neko's thinkbox

You can check out my half-way through Mushi-shi post to get an idea of what I thought of Mushi-shi after 13 episodes. Well 13 episodes later, not much has changed. The series continued in the same fashion, each episode telling a specific and different story involving Ginko, the main character, and the mushi.
Over-all my feelings for Mushi-shi are very pleasant. I enjoyed each episode, the formula the show followed kept things fresh. When a new mushi was involved I couldn’t wait to see what problems it may have caused and the effects it has on the surrounding environment, including plants, land, mountains, and humans. Some episodes left a sorrowful feeling while others left a very plain feeling.
The beautiful thing about Mushi-shi is that you could really just tune into the series at any point and enjoy it. However, a downside to this is that when the series ended I felt like it had gone no where. I felt no sense of closing or accomplishment that I feel when finishing a show. It of course left me wanting more, but I am glad the series didn’t continue with more episodes. It was clear when I was done watching it that this is how Mushi-shi was meant to be. I definitely feel that the more I was wanting will come from re-watching the series, and hopefully when I do I will get even more out of it.
Once the series ended, I still was scratching my head as to what the mushi exactly are. I have a grasp on what they may or could be, but I think that is part of the beauty of the show, that the mushi are whatever you interpret them as. They aren’t ever looked at as either good or evil, even if the effects they cause may be good or evil.
The sounds and music in the series were very appropriate and pleasing to the ears. Sounds stayed familiar throughout the series, but I never found them once annoying. They seemed to just fit with the style of the show. My first impression of the opening song was that it didn’t fit to well and I wasn’t to impressed. I still watched it every episode and it began to grow on me. Listening to the lyrics, they describe the travels of Ginko almost perfectly. It is really an enjoyable song.

Here is the music video of the song and a few of the lyrics.

I walked ten thousand miles, ten thousand miles to see you,
And every gasp of breath i grabbed at just to find you,
I climbed up every hills to get, to you,
I wondered ancient lands to hold, just you.

And every single step of the way, of pain,
Every single night and day,
I searched for you.
Through sandstorms and hazy dawns i reached for you.

I felt that Mushi-shi had very good production values. The animation was fluid (I noticed no problems), the settings were beautiful, and the character designs were interesting. If out of first impression the viewer doesn’t like Ginko, I can’t see them enjoying the series to much. Also if the viewer can’t take a slower series with little plot continuing from episode to episode, I can’t see them taking a liking to Mushi-shi. If these things can be overcame or don’t bother a particular viewer then I think there are plenty of things to enjoy in Mushi-shi. I recommend it! Mushi-shi definitely has a lot to give, and I think a second viewing will give even more.