Mushishi (live-action feature film)
After being captivated by the animated version of Yuki Urushibara’s award-winning graphic novel series I was really looking forward to seeing the Mushishi universe in live-action form; not least because it’s directed by Katsuhiro Otomo in his debut outside the realms of animation. As it turns out the results are somewhat disappointing: while it’s visually stunning only part of the Mushishi magic shone through and I can’t say with certainty that it’s something those unfamiliar with the franchise will appreciate.
The story is set in historical rural Japan, following the life of Ginko, a mushishi. Mushishi are experts in the field of mushi, primitive and supernatural life forms that cannot be categorised as animals or plants. As a mushishi Ginko is part naturalist and part witch doctor: he travels the countryside, studying how mushi live and using his knowledge to help people whose lives are affected by them.
My first problem with this movie’s DVD release is admittedly down to the subtitle translation more than anything. The Japanese word mushi literally means ‘insect’ or ‘bug’ but this doesn’t really convey the nature of the mushi; they’re very mysterious and ethereal creatures that defy such a straightforward definition as a literal translation. For reasons of clarity then it might have been wiser to leave the mushi name untranslated; although I am very relieved that my fears of a rumoured ‘Bug Master’ international title for the film were unfounded!
With this minor criticism aside the film itself still suffers from a insuffient explanation as to what mushi are and why they exert the effects on the human world as they do. Otomo is not unfamiliar with the concept of conflict between humans and the world we live in of course: his most significant works to date, the anime movies Akira and Steamboy, present some very powerful portrayals of how human ignorance can have dire consequences in regards to our thirst for progress and knowledge. The Mushishi worldview is that of an ecological balance in which the likes of Ginko study and observe the enigmatic mushi in order to reach a better understanding of how life forms can co-exist; fairly similar territory perhaps but the significance of this co-existence did not come across as clearly as it did in the animated adaptation.
The Mushishi feature film is of course not episodic like the source material, which presents problems that were addressed but only partly solved. Fans of the anime and graphic novel will recognise several of the stories that play out during the film’s course: Ginko’s early life forms the centrepiece but the presence of another man trying to learn about mushi lasts through several other subplots that stem from manga chapters. While it was refreshing to have a recurring supporting character to accompany him on his travels I personally thought it downplayed Ginko’s otherwise solitary life; an important aspect to his character in the original story.
Taking a select few of the individual episodes, rather than rushing through a large number or concentrating on one or two, was also a wise move on the part of the film’s writers and in terms of their selections it’s quite subjective from an existing fan’s point of view - I’m sure we all have our individual favourites! Unfortunately the explanations behind how Ginko goes about his work in these incidents are scant, which takes away the emotional power and tension; this dramatic element - that of the mushi-related manifestations, how people’s lives are affected and how Ginko goes about curing them - are as important as the atmospherics but were sadly not given as much attention as they deserved.
Newcomers will no doubt be baffled by the strange goings-on but those of us familiar with the story will find no surprises because the cases Ginko works on all form episodes of the TV show and graphic novels. I actually found myself impatiently checking the DVD time counter at points, which I NEVER did when watching the anime. While I welcome the opportunity for the franchise to reach an audience who don’t have the time and inclination to read several books or watch an entire TV series (after all, animation still has yet to attain the same level of credibility as serious storytelling compared with live-action), I don’t think this film realised its potential.
All this sluggish and vague storytelling is a shame because in term of visuals and music Otomo and his team have really done the source material justice. It’s another personal preference here but I didn’t really want to pin down any particular date for the setting of the story: the mystery of the Mushishi world works better as an unspecified era lost in the mists of time. Either way the rural environments, the casting of the actors and the CGI mushi all look wonderfully convincing, and actually bring the bizarre and timeless locales and supernatural creatures closer to our own reality - something that drawings or animation have a tougher time achieving.
In Summary
The live-action adaptation of Mushishi is suitably atmospheric, eerie and beautiful - perfectly in keeping with its enigmatic setting and supernatural themes. Unfortunately the meandering storyline and poorly-explained background make it over-long if you’re a fan of Ginko and his adventures, or a confusing experience if you aren’t. Given the human drama and complexity of the Mushishi universe’s mythology, this version is a treat as an arthouse piece but otherwise felt like a bit of a missed opportunity.
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