Forum - View topicMushishi: The Next Chapter (TV) (w/ index).
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Tony K.
 SubscriberModerator  Posts: 11446 Location: Frisco, TX |
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I think season one covers roughly half of the manga. I own up to vol. 6 (out of 10), but stopped somewhere around 3 or 4 a looong time ago, so don't quote my guess as fact. But it wouldn't surprise me if they're picking the best of the remaining stories to animate into season two.
Not sure how many episodes they even plan on doing. But if my guess is correct, then I'm sure they still have plenty of source material to make an entire 26 episode season out of. Or heck, they could even do 12 or 13 for season two and save the other stories for more seasons down the road, considering how transitionally flawless the production seems to be. Still haven't watched any of season two, yet, but I guess I will on Monday. And if it's just as "the same" as it was (i.e like it never even left), then major kudos to the production team at Artland for being so stable. |
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danilo07
 Posts: 1580 |
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They are planning on adapting everything left over.You are right Tony K.,the first season adapted 26 chapters out of 50 so that leaves with possible 24 episodes.From what I have heard,the second season is split cour,which means that 12 episodes will air in spring and another 12 will air in fall.
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11446 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Okay, so after an hour and a half combined of Moderator duties, editing the opener of this thread, taking screen-caps, and then sorting 'em, I finally have some time to post this.
I gotta' say, I wholly underestimated when people said this new season was "more of the same." I thought they meant "same" as in the storytelling formula and production values. But the production, especially, is anything *but* the same. It's wa~y better than season one, of which I'll explain in detail down in the comments section. So here we go, kickin' things off with season two(!)  :
Episode 01: Banquet at the Forest's Edge (clicking this will take you back to the Index) ---------------------------------- Plot Summary The episode starts with a young man narrating a story of how is father (both of whom are sake brewers) had once gotten lost in the forest, only to stumble upon a strange congregation of people. And while there, his father had sampled a kind of sake that he had never experienced. But in actuality, that supposed sake turned out to be kouki, the water from the Koumyaku (River of Light). Growing up, however, the son attempted his best efforts to re-capture the taste of that once-fabled "golden sake" only to achieve it, and then finding himself in the exact same situation his father was in, years before. It turns out, this congregation was something of a mushishi convention, where all sorts of practitioners and followers came to ritually refill their stocks of kouki. However, when the son's sake is mistaken for kouki and is discovered to actually be a by-product of a nectar-eating mushi, Ginko reveals to him some of the facts and truths about the existence of mushi in general. ---------------------------------- Comments The majority of the episode is pretty straightforward. After eight and a half-ish years since season one, I take it they're trying to re-introduce the world of the franchise for newer audiences. Then again, every episode kinda' makes reference to the fact that "mushi are always present, they are what they are, and this how you should deal with 'em." But I've become quite the stickler for production quality as of late. And I have to admit, the newer production values, here, *really* help in reviving the series and giving it a fresher look. Although I've been watching 1080p BD rips for season one, the first series itself was created right before the beginning of HD broadcasting, so what they had to work with wasn't quite HD, but still pretty good in its own right. This new stuff, though, is just *brimming* with quality. The digital art/backgrounds have less banding, the colors are more vibrant, the line detail is *very* sharp, the frame rates of the animation are smoother, and they didn't even resort to recycling the soundtrack. I am *so* looking forward to some new compositions by Toshio Masuda. I also like the new opening; it's acoustical, folky, and easy-going, just like a Mushishi opening should be. And as you'll see in the scree-caps below, well.. seeing is believing. Take my word, in that the show looks absolutely awesome! Production praises aside, though, I'd like to refer to the comments Gina Szanboti made about the parallels and echoing with season one. So far, I *do* see the similarities in theme (an important sentimental cup, kouki, the Koumyaku). Although, in this episode's defense, I think the allegory is much different. Green Seat was more about the kid and his gift, which never really had any motivation behind it. He simply had the power to draw things with his left hand, and those drawings would come to life as mushi. In Banquet, however, the sake brewer's son seems to be more motivated in achieving that particular sake from his father's past; maybe to please his father, or maybe just as a personal goal as an artiste. But his demeanor for pursuit seems to be more driven, almost inspired (which I'll coin as this episode's main theme, with devotion and contentment as the others), rather than an innate ability like the kid had. I think inspiration, in general, can be a very strong driving force. Things that amaze, things that cause us to take action, or things that we simply enjoy the existence of, for better or worse, is part of what makes life so interesting. And we can clearly see that the son was trying to attain whatever it was he had in mind. But I think from inspiration also comes a sense of devotion. Even though Ginko told him to never distribute the sake to anyone in fear that it would expose the mushi world and cause panic, the son devoted himself to finding a *new* sake; one that didn't have a little mushi in it, and that was a result of his natural talent for brewing. And when you put the two together, I think inspiration and devotion can lead to any number of wondrous results (like a scientist or scholar, perhaps). And sooner or later, when inspiration has led to enough devotion, I think at some point in our lives, we all reach a certain level of contentment. After subjecting ourselves to a satisfactory amount of research, study, work, etc., we have to realize, sooner or later, that it's okay to view things in hindsight and bask in the glory. Whatever we *think* there's left to achieve shouldn't stop us from relishing in what's already been accomplished. And I think that's what the son does at the very end of the episode when he talks about drinking a little of the sake he made from his remaining secret stash and seeing all the mushi. He may not discover anything that surpasses the mushi-sake, but the fact that even made it in the first place should be a testament and representation of what he was able to accomplish in life. And if you're happy with that knowledge, well, sometimes that's good enough. ---------------------------------- Screen-caps 720p TV rips. See how awesome they are?!                              
---------------------------------- Thanks for reading. Look forward to next week. Feel free to chime in with any questions, comments, concerns, or requests for adding to or altering the content/format of these reviews. Last edited by Tony K. on Tue Oct 14, 2014 9:21 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11601 |
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Heh, no need to come to its defense, since it wasn't a criticism. Actually, it was praise, in that I was enjoying the sense of order it gave me. I guess the simplest way to explain it is to say I first noticed that episode three of both series was set in winter snow. Then I noticed the gatherings in both episode ones, and the isolated children in both episode twos. These episodes would still have whatever they have in common regardless of their order (though probably would have gone either unnoticed or unremarked), and other episodes may or may not have just as many common elements, but it's the arrangement of the two seasons so far that's stroking my pattern recognition buttons, and this arrangement delights me so I hope it continues. But yes, the actual stories and allegories are unique to each episode.
I think I needed to hear that. 
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11446 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Heh, I just realized a cool little Easter Egg. If you look at the thumbnail version of this pic, from far away, the sake in the vat looks like Ginko's face, the guy's head looks like Ginko's eye, and one of the mixing poles looks like a mushi cigarette.
It's probably not meant to be one, but it's something I noticed just, now. |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11601 |
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Heh, though I see what you mean, I think you're suffering from pareidolia there. But then again, Ginko has always looked like a Shetland pony to me, so who am I to say?
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spoony
 Posts: 117 Location: Illinois, US |
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OMG HE DOES. O_O I'm having a hard time figuring out when to watch this show because it makes me sleepy! Not because it's boring--Mushi-shi has been one of my favorite shows since the first season came out, and I am beyond thrilled to have it back. But it's so soothing that I get really relaxed and then I don't notice all the subtle beauty to it. It's a real problem. It's weird how Mushi-shi can be both relaxing and creepy at the same time. I can't think of anything like that in Western culture. The concept feels very Asian to me. The closest thing I can think of is the Gothic notion of the sublime. |
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dtm42
Posts: 14084 Location: currently stalking my waifu |
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This show is a lot better than I remember giving it credit for. Perhaps I should rewatch the first season sometime in case I was too harsh on it.
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11446 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Yeah. If you're liking this second season, the first one is exactly the same thing. The production values won't be quite as sharp/fluid because of the obvious differences in technology between now and then (still looks pretty great, though), but the storytelling and score are just as compelling.
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11601 |
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Since one can see the patterns one wishes in almost anything, it looks to me that the parallel pattern continues with this episode. S1 E4, The Pillow Path and S2 E4, The Hand that Caresses the Night both follow characters who spoiler[have been possessed by mushi and so gained unusual powers, but at a cost.] Nevertheless, their stories illustrate completely different themes. I love how this series can both examine different themes within similar premises, as well as similar themes within different premises (for example the concept of spoiler[becoming the ruler/guardian of the forest] seen in this episode as well as in spoiler[The Mountain Sleeps]).
It was really interesting to see Ginko so shaken. Have we ever seen him genuinely afraid before, instead of just startled or shocked? |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11446 Location: Frisco, TX |
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That sounds like a very interesting episode. Too bad I won't find out for another few weeks
 . Don't wanna' get ahead of myself and over-obsess with watching too much of the series, then re-watching it again for the sake of episode reviews, as much as I love it..
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danilo07
Posts: 1580 |
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What an unsettling episode,this was first time in a long time that I have felt genuinely scared by something occurring on the screen.The coloring helped in creating the atmosphere,they used olive green color which is usually associated with toxins and nausea,it overlapped nicely with the motif of this episode.The dominance of character was illustrated through his position compared to Ginko's.It was nothing innovative,but it was effectively and smartly used.
I am not sure that comparing second season to the first one is a helpful idea.It seems to me that second season is just picking manga material where the first stopped.All of thematic and aesthetic similarities are most likely coincidences. |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11601 |
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I'm aware of that. Which is why I said, "Since one can see the patterns one wishes in almost anything."
I wasn't really aiming for "helpful" per se, just interesting (to me, at least), but is it hurtful? If so, I'll stop. |
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danilo07
Posts: 1580 |
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Of course not,I was just expressing my opinion about your theories.
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11446 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Episode 02: The Warbling Sea Shell (clicking this will take you back to the Index)
---------------------------------- Plot Summary Ginko is passing through along the coast when he notices something peculiar: a seashell emitting the sound of chirping birds. The next day, a young girl by the name of Mina is browsing through seashells on the beach and meets another girl from the neighboring village, who invites her to a good spot she knows that has many more shells. The following day, Mina is given a task by her father, Sakichi, to go to the village and trade some shells for rice. On her way back home, though, Mina decides to take a break to look for more shells only to stumble upon some of the one's Ginko found earlier. In putting her ear next to the shell, however, Mina had lost her ability to speak. The source of the phenomenon was a mushi that goes by name of either Yadokaridori ("Hermit-Crab Bird") or Saezurigai ("Warbling Shell"). And it's said that when these sea-faring mushi are found to be hiding on shore, there's usually a disaster soon to follow. ---------------------------------- Comments I thought this episode carried a good amount of emotion to it. From the looks of Sakichi at the beginning, he seems like a grumpy and controlling enough guy, maybe almost to the point of unlikeable. But as the narrative would reveal, he was really just over-protective and a little paranoid about his daughter's safety. Ultimately, since the loss of his wife by one of the other village fisherman, he felt the need to blame someone instead of simply accepting there are things in the world beyond our control. So he held that grudge, caused it to alienate him and his daughter from the rest of society, and kinda' made things a little miserable for them, both. But as life would have it, Ginko's warning of an impending disaster sort of played the catalyst in letting Sakichi and Mina start a new life with the village after said disaster had struck. And in doing so, I think it highlighted some themes: "letting things go," que sera, sera ("whatever will be, will be"), and maybe "how hardship can bring people together." The "letting go" part is pretty prevalent throughout a majority of the episode once you learn the circumstances of Sakichi's self-induced exile. He couldn't accept the death of his wife as a mere accident and, instead, pinned it on the other fisherman, because I would assume it's usually difficult for most people to accept death as "just an accident" or as an uncontrollable life event, which brings us to the next theme. "Whatever will be, will be." I'm sure there are plenty of other scenarios where lives can be saved or deaths can be prevented. But considering the possible outcomes of Sakichi's wife's death, it was inevitable that a tragedy would've occurred, regardless of who the fisherman pulled out, first. Even one of the other villagers said he'd probably pull his own wife out before someone else's. And if Sakichi were there, I'm sure he'd have done the same for his. Every now and then, we just have to accept that not everything is controllable. And lastly, we have "the power of unity through disaster." For the most part, I would say that people tend to stick together more when hardships occur. Whether it be natural disasters, general grievances that affect a community, or whatever, I guess the natural tendency to respond to these types of situations is to look out for each other. Even amidst Sakichi's unwillingness to forgive, and even after he finally *did* let it go, he managed to give the pearl his daughter found the to fisherman so everyone would have something to live off of until the after effects of the disaster calmed down. I suppose it's a sort of testament to how strong the human spirit can be, no matter what differences there were, or whoever blamed who for what. It seems less important to hold on to the past, rather than paying attention to the present or planning for the future. ---------------------------------- Screen-caps                              
---------------------------------- EDIT: Went through and proofread everything. Hopefully, it makes more sense, now. Last edited by Tony K. on Tue Oct 14, 2014 9:21 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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