TonyWatchesMovies Anime Review: Mushi-Shi: 8 out of 10

Whoever tells you that a TV show needs action to be successful is a liar, and Mushi-Shi is proof of that. What this show lacks in testosterone-fueled fight scenes it makes up for in full with a captivating story and a truly beautiful style of animation. Many will say that Mushi-Shi is slow, and they will be right. But for a story as full-bodied as this one, a slow pace is exactly what the doctor ordered.

TonyWatchesMovies Score: 8 out of 10 You delve into the world of Mushi-Shi and find a world filled with "mushi", or spirits, and each of them do a different thing in regards to their place in nature. Most of them work in tandem with the world around them, changing the seasons or helping plants grow and other things of that nature. However, some of them don't do what they are told or are harmful to nature or to humans, and that is where Ginko, our main character, finds his place; to help others rid themselves of harmful mushi. He travels the land in search of people in need, and through the use of his extensive knowledge of the mushi world he helps people with their problems. This may seem like a "case-of-the-week" procedural where the problem is wrapped up neatly with a bow at the end of every episode, but believe me, it's not, and in many cases people actually end up NOT being saved, and this is where Mushi-Shi shines as a TV show. WARNING: SPOILER TERRITORY I'm going to use an example; at one point, Ginko arrives at a village where a boy has been hit by lightning several times and survived. Ginko of course has the solution to the problem, however, the boy refuses. After speaking with the mother, he finds out that the mother and son have a horrible relationship, and by being struck repeatedly by lightning, the boy is tormenting her and her mistreatment of him. At the end of the episode, the mushi causing the boy to be struck by lightning leaves him, and eventually the boy goes to live with his grandparents. Even though Ginko has the solution, the fact remains that some people simply don't want to be saved, and it is there that Mushi-Shi will captivate you time and time again. On a side note, the score for this show is AMAZING. I listen to the full album while I'm working on writing or something that's tedious and that music makes several hours seem like a couple minutes. Cheers, -TonyWatchesMovies