Mushi-Shi, Vol. 2 - Region 1 DVD

Neither good nor evil, they are life in its purest form. Vulgar and strange, they have inspired fear in humans since the dawn of time and have, over the ages, come to be known as "mushi." The stories of the Mushi and the people they effect are all linked together by a traveling Mushi-shi or "Mushi Master" who seeks rare Mushi sightings and uses his shaman-like knowledge of Mushi to help the effected people. What are the Mushi and what do they want?


As "Mushi master" Ginko continues his ramblings through Japan, he discovers new ways in which the mysterious life-forms known as Mushi manifest themselves--and how they affect the lives of humans around them. One type appears as a flowing river of prismatic color: an inverted rainbow whose beauty haunted a man until his dying day. A second type forms an eerie mist over the sea that lures mariners to their doom; a third enriches barren soil, enabling farmers to reap record harvests, but at a terrible price. In contrast to the dynamic action and slapstick humor that characterize many popular anime series, the stories in Mushi-Shi unfold at a measured pace, well-suited to their often melancholy tone. Mushi-Shi is adult fare in the best sense of the term: intelligent, subtle, and thought-provoking. American animators may wonder why they don't get the chance to tell such unusual, understated stories. (Rated TV 14: grotesque imagery, alcohol and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon