Mushi-Shi, Vol. 1

Distributed by FUNimation
125 minutes (5 episodes)

I had a conversation with a close friend of mine not too long ago about ongoing television series’ approaches to storytelling and characterization. He and I both agreed that an ongoing storyline with continually developing characters is far more enjoyable than a mere collection of one-shots. True, ongoing stories can be confusing to get into for the viewer that jumps in when a series has been running for some time, but in this era of TV box sets, that’s hardly a problem anymore.

However, I couldn’t help but feel that there is merit, in an appropriately designed series, to making each episode its own “island” of sorts. Shortly after that conversation, I heard of Mushi-Shi. Purchasing the first volume and its nice-looking collector’s box, and resisting the urge to read the included information booklet for fear of spoilers, a (different) friend and I dive in. Five episodes later, we’re hooked; Mushi-Shi is on a whole other level.

Synopsis
In an apparently pre-modern world of lush green exists the Mushi, strange creatures that can take many forms and exhibit many different abilities, from subtle to fantastic. They can be very primitive, driven by simple desires to survive. They can be intelligent, capable of assuming humanoid form and pursuing complex goals. Mushi are life in its purest form, life that exists at a baser level than any other.

But Mushi are sometimes problematic and can cause trouble for ordinary folks. That’s where Ginko comes in. A wandering Mushi Master, also called a Mushi-Shi, Ginko resolves Mushi-related matters, spreading understanding, pruning out-of-control Mushi populations, and even coaxing Mushi that have possessed human hosts out into the open. His travels are filled with tales of enlightenment, suffering, and heartbreak.

Storytelling/Characters
Back to the whole ongoing story arc vs. episodic one-shot topic: Mushi-Shi is most definitely the latter, taken to the extreme. So unrelated is each episode to the rest that almost everything about the story changes on a per episode basis. The order of the first four episodes in volume one is virtually irrelevant, and episode five’s brief recap of prior events is the only thing keeping it from being just as interchangeable.

Every individual episode tells its own story, introducing its own characters, taking place in its own settings, and presenting new and interesting conflicts. Other than Ginko, rare is the recurring character, and rarer still is overlap in the messages each story conveys. Though the conflicts are typically either character vs. nature or the character vs. self, there is more than enough variance to keep things fresh. Hitting “next” on your DVD remote presents you with a whole new chronicle that is entertaining on its own and entices you to keep watching.

This approach creates something of an irony about Ginko. Though he’s the main character… he really isn’t. Make no mistake, he’s no witness, and thus far he plays an important role in every episode. But the stories are not about him; they are about the people he meets. His actions and attitudes are a catalyst for plot advancement and character development in others, but Ginko remains static, his past and his motives shrouded in mystery. And that’s just fine with me; the anthology of his travels makes for a very compelling collection of masterfully crafted short stories.

Mushi-Shi is all about one-shots. If that really isn’t your thing, you may not enjoy it. But before dismissing it, be assured that each and every one of these one-shots is extremely high quality in every way.

Animation/Visuals
It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that more money goes into a single episode of Mushi-Shi than into twenty-six episodes of any other anime you care to mention. Which is not to say that money buys success… but it sure does help.

Mushi-Shi is jaw-droppingly beautiful. Despite all the greenery you’ll see, you’ll never tire of the lush forests, nor how the people move through them. The overall world is based on a yester-century Japan, with traditional Japanese-style sliding door houses and one hell of a lot of kimonos, and the whole shebang is drawn and animated with amazing fluidity. The Mushi themselves are imaginatively brought to life, whether they are snail-like parasites, living swamps, or human-like cloaked figures.

Though every character is given much love in the animation department, Ginko is especially well visualized, from his ghostly white hair to his decidedly foreign attire. Despite being a static non-protagonist protagonist, his design just oozes the essence of character.

Voices/Music
FUNimation’s English voice work is top-notch as always. (To be honest, I’m getting sick of typing that. Not that I’d rather see FUNimation’s standards slip, mind you.) Travis Willingham, who gave us a superb interpretation of Fullmetal Alchemist‘s Roy Mustang, plays a perfect Ginko, cool and calm, but serious when lives are threatened.

The music is mystifying and pretty, a perfect match for Mushi-Shi‘s semi-supernatural themes. Lots of bells and other vibrant percussive instruments litter the soundtrack, with a good amount of controlled strings and piano rounding things out. The tunes are mellow and moody, complex and yet very simple. It’s easily “I’m going to buy the soundtrack” material. A lovely English-language (in both the dub and the sub) opening theme kicks off each episode.

Overall
I think I still prefer overarching plots and long-term storytelling. But a mere ONE episode of Mushi-Shi contains more heartfelt, well-paced narrative work than a good number of entire TV series, animated or otherwise. Don’t miss Mushi-Shi, or you’re doing yourself a great disservice. It gets nothing less than my strongest recommendation and the highest possible rating I can give it.

Volume one of Mushi-Shi is available now, as are the first two volumes of the manga that inspired it. Click here for a review of the manga.