Mushishi

[rachelmanija]

Like the manga, whose first volume is now available in English from Del Rey, the anime is incredibly beautiful, magical and mysterious and strange. I very highly recommend both incarnations, even if you don't usually like manga and anime. (I have only read the first volume and watched four episodes, so no spoilers, please

Comments

[yeloson]

I briefly glanced at the manga, but wasn't sure if it was just going to be another "OMG! Exorcise weird demon!" manga. I'll have to pick this up now!

[strigine]

We saw the first ep at Animage last year and I really wished we'd picked it up. Once I get the computer back I'll have to start getting eps.

(uhhhh, unless the anime is licensed in which case neeeeever mind.)

Anime

[amberley]

The anime for Mushishi is very pretty, but now licensed by Funimation and not out yet. Lovely and creepy, but not horrific, sums it up well.

You might also wish to check out xxxHoLIC, 8 volumes of manga translated so far by Del Rey (with lots of translator's notes, yay) and an anime series in that sad limbo between a license being announced (also by Funimation) and being available on DVD. Talk faster, mortally offended voice actors!!

[kate_nepveu]

Thanks--I saw the manga notes but didn't realize it was an anime as well.

[telophase]

There's also a live-action movie, but I don't know anything about it other than the 3 or 4 stills I've seen.

[szzzt]

As someone who nearly grew up in a national forest, I connect with Mushishi because of the lush insight it gives into part of the Japanese view of nature. From the mountains to the rice paddies to the sea currents: all steeped in history and myth, with a deep spookiness that anyone who's walked through a silent snowy forest at twilight will recognize. Totoro and Princess Mononoke channel Nature in a similar sort of way, but not to Mushishi's extent.