The other day, I saw an episode of the show Mushishi (Season 1). Though the show has
no such lack of atmosphere, this particular episode struck out to me. I could
pluck it out of its context with only a small amount of prior description
(mainly describing mushi, which are essentially spirits that live in the world
and cause supernatural phenomena). To me, episode 8 does an excellent job of
drawing upon previous Japanese mythology while creating a unique entry back
into it. This I can dub this the Mythos of Mushishi.
Deal with it. Mushi are a reflection of the spirits that cause supernatural
phenomenon in mythology but here the mushi are put to god use.
Ginko, the one-eyed mushi hunter[1],
meets a man who explains that his wife was lost to the sea a few years ago.
Deducing that mushi are at fault, Ginko performs further research. At the same
time, the viewer learns, through flashback, that the man’s wife seemed disgruntled
with living by the ocean. The relationship appears even more distorted when the
man reveals that he possibly was fired because he was engaged to her. Then he
loses his wife to the sea, to snake mushi that no one else could see but her, and
now he keeps waiting, looking for a physical sign that she has died. He wants
to move on. Ginko, with the man, then pursue the snake mushi that took his wife
away. He finds her after years and they have an emotional reunion where they
tell each other their feelings about the other. However, the wife has been with
the mushi so long that she disappears before his eyes, a heart-wrenching
phenomenon. The man’s only consolation is that his wife only suffered
excruciating loneliness for a few days – time passed slowly in this mushi
cloud.
He is only briefly reunited with his wife, which
betrays expectation but also gives resolution – though she died, he was able to
see her one last time. Therefore, this myth, through its subdued affection,
elevates itself over many trite myths about love. The story lacks an airtight
end as well – the viewer is allowed to ponder over the events, rather than “Oh,
Orochi was slain” or something. The show’s ability to reveal messages rather
than outright state them gives its stories a greater edge of memorability.
Ginko, however, is also not a god but rather a peculiar human with skills. That
adds to the strength of the atmosphere. A godly solution cannot happen from a
human, which can be seen as dismaying to a person engaging the myth. If only a
god can do it, then humans are powerless and pathetic. However, Ginko, despite
being a rather calm person, exudes this down-to-earth power. This quality of
Ginko adds to the story and makes it feel human, rather than godly, adding to
its potency. This episode created a unique myth built upon past traditions
while exploring human love.
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