Mu Shi Shi, Volume 6 by Yuki Urushibara

Ginko continues his travels through Japan, studying Mushi everywhere he goes. This book contains six more stories about the Mushi, mystical vermin with strange powers that can help or harm humans, and perhaps both at once. This volume holds 5 stories.

In "Heaven's Thread", a girl pulls on a thread coming down from the sky and disappears. When Ginko enters the village, her fianceé is being blamed for her disappearance. But he has found her in a tree a few days walk from her original village. But can Ginko explain what happened in a way the village can believe? And will she remain unchanged by the Mushi that abducted her?

In "The Chirping Shell" a girl finds a shell that contains the cries of birds and loses her own voice. Her father is a suspicious man who blames the village for the loss of his wife. But when a disaster threatens the livelihood of all the villagers, can Ginko convince them of what is coming to pass, and can the man pull with the rest of the villagers to ensure they all survive?

"The Hand That Pets the Night" introduces us to two brothers, one of which has an eye-like shape on his hand that enables him to hypnotize animals and thus, make money from hunting for meat. Unfortunately, all the meat smells rotten, even if he has killed it fresh. Ginko determines that there is a Mushi responsible. But will the older brother want to be rid of his special ability, or can Ginko convince him that the Mushi-infection is starting to change his behavior as well? What if he doesn't want to be "cured"?

In "Under the Snow", Ginko has gone to a northern village to study snow-Mushi, and encounters a boy who is under the power of the Tokoyuki-Mushi, which sucks the heat from his body, It also prevents him from warming up and getting more warmth. How can Ginko cure him? Or will it take the near death of the girl he loves to save his own life?

Finally, in "Banquet in the Furthest Field", a Saki-maker encounters a man in a field who gives him a taste of glowing Saki. He finds it so delicious that he tries all his life to make saki with the same look and taste. He fails, but his son finally replicates it and takes some to his father for a taste. Along the way, though, he meets a bunch of strange men who want to buy some of his saki. When they find out it is only a look-alike of the kind they wanted, they call him a cheat and try to kill him. But it is up to Ginko to save him from the enraged Mushishi and reveal what is truly going on.

Once again, an interesting series of tales in this manga, each somewhat scary and yet fascinating at the same time. As usual, this volume came with a list of honorifics, explaining what each one means and who it is used for, from the most formal (dono, which comes from tono, meaning Lord and is the highest in respect) to none at all, called yobisute, which is only used by those of long acquaintance and is insulting unless it is earned.

In the back of the book is a explanation of the cultural significance of each type of Mushi and what the name means. For instance, the Tokoyuki Mushi is based on the name of the Snow Woman from Japanese Legend, Yuki-onna. "Yuki" means snow, and Toko means "endless", which connotes to Endless Snow Mushi. Though the tales are fascinating all by themselves, this commentary allows readers to understand more of the Japanese language and some of the naming conventions of the series It's also fascinating in and of itself.

I continue to enjoy this series, and the many tales and short stories that make it up. I can't wait to read more, and I hope that more people will pick it up and give it a try.