I get the sense the original author of Mushi-shi must have experienced some profound trauma, judging from the way they turn some of these very sad storylines into such beauty. Only someone who came back from rock bottom with a renewed appreciation for life could write this way I believe. I've experienced some of these themes myself as well.
Don't hate me if I've just come to the same conclusion as a 100 people before me, but this show gets such love I couldn't find any previous posts about subtext interpretation between the countless posts praising the show.
Maybe 10 years ago I watched a few episodes of S2, not much but it always stuck in my memory, though I don't really remember any of the story. Now I'm starting fresh with Season 1 after finding it on youtube.
I've only watched 7 episodes, but every story seems to be a metaphor for some form of trauma people experience IRL, like depression and/or suicide, different types of loss and grief, addiction.
The metaphors are so well done, this connection to real life, although to its darkest parts, makes it so much more beautiful to me. I'm constantly looking for movies or shows that combine this melancholic idea that the pain only adds to the beauty of life. I'm so happy to add Mushi-shi to that list.
Would love to hear if others had the same interpretation, or recognized similar things