Mushishi: ricreare l’armonia fra uomini, spiriti e natura in un manga

By looking at the different products of Japanese popular culture between the late 20th century and the first decades of the 21st century, it is possible to notice that several religious symbols, themes and concepts are represented and re-negotiated in many ways. To illustrate this process of intertwining media and religion, with specific reference to the representation of the shamanic actor and role, this paper investigates the case of Urushibara Yuki’s manga Mushishi. The analysis of the manga shows that the religious/shamanic elements, among which stands the aim of revitalizing the connection between humans and nature, can be traced back to both the Japanese shamanic “tradition” and the so-called “new spirituality”.