First and foremost, there is nothing in here that you would usually expect to find in Japanese animation. In Mushishi, giant fighting robots, spaceship travels, and scantily clad schoolgirls are absent -- and if you expect or require your anime to contain these elements, then Mushishi is not worth your time and will likely put you to sleep before the first credits roll. If you're partial to unexpected plot twists, subtle foreshadowing and hints that beckon you to unravel the meaning implied by the author, or meticulously crafted plots, then most likely you, too, will be disappointed. As you can see, it is easier to advise someone NOT to watch this anime, than to find those who might like it.
When watching Mushishi, I felt as though what slowly unfolds on the other side of the screen begins to pull at the my heart strings, forcing think and ponder a lot and about many different things. I dive into an unknown world, one which is almost impossible to understand, a fantasy world superimposed on reality, and it is easy to get lost in this world. Seems to be, a bit of dynamics in the story, but while watching, time flies instantly. Is Mushishi a fairy tale? I do not know. It is too realistic to be a fairy tale, yet too fantastical to be true.
Honestly, in the beginning I was pretty skeptical. I was troubled by the graphics shown in previews and screenshots, and troubled by the fact that each episode had and "independent" plot. I entered the show's first few episodes with some skepticism. But after watching a few episodes more i really popped out - no one episodes did cause me disgust. Beautiful, almost to tears in the eyes landscapes, I really was amazed. Differences in character designs were fairly subtle, as if the creators wanted to say, "this could happen to anyone," and yet every character also had some traits peculiar to him or her alone. Each character must deal with the mushi, under his or her own, unique circumstances and situation. Because of this, many viewers fault Mushishi for having the same secondary characters. However, this is not a minus, but a "vice-versa" - plus - almost like creators wanted to say us: all people are different, but at the same time, all people, in many aspects, are similar to each other, and Mushishi displays this brilliantly. All of peoples are "all" and "every".
And the execution of these stories' design is just gorgeous. Rather than going the traditional anime route and using bright, eye-popping, multicolored landscapes, everything is drawn in soft pastels, with very simple color scheme reflecting the natural world and resembling watercolors. It is reminiscent of traditional Japanese ink painting. It seems that the first-season story of the artist who painted on the lining of his haori mountain from their native lands seems to be the essence of the series. There are mountains and valleys, the sky and the ocean, and with them another element, Mushi -- different and the same, neither good nor evil, the element that both feeds and kills. Just like history, there is neither bad nor good, just whatever the viewer feels each episode. All the same, everyone just lives their lives. There is no evil or good.
Regarding Mushishi's music: On the screen, under the sound of bells, you can see the panorama of the fresh green forest; close your eyes, and you feel the same. The music blends with the picture, to become a "voice" of nature. Without its brilliant OST, I think, anime would lose its soul. At the end of each episode, it is simply impossible to cut the ending short, because it is the logical conclusion of each episode, where the visual image transforms into the music.
Japanese philosophy is very ambivalent and are unlikely to be truly understood by our audience, but for anyone who has ever stopped to listen to the whisper of the forest, "Mushishi" will never be only a "passable" anime.
Mushishi - an amazing anime. Simply amazing. One of those anime that really deserves its place in the top.
P.S So here's the perfect anime for the night. Leaves behind a phenomenally light feeling and fleeting thought. And yet — it is filled with some all-consuming, though not hurting eyes, love of peace and love of one's neighbour.
P.P.S I would like to mention a story from the second half of the second season, about a man who lived his life several times. So sad and at the same time, life-affirming interpretation of "Groundhog Day" I have never seen before.
P.P.P.S English is not my native, so thank you so much my friend, for correcting my mistakes and sentence errors )
