"Mushi": 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 "Mushi-shi," Ginko, ponders constantly. Mushi-shi 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.
Mushi-Shi has finished airing and it has 26 Episodes. It is also Known as: 蟲師, Mushishi
Genres: Contemporary Fantasy , Fantasy , Japan , Asia , Earth , Slice of Life , Alternative Past , Detective , Drama , Past , Countryside , Historical , Adventure , Mystery
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Top 10 Anime Like Mushi-Shi (Mushishi) [2024 List]
- 10. Haibane Renmei
- 9. Bartender
- 8. Aria The Animation
- 7. Bakemonogatari
- 6. Dororo
- 5. Princess Mononoke
- 4. xxxHOLiC
- 3. Mononoke
- 2. Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World
- 1. Natsume Yuujinchou
10. Haibane Renmei
All Rakka remembers before emerging from her cocoon is the sensation of falling. Confused, she is welcomed into this new world as one of the Haibane, a group of youth with small gray wings and bright halos. Together, they live in the Old Home on the outskirts of Grie, a quiet town where wingless, halo-less people live.
There are many rules governing the world of Haibane Renmei: the most important one being that Haibane cannot go near or touch the massive walls that surround the town. Only beings known as Toga may come and go as they please.
Although her daily life is quiet, there is much Rakka and the other Haibane do not know, or are not allowed to know. Rakka will work through her own doubts and questions as she figures out what she is doing in this world, while working towards the goal of each Haibane: to get beyond the walls on their Day of Flight. But this is not a light task: failure means being branded as one who is Sin-bound.
Haibane Renmei has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: 灰羽連盟, Charcoal Feather Federation
9. Bartender
Genius bartender, Sasakura Ryuu makes the most incredible cocktails anyone has ever tasted. Seeking his "Glass of God", individuals from all different walks of life visit his bar. With both a compassionate ear and a godly drink, Ryuu helps people with their problems.
Bartender has finished airing and it has 11 Episodes. It is also Known as: バーテンダー, Bartender
8. Aria The Animation
Akari Mizunashi, at the age of 15, has left everything behind to travel to a sparkling planet covered in water, Aqua, formerly known as Mars. By the 24th century, humans have found a way to colonize the formerly uninhabitable planet.
More than anything, Akari wants to be an "undine" - a female gondolier who navigates the canals of the Aquan city of Neo-Venezia. The city itself is a faithful replication of Manhome's (Earth) city of Venice. To make sure that residents and tourists alike get the most from Neo-Venezia's many wonders, companies offering guided tours via gondola were formed, one of which is named Aria Company.
As she begins her training with the prestigious Aria Company, will she be up to the challenges that await her on the path to achieve her dream?
ARIA The ANIMATION’s gentle poetry will take you to the truth: It’s all about savoring each moment of the journey along the way.
Aria The Animation has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: ARIA The ANIMATION, Aria The Animation
7. Bakemonogatari
Koyomi Araragi, a third-year high school student, manages to survive a vampire attack with the help of Meme Oshino, a strange man residing in an abandoned building. Though being saved from vampirism and now a human again, several side effects such as superhuman healing abilities and enhanced vision still remain. Regardless, Araragi tries to live the life of a normal student, with the help of his friend and the class president, Tsubasa Hanekawa.
When fellow classmate Hitagi Senjougahara falls down the stairs and is caught by Araragi, the boy realizes that the girl is unnaturally weightless. Despite Senjougahara's protests, Araragi insists he help her, deciding to enlist the aid of Oshino, the very man who had once helped him with his own predicament.
Through several tales involving demons and gods, Bakemonogatari follows Araragi as he attempts to help those who suffer from supernatural maladies.
Bakemonogatari has finished airing and it has 15 Episodes. It is also Known as: 化物語, Ghostory
6. Dororo
In Japan's Warring States period, Lord Daigo Kagemitsu makes a pact with 12 demons, exchanging his unborn son for the prosperity of his lands. The child is born malformed and is set adrift in a river, while Kagemitsu's lands thrive as promised. Years later, young thief Dororo encounters the mysterious "Hyakkimaru", a boy whose arms are blades and whose visionless eyes seem able to see monsters.
Dororo has finished airing and it has 24 Episodes. It is also Known as: どろろ, Dororo to Hyakkimaru
5. Princess Mononoke
A calm village residing in the mountains comes under attack from a demon-possessed boar one day.
Ashitaka, a young man and prince of the tribe, engages the creature in an attempt to save his village. During the battle, the boar bites him on the arm, leaving it blackened and cursed. Following his village's traditions, Ashitaka is exiled and becomes a wanderer, looking for a solution to the curse before it engulfs him.
Iron Town is a fortress under the leadership of Lady Eboshi. Through the clearing of the surrounding forests, Iron Town produces large amounts of Ironsand, used for gunpowder and other machinery. However, because of the forests destruction, nearby animal clans seek revenge led by a human girl of the Wolf clan called San.
When Ashitaka comes to Iron Town, he discovers the area consumed in battle. Horrified, he attempts to create peace and befriend the Wolf Clan. However, after the forest's eradication and the ongoing war between Human and Beast, will the Spirit of the Forest be forgiving and accept Ashitaka's request to expel his curse?
Princess Mononoke has finished airing and it has 1 Episodes. It is also Known as: Mononoke Hime, もののけ姫, Princess Mononoke
4. xxxHOLiC
Kimihiro Watanuki can see spirits and other assorted supernatural creatures, which is quite a bothersome ability he strongly dislikes. On the way home one day, while plagued by some spirits, he is inexplicably compelled to enter a strange house. There, he encounters Yuuko, a mysterious woman who claims to be able to rid him of the ability to see and attract the troublesome creatures—for a price. She demands that he work at her "store" that grants wishes to people, and thus begins Watanuki's adventures through weird and wonderful events.
xxxHOLiC has finished airing and it has 24 Episodes. It is also Known as: ×××ホリック, XXXHOLiC
3. Mononoke
The "Medicine Seller" is a deadly and mysterious master of the occult who travels across feudal Japan in search of malevolent spirits called "mononoke" to slay. When he locates one of these spirits, he cannot simply kill it; he must first learn its Form, its Truth, and its Reason in order to wield the mighty Exorcism Sword and fight against it. He must begin his strange exorcisms with intense psychological analysis and careful investigative work—an extremely dangerous step, as he must first confront and learn about the mononoke before he even has the means to defeat it.
The Medicine Seller's journey leads him to an old-fashioned inn where Shino, a pregnant woman, has finally found a place to rest. The owner has reluctantly placed her in the last vacant room; however, as she settles in, it quickly becomes clear that the room is infested by a lethal band of mononoke, the Zashiki Warashi. With his hunter's intuition, the Medicine Seller begins his investigation to discover the Form, the Truth, and the Reason before the Zashiki Warashi can kill again.
Mononoke has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: モノノ怪, Mononoke
2. Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World
Based on a hit light novel series by Keiichi Sigsawa, the philosophical Kino's Journey employs the time-honored motif of the road trip as a vehicle for self-discovery and universal truth. Deeply meditative and cooler than zero, the series follows the existential adventures of the apt marksman Kino along with talking motorcycle Hermes as they travel the world and learn much about themselves in the process. Imaginative, thought-provoking, and sometimes disturbing, Kino's journey is documented in an episodic style with an emphasis on atmosphere rather than action or plot, though still prevalent.
Kino's Journey has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: キノの旅 -the Beautiful World-, Kino's Travels: The Beautiful World
1. Natsume Yuujinchou
While most fifteen-year-old boys, in one way or another, harbor secrets that are related to girls, Takashi Natsume has a peculiar and terrifying secret involving youkai: for as long as he can remember, he has been constantly chased by these spirits. Natsume soon discovers that his deceased grandmother Reiko had passed on to him the Yuujinchou, or "Book of Friends," which contains the names of the spirits whom she brought under her control. Now in Natsume's possession, the book gives Reiko's grandson this power as well, which is why these enraged beings now haunt him in hopes of somehow attaining their freedom.
Without parents and a loving home, and constantly being hunted by hostile, merciless youkai, Natsume is looking for solace—a place where he belongs. However, his only companion is a self-proclaimed bodyguard named Madara. Fondly referred to as Nyanko-sensei, Madara is a mysterious, pint-sized feline spirit who has his own reasons for sticking with the boy.
Based on the critically acclaimed manga by Yuki Midorikawa, Natsume Yuujinchou is an unconventional and supernatural slice-of-life series that follows Natsume as he, with his infamous protector Madara, endeavors to free the spirits bound by his grandmother's contract.
Natsume's Book of Friends has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: 夏目友人帳, Natsume Yujincho, Natsume Yujin-cho
