Outside 3 - Stephen Mason

Mushi-Shi Art Discussion

       So since I didn't have enough room in my final paper to include a section on the significance of the art used in the anime series Mushi-shi, I feel like this blog will give me the opportunity to address the importance that the art has for the show. The color palate that is used in the show draws heavily from tones that can be found in the natural environment, such as the deep greens that are used for the forests and the varying shades of orange and red that can be found in the colors of the sunset. Since most of the mushi that are encountered in the show have some connection to the environment, which again is reminiscent of Japanese Kami in Shinto, the choice of the series to emphasize these aspects of the show so greatly above everything else is understandable.

     

        The general art style that is used throughout the show is heavily influenced by the ink wash painting style that developed in eastern China. Specific scenes found in the show, including the representation of the forests that are used many times, have the same hazy quality to them that many ink wash paintings display. Original ink wash paintings were unique because of their focus on the capturing of the spirit of the objects in question, rather than trying to perfectly reproduce their exact likeness on a page. Similarly in Mushi-shi, Yuki Urushibara is her artwork is attempting to bring out the inner spirit of the landscapes that she draws into the show in an attempt to capture the soul of the scenery.

       

       Interconnectedness between the mushi found within the show and the natural environment is also evident in the depictions of the mushi themselves. While the shapes that the mushi take are typically ambiguous, the shapes tend to lean more towards curving organic lines, which helps to place them within the natural environment of the show. Because of the way that they are portrayed, believing that creatures such as these exist is not a difficult thing to consider. Many of the mushi that are portrayed also blend into the natural environment of the show by taking on the appearance of plants and animals. Through appearing in the guises of these organisms, from things varying in range from butterflies to a huge moving swamp, the mushi are further integrated into the natural environment of the show.