Mushishi: The Next Chapter

Episode 11

The first series of Mushi-Shi aired in fall of 2005 to resounding critical praise, and a small but verdant fanbase in the west. It sold much better in Japan, however, bringing us a second season eight years after the first that makes those original cries of "masterpiece" pretty funny to me. It's not that the first run of the show didn't deserve that acclaim, not at all! It's just that I don't know what word to use for the second season now, which keeps completely blowing its preceding season out of the water in quality as each new episode tops the last one. Stylistically, it's the same old Mushi-Shi, (that's a high compliment,) but the stories are just so much better than they ever were before, and this is especially true of this week's standout return to the series: "Cushion of Grass."

Sometimes Mushi-Shi episode titles are self-explanatory, and sometimes they turn out to have a tiny double meaning. After episode 11's conclusion, its title stands out as heart-breakingly brilliant. This is the story of how little Ginko really grew to become Ginko as we've known him throughout the series. We've technically seen Ginko's "origin story." We saw how he became the world's biggest mushi-magnet, how he got his white hair, and how he lost his eye. Still, we never saw his transition from fearful, dependent child to the impossibly zen "drifter at one with the earth" he became. Surely it couldn't just be from memory loss, right?

As it turns out, no. This episode opens with Ginko lying in the forest, presumably having given up on life after losing his mother (twice,) his memory, and to some extent his humanity. He is rescued by a kind mushi master who sympathizes with his plight and decides to take him on as an apprentice. Ginko warns him that many other mushi masters have tried, with some even using him as "bait" rather than an apprentice, and he'll only regret it...but he still needs this kind stranger, so he quickly accepts the offer. Instantly, we realize this is a completely different Ginko from the one we know. He's still a child: fearful, self-loathing, impulsive in all the wrong moments and hesitant only when he should have acted. It's a Ginko we've only seen once before in his season one origin story, and now, we get to watch him grow out of it through extremely unusual (and really freaking sad) circumstances.

One of the most notable things about season 2 of Mushi-Shi is how positive it has been compared to the frequently tragic first season. The number of stories that end "happily" in season one are the grand minority, and in season two the dynamic has flipped completely, with a stunning volume of happy endings even against all odds. (There are still a few redemption-less chillers like "Floral Delusion.") In addition to being kinder to the poor humans who encounter mushi, this season has also clearly been trying to build continuity and overarching themes into Mushi-Shi where only spare threads existed at first. (The last episode of the show before the break fleshed out the concept of "mountain lords," and that Ginko seems to have an oddly personal relationship with these beings that goes beyond him just being a mushi master. So of course, this episode is about the first mountain lord Ginko ever met!)

"Cushion of Grass" finally makes the reason for these major changes in plot and tone clear through its powerful theme of "passive forgiveness." It demonstrates perfectly why Ginko lives his life the way he does and sees mushi, the creatures responsible for robbing him of a normal life, with so much affection. The earth (and mushi) can be meaninglessly cruel, but it can also be merciful in that sense. It cannot forgive because it does not, and will never, condemn you, even if other people condemn you or even if you try to condemn yourself. It is only what you make it, and Ginko realizes that the same can be true of his own life, cursed or not.

Mushi-Shi is a subtle series for mature audiences, so none of these revelations are laid out directly or explained for the audience. There's no narration from Ginko talking about his tragic past and rationalizing it with his present, and there doesn't need to be. It is encouraging to see that Ginko's emotional journey mirrors one of a very special recurring female character who has gradually been freeing herself from a weight that Ginko knows all too well. It feels like this season is slowly drawing these two together, and I can't help but hope they eventually find "home" in one another somehow.

This episode was a beautiful and intensely rewarding surprise even by the high standards set by the series, especially if you really like Ginko and want to learn more about him. I spent most of the episode with my hand to my mouth in a silent gasp, and by the end, I was left on the brink of tears with a lot to think about. If I could add at least two more pluses onto my A, I would. Mushi-Shi is quickly evolving from an excellent series of fables about the natural world to a wholly unique masterpiece that a written review can't really do justice by. If you haven't been watching the show, this is not the best place to start, but you should definitely start playing catch-up to get to the incredibly powerful little dreams that make up "The Next Chapter."

Rating: A+

Mushishi: The Next Chapter is currently streaming Crunchyroll.

Hope has been an anime fan since childhood, and likes to chat about cartoons, pop culture, and visual novel dev on Twitter.