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Mushi-shi: The Complete Series |  | Studio: Funimation
Category: DVD
List Price: $69.98
Buy Used: $43.96
as of 9/9/2010 06:58 CDT details
You Save: $26.02 (37%)
New (2) Used (4) from $43.96
Seller: wherehouse
Rating:  reviews
Sales Rank: 59402
Format: Animated, Box set, Color, DVD, NTSC
Languages: English (Unknown), English (Subtitled), Japanese (Original Language), English (Dubbed)
Rating: Unrated
Region: 1
Discs: 4
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Running Time: 654 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 5
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.4 x 0.7
MPN: FMADFN05109D
UPC: 704400051098
EAN: 0704400051098
ASIN: B001GT9DRK
Release Date: December 16, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Studio: Funimation Prod Inc Release Date: 12/16/2008
Amazon.com
The strikingly original series Mushi-shi (2005) features lyrically rendered backgrounds, unusual stories, understated vocal performances, measured pacing, and an eclectic score. Mushi many guises and represent "life in its purest form," according to Ginko, the Mushi-Shi or Mushi Master. Mushi bring the drawings of the boy-artist Shinra to life, and save a woman who was thrown into a raging river as a sacrifice to the water-gods. One type appears as a flowing stream of prismatic color whose beauty haunts a man to his dying day; another forms a mist over the sea that lures mariners to their doom. Soft spoken, chain-smoking, Ginko wanders through Japan, studying the problems produced by encounters between humans and Mushi and trying to alleviate them. Sometimes he succeeds; sometimes he fails. The many types of Mushi offer the filmmakers opportunities to create striking effects. In "Pretense of Spring," composer Toshio Masuda blends exotic percussion, guitar, and traditional Japanese instruments to heighten the viewer's sense of the winter cold in a remote mountain village. In the snowy landscape, certain Mushi take the form of spring flowers, luring animals and people with a false promise of spring, then feeding on their life-energy. In "A Sea of Writing," Ginko visits an archive that contains the writings of previous masters. But Mushi hidden in the precious scrolls cause the writing to flow out of them like spilled water. Only the archivist can control the writhing sentences: she delicately catches them with chopsticks and returns them to the pages where they belong. The filmmakers effectively blend hand-drawn and computer animation to suggest the differing realities of the humans and the living words. Mushi-shi is adult in the best sense of the term: intelligent, subtle, and thought-provoking. Given the popularity of Yuki Urushibara's award-winning manga in Japan, fans can hope for a second season or a sequel: Twenty-six episodes don't begin to encompass Ginko's travels--or the diversity of the Mushi. (Rated TV 14: grotesque imagery, alcohol and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon (1. The Green Gathering, 2. The Light of the Eyelid, 3. The Tender Horn, 4. The Pillow Pathway, 5. The Traveling Swamp, 6. Those Who Inhale the Dew, 7. Raindrops and Rainbows, 8. Where Sea Meets Man, 9. The Heavy Seed, 10. The White which Lives Within the Inkstone, 11. The Sleeping Mountain, 12. One-Eye Fish, 13. One-Night Bridge, 14. Inside the Cage, 15. Pretense of Spring, 16. Sunrise Serpent, 17. Pickers of Empty Cocoons, 18. Clothes that Embrace the Mountains, 19. String from the Sky, 20. A Sea of Writing, 21. Cotton Changeling, 22. Shrine in the Sea, 23. The Sound of Rust, 24. The Journey to the Field of Fire, 25. Eye of Fortune. Eye of Misfortune, 26. The Sound of Footsteps on the Grass)
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| Customer Reviews:
 Exquisitely subtle meditation on connection December 22, 2008
Bert Rinderle (L.A., CA United States)
40 out of 41 found this review helpful
I was a latecomer to Mushi-shi, mostly because I'm very picky when it comes to watching anime. I became intrigued by the series' description, and a short clip sealed the deal. After the first episode, I was completely captivated. Mushi-shi has not only become my favorite anime series, it's one of the best visual works I've ever seen.
The show revolves around Ginko, who spends his days travelling rural Japan in search of "mushi" - beings somewhere between animal and plant, neither good nor evil. In each standalone episode, a mushi has affected a person in a different way, and Ginko must decipher the reasons and concoct a cure.
While the premise may sound tedious, it's anything but. Ginko is a fascinating character: likable yet mysterious; a wanderer with a purpose that unfolds without hurry. The people Ginko meets have their own tale to tell, whether it be a man obsessed with rainbows, a boy who's gained a new sense of hearing, or a girl thought to be a living god. Each episode is memorable due to the characters who compose it, and the series ends up being endlessly interesting due to the inventiveness and versatility of the cast involved. While the people are left behind at the close of each episode, there are new ones to meet.
Besides its unusual structure, Mushi-shi is simply beautiful to experience. The dub is one of the best I've heard; Travis Willingham is perfect as Ginko. The music is minimal and subtle, but evokes emotion in a delicate manner. While there isn't much action in the series, the animation is superb, featuring a delicate and muted palette that's instantly captivating. Much of the series is like watching a moving painting.
The greatest thing about Mushi-shi, however, is its theme: connection between living beings. While each episode is about a person infected by a mushi, under the surface, it's also about how one's decisions affect his or her relationships with the surrounding world, for good and ill. It's no accident that Mushi-shi is set in the country; the show simply would not work in an urban setting, as the connection between human and nature is often explored.
Mushi-shi is totally unlike any other anime I've seen. There are no giant robots, aliens, screaming combatants, devious plans, high-school romances, possessed children, etc etc. It's a mature, quiet, thoughtful, and peaceful show, despite the conflict explored in each episode. I should say that this is probably not a show for children, as it can be quite dark and frightening, and while not explicitly graphic in nature, there are occasional implied acts of violence.
Mushi-shi is not a show to be rushed through, but savored and shared. It is multi-layered without being complex, and was nothing less than a profound journey to experience. This anime is a true labor of love, and I hope you make the choice to travel with Ginko.
Beautiful, engaging and requires little investment. December 15, 2008
Patrick Simpson (Virginia, USA)
29 out of 31 found this review helpful
Mushi-Shi is a gorgeous anime that is made up of 26 self-contained episodes that don't have anything to do with another, but introduce you to the new types of Mushi that the main character discovers, documents and solves the mystery behind.
It's not "slow-paced," but it definitely has the pacing of a mystery/suspense show like Law & Order or The X-Files, not a shonen-type fighting show. This is a more mature, adult show with nearly perfect animation, wonderful voice acting and music (at least on the Japanese side) and definitely worth a watch. Since each episode is self-contained, you don't have to worry about taking breaks between watching--you won't forget anything you needed to remember. :)
It's also worth noting that the episodes are "out of order" compared to the original manga, but as they're self-contained, it doesn't really matter. The manga also continues after where Mushi-Shi the anime ends, and I'm hoping they make a second season.
The Wonders of Nature Explored and Celebrated October 22, 2009
Travis Johnson (Menlo Park, CA United States)
23 out of 26 found this review helpful
As an avid Anime viewer, I watch a lot of Anime of varying genres. Mushi-shi is the story of nature, from a fantasy-entrenched perspective. In a different existence, there are life forms called Mushi, which are essentially the purest life forms, that live among people. Usually, they go undetected and do not disturb human beings. Occasionally, however, they sometimes can have negative effects, depending on what they require to survive. Some feed off light, while others feed off the gods themselves. Mushi-shi takes place in a much older period in Japan. Ginko, the main character, is a Mushi master, who travels around helping people with Mushi-related problems. Each episode tells the story of a different issue created by Mushi and how Ginko solves the issue. Unlike other Mushi masters, Ginko doesn't simply resort to killing the Mushi, and instead finds ways for people to live with them.
Mushi-shi is not a series that employs action, suspense, character development, or a connected plot. Instead, it uses beautiful artwork, interesting twists, and philosophical messages to remain an impressively unique series. 26 episodes long, this series is long enough to have an incredible diversity in stories told, and plenty of non-recurring characters. It also stays short enough to not overstay its welcome. Any longer, and the series would likely have lost it's value as a series with vague and transparent continual plot.
What Mushi-shi truly has going for it is it's environmental beauty. Everything is serene and peaceful, and the series has a definite air of mysticism to rival any Anime ever made. The Viridian Collection version has Both Japanese and English voice work (with English subtitles) and the special features are numerous and interesting. Mushi-shi is by far my favorite Anime ever made. Watch it if you desire a slower paced series focused more on philosophical virtues and less on action.
Spectacular October 31, 2008
S. Zook (Atascadero, CA)
11 out of 13 found this review helpful
I haven't gotten by box set yet since its not release but I have watched the whole series. This is a beautiful anime that you can put any of the discs in and just enjoy. The artwork is beautiful and the people relations are so realistic. There is a little fighting but nothing on a grand scale. Pretty much he wanders around like a doctor helping people with ailments that others don't believe exist. I can not wait for my pre-ordered set to arrive!!! Not a lot of action but not dull or slow paced.
Hauntingly beautiful January 14, 2010
Zack Davisson (Seattle, WA, USA)
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
I actually first encountered "Mushi shi" in the 2006 live-action film directed by Akira-legend Otomo Katsuhiro. I loved the quiet beauty of the film, and was intrigued to see the animated version. It was, in a world, mesmerizing.
This series is much more beautiful than the film, and because of the length of the series it is a richer and deeper adventure. I have rarely seen animation of this quality, especially in a television series. The green tone and emphasis on nature bring to mind some of the lovelier scenes of Miyazaki's work as in Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.
The storyline is fairly easy to describe. It follows the journey of a "mushi shi", or "mushi master" named Ginko, as he travels around and helps people who are having problems with mushi. (Funimation was quite wise with the translation of this anime by the way. The word mushi, when written with this kanji, is a difficult one to translate, and I have seen people calling this series "Bugmaster" which is a gross mistake. In this situation it was much better to keep the original Japanese word intact). An anthology series, Ginko rarely encounters the same people twice, and each episode is fresh and original. The series can be watched in any order.
The tone of "Mushi shi" is very quiet and somber, balancing on the edge of being a ghost story. There is a definite supernatural theme here, and the mushi themselves remind me of the "rods" creatures that occasionally turn up on cryptozoology series like Monsterquest. Anyone who loves Japanese supernatural stories, especially those that use the mystical elements of the natural world, will love "Mushi shi".
Special props also get called out to Funimation for their presentation of this series. I have never seen such a long series packaged so compactly. There are four disks in a single DVD case, which takes up hardly any space at all. With my DVD collection as large as it is, these kind of space-saving innovations are really appreciated.
Like other releases in Funimation's "Viridian Collection," this box set of "Mushi-shi" is a re-release offering a more "bare bones" presentation at a lower price.
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