About Heroes

Author and Artist: Yuki Urushibara
Translation: William Flanagan
Publisher: Del Rey Manga

There are certain manga that I really enjoy because they remind me of the formula used on TV shows like The Hitchhiker, don't ask. Pretty much is where the main protagonist just meets different people and interacts with them in different stories. One has nothing to do with the next story. Certain manga stick out like Ogre Slayer, Black Jack, Pet Shop of Horrors, and Mermaid Saga to name a few. Mushishi is definitely using that formula and it is on my must read list.

The term Mushi normally means little bugs, but in this case it used as a word to refer to small spirit creatures. They’re a primal form of life, which are often tiny or invisible or simple vague, and so close to the heart of nature that their activities can affect things in a manner not unlike magic used in fantasy novels. Think of these creatures as spirits that can sometimes inhabit the bodies of humans, unleashing havoc on them, and unfortunately most of the time the host is not even aware. Ginko, known as the Mushishi is a sort of medicine man who treats humans infected with mushi, he wonders from town to town all over the world to study and help people.

This particular volume includes five chapters and they each range from about 35-60 pages each. Ginko helps each one of these cases and takes all sorts of different ways of payments. He is very alienated, full of himself, and self assured in his skills; in other words I really like the main character. Although the stories are fascinating and intriguing, it’s Ginko’s personality that really makes this manga shine. This is a series that is targeted to an older crowd, and Ginko’s character is a helpful trait in trying to reach that crowd. The author’s use of tone in this manga is accurately applied. From the start it really grabs at those heart strings and takes you away to a place of melancholy and loss with the story of Shinra and his grandmother.

I really got taken by this world that Urushibara has created, it's a really beautiful place of fantasy and magic that often takes me back to my childhood fantasies. But there is some humor mixed in with this magical and dark world. Her artwork is a perfect balance of dark and beautiful inks. She doesn't overly detail everything, but it's as impressive as some of the best artist around today. I highly recommend this book to anyone just wanting something different from the usual. A