March 6, 2025

Common Side Effects: The Ultimate Animated Trip for Mushroom Growers and Pharma Skeptics

The most amazing "myco" related cartoon for adults.

If you love growing your own Cubensis mushrooms at home, loathe Big Pharma, and appreciate a solid dose of trippy animation, Common Side Effects is the show you’ve been waiting for. This Adult Swim original is a surreal, paranoid, and straight-up exhilarating journey into the world of mushrooms, government conspiracies, and the age-old battle between natural medicine and corporate greed.


The Premise: A Magic Mushroom with Infinite Possibilities

Marshall Cuso, a researcher with a deep scientific curiosity, stumbles upon what every mycologist dreams of: a Peruvian mushroom with the power to cure any ailment. Not just a placebo effect, not just a mild immune booster—this thing works. Naturally, this discovery sets off alarm bells for the pharmaceutical industry, which makes its billions keeping people on a lifetime of overpriced meds instead of actually healing them.


As soon as word gets out, the government and Big Pharma come knocking, ready to bury the discovery and silence anyone connected to it. What follows is a gripping, often hilarious, and sometimes unsettling dive into a world of secret agendas, black market science, and the desperate fight to protect nature’s greatest medicine.


The Mushroom Cultivator’s Dream Show

If you’ve ever stared at your colonizing jars like they were your children or felt a primal thrill watching mushrooms break through the casing layer, this show gets you. The animation perfectly captures the mystique of fungi, blending scientific realism with trippy, exaggerated visuals that make you feel like you’re deep in the middle of a heroic dose. The way Common Side Effects portrays mycology isn’t just accurate—it’s reverential. It treats fungi like the powerful, otherworldly life forms they are, capable of saving humanity if only we’d let them.


And let’s talk about the anti-Pharma energy—because it’s palpable. The show doesn't just suggest that Big Pharma might not have our best interests at heart; it full-on rips them a new one. It’s not even subtle. The entire series plays out like a revenge fantasy for anyone who’s ever been frustrated by the medical system, denied access to natural treatments, or watched a friend suffer because some executive decided life-saving medicine should come with a four-figure price tag.


Animation and Style: A Psychedelic Fever Dream

Visually, Common Side Effects is chef’s kiss perfection for anyone who enjoys a little psychedelic aesthetic. Think Rick and Morty meets Akira, but with a healthy dose of nature-worship and fungal freakiness. The animation style shifts when things get weird—mimicking the sensation of a trip in ways that are sometimes fun, sometimes disturbing, but always mesmerizing. The mushroom sequences, in particular, are pure eye candy for any psychonaut. You’ll want to rewatch just to catch all the tiny fungal details baked into the backgrounds.


Why Every Home Mycologist Should Watch This

Let’s be real—there aren’t many shows out there catering to the underground world of homegrown mycology. Common Side Effects isn’t just a great animated series; it’s a love letter to the people who understand that fungi aren’t just decomposers—they’re healers, connectors, and maybe even the key to something bigger than we can comprehend.


This show speaks to that instinctual feeling every cultivator gets when they first realize what mushrooms are capable of. The way they communicate, their intelligence, their ability to adapt and survive—it’s all woven into the narrative. And the best part? It does this without shoving it down your throat. The story flows, blending science, conspiracy, and humor in a way that never feels preachy but still leaves you thinking long after the credits roll.


Final Thoughts

If you love fungi, distrust corporations, and want to see a beautifully animated, mind-bending story that just gets it, Common Side Effects is a must-watch. It’s a rare gem that celebrates the underdog—the home cultivator, the independent researcher, the person willing to look past mainstream narratives to find the real truth.

So, fire up your favorite episode, let your monotub do its thing, and enjoy a show that feels like it was made for us.


You can watch it on Prime

https://www.primevideo.com/detail/amzn1.dv.gti.186a1df2-4420-4d66-952b-feb70d287212 <


The closest Cubensis mushroom we can think of that is similar to the "Blue Angel" is going to be Jack Frost <




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Jack Frost Psilocybe Cubensis Isolated Syringe

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When we think of Santa Claus, images of a jolly man in a red suit delivering gifts in a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer immediately come to mind. But what if this beloved holiday figure was more than just a symbol of generosity and joy? What if Santa was, in fact, a secret mycologist with a penchant for the magical world of mushrooms, flying around the globe spreading the spores ? The connection between the Christmas story and the iconic red-and-white Amanita muscaria mushroom is a tale worth unwrapping this holiday season. The Amanita muscaria: Nature's Holiday Ornament The Amanita muscaria mushroom, with its bright red cap and white speckles, is one of nature's most festive creations. Its striking appearance mirrors the traditional colors of Santa’s suit, leading many to wonder if this mushroom inspired the modern image of Saint Nick. But the connection runs deeper than just aesthetics. In Siberian and Arctic shamanic traditions, Amanita muscaria was a central element in winter solstice rituals. These shamans, often dressed in red and white, harvested the mushrooms and distributed them to villagers as sacred gifts. How did they deliver these gifts? Snow often blocked doorways, so shamans entered homes through the chimney or smoke hole—a detail that sounds suspiciously similar to Santa’s preferred method of entry. Coincidence? Perhaps not. Reindeer, Flying Sleighs, and Psychedelic Revelations Reindeer, native to the Arctic regions, play a starring role in Santa’s story. But they also have a curious relationship with Amanita muscaria. These animals are known to seek out the mushrooms, consuming them and exhibiting behaviors that could be described as "trippy." Some anthropologists suggest that the idea of Santa’s flying reindeer stems from these psychedelic experiences. Imagine villagers watching reindeer prance and leap under the influence of magic mushrooms and envisioning a sleigh soaring across the sky. Santa the Secret Mycologist Given all these connections, it’s not hard to imagine Santa Claus as an amateur mycologist—someone deeply knowledgeable about mushrooms and their unique properties. Perhaps he’s been studying fungal spores in his North Pole laboratory, understanding their ecological roles and hidden magic. If Santa were around today, we’re pretty sure he’d be sourcing high-quality spores from a trusted provider like Spores101.co . While Amanita muscaria plays the starring role in these winter legends, modern mycologists have access to a vast array of fascinating species, including Psilocybe cubensis. For those interested in exploring the world of microscopy research, P. cubensis spores offer an opportunity to dive into fungal biology and uncover nature’s secrets—a pursuit Santa would surely approve of. The Magic Mushroom Tree The connection doesn’t end there. In shamanic traditions, mushrooms were often dried by hanging them on tree branches, resembling ornaments on a Christmas tree. This practice may have contributed to the festive tradition of decorating evergreen trees with lights and baubles. The tree, standing as a symbol of life during the darkest days of winter, becomes even more enchanting when adorned with gifts from the mycological world. Embracing the Magic of the Holidays As you celebrate the season with twinkling lights, evergreen boughs, and the familiar stories of Santa and his flying reindeer, take a moment to appreciate the potential origins of these beloved traditions. Could Santa Claus really be a mushroom-loving shaman, spreading cheer and a touch of psychedelic wonder? It’s a delightful thought to ponder as you sip your eggnog by the fire. And if you’re curious about exploring the magical world of mushrooms for yourself, check out Spores101.co . While they can’t promise flying reindeer, they do offer a fantastic selection of Psilocybe cubensis spores for microscopy research. This holiday season, let’s toast to the magic of fungi and the enduring mystery of Santa Claus—the jolly old mycologist we never knew we needed.
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