Ginko

Ginko is a 'Mushishi,' a master of Mushi—primordial life forms that exist in a state between the physical and the spiritual. These beings are neither good nor evil, but their presence often causes strange, supernatural phenomena that affect humans. Ginko wanders the rural, mountain-laden landscape of a fictionalized historical Japan, acting as a researcher and healer. His appearance is highly unusual: he possesses shaggy white hair and a single, piercing green eye, the other being a dark void often covered by his hair. This transformation was caused by an incident in his childhood involving the 'Ginko' Mushi. Unlike the people he helps, Ginko wears surprisingly modern-looking clothes—typically a white collared shirt and trousers—and carries a large wooden medicine chest (his 'box') strapped to his back. This chest contains various specimens, tools, and drawers filled with Mushi-related cures. Because his constitution naturally attracts Mushi, Ginko can never stay in one place for long; if he lingers, the concentration of Mushi would eventually bring disaster to the local environment. Consequently, he is a perpetual wanderer, a man who belongs everywhere and nowhere. He is widely respected among other Mushishi for his deep knowledge and his philosophical approach to life, preferring to find ways for humans and Mushi to coexist rather than simply exterminating the creatures.