
Anime · BS11
Mushi-Shi
The cure lies in the curse.
Who's in it
Cast
The principal ensemble across the run of the series.
The Nutevio profile
TV DNA
How Mushi-Shi actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.
Signature profile
Mushi-Shi reads strongest on Character Depth, World Building and Spectacle.
How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.
The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.
Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.
How much the series is designed to affect you.
How hard it is to stop after one episode.
How much each hour depends on the one before it.
How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.
The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.
How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.
The story
What it's about
Ginko, a Mushi master, travels from place to place researching the Mushi and helping people who are suffering because of it.
The run
Seasons
2 seasons · 46 episodes.

Season 0 · Complete
Specials
20066 episodes
Best episode · S00E02 The Shadow That Devours the Sun

Season 1 · Complete
Season 1
200526 episodes
8.0IMDbMushi: the most basic forms of life in the world. They exist without any goals or purposes aside from simply "being." They are beyond the shackles of the words "good" and "evil." Mushi can exist in countless forms and are capable of mimicking things from the natural world such as plants, diseases, and even phenomena like rainbows. This is, however, just a vague definition of these entities that inhabit the vibrant world of Mushishi, as to even call them a form of life would be an oversimplification. Detailed information on Mushi is scarce because the majority of humans are unaware of their existence. So what are Mushi and why do they exist? This is the question that a Mushishi, Ginko, ponders constantly. Mushishi are those who research Mushi in hopes of understanding their place in the world's hierarchy of life. Ginko chases rumors of occurrences that could be tied to Mushi, all for the sake of finding an answer. It could, after all, lead to the meaning of life itself.
Best episode · S01E12 One-Eyed Fish

Season 2 · Complete
The Next Passage
201420 episodes
8.1IMDbPerceived as strange and feared by man, over time the misshapen ones came to be known as Mushi. Although they harbor no ill intentions towards humans, many suffer from the side effects of their existence and strange nature; exploiting the Mushi without understanding them, even unintentionally, can lead to disaster and strife for any involved. Mushishi Zoku Shou continues the story of Mushishi Ginko on his journey to help the visible world to coexist with the Mushi. During his travels, Ginko discovers various gifted individuals—those cursed by circumstance and those maintaining a fragile symbiosis with the Mushi—inevitably confronting the question of whether humanity, talented and tortured alike, can manage the responsibility of the unseen. Moreover, as a Mushishi, Ginko must learn more about these strange beings and decide if he has the right to interfere with the complex relationships between Mushi and mankind.
Best episode · S02E14 Hidden Cove
Where the series peaks
Best Episodes
The hours that define the show, ranked by audience response and editorial signal.

S01E12
One-Eyed Fish
"Don't let yourself be blinded by fear and anger. Everything is only as it is..." A boy named Yoki, who's able to see Mushi, was found in the woods by some mysterious lady named Nui with only one eye. It turns out that Yoki was travelling with his mother when a mudslide crushed his mother and he was left all on his own. Yoki's leg later heals itself however he doesn't seem to have anywhere to go so he stays with the Nui and begins to learn some things about the Mushi known as "Tokoyami".
- Directed by Kouichirou Sohtome
- Written by Kinuko Kuwahata

S01E08
Where Sea Meets Man
Ginko is waiting along the sea shore, for a transport to get him across the bay when he meets a man called Shirou, who lost his wife under strange circumstances. Ginko seems interested and decides to listen to his story about how he lost his wife in a swarm of sea snakes, during fog. Ginko later comes back with information on the Mushi that caused the bizarre events.
- Directed by Toshinori Narita
- Written by Yuka Yamada

S01E07
Raindrops and Rainbows
On a rainy day Ginko takes a rest from his travels and comes across a man named Kourou who seems to be obsessed with a rainbow. To pass the time Kourou reminisces in his past, with the events which led to him pursuing rainbows whenever they appear. Ginko explains to him that the rainbow which he is searching for is actually a Mushi known as "Koda" but there seems to be more to it.
- Directed by Kouichirou Sohtome
- Written by Aki Itami

S01E04
The Pillow Pathway
Ginko hears a rumor around town that a man is has prophetic dreams every once in a while. He suspects that Mushi are living in his dreams. He gives the man medicine to keep them under control and says he will come back when he has used about all of them. When Ginko returns, the village is deserted and torn up. Ginko finds the man alone in is house. The man then tells him about what happened while he was away.
- Directed by Kouichirou Sohtome
- Written by Yuka Yamada

S01E05
The Traveling Swamp
Adashino-sensei is looking to buy some of the items that Ginko has obtained on his journey. He especially wants the wine cup that was drawn by Shinra, But Ginko says it's too rare to be sold to collectors. He tells Adoshenei-sensei about the strange being he met while in the forest and he also explains how the swamp is moving towards the sea. This looks like the work of a Mushi...
- Directed by Kenichi Imaizumi
- Written by Kinuko Kuwahata

S01E10
The White Which Lives Within the Ink Stone
Some kids enter Adashino-sensei's shed and find a lot of strange things, but there's one thing in particular that interests them. It's night and Adashino-sensei is called upon to look at one of the kids, a girl who has become bitterly cold, and the cause is a mysterious ink stone she touched. Luckily for Adashino-sensei, Ginko is passing through the village, and he shows him the ink stone, which he identifies it as a "Kumohami."
- Directed by Tatsuyuki Nagai
- Written by Yuka Yamada
Recently aired
Latest Episodes

S02E20
Tree of Eternity
- Directed by Kouichirou Sohtome
- Written by Hiroshi Nagahama

S02E19
Mud Grass
- Directed by Tomihiko Ohkubo
- Written by Hiroshi Nagahama


S02E17
Azure Waters
- Directed by Yasuyuki Fuse
- Written by Hiroshi Nagahama


Behind the series
Created by
Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.
The craft
Key Crew
Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.
Executive production
- Susumu HiedaProducer
- Ai AbeProducer
- Junichiro TsuchiyaProducer
Writing
- Kinuko KuwahataWriter
- Yuka YamadaWriter
- Aki ItamiWriter
- Hiroshi NagahamaWriter
Direction
- Kenichi ImaizumiDirector
- Shinpei MiyashitaDirector
- Shintaro InokawaDirector
- Kazu YokotaDirector
- Osamu YamasakiDirector
- Akira ManoDirector
Cinematography
- Yuuta NakamuraDirector of Photography
- Yuki HamaDirector of Photography
Music
- Toshio MasudaOriginal Music Composer
Where to watch
Streaming
Availability verified against regional listings.
- Amazon VideoBuy
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