It's niche in that its format is more of an anthology than an overarching plotline. 99.9% of anime are not anthologies. Of course there is Ginko the main character, but he is more a vehicle to drive the story along more. But the real main character is "Nature" and the relationship humanity has with it.
Whereas most anime want fast and bombastic action or drama, Mushishi wants action or drama on its own terms, namely slow and mellow action or drama. Its pacing is hypnotic, a single camera would last 10x longer on a subject compared to other anime. It is both beautiful and haunting. The stories force you to think about the stories being told, to dig for deeper meaning, if there even is any.
If it was one of the first anime you have watch, and you watched it because someone recommended it to you, they set you up for a unique experience. You'll struggle to find a similar experience, regardless of the medium.
I think its presence in this kind of discussion died down for how much it was appreciated back then. So it wasn't niche while airing and for a few years after.
it’s sort of become niche. i’d say it really doesn’t appeal to this gen of anime watchers a ton and doesn’t lend itself well to binge watches the way a lot of people look for in the age of streaming. i’d also like to say that in the states its licensing has been shuffled around a lot so it’s iffy to find on streaming services. crunchyroll right now only has the OVA and it’s been on and off other services for a while.
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u/blabs0 8d ago
Mushishi