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23rd out of 29 books
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Mushishi, Volume 1 (Mushishi #1)
THEY HAVE EXISTED SINCE THE DAWN OF TIME.
Some live in the deep darkness behind your eyelids. Some eat silence. Some thoughtlessly kill. Some simply drive men mad. Shortly after life emerged from the primordial ooze, these deadly creatures, mushi, came into terrifying being. And they still exist and wreak havoc in the world today. Ginko, a young man with a sardonic smile, h...more
Some live in the deep darkness behind your eyelids. Some eat silence. Some thoughtlessly kill. Some simply drive men mad. Shortly after life emerged from the primordial ooze, these deadly creatures, mushi, came into terrifying being. And they still exist and wreak havoc in the world today. Ginko, a young man with a sardonic smile, h...more
Paperback, 240 pages
Published
January 30th 2007
by Del Rey
(first published November 2000)
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Manga about a man named Ginko who travels around Japan's countryside investigating ancient creatures called mushi. The mushi are in an interstitial state between animal, plant, and spirit that seems supernatural at times. The interactions between the humans and mushi are at times positive, at times, negative, and at times, ambiguous. This has some of the flavor of Miyazaki, and some of the flavor of folk or fairy tales. It has also has been turned into a quite good anime series. If you are looki...more
Mushishi follows the story of Ginko, a wandering mushi master who helps those affected by mushi, creatures that fall somewhere between animal and plant life. The series is episodic in nature, although as the stories progress, the reader learns how Ginko came into his work and more about the mushi themselves.
The artwork is exquisite - simple, calm, and often understated, yet compelling in the way it tells the story. The story itself can be haunting at times, using the mushi as a vehic...more
The artwork is exquisite - simple, calm, and often understated, yet compelling in the way it tells the story. The story itself can be haunting at times, using the mushi as a vehic...more
I read this on the recommendation of a good friend. She's an avid manga reader and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about! I don't know if Mushishi is indicative of other manga, but it definitely left me open to the possibility of reading more. Especially now that I've figured out how to read them (it's not as simple as reading them backward).
These stories revolve around the idea that there are ancient spirits that live in the world along side humans, these spirits are called Mush...more
These stories revolve around the idea that there are ancient spirits that live in the world along side humans, these spirits are called Mush...more
Mushi ‘have existed since the dawn of time’ (from the cover)
The Green Gathering or The Green Seat: Ginko investigates the case of a boy whose drawings, because of Mushi, come to life. Since ancient times Mushi have induced fear among humans. Mushi are called Green Things and ‘they’re very close to the original forms of life ... it was after them that the life we see began to branch out.’ (p. 20)
The Soft Horns or Tender Horns: Ginko has to cure a boy with growing horns, ot...more
The Green Gathering or The Green Seat: Ginko investigates the case of a boy whose drawings, because of Mushi, come to life. Since ancient times Mushi have induced fear among humans. Mushi are called Green Things and ‘they’re very close to the original forms of life ... it was after them that the life we see began to branch out.’ (p. 20)
The Soft Horns or Tender Horns: Ginko has to cure a boy with growing horns, ot...more
Ginko is a Mushishi, or Mushi Master, who travels Japan helping people who are plagued by primordial creatures called mushi. This is is one of the more interesting manga series I've read in a while, and each episode of this has a unique take on these mysterious creatures. It's a nice mix of horror and fairy tales, told in a very mellow and enjoyable way. It's fairly episodic, and so far there isn't much information on Ginko's origins and why he became a Mushishi. Hopefully some of these details ...more
After reading first volume I decided to watch first anime episode but ended watching episode after episode. Today I continue watching anime and after I have decided to see movie as well.
Summary is misleading leading to believe that mushi are evil or at least hostile to humans but that’s not true.
[...] their (Mushi) existence, when intertwined with the existence of humans or animals or plants, causes strange phenomena to occur. It's not like the Mushi are intentionally trying ...more
Summary is misleading leading to believe that mushi are evil or at least hostile to humans but that’s not true.
[...] their (Mushi) existence, when intertwined with the existence of humans or animals or plants, causes strange phenomena to occur. It's not like the Mushi are intentionally trying ...more
I was enthralled with the anime made from the first six books of this series, so I had to try the manga. The same delicate, thoughtful peek into Japanese folklore and superstition is here, the surprising turns the stories take. This is an episodic series of tales about the wandering of a Mushi-Shi, or Mushi Master, named Ginko, and the strange and unusual mushi he finds helping -- or hurting -- humans through inadvertent interaction.
Mushi are very close to the base of the tree of lif...more
Mushi are very close to the base of the tree of lif...more
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Ginko, a master of handling mushi (ghostly/ethereal creatures), wanders from place to place in a nonspecific era of Japan, saving people from mushi who have endangered them, without killing off the mushi themselves.
Yuki doesn't always tell happy stories; sometimes the stories end with a stalemate, as humans learn to live with the consequences of their encounters with mushi, and sometimes the stories end badly. The thing that appeals to me the most about this manga is the lack of vio...more
Yuki doesn't always tell happy stories; sometimes the stories end with a stalemate, as humans learn to live with the consequences of their encounters with mushi, and sometimes the stories end badly. The thing that appeals to me the most about this manga is the lack of vio...more
This is an interesting and fantastic series...one can see why it has won the coveted Kodansya Manga of the Year Award! Combining a sense of mystery, horror and the fantastic with the mood swings of humans (no matter who they are) each story can present a new facet of humanity and what it means to be human in even the most UN-human circumstances. The main character, Ginko, is shrouded in mystery...and we get very few peeks into his past and why he's developed the way he is, but he is a man wit...more
This is an episodic series about a wandering... fixer? Basically, it's a continuous set of very low-key quasi-horror stories in a setting that resembles old Japan. (Unsure about eras; my history is shaky. Not Warring States.) A dude named Ginko wanders the land plying his trade as a Mushi-shi; he helps people (usually) and seeks to increase his knowledge about the ancient and bizarre Mushi, pseudo-plants and pseudo-animals that predate everything we think of as "life."
Very...more
Very...more
The world has many hidden life forms called mushi, something like the base of all life. Ginko is a traveling mushishi, or 'mushi master', and he solves various problems that the mushi cause by interacting with humans.
First of all, this is a pretty, pretty series, and very episodic and encompassing. The down side is that the first manga volume maps nearly exactly to the anime -- as in, I can't see seeing both. I only hope that there's stuff that didn't make it to the anime, otherwi...more
First of all, this is a pretty, pretty series, and very episodic and encompassing. The down side is that the first manga volume maps nearly exactly to the anime -- as in, I can't see seeing both. I only hope that there's stuff that didn't make it to the anime, otherwi...more
Mushishi volume 1, revolves around a Mushishi named Ginko, who studies Mushi a type of "spirit" if you will. Ginko, unable to stay in on place because he attracts too many Mushi, travels during the Edo/Meji period helping those plagued by mushi. The first volume is split into a five different cases.
Story one, a young child who has the ability to create Mushi whenever he draws with his left hand.
Story two, people from a snowy village are losing their hearing, an...more
Story one, a young child who has the ability to create Mushi whenever he draws with his left hand.
Story two, people from a snowy village are losing their hearing, an...more
Mushishi is the story of Ginko, who goes around remote parts of Japan more or less exorcising the mushi, who come into people's lives and present them with weird existential feelings of dread:)
I should be up front about this, that I love manga with supernatural, ghostbusting qualities, because I think that "scary" manga reveal much more interesting sides of character's personality, and of Japanese culture, than do ordinary stories, and this manga, or at least this volume, c...more
I should be up front about this, that I love manga with supernatural, ghostbusting qualities, because I think that "scary" manga reveal much more interesting sides of character's personality, and of Japanese culture, than do ordinary stories, and this manga, or at least this volume, c...more
I really enjoyed this manga, which was a belated Christmas gift from my younger brother. The basic idea is that there are creatures called Mushi, which are a bit like fairies, a bit like ghosts, and a bit like microscopic organisms. They are unspeakably ancient, and when they come into contact with humans, the results are often tragic. A young man named Ginko is a Mushishi, someone who studies and attempts to assist those who are afflicted by Mushi, and this episodic manga follows several of ...more
Basically --and this is not a very good explanation-- the world is full of little creatures that exist between life and death, in dreams or sometimes in hidden places in the heart of nature. They can be good or bad, but they really aren't either one consciously because they are just an ancient part of the way the world is. The problem is often their existence threatens that of humans and someone ultimately has to do something to protect human lives.
Every chapter involves Ginko, a mus...more
Every chapter involves Ginko, a mus...more
A nice, non-standard manga - the author worked on it independently and submitted it to a manga contest, then went back to their day job. When it won the contest, the author was surprised, then spent the next two years working on the follow-up stories. It feels rough in some places, but it's refreshing to see some manga that's venturing into different territory, rather than depending on the old "Ohmygosh I have super powers! Now what should i do with them?" plotline that you see in o...more
This is the first manga series I've picked up in a while that actually has me thinking of purchasing the books for my library. I love the water color artwork on the cover as well as the art on the inside of the book. The story itself is wonderful, by turns heartwarming and sweet then quickly becoming mysterious and horrifying. It is definitely more than just your usual manga. Yuki Urushibara's ascetic is both beautiful and terrifying.
We have Mushishi Vols 1 - 7
Some live in the deep darkness behind your eyelids. Some eat silence. Some thoughtlessly kill. Some simply drive men mad. Shortly after life emerged from the primordial ooze, these deadly creatures, mushi, came into terrifying being. And they still exist and wreak havoc in the world today. Ginko, a young man with a sardonic smile, has the knowledge and skill to save those plagued by mushi . . . perhaps.
Some live in the deep darkness behind your eyelids. Some eat silence. Some thoughtlessly kill. Some simply drive men mad. Shortly after life emerged from the primordial ooze, these deadly creatures, mushi, came into terrifying being. And they still exist and wreak havoc in the world today. Ginko, a young man with a sardonic smile, has the knowledge and skill to save those plagued by mushi . . . perhaps.
Un manga délicat, avec de l'empathie pour la nature, un peu surnaturelle. Assez proche de la Forêt de Miyori, en fait.
Le héros, un mushishi parcourt le Japon, soignant les gens qui ont des troubles dus aux mushi, petites entités entre insecte et plante, sur le bord du surnaturel.
Les affections sont originales, les mushi sont variés, l'ambiance est poétique, le dessin fort beau.
Un manga intéressant.
Le héros, un mushishi parcourt le Japon, soignant les gens qui ont des troubles dus aux mushi, petites entités entre insecte et plante, sur le bord du surnaturel.
Les affections sont originales, les mushi sont variés, l'ambiance est poétique, le dessin fort beau.
Un manga intéressant.
This is a beautifully written and illustrated book and highly recommend you read it. It is kind of about Japanese folklore and fairy tales. I read it after seeing the Anime, I recommend that as well. It is a great change in the regular teenage drama, comedy, or even horror. It's nice and refreshing and is very well thought out. If you aren't sure about manga's this would be a good start.
Courtney
rated it
This series came highly recommended and it's easy to see why. I love the concept of "mushi", which are somewhere between primal elements and supernatural beings. The first volume is very episodic, showing the many manifestations of the mushi while introducing our protagonist as well. The artwork is beautiful and the story flows. I will definitely be reading the rest of this series.
Mushishi is really quite something. Not your average manga, and the anime is gorgeous, like a watercolor painting unfolding before your eyes. It doesn't have a typical manga plot, but instead is like a treasury of myths and stories, some of which have really interesting spiritual undertones. Well worth picking up.
I decided to read this after being bored by the first episode of the anime. Highly reflective and prone to very subtle storylines, 'Mushishi' is the kind of story that works best in manga format. The best element of the series is the uniqueness of the various mushi and the problems that come with them.
I stumbled across the anime first and fell in love with it. This is one of those quiet stories that is completely compelling. Each chapter is an individual story that can at times be completely heartbreaking as you follow Ginko on his travels in his search for the Mushi. One of my absolute favourites.
Dina Kharag
added it
This is a very interesting manga book and its definitely breath-taking and so mesmerizing to follow the main character, Ginko, go on his journey to see how he shall find next person to help them with their mushi problem. I'm not telling you what is, so you better read in order to see.
A really unique, environmentally-themed story with fantastical elements. The series follows Ginko on his foot-bound journey across the land. He is gifted with the ability to see and understand "mushi" - creatures that can eat silence, or drive people mad, or even kill. Ginko helps people identify and save themselves from all manner of mushi. I like this series best for its unique plots and wonderful art.
Although at times the explanations of the mushi's behavior were wobbly, the premise was always totally fun and nicely balanced between creepy fascination and faux-biological fascination, if that makes any sense. The art was great as well.
Kinda disappointed. The mushi were not clearly explained to my satisfaction (supernatural? biological? quantum?), so it was hard to get my head around that part. The stories showed potential, though. I found Vol 2 much more enjoyable.
I’d heard wonderful things about Mushishi (maybe it was the anime, and not the manga?) but I wasn’t overly impressed with the first volume.
I liked the *potential* of the world in Mushishi more than I did the individual stories. The chapters were brief glimpses into strange lives and happenings, whereas I would have liked a deeper look at each mushi and host’s story. I would have liked to learn a little bit more about Ginko, the story’s main character. Very little information is...more
I liked the *potential* of the world in Mushishi more than I did the individual stories. The chapters were brief glimpses into strange lives and happenings, whereas I would have liked a deeper look at each mushi and host’s story. I would have liked to learn a little bit more about Ginko, the story’s main character. Very little information is...more
This is another of my favorite manga. It's slow and dreamy, beautifully drawn and incredibly weird. Ginko is one of the most underrated manga heroes of all time.
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