner. Each chapter features Ginko encountering a different mushi problem, or mushi vs. people problem, sometimes solving it, sometimes not, all slowly accumulating to a whole greater than the sum of its parts. As the tales wend on one picks up scraps of Ginko's backstory, which the reader or viewer gets to piece together in their own mind much as they have to piece together the meaning of the stories that unfold, and the structure of the timeless rural world through which Ginko passes. By turns quiet slice-of-life, deeply creepy, gentle, exciting, mysterious, moving, and profound. I have never found another anime or manga, or anything else, quite like it; it appears to be sui generis. Ta, L. Later: Oooh! The whole series is available on Kindle now. Last time I tried to fill out my paperback run, some years back, two of the volumes could not be had anywhere, anyhow. Mine now. Heh. Later still: one picture, thousand words, etc.: let's see if I can add this YouTube link, to a fan songvid that I think doubles quite well as a taster for the anime:

Review # 2 was written on 2014-02-09 00:00:00 Ifjdfdif Ikipkph This is a review for whole series. I start the review with one warning: this manga has sloowww pace storytelling. That's it. Now some backgrounds. The story of Mushishi happened in an alternate Earth with setting around late mid 19th century Japan. In this universe, there is life forms called mushi. Mushishi is a person who studies mushi. We follow the journey of Ginko, a mushihi, studying mushi and helping people that affected by mushi (some mushi treatments are like disinfected from micro organism). The rest of the review will be my praise. This manga has strong ideas, round characterizations for most stories, and unpredictable plots. The sole protagonist, Ginko, is a mature scientist with cool head but kind hearts. He is not a doctor, but he treated people who are infected by mushi. Mushi sometimes showed as some kind sprits or supernatural creatures, but mushishi approach to study mushi is pretty much scientific. I like the scientific approach, it makes the magic system of this series as pretty hard. There is not a simple good vs. evil story. The stories are mostly around people's life that affected by mushi. By the premise alone, you can bet this manga has unique idea. Actually, I rarely find a simple bad/evil person in this series. So, basically the conflicts in this series are man vs. nature, and man vs. self. Some stories are so bizarre, I cannot even imagine how the stories will end, or I don't have any idea what should be the happy-ending condition. Recommended for readers who seek untraditional fantasy, and fiction that could entertain both our minds and hearts.