Japanese fantasy tale from the director of ' Akira'. Ginko (Jo Odagiri), is a mushishi (bug master), a gifted healer who manipulates the mushi, small supernatural bugs, in touch with the essence of life & death. Whilst travelling through pre-modern Japan he meets the beautiful Tanyu (Yu Aoi), who records the history of the mushi by locking them into scrolls. When the mushi manage to escape from the scrolls & attack Tanyu, Ginko has to not only save Tanyu, but also preserve the last remnants of a vanishing race.