Anime is an art form, a fact that we often forget amidst the sea of generic fighters, ninjas, magic girls and panty-shots. It's a form of storytelling that is able to bring its audience a world of mystery and wonder depicted in a way that will not automatically trigger the uncanny valley effect because of its artistic flare. While many current anime series boast high definition backdrops, flashy computer rendered fight scenes and breasts of ever increasing magnitude, because "size' is no longer an appropriate descriptor, it is all drenched in the feel of seamy generalness like a cluster of generic set pieces placed near each other and programmed robotically to do their thing. They warrant maybe one look through for a quick dose of cheap entertainment but never leave a lasting impression or truly capture the imagination of its viewers.
So I'm here to bring up a reminder of the endless potential of anime with a review of one of the most artistically sublime works of animation I've had the privilege of viewing, Mushi-shi. It's very rare to see a blend of art in anime quite like this. The background gives a feel of the traditional brush art of Japanese tapestry, green, lush, and alternating exotic and familiar as if seeing a common landscape through the eyes of a master painter. Accenting and contrasting the cultured feel of the backdrops are the Mushi; mystical creatures, ethereal and unique, which provide just enough flash and flare without overwhelming the holistic feel of the carefully crafted environment. They are a mix of color and shape brought to life in beautifully rendered animation, melding seamlessly with the traditional landscape.
While the art of Mushi-shi is often breathtakingly beautiful it is but the tip of the iceberg, a medium for its story telling. Mushi-shi is an episodic anime with a very thin over arching plot line relating to the travels of the Mushi-shi named Ginko who studies and deals with the actions and interactions of human and Mushi. Each tale is unique and has its own authentic folk-lore feel like a tale told by the campfire. Each story introduces a unique and titillating Mushi, by turns mystical and horrifying, and their interaction with the humans involved. Try as you like, but nowhere else will you find tales quite like these. While some comparisons can be made to works like Hundred Stories: Requiem from the Darkness, and Jigoku Shoujo, they seem like hollow knock offs of the original master piece.
There are no real climactic battle sequences or hypnotizing ecchi scenes in Mushi-shi. Instead, the episodes each proceed with smooth pacing and captivating dialog and mysticism through its story about the essence of human nature augmented by the mysterious Mushi. There is joy and sorrow, love and hate, greed and sacrifice, acted out by the people Ginko encounters as their lives are touched by the ever present Mushi. Each story resolves as Ginko applies his trade as a Mushi-shi, using his unique knowledge to allow for the coexistence of both species. And to add a touch of realism, the endings are not always happy and often ambiguous. While some stories might be a bit more slow and mellow, they are by no means bland, with plenty of sparkling creatures and gorgeous art to keep the view interested.
After watching anime after anime retread old ground and reuse generic stock characters and plotlines with barely the hint of the envelope being pushed or a budding of new ideas it gets difficult to defend this cultural medium as progressive, unique, or even interesting. For every Ergo Proxy, Melancholy or Bakemonogatari there are a dozen Naruto, Eyeshield and Tenchi clones clogged with fillers, explosions, and T&A. But looking back at Mushi-shi, I'm reminded that it's still worth the effort to walk up to someone proclaiming that anime is comparable to American Saturday Morning cartoons or pornography and slap them across the face with the stern backhand of knowledge.
If you have yet to see Mushi-shi, take some time off from whatever you're watching and see it; it's a unique anime experience unlike any you'll have with any other series. If you have seen it, watch it again from time to time, just an episode or two, to refresh your memory of the fact that there is more to anime than swords and disproportionate curves.
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