Mushishi

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, 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 relentlessly 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. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Mushishi was awarded the Excellence Prize for manga at the 7th Japan Media Arts Festival in 2003. In 2006, the manga won the Kodansha Manga Award in the General category. The series was published in English by Del Rey Manga from January 30, 2007, to July 27, 2010, with the final 3 volumes being released as a 3-in-1 omnibus. Kodansha USA later re-released the series digitally, and in print as 2-in-1 omnibus volumes since November 4, 2025. It was also published in Spanish by Norma Editorial in 2007; and in Polish by Hanami from April 1, 2015, to November 28, 2017.