Mushishi 1 by Yuki Urushibara (2007-01-30) Paperback – 1739

I just love the gentle sense of nature when I read these books - they are beautifully drawn and while they are short stories each leaves you in wonder of the "other" worldliness. I love how the culture of this beautiful country comes across too. I feel I learn so much from each story. These books will be cherished by me.

So glad I could get my hands on this manga. It's beautiful and calm, I can only recommend to purchase it instantly should you come by it (in any language at a reasonable price...)Can't wait for the anime's second season in April 2014.

better than the anime, which was great!

Although the word mushi in Japanese means an insect or a bug, here it basically means creatures that would be best described as supernatural. Even then that's not a strictly true or accurate description as they are just a different form of life, but due to their appearance and what effect they have, then supernatural seems to be the most fitting description.Mushi cannot usually be seen by people but there are some that are able to see and interact with them. They are called mushi-shi.The stories revolve around a mushi-shi by the name of Ginko, who is best described as a travelling doctor. Only instead of curing ailments he deals with mushi.Each chapter is like a small supernatural story in which Ginko is the only real recurring character, with the odd exception cropping up sporadically in later volumes.The artwork is a little 'flat' at times and does feel to be lacking in detail but it complements the story well, probably because these are quite sedate, almost philosophical tales.Anyone wanting something packed page after page of action should look elsewhere, but if you fancy something different that will make you think, then this is well worth checking out.

The moment I grabbed this manga from the shelf, I got a very good first impression, since the quality of the cover and the paper is well above the usual standard. Once I started reading the story, this first impression was confirmed. The first reason for this is the plot, which is the result of a prodigious imagination and mesmerizes the reader from the first page. The main character, Ginko, is a mushishi, a mushi master. In turn, the mushi are "bugs" that live on a separate plane of existence than animals and plants. I really liked the manner in which this is explained in this first volume; I found that using the hand and arm as a metaphor for the interaction of the species was extremely creative and enlightening.Many issues arise in relation to the mushi, in some cases Ginko has to help these creatures to find peace, in others he has to deal with evil mushi that are affecting humans in a harmful way. What is true of all cases though is that Ginko approaches the problem with serious consideration for all forms of life and with the goal of resolving the issue in a beneficial way for everyone.An aspect of this series I loved is how it introduces many fascinating elements of Japanese culture, and the notes at the end help a lot in understanding how these relate to the story and the way in which their meaning is relevant. At the beginning of the volume there is also a clear explanation of the honorifics, which are kept in the translated version. Including this explanation is an invaluable help for newcomers to the genre. The only aspect that was a little disappointing was the quality of the drawings, which are not nearly as detailed as those in other series. Nevertheless, those people looking for a great story cannot go wrong with this one.