[1]

This is a good episode, because it’s makes you sad, so all you sentimental folks just make sure you have a box of tissues on hand. Let’s meet Gene, a man that has premonitions, and is well known throughout the countryside because of them. Word spread to Ginko, who decided to pay a visit to him. Ginko tells him that mushi may be involved, and gives him some medicine to control his dreams.

[2]

“You know what we should all do folks? We should just pack our bags and move to anime world, just think about it, if we have a cold of the flu, we can get someone like Ginko to visit us and give us free medicine. Isn’t that great? We wouldn’t have to worry about the high cost of health care, and for those who are really sick, they could probably get a free operation right in the comfort of their own homes, now I like that.”

[3]

Well, let me stop dreamin’. Anyway, Ginko gives Gene the medicine, and tells him that if he takes it too soon, it could be toxic. But if he doesn’t take it at all, he could remain in his dreams forever. He also says that he’ll stop by when the medicine runs out. “What? Gene is gonna get more medicine and another visit for free? I don’t know about you guys, but I have my bags packed.”

Some time passes, and Ginko keeps his word to return to the village, which is a complete disaster. Everyone has vanished, all except Gene, who is sitting in his house all pissed off, waiting for Ginko to return. “Now how long has dude been waiting around? Supposed Ginko decided to move out of state with some chick, then what?” Gene scolds Ginko for lying to him about the mushi. Remember, Ginko told Gene that the mushi gives premonitions, but actually, it was the mushi that bring dreams out of the mind, to affect reality.

[4]

What happened was the mushi killed his family and the whole damn village. It was a green mold that started at the fingertips, and spread throughout the body, like a cancer. Now, from this point on, Gene tells the story of exactly what happened. I won’t be going into details, so you better just rent or buy this DVD for specific details. Now Ginko feels bad for lying to the poor guy, and decides to do everything he can to find a way to rid him of the mushi.

[5]

But what Ginko doesn’t understand is that everone is dead, including the wife and kid, isn’t it too late to be trying to think of a cure? Now Gene, filled with grief, and guilt, tries to overdose on pills, and now Ginko has to work hard to save his life. While Gene is resting, Ginko tells him he’s not to blame, nor is the mushi, which is just coexisting. “Ginko, what in the hell are you talking about, of course the mushi is to blame, let’s find it and kick it’s ass!”

[6]

Actually, Gene beats me to it, he realizes that the mushi has been chillin’ out in his pillow, and he slices it open. The only thing is, the pillow was connected to his soul (don’t ask me, I’m not the Mushishi writer), so his chest splits open, and once again Ginko has to stop him from dying. Gene wakes up the next morning, and there’s a doctor there with Ginko, “Okay, where did that guy come from? I thought everyone in the village was dead?”

Now for those of you that are crying your eyes out at this point, there’s more to grieve about. After the mushi pillow attack, Gene slowly lost his soul, and ended up killing himself. No, you don’t actually see it, but Ginko tells us so. Let’s just take his word for it, and hope he’s not spreading gossip. I have a major question to ask, why is it that all the people in the Mushishi episodes are dressed in ancient attire, while Ginko looks like he just stepped out of a Gap store?