Don't forget, I'm charming

[sovay]

I have now seen seven episodes of Mushishi (2005—2006), which Viking Zen and I started watching off Netflix last week. mamishka, did you recommend this show to me? It's absolutely lovely—quiet, enigmatic, genuinely otherworldly; its stories feel like riddles or dreams, some of which may be nightmares, but beautiful all the same. They chime like folktales. I keep feeling one or more of cucumberseed's characters are going to wander through the landscape. My only complaint is that we can't stream it with subtitles, but that's what the DVDs are for. I cannot imagine I won't want to rewatch the entire thing.

Comments

[cucumberseed.livejournal.com]

As it happens, this is already in my queue, which surprises me not at all. It sounds amazing, and I already enjoy the design of Ginko and the notion of how the Mushi work (I wonder if it's mushi as in caterpillar... hm...)

[sovay]

(I wonder if it's mushi as in caterpillar... hm...)

rushthatspeaks tells me it's an archaic word for "insect" with complex connotations, like Tezuka.

Mushishi does one of the best jobs I have ever seen with nonhumanity; the mushi do not behave by human rules or emotions, but neither are they non-sentient or purely instinctive. Very occasionally, their behavior is comprehensible in human terms. It's usually a coincidence. That's rare in science fiction and rarer in fantasy, or whatever on earth genre this series belongs to. (It might be alternate history. It might be anecdote. It might be neverwhere.) And they are so naturally and easily a part of the world, it is no more reasonable to be frightened of them than of leaves or rivers or wildfire or the snow, all of which might harm you or grace your life, none of which care about you either way.

[rushthatspeaks.livejournal.com]

Not archaic so much as more formal-- 'insect' instead of 'bug'.

I've never seen the dub. It's so Japanese a series I'm having difficulty imagining, but the professional translation was basically solid so I guess it probably works.

[sovay]

Not archaic so much as more formal-- 'insect' instead of 'bug'.

Whoever wrote the IMDb entry for the live-action film didn't know that, then.

(I cannot conceive of a live-action Mushishi unless it was directed by, I don't know, Julie Taymor, but whatever.)

It's so Japanese a series I'm having difficulty imagining, but the professional translation was basically solid so I guess it probably works.

I plan to watch the original-language version at the earliest possible opportunity.

[mamishka.livejournal.com]

I probably did! It's pretty much my favorite anime series hands down. So beautiful and elegant and touching. I just love it. :) I'm glad that you're enjoying it. It is, indeed, very much like folktales and myths half forgotten. I find it infinitely re-watchable. I own the whole series. There's a live action movie out there too, but it's not nearly as beautiful and is much more erratic and confusing (and short!) than the series. I can't really recommend it unless you're just curious. But it does tell a story that the series does not about how Ginko became who he is.

And yes, do watch it with subtitles when you get the chance. I can't imagine watching it in English. Hopefully the voices are well done for a change.

[sovay]

I probably did! It's pretty much my favorite anime series hands down.

I can understand that. Thank you, then. When Viking Zen asked me if I'd heard of the series, I knew someone had told me I'd love it; and they were right.

I find it infinitely re-watchable.

It feels that way. I'm glad to hear it confirmed.

I can't imagine watching it in English. Hopefully the voices are well done for a change.

Given how much I'm enjoying the series, they can't be mangling them too badly, although Ginko does not have the voice I would imagine for him. Then again, the Japanese actor might not, either.

(I do not watch shows or movies dubbed if there is any possible alternative, but since we watched the first episode experimentally and it was clear that even in English, Mushishi was going to be astonishing, we didn't seem able to wait for the DVDs.)

[mamishka.livejournal.com]

Out of curiosity, I'm now going to have to check out the dubbed version, just to see. The Japanese voice for Ginko feels perfect to me. I love it. There are a few rare occasions where I like the English dub as much or even more (gasp!!) than the Japanese. Two examples of this would be the series Cowboy Bebop and the movie Howl's Moving Castle.

[sovay]

There are a few rare occasions where I like the English dub as much or even more (gasp!!) than the Japanese. Two examples of this would be the series Cowboy Bebop and the movie Howl's Moving Castle.

I suspect I am never going to watch the latter, despite multiple recommendations from people I trust; the book formed too much of my mental landscape at an early age. But I have no such attachment to Cowboy Bebop. What do you like about the English-language cast?

[mamishka.livejournal.com]

Cowboy Bebop has a much more "western" (as in culture, though it does have an 'old west' feel to it as well) quality to it, mostly because of the music which is WONDERFUL. Very jazzy and bluesy with bits of country twang thrown in on occasion as well as some hard rock (which is episode appropriate). The voices that they got for all of the characters are just perfect. What's more unusual is that I tried to watch the show a few times in Japanese first, but it just didn't quite click for me and I couldn't seem to get into it, despite all the praise it had gotten. Then I saw the movie on the big screen in English, tried watching the series in English and BINGO! Perfect fit.

And yeah, you would totally have to see it as a different story. I saw the movie first and when I tried to read the book I just hated it, which is pretty unusual. I suspect you might have much the same reaction, but in reverse. Still, Christian Bale as Howl? So good.