MovieChat Forums > Mushishi (2005) Discussion > Small bit of criticism

Small bit of criticism


I watched the first four episodes.

To me, the pacing in this show is excruciatingly slow. I know that many of you will probably say that it's supposed to be gentle and relaxing. I agree with that, but it's not the atmosphere that's the problem.

It's the dialog. There's WAY too much dialog. Information is told to us through mounds of expositional dialog, which gets very tiring.

I would prefer if this anime would SHOW these amazing things that they are talking about to me, rather than simply TELLING. The beauty of animation is that you can show the viewer anything to progress the story, and you aren't limited in any way, shape or form. Actions and motion truly speak louder than words.

I was really looking forward to this anime after hearing so much praise. However, it's let me down because, from what I've seen so far, it seems to be a talk-fest.

Anyone who has conflicting opinions with me care to state why?

reply

Mmm, well, the thing is that I actually like talking in general, I love words, so it didn't even cross my mind to think that there might be too much talking in the show. I was actually happy that they tried to explain everything - we actually do see the creatures, what they are talking about is the way the creatures actually function.

But now, I remember feeling that the first episode was really cool, but the next 4 or so not so much. So maybe you feel like this because you're at the beginning of the series, in which case you should simply watch the rest of it, there are some really beautiful episodes later on.

Now just where am I supposed to fit in?

reply

I've watched more episodes, and I'm up to episode 8.

You're right about some of the episodes being very beautiful; one in particular was written very well and relied less on dialog.

I think it's a pretty decent show now. I've been watching them at night, when I'm tired, right before I go to sleep. They are almost like bed-time stories to me, lol.

reply

Wombat - I just wondered whether you were watching sub or dub? The very idea of grating American voices intruding on this gentle, haunting exposition of the natural world as seen through Japanese eyes - if you were watching dub I'm not surprised you thought there was too much talk. Try the sub.

reply

Wow, this was a long time ago. I watched it subbed.

Last movies seen:
The Hunger Games: 8.5/10
Three Musketeers (2011): 4/10
The Big Year: 4.5/10

reply

Yes, yonks ago. I still like the series, though, I also watch an episode just before going to bed, it's strangely relaxing. Glad to hear you were watching with the right soundtrack, Wombat. As my Japanese studies progress inch by inch, I gradually understand a bit more of what's being said. I like to kid myself that this is revision; actually I'm just indulging myself, I should be learning kanji.

reply



I have seen both dub and sub, and to be fair, the dubbed version was not bad at all! Travil Willingham did a very good job as Ginko, and the voices are really soothing, I also did not think they were talking more than in the original version. I usually prefer subs myself, but lets not cross over dub if it is good too!

reply

I agree 100%. There are times when the dubbed version is actually funnier when it is supposed to be funny, whereas the Japanese humor is so understated you can miss it. There are also moments that are more poignant in original Japanese. So watch both and decide for yourself.

reply

I agree 100%. There are times when the dubbed version is actually funnier when it is supposed to be funny, whereas the Japanese humor is so understated you can miss it. There are also moments that are more poignant in original Japanese. So watch both and decide for yourself.


indeed, Travis Willingham (voice of Ginko and Roy Mustang) was way funnier in the "I love dogs" scene in FMA than the japanese version. (sorry off topic here)

but anyway I prefer watching dubs, and I enjoyed the Mushi-shi dub. My only complaint was that the dub track sounded too quiet on DVD compared to the Japanese voices. O_o
I turned the volume up to hear someone's voice and the thunder/waves sounds were too loud lol

reply

Yeah, this post is old as hell but I couldn't let it go unchallenged. I'm so sick of people like you just dismissing dubs as garbage, even in cases where the dub rivals or even surpasses the sub. Mushishi is one of the countless examples of a dub done right. There is absolutely nothing grating about the voices that were used in general. In the very few cases where there was an annoying voice I toggled it over to the Japanese language track and saw that, lo and behold, the Japanese voice was annoying too.

reply

Well, each to his own. I find American dubs of Japanese and other foreign language films grating because I'm not American myself; so I get the weird experience of watching one foreign culture and listening to another. If you were watching a film set in, say, Brazil, and everyone spoke with strong Irish accents, wouldn't that be peculiar and distracting?

reply

I never found the pace to be slow myself. I found it just right for allowing the stories to unravel.

I feel you on the exposition though. Occasionally there is too much of it which gives me the sense that they are talking down to the audience instead of allowing us to infer meaning from context. I also felt that a few episodes had a rushed happy ending tacked on at the end which didn't really fit. Perhaps this is more pandering to the audience or maybe it is being adapted directly from the manga (which I haven't read); In any case, there were also a number of episodes that ended ambiguously or on a downtrodden note which I found quite refreshing and more realistic.

I wouldn't at all call Mushishi a "talk-fest" though. Compared to 99% of anime out there it is quite the opposite. I'm not sure where you're getting this impression from. Perhaps try a few more episodes? If you still think it's a "talk-fest" after that, maybe you would prefer watching all tv shows with the mute button on...

reply

Except for tiny example, I really don't see how you felt this way about the show. It has outstanding visuals and a lot of the mushi are elaborateed upon via backstory flashbacks. Maybe you just prefer the more action-oriented anime style?

The one, tiny example: I find the show's desire to explain what a mushi is or that main character is a mushi master a bit grating. It's almost a joke... and maybe it is.

You'd feel cocky too if you were full of myself.

reply