Forum - View topicMushishi (TV) (w/ index).
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Tony K.
 SubscriberModerator  Posts: 11446 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Wow, that's an interesting breakdown, Clodus. However, I doubt any further production of an anime series would have the same effect as the first run. I mean, the first series already ran it's 26 episode course, wowed many critics with its technical merits, and even won some high-name awards from the Japanese media and such.
While I wouldn't mind another run, I think the first one is perfect as is. And if the production and quality just happen to sink in the second one (which I doubt, but who knows), then I wouldn't want that to sully the legacy already made. Anywho, my updates on this thread will be on another hiatus. Not that school or work are in the way, but my computer (the newer, faster one) is out of service for the time being. The computer I'm using right now is Internet capable and all, but it's kinds of slow (actually, very) in terms of processing speed (at least in comparison), so I won't have any screencaps or anything to post with the summaries. Worst case scenario, though, is that I just post summaries with no caps, but where's the beauty in that  ? However, I will admit it sucks not being able to watch any of the series I was keeping up with via fansub (really wanted to watch more Gundam 00, but this old thing can't handle the resolution).
Ah well, thanks for effort, still. |
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.::Lain::.
 Posts: 47 Location: playing games on my (+.[____]·:·) |
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Wow what a marvelous review Tony K.!
I just saw a couple of episodes of Mushi-Shi yesterday and I really love the feel of this anime. I love hearing folktale stories because folktales often do have aspects of mystery, horror in them. After seeing the first episode I was kind of intrigued. Here in my place I think we do have the same folklore referring to a banquet of supernatural beings asking you to drink and/or eat something from them and once you were able to consume their food or whatever they had offered you would become one of them. It's scary but it was a way for the adults to keep the young ones at home before it gets dark. We have a lot of folktale which is similar to some episodes of Mushi-Shi. Moreover I just love the art, the background, the music of this anime it really relaxes me just seeing the mountains and the trees Ginko is traveling on. Well episode 1... It was a new feel. I know some Japanese folklore but I never imagined it would be great to animate it although some parts were modified. The only title I could remember which revolves around Japanese folklore is the anime Hundred Stories. Anyway, I really felt the sadness of Shinra living alone in a deep forest but I was also amazed about him being responsible enough to let himself live in solitude. His grandmother did raise him well understanding his own situation (having god's left hand) that he needs to be isolated. I love the part when Renzu left her other self in the forest, so dramatic. Episode 2, I was confused with episode 2 because if I could remember from the manga episode 2 should have been gentle horns instead of the light from the eyelids. Anyway episode 2 "the light from the eyelids" was another amazing story. I'm not sure but I think (read from somewhere can't remember) this was the story that won the award (not sure if this story was the highlight of getting the Kodansha Manga of the Year award or if it was another award). Anyway after watching up until episode 10, I notice that Ginko was the only one who wears modern clothing (so weird). So I really did wonder about the timeframe of Mushi-Shi and even speculated (my brother and I) that Ginko might be from the future. It's definitely not Heian period... might be possible if it's Meiji or Edo simply because of Ginko's look. I wonder??? Anyway all in all this anime is really a masterpiece...
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11446 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Episode 04: The Pillow Pathway
Summary: Ginko visits a man whose dreams are coming true and advises that when the occurrences become more constant, he should start taking higher doses and that failure to do so would result in calamity. After a little less than a year, Ginko returns, only to find the village in shambles and the man living by himself. ---------------------------------- Comments: Okay, so that was a lot of storytelling and proofreading on my part. From this point on, I'm skipping the whole talk on production values because the screencaps should speak for themselves in terms of artwork. And if you want to hear the music, you can probably Youtube the soundtrack as well. Heck, I even recommend you listen to it while reading the summaries. They have that much ambiance. Well then, you may have noticed I didn't mention the whole spiel on the Japanese word for pillow, tamakura(?), which roughly translates to "soul storage." This symbolism can be taken quite literally and is very interesting to think about when accompanied by the little tidbit of information that we also spend about a third of our lives sleeping. It might also be worthy to note the whole concept between our "souls" and dream interpretation as well. I, myself, am sort of in-between with the whole "dreams represent your subconscious" thing. Though in the particular case of this episode, I feel a part of the plot may come from that feeling of deja vu some people can get from a similar kind of premonition dreaming. Not to say it's a major soothsaying of important events, but at times I've dreamed where I'll be doing something very minuscule in nature like writing with a certain pen and seeing a certain object, then all of a sudden, it will happen a few days or weeks later, and then I get this feeling like I've already done it before. Maybe Urushibara noticed this kind of thing as well and used it as an idea in her original writing? Then there's the symbiote thing with the pillow. In a weird way, I have this idea that relates to what Ginko mentions about how much time we spend (sleeping) on those. You ever notice when you sleep on a pillow, that you sometimes develop some affinity to it, like having a "favorite pillow?" Like if you were to go somewhere away from home, you'd bring your favorite pillow to sleep on because you feel it would be most comfortable for head support? I don't know about you, but I definitely get the vibe that we spend so much time sleeping, we may as well be eternally intertwined with them, and vice versa. Not to say that it's bad we've gotten so accustomed to sleeping, but I find it an interesting coincidence, nonetheless. Basically, we are "one" with our pillow, only we don't share cuts. Then there's the general dilemma of the man. What would you do if you were in his situation? If I could "create" the future, I'd probably be deathly afraid of what possibilities there might be. Well, maybe not. Most of my dreams consist of weird things like forks in a bowling alley, being in anime or Hollywood movies, the occasional "mystery girl" I used to know, and sometimes even a few sexual encounters with them... However, I've had some really bad dreams about death, destruction, and general feelings of powerlessness, which are no fun at all. I'd hate to have that kind of burden on my everyday consciousness. But getting back to the what really makes this series attractive, I especially like the concept that everything that happens in this series is supposed to be considered "natural," though in turn its elements of fantasy and the supernatural make it so wondrous at the same time. I feel this kind of writing and atmosphere is a way to disprove certain aspects of reality that make us more worrisome that we should be. For instance, the part where Kinu is telling her husband "it's not your fault." Again, the world of Mushi-Shi is a fantasy in itself, but we're to believe that mushi do exist, and that there is in fact, explanation for some of the stranger, even "supernatural" things we think are occurring in everyday life. But instead of finding the cause or placing the blame, we should just take it all as "something that happens as a part of the life cycle," whether it be mushi, mother nature, or whatever. A very cool concept, if I do say so myself, and something I look very forward to discussing in more detail as the days pass by. ---------------------------------- Caps: (Pending) Last edited by Tony K. on Tue Jan 19, 2021 5:18 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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bonbonsrus
 Posts: 1537 Location: Michigan, USA |
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Gah, I am SO glad you are doing this again Tony! I super-loved Mushi-shi and always wished this were still updated and used, I have been wanting to re-watch in small chuncks again, and now thanks to this being revived, I will get out the first disk and watch...
This episode you are talking about here, I remember thinking how wonderful it was in that I never saw that twist coming. I love how this show has so many wonderful "out-of-the-box" moments and it never feels contrived, and this is a great example. You have to wonder, if he knew in advance what this mushi actually did, would that have been better? I have to rewatch this, but wasn't there a reason he shouldn't take the medicine all the time until he had more dreams? Dreams are so vital to our lives as well, when people have been deprived of sleep (specifically REM sleep) for extended periods of time in experiments they start to lose all ability to think properly, reason, and indeed become what we think of as insane. How horrid to fear the thing you need to live. This is part of the macabre thinking and beautiful but scary world of mushi that I love. Everything about this show is an experience not to be missed. I hope you are able to keep this up Tony, I know it's a lot of work, but it's a series deserving of it. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11446 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Yeah, one of the great things about this series is that you don't have to re-watch the whole thing if you're ever in the mood to discuss it. Going on an episode-by-episode basis makes it much more simple, taking only 20 minutes of your time, as opposed to 520.
And it seems this thread is getting a lot of views, but no replies. Maybe my posts are a little too detailed and overwhelming... spoiler[ Well, too bad! When I'm in to something, I really get in to it.] I understand that it's completely my fault for procrastinating so long and that the buzz over its initial release is now over, but better late than ever, I always say. At least it will make for good reading. Oh, and speaking of dreams, I've been having a lot of them lately. I'm even taking naps more than usual and dreaming within 1-2 hours of sleep. 8 hours does seems like a lot of time to waste. I like to spend the day being "productive," be it working at a job, getting errands around the house done, or advancing my personal schedule of "things to do" (namely, catching up on backlogged anime). But maybe there is something to the whole REM sleep thing. I remember studying it a little in my psychology classes, but am fuzzy on the details. Something about how dreams can help alleviate our psyche more so than just sleeping and not dreaming at all, though I may be mistaken on that interpretation. Oh well, thanks for show of interest after so long. It's one more than I expected. EDIT: Grammar. Last edited by Tony K. on Tue Aug 12, 2008 3:40 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11446 Location: Frisco, TX |
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I did some calculating, and if I keep up this "episode-a-week" format, I would be done on the first week of January '09. I have no clue how the overall maintenance of this thread will turn out, but in the end, I suspect this will be a good reference thread for current and future fans of the series. So, please feel free to make use of these efforts and enjoy..
Episode 05: The Traveling Swamp (clicking this will take you back to the Index) ---------------------------------- Summary In this episode, we begin with a beautfiul view of this seaside lodging, but with, what looks like, a strange and peculiar assortment of odds and ends, only to find that we are merely in the presence of one Adashino-sensi, Ginko's "benefactor," if such a title is even befitting. At this moment, we have the good doctor examining the spoils of what Ginko had come to acquire to this point of the series, including the green sake bowl (from Episode 1) and the tender horns of the Ah (from Episode 3). Of most interest to him was the sake bowl, but being the shrewd negotiator he was, Ginko would only be interested in foregoing its possession for a little help, first. Fade in title... Earlier while on his way for a visit, Ginko had noticed a certain swamp area in the mountains of that area. Strangely enough though, when looking back, he would notice that said swamps were mysteriously disappearing, only to reappear on his path at a later time. However, even stranger was the brief appearance of a young girl that would also emerge from the shores of the swamp. And upon closer inspection, it would seem the girl herself was just as peculiar as the swamp. Upon finding the girl and hearing her story, we then learn that she has been traveling with this swamp for some time, and that this particular body of water may be related to the Suiko, a certain type of liquid mushi. Among other stories, Ginko then explains that the Suiko are easily undetectable, traveling mostly through old water veins, and that anyone who bathed or drank of this mushi's essence would, after too long, become liquid themselves. We then hear of the girl's story and how she came to the position she was in that day. Apparently when she was younger, she had been dressed in her kimono for a reason. And as a service was given for her late mother, the young girl would then learn she is to be sacrificed to the "water god" of their village and that her legacy would live on as a noble and sacred duty for the rest of her name's existence. As she was sacrificed, she had later awoken in her kimono in a far away location, only to find her hair had been dyed as green as the swamp she found herself standing in. She claims the swamp had "saved" her, preserving her life and allowing her to live, if not at least one day longer. But that same night, after hearing the story, the time had come for the swamp and girl to move on. As we catch what is expected to be a last look at the girl before she passes, the swamp begins to drain itself, moving through the ancient water veins and towards the ocean. And so, we are brought back to the seaside village, where Ginko and Adashino are working to project the swamps trajectory. Through one of the more current maps, we notice several trails of water veins that had been found some years ago as a possible course. However, after matching the current with an older one, supposedly covering water paths ten millennia ago, Ginko thinks he may have found the path in which the swamp will take in order to reach the ocean. In a plan to "catch" the girl, Ginko and Adashino ask for the village's help in constructing a giant net just before the mouth of the river converges into the ocean. And as night approached with a violent storm in its midst, Adashino begins to question why Ginko was even going to such efforts. Ginko then explains (in reference to Episode 1) that he was having second thoughts on what it meant to be alive as either a normal human being or mushi (more details to follow in the Comments section below). But still, despite their efforts, they were unable to stop the girl from slipping past them, leaving only her kimono in the wake of the storm. At this point, the swamp had merged into the ocean and found its final resting place. The next day, what had been thought be a dead sea with no fish had suddenly turned into a plethora of catch after major catch. Yet, what we also find jumbled within the catch is the girl, who now seems to have suffered the "Suiko-curse", turning her into an almost gelatinous form. Later, she makes a full recovery with much of the saltwater washing the swamps chloroplasts(?) (or whatever made the green) out of her hair, returning her into the normal girl she was. She then awakens only to be fluxing in a state of pure terror and disbelief, claiming she felt scared of "dying" and becoming part of the swamp's liquid essence. But at the same time, she felt a great deal of sadness in that the swamp had actually been searching for its final resting place this entire time and that she could "feel" the swamp in its dying moments. Afterwards, the girl begins a new life and decides to live it at the resting place of the swamp that had once saved her from immanent death. Doing so not out of obligation, but as a sign of respect and admiration for such a creature of age, wisdom, and longevity, we end her story with a resolution and a glimpse of the "second chance" that few might ever receive in their lifetime. Meanwhile, as Ginko continues to travel through the mountains, he notices a number of new swamps that had been given birth to by the one traveling beforehand. And as we get a final glimpse of the swamp's legacy, we are given a brief monologue by the narrator, "Swamps are born and eventually become stagnant... When the world nurtured in their bosom comes to an end, they put on their own feet... and being to move..." ---------------------------------- Comments This one actually required a little more attention for me. I couldn't remember what redeeming quality there was in the storytelling or if there was a certain kind of symbolism that just went over my head, but it seems different now from when I first watched it some time ago. Here, the theme clearly seems to be about life and "second chances." The girl was dressed up, given sweet words to comfort her conscience, then thrown off a cliff to become a martyr of sorts for the benefit of her village's water god. It's hard to say how old she is, but I'd guess early to mid teens or younger. But given that assumption, I'm sure she had a mix of emotions running through her mind at the time of sacrifice. Here, you have a girl who, for all we know, got to live very little of her life. Then all of a sudden she's being thrown away. Again, like in Episode 4, how do you live with yourself knowing you either have a short amount of time left, or that something really bad is about to change your world? I feel this episode did a better job confronting that issue and giving us a more positive way to make our own resolutions in providing that girl with a second lease on life, via the 10,000 year-old swamp that just happened to be passing by at the time of her near-death experience. Though I kind of wonder on just what did happen to her body after being with the swamp for so long. In the beginning of the episode, we're under the assumption that given her age then and back during the sacrifice, then taking into account Ginko's story of the Suiko, I think I missed the connection between the girl and her supposed "transformation," then her eventual regression back to a normal person. Maybe the swamp removed its "essence" from her body as a final "goodbye," or perhaps the saltwater had some kind of unexplained reaction? In any case, getting back to the theme at hand, while the "second chance" thing may sound cliché, it should not be taken lightly. If you're into Zen Buddhism, the concept of reincarnation, etc. you could think of the eternal life cycle as "you live forever, but only remember it once," kind of a rebuttal to the saying "you only live once" (if that's what you believe in). But with that in mind, life itself should be treated as a precious commodity. I know today's society and the progression of technology, urbanization, politics, religion, and blah, blah, blah has turned a good majority of our lives into a "routine." But I think it would make for good self-awareness to occasionally take the time and realize how lucky some of us are, that we can sit down under a roof with air/heat, that we can enjoy good food with good people, or sit in front of a computer and talk about Japanese cartoons when we or someone else around the world might be less fortunate. I don't want to get into specifics because it'll just turn into rambling, but it's something I've had on my mind the last couple of days after seeing a certain movie and hearing about the untimely deaths of certain individuals I liked and respected. This made for a nice reminder. Ah, and getting to Ginko's dilemma. I want to address some actual development in his character, which also coincides with some of the mysterious and mystical nature of the mushi's lifespan. When I said he was having second thoughts, I really liked his explanation on what it was like living as a human, what it's like to be a demi-mushi (like Renzu was), or being a full mushi. The thing about mushi is that they're not alive or dead, not living or inanimate. They're the "space between space" or whatever expression Indiana Jones 4 used. To let Renzu become a mushi was her wish, yes, but as the "doorman" between her life as a human or mushi, Ginko was left with the burden of what his actions might eventually cause. As mushi, Renzu will continue to live at whatever age she was (really young). But as the curse with immortality (or just an extremely long lifespan) dictates, you're kind of stuck with whatever suffering or mishaps befall you until your time comes or someone can end it for you. This makes for a pivotal transition in Ginko's character because he doesn't appear to be just an observer or sympathetic intervener anymore. His actions clearly are starting to have more impact, which can add a good amount of drama to his future decision-making in future episodes, as well as giving us a little reminder to be more mindful and considerate of what we can/should/might do if given the power/opportunities. A really good episode, and green is my favorite color. Last edited by Tony K. on Tue Aug 26, 2008 12:30 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Elfen12
 Posts: 479 Location: Bay Area |
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Of the show, this happens to be one of my favorite episodes (i saw it Subbed
 ). I shall further explain my reasoning behind this as to the best of my ability but first as a small side note:
I must agree with you in both opinions this statement expresses. This episdoe was a great episode, and green happens to be my favorite color as well. But onto the episode. One of the things about this episode that stands out in my mind is the uniqueness in the idea. I do realize that most of Mushi-shi is unique, one interesting idea after another, none of them being cliche in the least bit. But this one exceeds that uniqueness, and is on an entirely differnet leve. For starters, a moving swamp with that happens to be connected with a girl somehow... i've not seen something much like this before in any anime. Although uniqueness is one of the things about this show that i adore, this episode especially provides proof for myself that this uniqueness exists. Not only that, but they use such a unique idea to convey a rather simple point. The fact that she decides to stay in the town where the townspeople saved her from something that she hadn't really thought of as a burden untill a point in that episode... That whole idea of obligation to reamin with and help with and contribute to a society of people who saved her, is just an interesting thought. Although many of the episodes in this show truly shine in my eyes, this one along with a couple of other ones (The episodes i like are in the spoiler tags, if you havn't seen the whole show, i suggest not looking) spoiler[ The episode that talks about the mystery behind those eyes that ginko has and that little boy from seeing to much light, the episode when this village gets infested and it shows by metalic on their skin and what they belive to be coming from a persons voice, The episode 4: The Pillow Pathway, and the episode when a boy is able to write things that can come off of paper. (Sorry i can't be more specific with the episode #s  )]
Just to add this as well, thinking about this show and reading your opinions on the episodes and your explanations has further helped me to understand and realize the beauty in this anime... so i thank you for that 
-Elfen12- I'm rewatchin' this show asap as the episodes come out in english |
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aya_honda
 Posts: 920 Location: Around here |
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I will shyly jump in the discussion as I have two tiny ideas about episode five:
The first one would be regarding the sacrifice of the girl. It seems that she has been a sacrifice of a water god as you have mentioned before and she was thrown into the river. What is interesting is the fact that in some ways it resembles to a fairy-tale. There is the reccuring theme of a pure innocent girl who is sacrificed for the good of the community in which she lives. Sometimes there are many sacrifices of this sort before the main hero comes to stage and saves the one girl by killing the dragon (usually it is a dragon to which the girls are taken) or whatever monster can be imagined. Sometimes the girl is of high birth (a princess or the daughter of a wealthy man) other times she is a simple girl (paradoxically they usually aren't saved). Anyways, the sense that I am trying to make is that they are sacrificed at a very early age and there is no chance for them to live their lives. What I liked very much about this episode is that the story followed the girl who was sacrificed by her people to the water god. Usually one just reads or sees her sacrifice and that is it. But this time she is followed throughout the story and one gets the chance to see what happens to her. She is not forgotten (although the old man who tells her all those 'sweet words' tell her she would be remembered I highly doubt that; if the sacrifice actually worked - if the water god has been satisfied with the sacrifice, then it meant that the people were satisfied as well and therefore they had the chance of a new life as well; in case the sacrifice didn't work, then another girl would be periodically sacrificed - again something which happens in the fairytales as well). I am probably rumbling here and I might be far off in my interpretation, but you know, I always wondered what happened with the girls that were sacrificed till the arrival of the main hero - one never gets the chance to see their torment and their suffering of being sacrificed, although the idea of sacrifice may be deeply embedded within their consciousness due to the community in which they lived. That is why I liked this episode very much and the fact that she was given a second chance to live. The second idea that came into my mind and this time regarding Ginko's character is the fact that he likes very much life, he treasures it and I see this recurrent thought of his to see the people whom he helps live. Just like in the episode before, when he told to the man to live, here again he wants to help the girl live and as you said, he actually gets involved in the process and asks help as well from the others to save her. He seems to be very keen in protecting other people's lives. A small idea about episode four, although I know that its week has passed. I have an idea regarding the dreams of the man. At the uni I had an interesting course on superstitions and I remember that there was one saying that the dreams shouldn't be told to anyone and that they should be kept as a secret. If one starts to say what the dream was about to the other (especially nightmares) then it would bring bad luck and the person might lose the ability to sleep or his nightmares might turn into reality. Also the dreams have always been considered sacred. In the ancient times many times the gods expressed their will through dreams, God showed Himself or spoken through dreams or in dreams. My point is that they were considered very important. I liked the idea of the soul connection to the pillow. I have never heard about this belief before and I liked it very much. I like this series very much because it is very different from what I have been watching so far. Also it is interesting to see that every episode creates a certain atmosphere that makes you want to believe everything that it is shown to you without questioning anything - that notion of 'natural' that Tony has mentioned before. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11446 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Exactly. And that's part of the charm I find so attracting to this series. Despite the fantasy and supernatural elements, the storytelling still remains so simplistic. It's like something you'd hear about in the old days, before technology, urbanization, and money came to transcend "basic humanity" into the flashier stuff we've gotten so accustomed to like giant robots or several dozen superpowered, weapon-wielding teenagers that always find a way for themselves to rise into higher planes of capability. Not that I don't enjoy some of those either, but it's nice to dabble into other realms of fiction every now and then.
Wow! That's a very interesting interpretation, considering a majority of the man's dreams in that episode were premonitions and did, in fact, bring him a great deal of misfortune when all was said and done. I also like the idea of dreams being considered "sacred." Not that I've studied or claim to know a lot about dream interpretation, but the initial concept of "dreams representing unfulfilled desires/wishes" has a lot of similarity to that sacredness. Maybe those desires or wishes are something of a personal goal that we try to attain. But letting others know might be considered selfish and/or a sign of "naive ambition." When all along, instead of just wanting and talking about it, we should keep those feelings to ourselves and strive to make enough personal commitment to bring said dreams to fruition. Maybe the whole "selfishness" and "naive ambition" thing represented bad karma or something.
Another excellent point. This goes to show a unique perspective that is somewhat reverse of what we might usually expect. Instead of getting a "typical" story where the audience views the misfortune of the village up to the eventual sacrifice, the narrative focuses more so on the character who will serve the largest part in the story, to satisfy the water god and bring peace, prosperity, etc. Granted, if the episode were longer than 20 minutes, we might've had more development time for the girl. But the fact that we already recognized her second chance at life in the first place should prove that there is more to her character than what we could've initially expected. It was a nice "alternate angle" to the story. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11446 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Another week, another episode. Actually, this time it's also another volume: number 2. Here we get a couple of my favorite episodes (the "Rainbow Catcher" and "Ink Stone" ones, forthcoming on a later date). Then again, it's a little hard to argue for any of these other ones being "bad" either.
In any case, I have pictures of the Vol.2 cover art and insert booklets for this week's entry. Front of DVD slipcase and reverse side of cover art Back of DVD slipcase and reverse side of cover art Inside of DVD box w/ insert book & DVD The slipcase itself has a nice summery (that's summer-y, not a misspelling of "summary") feel to it in contrast to Vol.1's wintry one, which is also apparent by the color pallet used (shades of blue and white vs. various tones of yellow). I'm more of a winter person myself, though I will admit the thought of summer does carry its own aura as well, at least when I was in grade school. Most kids still like summer vacation, right? I just hate summer in Texas is all, unless it's cloudy and rainy like the past couple of days. Insert booklet: Pages 2-3 Pages 4-5 Pages 6-7 Pages 8-9 Pages 10-11 This one is mostly full of artwork and character sketches, as opposed to some of the more insightful comments in Book 1. But in particular, I like the last couple of pages displaying a nice little background picture to represent each episode in this volume. Moving on... Episode 06: Those Who Inhale the Dew (clicking this will take you back to the Index) ---------------------------------- Summary The episode begins with the image of a girl and boy together and a short proverb by the narrator, "The sun will rise and set today. The flower that blooms in the morning wilts at night. The sun will set today and rise again. Flowers all around will bloom. But they are different flowers from yesterday." Then, Ginko is seen traveling with a boy under the pretense that he is but another "doctor" introduced to help investigate a peculiar case. Though not quite a "doctor" in the practical sense, Ginko explains he is, in fact, a mushi-shi and that he will do the best in his ability to help the young lad. Fade in title... Upon reaching their destination, a flashback is seen of the boy (Nagi) and his friend, Akoya, in which he tells her there is a vast and expansive mass of land beyond the sea, that everyone there is happy, and that he will personally take her one day. While back in present time, as the two approach the island, Nagi proceeds to give Ginko a few facts: that the strong tides change drastically and that the island itself is only able to be entered during certain hours of the spring tide. After eventually setting foot, Ginko notices the many, many rocks that compose the island, in which Nagi tells him the island has always been poor in resources and with very little land, yet its inhabitants always found some way to get by, thanks in large help to the "Living God." And as they begin to make their way inward, they discover a mother telling her child that he may not eat the food that he'd found. She explains that it is reserved for the Living God and that it will greatly benefit the boy's health and prosperity in exchange. Nagi then tells Ginko that the "Living God" concept is nothing but a sham and that the person representing it must be saved. As they reach the center of the village, Nagi leads them to a back window showing that the current Living God is none other than Akoya, who is under heavy surveillance by her father. Nagi explains that the crowd of people has come to pay their respects, in addition to expecting their "daily miracle." But then, while Akoya continues to eat, she suddenly drops her food and begins to age rapidly. Afterwards, she is laid down and Ginko observes that she has stopped breathing, when a unique purple mist begins to emanate from Akoya's nose, with her father instructing everyone to take deep breaths, that the smell will cure them of illness and remove all pain from their souls, and that it is the eternal power of their Living God. Nagi then tells Ginko that, coinciding with her condition, she always returns to a normal state after these ceremonies. As they walk up to the cliff, Nagi begins to explain the history of how the Living God religion came into practice. The headmaster and his family were the first ones to colonize the island, and that someone from their family was always chosen to represent the Living God. Hearing of such news, people would begin traveling to the island in hopes of miracles. When one Living God dies, another would appear in less than 6 months. And as time passed, more and more people with incurable diseases claimed to have been cured because of the smell they had inhaled. In regards, Nagi admits he will not believe in such matters until one day Akoya's father appears only to take her away. Later, Nagi would discover that after her entitlement, another person would be cured, but that it had all along been a trick of hypnosis. Nagi can no longer stand by while Akoya is used, and informs Ginko that both he, and Nagi may be in danger. After telling his story, Ginko agrees to help Nagi, but that they must first examine Akoya. After transforming, Ginko proceeds to examine the source of the purple mist, only to discover a mushi in which the parent dies after giving birth. He concludes that removal of the mushi may not be an absolute cure, then asks Nagi if there are any more people showing similar symptoms. Nagi tells him there is and that they are isolated on the far end of the cape. They made no new discoveries, until Ginko finds out of a place that can only be entered during the spring tides -- the cave at the tip of the cape. Upon further exploration around the area, Ginko finds a rat that has also been affected and begins to perform an autopsy. After some study, Ginko claims to have found a way to treat the mushi. In his attempt, while Nagi holds down Akoya, Ginko drives a small needle into her forehead, when the mushi begins to exit her body. After returning to normal, Nagi is relieved, as Akoya tells her story. She claims on the day of the tide, her father had given her a flower that smelled of morning glories, in which Ginko and Nagi figured out that the flowers were coming from the cave and that they would have three days before the next tide. In the meantime, Akoya would have to pretend being the Living God, until her father begins to suspect something. The next day, Ginko finds Akoya as she begins to explain her doubts and fears of losing her Living God status. She displays fear and anxiety as she explains that as the Living God, she always experienced a sense of fulfillment as the sun set each day, and that as a normal person, she always felt overwhelmed by the continuation of uncertainty of the what was in front of her. Ginko surmises that she was probably synchronized into the mushi's lifespan (more details to follow in the comments section). Shortly after, Akoya's father discovers her riddance of the Living God status and explains his awareness of Nagi's return to the island. As the tide approaches, Nagi and Ginko discover the cave of morning glories containing the mushi. But then, Akoya's father appears and threatens to kill the two in order to protect his secret. After taking a flower, Akoya's father is confronted by the townspeople. Nagi and Ginko manage to lose their pursuers, when Akoya arrives only to find her father dead. Feeling an enormous amount of grief and guilt, Akoya takes the flower and inhales it, only this time the mushi entrenches itself with great difficulty. Seeing this, Nagi decides to accept it and tells Ginko that she only ever felt truly alive when she was in the Living God state and that it would be for her benefit to keep her that way. In the end, having missed the tide and his opportunity to leave the island, Ginko remains for another month helping to cure those affected by the mushi. While some were grateful, there were also those who were not. The episode concludes with a varied repitition of the narrator's proverb at the beginning, with Nagi questioning what exactly he should do at this point. Ginko simply tells him to live a normal life and to consider all the time he has ahead of him, not just the one day. Fade out... ---------------------------------- Comments First of all, the symbolism and analogy to flowers should be pretty obvious. Like the narrator says at the beginning and end, the sun rises and sets in a day, flowers bloom, allusion to the cycle of life, yadda, yadda, yadda. Only the proverb is to be taken quite literally this time because of the mushi in the morning glories. Now, in relation to the Living God concept, we have Akoya at one point talking about how "fulfilled" she feels after each passing day when the mushi would live, die, and be reborn again. Though in exchange for that feeling, she sacrifices any real sanity and presence of her human consciousness whatsoever. This then brings to mind a possible theme of "ignorance is bliss." She wasn't quite a vegetable or zombie, per say. But judging from the other villagers in the isolated cape who were also affected by the mushi, it seems the Living God state tends to revert people into a regressed, almost infantile mindset. And as most infants (who are ignorant, non-communicating, and simple) they just live the day doing whatever it is that keeps them happy (ignorance is bliss), which also coincides with the whole "power of suggestion" notion used by Akoya's father. He, of course, abused this power to more greedy ends and eventually got himself killed. But I do agree in the significance and effectiveness of the concept. In fact, I came to interpret this and the Living God belief to represent a subtle form of religious commentary. As we all know, a large portion of societies have their own religions, beliefs, and practitioners since who knows how long ago. I don't intend to argue the principles and possible fallibilities of it all, but perhaps the story in this episode alludes to the idea of altered beliefs, or maybe just a glimpse at how religion and beliefs themselves have come to represent such a strong, inseparable part of peoples' lives after so much time. And in taking those convictions away, it can sometimes lead to dire consequences (killing out of anger, continuing to live in despair, etc.). Also, getting back to the "ignorance is bliss" theme, I feel this also poses as a nice reality check. After Akoya's father is killed, she blames herself (not her fault at all, in my opinion, since her father was a selfish, greedy little cretin; just look at those eyes), but then proceeds to take the flower and inhale it anyway. This symbolizes running away from reality and having to face one's own troubles. It's like people who do drugs or drink excessive amounts of alcohol. You can't handle the stress and pressures of life, so what do you do? Drown yourself and try to forget about it all. In this case, Akoya feels such an extensive (though unearned) amount of guilt, grief, and sadness that she basically throws away any chance of ever "living" as a normal person again, and instead decides to spend her days living like a flower. I won't ask who's willing to run away from their troubles, as I probably won't get any responses from the likes of you with even the slighest bit of stalwartness within (nor do I expect a response from those without it, because well, who wants to admit to cowardice?). But I think that part especially was a nice way of illustrating the reaction of the human spirit. Obviously, it's my belief that you should face your troubles and hardships head-on, but that's also easier said than done at times. However, as Ginko put it best at the end of the episode, just live a normal life. Do what you think is best to get by (financially, in today's case), make some time to spend with your loved ones and friends, don't take things so seriously, and just live happily while you can. Living day after day like a flower blooming may feel nice as well, but this is nothing like the "second chance living" of the Traveling Swamp episode. A flower lives (blooms) and dies in a day. It's not like you get reincarnated the next day as the same flower either, you're just another flower. Again, if you're into the whole reincarnation thing, "you live multiple times, but only remember it once." Take advantage of the one life you have now. Just enjoy the finer things, and don't be careless. Damn, I think I had one more concept I wanted to address, but I may have forgotten it after sleeping. Anyway, that's all I've got for now. Until next time.. Last edited by Tony K. on Wed Jun 03, 2009 12:47 am; edited 1 time in total |
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aya_honda
Posts: 920 Location: Around here |
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Tony K. wrote:
I don't think that actually we should be so harsh although I do agree with your philosophy and I believe that it should be in our nature not to run away from our hardships or choose a method to escape from it. However I understand this need to get away from reality and not be able to face it. Because it is so much easier to do so than face it. I know it sounds very cowardly but in the end this is how some people are. They can't face the problems that they have and they can't understand that facing them means actually solving half of them. And there aren’t just drugs or alcohol: there are other methods as well (for instance when I want to escapre from doing something that I don’t like, I read – pretty pathetic, isn’t it?  )
I think that most of the times, people are scared to live their lives or they are afraid to face hardships. This instinctual fear of life is so overwhelming sometimes and yet, I think that we should fight it. This is why I hated the decision that Akoya made. Because to me this is cowardice. I met people that are more prepared to fight their way through life although they have suffered terrible hardships and still carry on. When smelling the flower, Akoya ran from two things: one, she was afraid of the life that she might have, of the hardships that she might endure and of the pain to lose someone (she did lost her father, but as you mentioned it wasn't her fault at all). Two: she is afraid of the unknown. Nagi offers her the chance to escape from the island and to be happy somewhere else, yet she refuses because she says she is happy on the island. I really doubt that. I believe that she was afraid to live her life and even more, start from the beginning somewhere unknown to her. Not many people are ready for adventures. Some like security and the insecurity is what drives them mad. Akoya is like this. To me she wouldn't be ready to accept the second chance. She is the opposite of the girl from the previous episode. She is unable to seize the second chance and make something of it or just simply live it. I think she was inclined to this even before becoming a Living God. I don't know if I made some sense. And regarding the Living God issue. Like you have said, it must be an allusion to the religious problems and how they effect people's lives. I think it refers also to the idea how the same idea can be considered by some an appaling idea and by others a most attractive one. For instance Nagi is appalled by the whole idea, although in the end he understands that Akoya is happy like this (a strange sense of happiness, if I may say so). Nonetheless he is the one that wants to get Akoya back and stop people believe in a 'lie' (if I am corect, this is the term that he has used). On the other hand, at the beginning it seemed that Akoya thinks the same, especially because we have in mind the scene from the beginning of the episode: she smiles to him when Nagi tells her about the idea of leaving from there. However later on, as the action evolves, we get to see her in a different light and when she doesn't seem very thrilled about the idea of being 'cured', we get to question just how much of the whole 'Living God' she hates. She also has the discussion with Ginko about time and how it affects her and at this point to me it was pretty clear that she wasn't happy at all that she came back, that she was cured. The notion of time was an interesting one. Generally there are two huge concepts on it: linear time when everything has its beginning, its evolution and end (of course, the concept of eternity is strongly embedded within it) and there's the cyclical one, when the things are reborn). Some say that that time doesn't not exist, that we live in a continuous present and that time per se is unreal. I think most of the times how relative the concept of time seems: sometimes, when there are happy moments, we think that the time passes us by so quickly, other times when we have some difficult times, it seems that time will barely move. Which again might be a reason why some people would rather escape from reality: the hardships seems far away and there isn't any unit of time, which capriciously changes the feelings and perceptions. An existence like what those people on the island had, the short existence of a flower, although it may seem like it makes one enjoy every part of life, it is just too short and too uncany for what we really are. One existence follwed after another followed after another, without memories or without truly feeling… for me that’s not life and I really liked Ginko’s words in the end. |
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braves
 Posts: 2309 Location: Puerto Rico (but living in Texas) |
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I've watched 3 episodes of Mushi-shi. And while it's not really my thing, I can appreciate its artistry and storytelling merits. Though, episode 3 made me like it a bit more.
I noticed that in episode 3, Ginko was talking to the boy in horns and he said that " See, I'm able to call out to mushi and they call back.... This smoke will quite them down a bit, though." So is that the reason that he's smoking that "mushi cigarette", or whatever you want to call it, all the time? To not have them make so much noise? |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11446 Location: Frisco, TX |
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I actually just had an interesting thought about this behavior within the last few days. I was watching the TV show House M.D. and came to realize that what makes "great" characters so great is that they tend to display a lot of self-sacrifice. They willingly put themselves through the hardships, extra effort, and commendable attention to their craft, all for some greater good. I think when people see this, it can sometimes inspire us or others to carry on in the same breadth. But in doing so, we then have to mimic said personality traits, which leads to the problem of becoming a "shutout." You see, the one flaw a Gregory House, a Bruce Wayne, a Lelouch Lamperouge, or a Himura Kenshin kind of character often possesses is the inability to open up to other people. In doing so, it removes a lot of the humanity that makes most people "normal" and separates the "good" from the "great." I believe that subconsciously we, as humans, tend to punish ourselves in some sort of masochistic notion that if we do what needs to be done, but never ever complain about it, this will put others on the path to greatness. Notice I said "others" and not "us." I don't know if there's a technical term for this pattern of behavior (maybe "heroism?"), but if you look at any highly-renowned character, you'll often notice these traits. However, the problem in that overall logic is the explanation of escapism. I speak for all humans when I say escapism is a necessity. If we didn't find a way to unwind or relax from time to time, we'd literally go insane and/or become extremely volatile. So do these kinds of characters have an escape? Yes, eventually these characters will have something written into their stories that revitalizes their belief in humanity. Otherwise, they wouldn't be human. House has Vicodin, Dr. Cameron, and Stacy (I'm only through the first season, by the way), Lelouch has Nunally, Kenshin has his entourage at Kamiya Doujo, and Bruce Wayne is... pending. No, wait, he has Alfred. Also of note, "talking" can be a good escape as well. We often keep secrets to ourselves, but consider it a burden, or even selfish when we try to communicate or let it out to other people. I would label this as the most painful of attributes because humans are social beings. And if we never ever talk to anyone about it, we become so isolated and lonely that it can torment and eat away at us with any number of results on the horizon (lots and lots of anguish or angst, which then can lead to psychological problems, which then can lead to a multitude of crap). But to sum up this complex idea, yes, I agree that regardless of how "great" it is that people can endure the toughest of obstacles thrown at them, we do need an outlet for getting away from these pressures every now and then. Do I still think it's cowardly? It depends on what you're trying to escape, in my opinion. Living on an island or fear of the unknown is not really my idea of "inescapable horror," at least not compared to the monetarist society most people live in (i.e. North America or any other first world country). If you want inescapable horror, watch the 4th Rambo movie and look at Burma.
I watch an assortment of film including movies, TV shows, and anime. Reading is also good, so is music, or a video game. In fact, anything that's thought provoking, entertaining, or systematically productive can be a good way to escape. But drugs and alcohol provide absolutely none of the aforementioned qualities. If you snort, inject, smoke, or guzzle down any of these, you're essentially masking your senses, impairing brain function, and forcibly trying to forget or distort whatever it is you want to get away from. I don't care if you're willing to admit your problems or not. There's a reason you're trying to get stoned or shit faced, and it's not just to "feel good." It's a lose/lose situation. And this doesn't even account for when you might become an addict.. Then, you're really screwed.
That is true. "Time flies when you're having fun" would best summarize this concept. I completely agree with your opinion about the "flower time" and how that particular method of escape ultimately affected some of those villagers. But like you said, without memories or feelings, there's really no point. I think what passes time by the most is our perception on those "happy" and "difficult" moments. In the end, it's all about how we interpret and treat these events that will affect the amount of "time" we feel passing by. This is why I try not to think so far ahead into the future. Granted, it's nice to feel self-assured and safe about where we'll be living, whom we'll be living with, etc. But if you're not careful and set yourself up for such high expectations, only to have them blow up in your face, I believe you'll face less disappointment and/or the stress of possible failure.
I don't think they ever explain his sensory aptitude to mushi. Obviously he can see, feel, hear, taste, and smell them, but it never seems to be an issue in his work. I know in the first episode, he used the cigarette to bind Renzu, so we know that it can act as a sort of "grappler." But beyond that, I haven't seen anything in the manga or anime that thoroughly explains what that cigarette can do in its "full potential." Maybe it does act as a ward of some kind. Actually, in a later episode we learn that he has this strange ability to attract mushi. But even beyond that revelation, they never go into detail. I always figured he smokes that cigarette just to cover his tracks or something so all the mushi won't follow him around. |
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Elfen12
Posts: 479 Location: Bay Area |
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(Note: The following text was written after i read what Aya Honda wrote as well) I have to agree with you here, as well as disagree for the moment. I know that you can say, we should face our fears, we should just go for it. And you're truely right here, we really really should... but i don't know how possible it really is. But it really really is true: People are afraid of what they don't know. I don't think there is a possible way to change that part about mankind. It has been engraved in the stone of Mankind's Flaws. You may say that you should go for things and just face your fears (and i do admire that you say this is easier said than done sometimes), but i find it that it can be impossible sometimes. Human fear is an instinct, and so is the easy way out. Say you were offered to take the task of (i'm making this up off the top of my head), Configuring bio-mechanical tools to recreate a speceis that has been extinct for hundreds of years.... but danger danger danger, any and all mistakes made will cost you and the rest of the country their lives. An example like that, or something way less intense... something along the lines of you want to switch carreers to something brand new to you. Many people would back down from something like this becuase they aren't sure what will happen... they are afraid of what they don't know. Another example is Skydiving. The initial jumping i hear is one of the toughest things to do, and many back down when they're in that heat of the moment. why? Becuase they're afraid of what they don't know. That feeling (illustrated in these examples) is one that you cannot control and that fear utliatmely makes man (as they say, fear maketh man, or something like that). I think that if a human didn't have fears that ... well... i don't know if i'd consider him one of us. Human fear creates limits for us all, whether it be walking through a field full of spiders, or getting honey from a bee hive or skydiving. Something will always stop us. So one can say that people really need to just go for it and just take the risk, but in all reality, i believe that everyone has something that they havn't done due to fear... and that sets our limits and makes us human. Thats my wacko theory anyway... (I'm not saying you're a hypocrite or annnything, i'm just saying what i think about people who may have your opinion but perhaps a little more radical then yours  ... really though, it wasn't aimed at you at all or Aya Honda, it just came to mind after remembeirn the episode and then the whole idea of not being able to face ones fears and what not.)
-Elfen12- |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11446 Location: Frisco, TX |
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I certainly won't dismiss the fear factor a lot of people possess. It's only natural we get cold feet whether it be from our first date, making that first sales call, disarming a dozen laser guided rockets full of VX Nerve Gas, or making the next Jurassic Park. But like I mentioned earlier, it's that thin line between fear and fearless that separates the "good" from the "great." I only meant to reference the "embracing our fears" part as an element to Akoya's character, or lack thereof.
I mean, simply living can't be that scary, especially when you have someone who really cares for you at your side and is willing to take the lead. Running away from any remote chance of happiness just because of what minuscule hindrances might appear before you is cowardice at its worst. Instead of a meaningful life, she condemns herself to a mindless, emotionless, endless cycle of never being truly "alive." I just don't like seeing people waste such good opportunities is all, at least in this particular case. It's not like she has to worry about college, work, and taxes. She could've grown up, fallen in love with Nagi, started a family, and just lived through thick and thin. On the other hand, fear of the unknown in today's society is another story. I can empathize a lot more with current circumstances. However, my main argument was only concerning Akoya and her actions, the human dilemma of facing the unknown, and why I felt she was in the wrong. I'm not trying to say people are cowards in general (probably). |
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