This review will be spoiler free as I hope that more people would then decide to watch this incredible anime

I was always pretty wary of watching Mushi-shi because even though it has been recommended to me many times, it has also been labeled as being boring and meaningless. After finishing the show, I can potentially see it being “boring” to some people due to its slow pacing, however Mushi-shi surprised me in many unexpected but pleasant ways. This is a show that manages to tell a plethora of different stories exploring a wide variety of themes while maintaining high quality storytelling and well-written characters across the entire season, a feat that most shows (episodic or not) fail to accomplish successfully.

Story - 9.5/10
The basic premise of Mushi-shi follows the main character, Ginko, as he travels around Japan to solve problems involving Mushi, which are described as the most basic form of life and is used as an allegory for nature throughout the majority of the show. The show has an episodic format where each episode has its own self contained story, and characters, besides Ginko, rarely make more than one appearance. I always prefer overarching stories over episodic ones, however Mushi-shi is definitely an exception as its episodic nature contributes so much to the melancholic tone and themes of the show that it would almost be wrong for Mushi-shi to be told in any other way. The greatness of the show comes from the fact that even though the problems of each episode are all related to the Mushi, these issues always aid in the telling of character focused/driven narratives that explore many different but relatable themes. The show achieves this successfully because the Mushi are more similar to natural disasters/phenomenon than animals where they are not inherently good or evil but they rather exist without purpose and act beyond the "comprehension" and control of human beings. Instead of going on a quest to destroy all Mushi, Ginko is able to help the people deal with their personal problems that are only made more apparent through their encounters with the Mushi. It is difficult to talk about the many different themes without spoiling the story, but the show does an excellent job not only exploring existential topics such as the vastness of the world and the purpose of life, but more grounded ones like grief and ethics as well.

Art - 9.5/10
The art is just gorgeous. It is never anything revolutionary, but it fits the show incredibly well, especially the backgrounds and the environments. The Mushi are also very well designed in my opinion since they were not something incredibly flashy, but instead, some Mushi can be majestic while others can be underwhelming or ugly just like the things that exist in nature. The only minor complaint I have is that the characters can look very similar, but it’s not really a big problem since I can’t imagine how they can make well over 40 different characters all completely unique from each other.

Sound - 10/10
The soundtrack in this show perfectly captures the essence of the show. Just from the opening alone, you can already start to feel the sadness, loneliness and melancholy in the tone of the show. The voice actors are also incredible, the emotions were all displayed in very realistic and impactful ways that definitely resonated with me.

Character - 10/10
The characters are without a doubt the best thing about the show. It is true that Ginko is a very complex and incredibly likable main character, but the real stars of the show are most of the side characters that Ginko helps each episode. I am genuinely amazed at how Mushi-shi is able to consistently develop characters better in a single 20 minute episode than what other shows can do for a single character in over 20 episodes. These characters are so surprisingly developed and none of them are shallow or one-dimensional in their personalities nor their beliefs. Of course there were stories and characters that were much more memorable than other ones, but a majority of the side characters are all interesting and I was actually invested in most of their problems and stories.

Enjoyment - 9.5/10
I think it’s no surprise that I enjoyed Mushi-shi a lot. It’s world intrigued me from the very start and its wonderfully developed and compelling characters kept me interested till the very end. The world building also goes much deeper than what I mentioned in the review. The only reason that this is not a 10/10 is because I feel that the last four episodes were a bit rushed and the stories were less captivating compared to the rest of the show.

Summary
Mushi-shi is a relaxing show that is almost guaranteed to make you think deeper about your own life as well as the world around us. If you are looking for an action-filled or cheerful anime, then you should probably turn away, however, if you can appreciate slow-paced stories that contemplate nature as well as life as a whole, then I can’t recommend this show enough.