Each episode tells a different story. I thought I would be bothered by this, but I wasn't. This adaptation is very faithful to the source material. The characters are so well done, even when they only appear for one episode, you truly feel for them in the end.
Mushishi evokes many different emotions while viewing it. Some episodes may have a really nice ending, while others can be really sad. The drama is top notch, and very believable, thanks to the characters and great voice acting. The beautiful soundtrack amplifies these effects.
The atmosphere of the anime (the beautiful art, serene music, compelling story) is what pulls me in with every episode. The entire experience of watching Mushishi is unbelievably calm. The more pulled in I am, the more relaxed I get. Thus, the soundtrack itself becomes a huge stress reliever~ It's almost as if I were watching it in my head as I listen to it; the serene nature of the anime is relayed through the music, and all those feelings I have while watching it come back to me. Listening to the OST, something I do everyday, is the best way to relieve stress. It really works wonders for the anime, especially when considering the quality of animation maintained throughout all 26 episodes.
I have yet to see an anime series animated as beautifully as Mushishi is. Everything was so well done, you can tell they spent a lot of time translating this from the manga. The Mushi are reminiscent of the creatures you would find in a Hayao Miyazaki film, the Kodoma of Princess Mononoke perhaps. They have a certain magical aura, a mystifying presence, that makes you want to see more and more of them.
Beautiful art/animation, brilliant use of music, with very touching/moving stories~ even with its episodic nature, where most characters only appear for a single episode. The pace of the anime is really slow and relaxed, but not to the point of being boring~ It is just right =)
I know I can't get enough of Mushishi~ It is an anime which should be seen by anyone who enjoys anime~ If you watch it, maybe you will feel the same as I do ^__^
