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----------------------------------------WARNING------------------------------------
---------------------------This is more of a Rant than a Review-------------------

Three times I have read Seo Kouji's work, and three times I have been disappointed. I originally read Kimi no Iru Machi upon a recommendation by a friend. I was cringing halfway through at the sheer stupidity of the story and how unrealistic the main characters were. So I dropped it. I later stumbled across Fuuka, not even realizing it was written by the same author until I had long dropped it. I will be discussing Fuuka in a moment. Finally, I decided I should give Fuuka another chance. So to prep myself, I read Suzuka for ... the first time: and HOOO BOY that was a shitshow. An unrealistic and unlikable main heroine, and comedy that is only funny after my 10th Budweiser. But this review is not about Suzuka or KnIM, it's about the monstrosity that is Fuuka, so here goes.

Fuuka is a plain, run-of-the-mill love story that takes place in a modern time, with no supernatural elements. It actually starts off pretty enjoyable with quite good art and decently done comedy. The romance doesn't feel forced liked of Kouji's other work, and I felt like I might enjoy this series. And then I was wrong. There is a major event that completely shifts the tone of the story, and I do not believe it was for the better. (Anyone who has read it will know what it is.) The story turns from a fun, coming-of-age romance to a brooding, melodramatic mess. So with the plot and characters becoming useless, what is left? Well, the art is pretty good, especially in the music performances. One major issue I had with the visual experience, however, is the almost random and completely ridiculously timed fanservice. There will be a panty shot in a dramatic scene; or a down-the-shirt shot of someone who is crying and depressed. It's almost tasteless.

I could go on and on about how bad Fuuka is, but to be honest, out of the three Kouji manga I've read, it's the best (though that's not saying much). However, I cannot recommend Fuuka to anyone except diehard Suzuka/Kimi no Iru Machi fans. Go read something else instead.

Alright, that's it from me, have a good one guys, and I got nothing against anyone who likes Fuuka, so don't be a flamer. See ya.

(This review is completely my opinion, but any constructive criticism to better myself as a writer and critic is greatly appreciated)
It's time again. My first and only review on this site was on the first season of Mushishi. I wrote that review over a year ago and in that review, I referred to Mushishi as one of my favorite shows of all time. Has that statement changed? Well...no. I re-watched the first season before coming to Zoku Shou, and it captivated me all over again.
That's enough about the past though, time to get onto the main reason you're reading this. The second TV ... installment in the magnificent Mushishi series, 8 years after the first season: Mushishi Zoku Shou.

Story-10
As most people should know by now, the stories of Mushishi are told in an episodic format with (generally) a single conflict between a mushi and a human. Ginko, our intelligent main protagonist, shows up with a cure to the problem. However, the events that take place provides enough content to pad out the episode length, and does so without feeling forced. Yet, despite this never-changing formula, it is never tiring or boring to watch. This may be because of the amount of originality between stories. Each episode feels fresh, and exciting, and generally piques your curiosity as you try to decipher the events taking place. After every episode ends, there is a sense of satisfaction, it just feels right.
Comparability to the first season, the episodes are paced more naturally. The conclusions felt a little rushed in the original.

Art-9
Like my complaint with the last season, it still feels eerie to have almost all of the supporting characters to like alike. Ginko, on the other hand, looks great. He has much more detail on his face, particularly around the eye, and his jawline is much more consistent now.
I have mixed feelings about the mushi themselves. On one hand, every mushi is unique, and on the other hand, I can't say that I'm a particular fan of many of the designs themselves. They feel a little too abstract for me, but it's nothing that I can't get over with some time. (We don't even see mushi that much anyway)
Now, the final part of the art section, and the part that kept me glued to my computer screen, even when there was no dialogue and no character interaction; the backgrounds. When people ask me what anime world I would want to live in the most, I reply with “Mushishi”. Each setting is incredibly detailed, and seems to live on its own. Trying to explain it won’t do it justice. I recommend looking up some pictures of the world yourself, it really is breath-taking.
In terms of animation, it isn’t anything ground-breaking, but each character moves decisively, and slowly, giving it a realistic feel.

Sound-10
The original soundtrack for Mushishi has been hailed as one of the best in anime history for a reason. It is absolutely amazing. The tracks were obviously meant to be atmospheric, and use to set the tone, but each track stole the show in its own way. Every ending song was original, and served to maintain the mood of the episode conclusion, whether it be happy, sad, or satisfying.
“Shiver” by Lucy Rose is a haunting ballad that fits the melancholy tone of Mushishi perfectly, and the photo-realistic visuals are a joy to watch. Not much else to say.

Character-10
There are only a handful of reoccurring characters in Mushishi, and Ginko is the only main character. Every other character is introduced in an episode and never seen from again. So how can we as viewers be attached to these one-off characters? It’s simple, fantastic writing. Each character is written to have a realistic personality, no over-the-top, moronic “moe” here. Even if the characters can be unlikable at times, their feelings and personalities are incredibly human.
Now let’s talk about Ginko. He is still the mysterious, intelligent traveler that we know and love, but in this installment, we get to see him in scenarios that he can’t handle, and in a wider variety of happenings. (Particularly in the Path of Thorns Special) Ginko is such a fun character to watch, and as such, I have him listed as one of my favorites on the site.

Enjoyment-10
I think it’s easy to tell how much I enjoyed every episode of Mushishi Zoku Shou based on this review. Mushishi has slowly become my favorite series of all time, and this season doesn’t disappoint. In fact, with the improvement in production and pacing, I would declare Zoku Shou superior to the outstanding original.

Overall-10
Mushishi is my favorite Anime Series of all time, and Zoku Shou is just as good, if not better, than the first season.
Now, onto Zoku Shou 2nd Season!

-SPOILERS WILL BE AVOIDED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, SO ANY MINOR SPOILERS ARE UNINTENTIONAL-
(This is my first review on MAL, any criticism is appreciated)
Mushishi is one the most unique anime ever created. The Drama and Adventure is second to none, and it is a overall beautiful series. There is a thin line between a good episodic anime, and a bad one. Mushishi is by far one of the best, and will be for eternity.

Story-10:
As previously mentioned, Mushishi is an episodic show, and each episode has a condensed story with a beginning, middle, and an end. Each story usually revolves around some sort of Mushi-a spiritual ... creature that simply lives, with no other purpose in life to fulfill; the most basic form of life-, and how it's affecting a certain character. The thing that sets Mushishi apart from other episode anime is that each episode is better than the last. For example, if you (hypothetically) thought that episode 12 was the best, as soon as you watch the next one, your mind will change, and using our example, your favorite episode would now be episode 13. And that's the beauty of Mushishi, although the formula never really changes, you will never, ever be bored.

Art/Animation-9:
So imagine that you were watching this in 2006 and seeing the animation of Mushishi. Your mind could potentially be blown. The animation is not necessarily fast, and the art isn't colorful. However visually, Mushishi is extremely realistic. The slow but particular animation, the beautiful landscapes, Mushishi is fantastic in the visual department. Each background is drawn to the utmost of detail, and the wind blowing the leaves all over the screen, the characters moving in a very human-like fashion, it`s just gives it the sense of realism that so little shows can achieve today. There is one problem however, and that is that all of the character models are drawn in almost exactly the same way. Ginko is one of the only recognizable characters, and even he looks very similar to everyone else. Now I`m not sure if it was a problem in the manga or if it was the anime producers but it can be somewhat distracting and difficult to distinguish between characters visually, which is sad because many of the characters have wonderful personality and development (which I will get into later). In short, it doesn't measure up to the art and animation of some newer shows, but it still is far above average.

Sound-10:
My feelings towards the soundtrack for Mushishi can be summed up in one word; beautiful. (I'll be using that word a lot, so be prepared) Each track of the OST is composed so wonderfully, adding atmosphere yet also directing your attention to the music. The Opening is slow paced yet pleasant, a very calming song to a very calming anime. The ending changes with each episode, yet they are all so outstanding, I sit through the credits every single time just to hear the outstanding tracks. The voice actors are outstanding, but more on that later. What more can I say? I listen to the Mushishi soundtrack every single day, it's just so incredibly calming.

Character-10:
In terms of character design, there is a issue, being that almost all of the characters aside from the main character, Ginko, look alike. However this is made up tenfold once the character's personality is revealed. The characters in many of the stories of Mushishi get more development in a single episode of screen time than many characters get in an entire series. As for the voice actors. Never has there been a show that I can say has better voice acting than Mushishi. There are many child characters in the series, and unlike many other franchises, the children are voiced by children, and it just sound so natural. Ginko's voice actor is also outstanding. Now on the topic of Ginko; he is one of the best male leads in anime history, or at least one of my favorites. His back story is wonderful, yet tragic. (without spoiling anything). And he has a very likable personality. The characters of Mushishi are among some of the best I've ever seen.

Enjoyment and Recommendation-10:
Based on this review, I think it's not hard to tell that I like Mushishi immensely. However, Mushishi is definitely NOT for everyone. If you like action-packed shows, or overarching (complex or not) plots, and slice of life, episode adventure do not, then I don't think that you'll like it. But, I still think that everyone should at least watch around 3 episodes before making a final decision. Who knows? you might just like it as much as I did.

Overall-10:
Mushishi is one of my all-time favorites, and what i consider to be one of the greatest shows of all time.