Rexic recommended MUSHI-SHI to me by saying it was unlike anything I’d watch for this column so far and it even invited comparisons to Miyazaki’s work. High claims to meet, but the proof was definitely in the pudding and I was truly enchanted by the gentler, pastoral atmosphere of this show. It reminded me a great deal of the kind magical realism Neil Gaiman uses for his modern fairy tales and the association’s apt, because I know his translation of PRINCESS MONONOKE had much to do with my enjoyment of it. It’s honestly so unusual to watch a show with the kind of quiet and stillness of traditional Japanese art installations or, do you use a more contemporary examples, games like ICO and SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS.
I’m getting the sense that this Ginko guy is going to be some kind paranormal investigator - - a John Constantine type who focuses on ghostly fungi, as it were - - and that each episode’s going to be a told-in-one where he solves a new Mushi-related problem. It’s stories like this that really bring up the ever-intriguing interpretations of magic rituals for me - -- how they're firmer antecedents to modern psychology than classical philosophy is. Whether something’s supernatural is happening is relevant; what matters is that the ritual gives the patient symbols to externalize her inner conflicts and then act them out in a psychodrama that bring some kind of catharsis. That is, a Tarot deck may not actually tell your future, but if it gets you to picture your fear as a juggler or a fool or whatever, then that goes a long way to overcome the fear because you’ve given it a shape and a face.
Bringing that MUSHI-SHI, it was refreshing to have conflict resolved in a climax that was non-violent, but still visually arresting and not cheesy like a sped up game of Go. I’m not quite sure what the broken wine bowl represents - - is the grandmother’s hesitancy about moving on? - - but I could appreciate how it represented something to her.
Definitely a strong candidate for follow-through, here.
Watch this episode "The Green Seat" below and decide for yourself.
- SLAYERS
- GUNSLINGER GIRL
- RIDEBACK
- FULL METAL PANIC!
- SCHOOL DAYS
- OTOME YOKAI ZAKURO
- GIANT KILLING
- CLANNAD
- HIGH SCHOOL OF THE DEAD
- PANTY & STOCKING
- GUIN SAGA
- PRINCESS TUTU
- TATAMI GALAXY
- MONSTER
- CLAYMORE
- HIKARU NO GO
Tom Pinchuk’s the writer of HYBRID BASTARDS! & UNIMAGINABLE. Order them on Amazon here & here. Follow him on Twitter: @tompinchuk
Sometimes the tea is terrifying, though, so I guess the analogy kind of breaks down....um...I really like the opening theme song!
A brilliant show and definitely worth watching. It's like reading Grimm's Fairy Tales or One Thousand and One Nights - it's a collection of stories. The series has a really nice and "fairy-tale like" atmosphere thanks to the animation, music and the interesting mythology behind the Mushi.
Also The Sore Feet Song is one of my favourite OPs.