"Some live in the deep darkness behind your eyelids. Some eat silence. Some thoughtlessly kill. Some simply drive men mad. They are known as mushi—creatures that came into being shortly after life emerged from the primordial ooze. They still exist parallel to our own lives and can only be seen by a select few."

The artwork really speaks for itself, and it's a style that's genuinely pleasing to the eye.

Mushishi exudes an atmosphere that makes you want to keep coming back to read more. Each story is like a separate meditation, expressing the importance behind the connection between humans and the nature around them in everyday life; how they can easily affect one another and the environment surrounding them. The dynamic between humans, nature, and life in Mushishi's world is shown beautifully through potent dialogue in every chapter.

"It’s not your fault. Nor was it the Mushi’s fault. You were both just trying to live. Nobody is guilty. Don’t die. You’ve done nothing wrong." - Ginko.

We follow Ginko, one of the few aware of their (mushi) existence, as he roams from place to place as a mediator between the mushi and those affected by them, learning more about them and their purpose in the world. Ginko's occupation as a mushishi is entirely out of self interest, and it's easy to see his excitement or frustration when dealing with a new type of mushi. Reading alongside the OST for the anime definitely enhanced my immersive experience with Mushishi.


Philosophical themes in Mushishi:

1. The colours white and green - So far, the colours white and green have played a major part in the series. Green is the colour of the mushi themselves, of life and of nature. White is Ginko's signature colour, the colour of death and the spirit world to the Japanese. But Ginko's eyes are green, making him the link between life and reality and the world of the mushi.

2. Dreams and Reality - In "The Pillow Pathway", the idea of a path between dreams and reality, between death and life is explored. By what mechanism do we wander the highways and byways of the universe when we sleep, and what happens when we have a stowaway on our journey?

3. The relationship between human beings and mushi - The fundamental basis for the series, and the point at which Ginko steps into the picture to have an adventure, is the point at which humans and mushi interact. This relationship is strange and complex, with humans and mushi both representing life in different forms, and each being destructive in different forms. Sometimes mushi and humans co-exist, sometimes they compete for the same resources, or engage in a symbiotic or parasitic relationship with one another.

4. Isolation and solitude - Isolation and solitude are the natural result of an interaction with mushi, but those things can also invite mushi into one's life. Learning how to deal with loneliness and isolation, or conversely, the love and pursuit of solitude, are threads that run throughout the series.

All in all, Mushishi is Yuki Urushibara's masterpiece that is deserving of all the praise it receives. It seamlessly pulls off high levels of character development and narrative in every short story without having much of an overarching plot. Being in an episodic style, you don't need to worry about pacing, with each conclusive story taking 10-20 minutes to read. I'd be quick to recommend it to anyone who enjoys a slice of life and drama with deep themes.