Mushishi is one of those anime gems that really cares about the important things that made anime so great in the first place. One, is the superb animation. Each episode seems to get a certain color range depending on the Mushi it sponsors. In one episode, the mushi was a type of purple flower and so every frame had some kind of purple hue to it. In another episode, the colors are bleak and gray until the very end when the mushi appear and burst into vibrant colors.
These patterns usually happen in the beautiful backgrounds of Mushishi.
By contrast, however, the humans are of simple design. Realistically, most characters have dark hair colors and plain clothes. This contrast forces you to look at the nature scenes and grasp their splendor.
Sounds also play an important role in Mushishi. Toshiro Masuda does a very good job at making the mood through this sounds. There is no melodramatic music of an orcestra or annoying j-pop/j-rock songs; just simple instruments and simple melodies that are very calming. Masuda also made all the ending songs, for Mushishi doesn't truly have one ending theme. This way it is better; it catches the mood for each episode quite nicely.
Funimaition provided the English dub, so if you watch any of their stuff you'll instantly recognize the voices and they do their jobs exceptionally well.
However, voice acting is not one thing Mushishi stresses on, even for the Japanese version. Everyone talks in a slow manner, and they sound natural (unlike most anime with screaming pink-haired characters). Sub or dub, you'll get a good deal here. Watching the dub will probably be the better deal, since then the focus is on the screen, not on subtitles.
Once the talking is finished, the most striking detail of all was the emotion you can feel in response to watching such a soothing and tranquil anime.
Besides the obvious short stories that come out of episodic series, there is a back story that occurs throughout the whole series. But what it exactly it is is up to the viewer. The first episode had a quote that can resemble the series: "Life in its purest form." In Mushishi, everyone is living their lives, along with the mushi. It's only when they interact with each other when things get complicated.
Mushishi is one of those series that are best seen through animation.
The anime is also an art form. An art that both entertains and makes you think long after the credits roll. It makes you want to pack up your things and walk through a forest. It touches the part of you that feels like there can be so much more to life just waiting to be discovered by finding yourself in a new town...
Pros:
+ Splendid animation that is prone to detail
+ Characters you can sympathize with
+ Not cliche at all
+ Is highly rewatchable
+ Unique soundtrack
+ One of the best dubs
+ Follows the manga almost frame by frame
Cons:
+ Shorter than the manga
+ Not too many recurring characters
+ It leaves you wanting more
