Noutions Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

Console best movie i've ever seen.

Rosie Searle It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Paynbob It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

i_ianchev "Feeling myself so strongly seduced by both the light and the darkness is something that I never want to forget..." - Yuki Urushibara, author of the Mushishi mangaThe Japanese anime series "Mushishi" has a very special place in my heart, so I wanted to dedicate several lines about it since a long time. But it took me a second look at the old series and a fresh first view of the new series to be able to get to the point of writing about it. And now I reconnect with the real idea behind the emotion which pushed me to explore this beautiful and emotional piece of Japanese animation. The true mystery of life is life itself. Something inexplicable, something controversial, but still engaging and profound. The Japanese folklore is truly an amazing source of bright inspiration for the author Yuki Urushibara. And we can clearly feel why.It is not important how we get it - it is interesting that no matter of our own level of perception, we all, the viewers understand emotionally every chapter, every episode of this journey through the people and their life between the darkness and the light. Each story is standing alone and is yet sufficient by itself. Each character doesn't need a prolonged back story. We see and hear and feel the sensation and connect to the human feelings presented to us. Mythological creatures called Mushi represent the eons old human beliefs. We as a species have always, are always and will always try to explain the world around us through something magical and inexplicable. Each and every event and experience in our lives (no matter how bright or dark it is) is perceived not through the sense, but via the heart and the soul. The imagery is so simple..., but yet it is enchanting. We as viewers do not know how, but we feel sympathy to the heroes in each story, because they live like us and have experience so similar to the real life that we simply accept through out hearts.And here we come to the conclusion that this both naturalistic and imaginary style of representing life is an elegant symbol of humanism. We all value the flow of life which sometimes really feels surrealistic. And this thought makes us feel more comfortable living it, doesn't it?

jpb58 Mushi-Shi (2005) from Japan is a brilliantly written and thought-provoking anime series, with lots of surprises in store for you if you are patient and open minded.With Mushi-Shi you will refreshingly NOT see your typical anime cutesy big-eyed girls having crushes on boys, shallow harem sex stories that get old fast, or violent, senseless samurai blood letting. Mushi-Shi is in a class by itself, a gentle show with class and poignancy. As the teachers used to tell us in school, "You will need your thinking caps for this one." At first you think you are watching a series about a life force called "mushi", and a traveling man named Ginko who is studying them, but the episodes all have moral tales to teach that transcend the outline of the basic stories. Most episodes are really about the relationships between human beings. The mushi are really incidental and act as catalysts to the dynamics of personal relationships.For instance, in the incredible "A String from the Sky" episode the story isn't really about the mushi string that captures the girl, flinging her into the sky; the real lesson being taught is the essential trust that has to exist between a man and woman who claim to love each other. The relationship will not survive without that trust. In "One Night Bridge" the episode really isn't about a mushi bridge that appears once every twenty years; rather the story is about a love so powerful between a young girl and boy that even the experience of death cannot truly break the devotion of their relationship.There are also surprising touches of humor in the stories and the main character of Ginko, both of which help bring some levity to serious situations taking place in most of the episodes.I watched in both Japanese with English subtitles and then all over again in the English dub, and I ended up liking both equally. Also special mention should go to the beautiful music soundtrack, which was perfect for the series. If only all anime were of such superb quality! Each episode is basically a stand alone segment, with different characters interacting with Ginko, who is the traveling "Mushi Master" out to help them, if he can, extricate themselves from the mushi's influences.I rented the series from Netflix. Although the rating there is TV-14 I disagree with this completely. There is nothing in Mushi-Shi that children ten years of age or older couldn't watch. No sex, hardly any violence, the language is clean except for a "damn" once in a blue moon. Compared to most other anime out there Mushi-Shi is very clean.I have watched my share of anime series by now, but I could easily throw all the others out after watching Mushi-Shi. It's that phenomenal. It deserves its high rating on the IMDb. It is intelligent and boasts beautiful animation. Don't miss this wonderful series!

siderite Mushishi is a strangely calming anime. It takes place in almost feudal Japan (they seem a lot more liberal and have access to some technology like microscopes and the mushishi talks about genetics in one episode) and follows Ginko, a man that can see the strange lifeforms that are all around us, called Mushi.In the end the episodes are rarely tense, with no or almost no violence. The mushi themselves are not perceived as evil that must be killed, but as a part of the ecosystem. Unlike most mushishi (a sort of mushi hunter/doctor), Ginko, the lead character, seeks only to restore the balance between normal life and mushi life.The anime itself takes place for only 26 episodes, all self contained, you could watch any of them in any order without losing any continuity. The manga is of course much longer and you can read it online.The calm music and the elements of traditional Japanese life and history are most welcome for a leisurely time when you want to relax and take your mind of things.

jess_davis Mushishi is an episodic anime comprised of 26 parts. Each episode stands alone from the rest and often the only common denominators in the stories are the presence of Ginko, the main character, and occasional appearances of his friend, Adashino-sensei. Ginko is a Mushi-shi (or bug master, if you'd prefer a literal translation) who travels around the far reaches of Japan examining and documenting various species of mushi. At the same time he helps those who come into contact with these entities: it seems many types of mushi are parasitic in nature and there are unfavorable results when they cross paths with humans. Throughout the series we're shown many magnificent creatures as well as a few intriguing glimpses into Ginko's past.Mushishi is an extraordinary series. It was refreshing in that it was so serene to watch – the art is beautiful, the atmosphere is peaceful, and yet the series was able to create excellent tension when it was called for. The stories within it are intriguing and one is left with a sense of wonderment when all is said and done.However, I was left yearning for more from the series. I found myself so interested in the characters that I wished for more plot – perhaps an arc or two that consisted of multiple episodes. There were a few opportunities in the show where they could have done just that, but instead they chose to remain true to the manga. As a result, you have to be patient while watching the series and enjoy it for what it is; its pacing is so different from other animes that you might be more familiar with.This series has easily become one of my favorites, and I hope it receives more recognition outside of Japan – recognition that it so plainly deserves.9/10