Ep 23. The Sound of Rust

In the episode "The Sound of Rust," from season 1 of the show Mushishi, Ginko encounters a young girl named Suzu who has a unique ability to hear sounds that others cannot. She hears a constant ringing in her ears that is both a blessing and a curse. The ringing serves as a warning and allows her to avoid danger, but it also drives her insane as she cannot escape the constant noise.

Suzu is believed to be cursed by the villagers in her small town since no one can explain her ability. They blame her for the fact that their crops are contaminated with rust. When Ginko arrives in the town, he is immediately met with hostility and suspicion from the villagers. He is soon approached by Suzu's mother, who begs him to help her daughter.

After listening to Suzu's unique ability and observing the rust that plagues the town, Ginko realizes that there is a connection between the two. Ginko hypothesizes that Suzu's ability to hear sounds that others cannot may be linked to the rust and that by treating Suzu's ability, he can also treat the rust in the town.

Ginko is determined to help Suzu, and despite the skepticism and fear of the villagers, he works to find a remedy. He learns that Suzu's hearing is activated by the sound of the rust, and a traditional treatment used in the area involves listening to specific sounds to cure ailments. He develops a treatment plan for Suzu that involves listening to specific sounds by the village's rust expert.

While Suzu's treatment helps her temporarily, Ginko realizes that the rust problem is more extensive than he initially thought and that Suzu's ability will not solve the problem permanently. Ginko begins to investigate the origins of the rust, and after visiting an abandoned mine, he discovers a connection between the rust and a group of spirits that have taken up residence in the mine.

With Suzu's help, Ginko confronts the spirits in the mine and discovers that they are responsible for the rust in the village. The spirits are fixated on the sound of rust and have been creating it to replicate and prolong the sound they so crave. Ginko devises a plan to remove the spirits from the mine and stop the rust from spreading.

In the end, Ginko successfully treats Suzu, and the village is no longer plagued by rust. The villagers come to understand that Suzu's ability was not a curse but rather a gift that helped them overcome the problem. The episode is a poignant reflection on the misunderstandings that can arise when people fear things they cannot understand and the importance of seeking knowledge and understanding before jumping to conclusions.