Mushi-Shi - The Movie

One of the best anime to motion picture iterations ever. Awesome movie!

I really liked the anime but haven’t read a ton of the manga. I personally liked this. I think people tend to compare live action adaptations based on replicating the anime, but this as a standalone is really interesting. Of course, not a lot of things will make sense if you’re unfamiliar with the original series. I liked the pacing and seeing the eerie rural mountainous landscape. Watching the people’s ways of living before industrial technology was really neat. The plot didn’t have a super clear-cut climax and resolution and just kinda meandered through the vibes, but quite a few Japanese movies I’ve seen take on that type of storytelling. Yes, Ginko’s wig does look pretty goofy, and I think they could have trimmed/styled it a bit better, but I could overlook it for the rest of the intriguing environment.

The ANIME's individual volumes are as little as $0.42 (vol.1) at Amazon Marketplace. The animation, graphics from Japan, audio (English option) are bright, poignant and varied; coherent, vibrant overviews of the MushiShi concept and its many applications. (All enjoyable, intriguing varieties of adventure). Anime's original and classic, beautifully rendered. In all, abit more exciting than the movie version, which is visually sumptuous and atmospheric, though darker (in feeling; the print's a wee bit at times dark, though). This movie is reserved, underplayed. Like, darker. You may want to have both movie and Anime series. If so, your might want to start with the anime... There is a complete collection or you can sample piecemeal. I'm saying this because the movie is as slow as it is 'dark'. As such, very beautiful in a poignant, Japanese watercolor sense. Mushi-Shi is a fine look into one bit of rich Japanese folklore. Another movie of this sort is a collection of Japanese folk stories directed (maybe written by too) by the legendary Akira Kurosawa - DREAMS. It's VERY beautiful; enough maybe to hook you on all of Kurosawa's major movies: I have an extensive list of Japanese film favorites. Ask via 'comments' section and you will see. Akira Kurosawa's Dreams , Seven Samurai , Sanjuro , Yojimbo , and a true masterpiece, Kagemusha (The Criterion Collection) (There are more; these links are to my favorites) ...There are many more to consider, too, from a variety of extraordinary Japanese directors. I've seen all of these fine Japanese films many times. All 5-Star+ in every aspect. Hope you find what I found in them all. True Art, among other things...

I was really looking forward to watching this movie; I have read the Manga & have watched the entire anime collection. Both are simply astounding. There's a tremendous sense of timeless beauty & a serene (and sublime) soundtrack that accompanies the anime. If you have not read the Manga, nor seen the Anime, you might enjoy this film. It is dark, spooky, & beautifully shot. The acting is first rate & the effects are nicely done. However, the film departs radically from both the tone and content of the Manga & Anime. The film lifts elements & characters and re-arranges them, changes relationships & fabricates new events. The result is confusing and disappointing for fans of the Manga & Anime. Where the tone of the anime is at times playful, beautifully animated (and sometimes dark & scary), the film is dark, gloomy, and subdued. Ginko's character is portrayed as weak and ineffectual, relying on other characters in the film to save him. There's little of the subtle humor and interplay of the characters evident in the Anime & Manga. This film is worth seeing, but please do yourself a favor and see the Anime & read the Manga first. You won't be disappointed by either. Mushi-shi: The Complete Series by Yuki Urushibara Mushishi 1 Mushishi, Volume 2 Mushishi, Volume 3 Mushishi, Volume 4 Mushishi, Volume 5 Mushishi, Volume 6 Mushishi, Volume 7 Mushishi 8/9/10

The movie had the same feel as the anime that I love so much - even the same voice actors. It was a conglomeration of the anime stories - altered for effect, but still well done. Love Travis Willingham's voice work. I prefer the anime, but I wasn't disappointed with the live action movie.

I was able to watch this about halfway through before playback started stuttering. Eventually it just stopped because the disc could not be read. I tried it in multiple readers and with different player software but had the same problem everywhere. I exchanged it hoping it was just a bad disc but had the same problem with the replacement. The data surface of the disc looks wavy, with ripples, rather than even the way most discs look. I'm surprised others haven't reported the same problem. Maybe it is a batch of bad pressings. I liked the movie as far as I was able to watch it. It seems that I will never be able to see the second half though, which is quite disappointing.

Great shape

The movie is great if you have watched the series but about the packaging, the dvd case was shattered in a few places once it arrived. The disc works fine but you guys might want to double wrap the Dvd cases. All in all a great buy. Thanks Joe!!

thanks!!!!

great movie shipping was fast

Main actor doesn’t fit the voice or look of anime

If you've watched the animé you'll find that this movie is a very respectable and faithful live-action adaptation of several episodes that deal with the protagonist Ginko's past. Intentionally slow-paced, this movie, like the series, focuses on balance with nature and the beauty that often goes unnoticed around us rather than action. I've read quite a few reviews from people who've never seen the animé or read the manga, and they seem to find the story somewhat confusing. Certainly I don't think I'd have enjoyed this movie so much if I wasn't already a fan of the series, so my recommendation would be to get the animé or manga first then decide if you'd like to see a portion of the story retold once again in live action.

The film was grainy, like it was downloaded and uploaded to a disc.