Pawoo Nekoyanagi

Sabikui Bisco is an adventure anime made by Studio OZ and directed by Atsushi Itagaki. It aired in Japan from January to March 2022. It is based on a light novel series written by Shinji Cobkubo, with character art by K Akagishi and world art by mocha, published by ASCII Media Works under its Dengeki Bunko label. Yen Press sells the books in English. In 2019 the novels took first place in the guidebook Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi!, a yearly ranking of the best light novels in Japan. The story is set in a Japan that was ruined long ago. A deadly wind called the Rust now blows across the land. Anything it touches slowly turns to rust, including machines, buildings, and even people. Towns lie half-buried in sand and dust, and many people are sick. To make things worse, those in power spread fear and lies, and they blame mushrooms for spreading the Rust. Bisco Akaboshi is a 17-year-old Mushroom Keeper, part of a group who can grow mushrooms and use their power. He is also a wanted man with a big price on his head. Bisco is a skilled archer. When his special arrows hit their target, giant mushrooms burst out of the ground, which makes him a terrifying fighter. He travels with Actagawa, a huge crab he rides like a horse and treats as family. Bisco is chasing a legend. People say there is a mushroom called Sabikui, a name that roughly means "rust eater." It is said to cure the Rust completely. In the town of Imihama, Bisco crosses paths with Milo Nekoyanagi, a kind young doctor who works to help people sick with the Rust. Milo's older sister, Pawoo, is the captain of the town's guard, and she is badly ill herself. That gives Milo a strong personal reason to join Bisco's search. Bisco's old teacher, Jabi, also plays a part, and the town's governor, Kurokawa, stands in their way. What makes the show stand out is its odd and colorful world. It mixes a dusty, end-of-the-world setting with giant animals, strange machines, and glowing mushrooms. The two heroes are very different. Bisco is wild and rough, while Milo is gentle and smart. Their friendship, and the way each makes the other stronger, is the heart of the story. The series has plenty of action, but also themes of medicine, sickness, travel, and trust. It is a road story about two young people who set out to save a dying country, one arrow and one cure at a time.