I’ve finally recently got into Mob Psycho 100, the sister anime of One-Punch Man (both are created by
ONE). The anime debuted back in 2016,
and since then, I often heard it being described as better than – or at least
as good as – One-Punch Man. Since I consider One-Punch Man to be awesome, I had always been curious about the
hype surrounding Mob Psycho 100, but I
never got around watching it. So with its second season having just aired –
plus, season two of One-Punch Man
kicking off this month – I thought it would now be the perfect time to jump
into it, and in one night, I binged the whole series – all 25 episodes so far.
Mob Psycho 100 centers on Shigeo “Mob” Kageyama, a middle school
boy who, despite his seemingly unremarkable appearance, is actually an
extremely powerful esper – someone with psychic powers. He has to consciously keep his emotions in
check, for when they accumulate to 100%, he loses control and the full,
devastating extent of his powers burst out of him. He’s poor in academics, sports, and
socialization, but he works hard to improve himself as a person – partly
because he wants to impress Tsubome, his crush since childhood. But in his pursuit of self-betterment, he
doesn’t use his powers for his benefit.
In fact, he maintains the philosophy that his powers don’t make him more
special than other people and are unnecessary in attaining a meaningful life,
and thus, he avoids using them. The only
exception is when he’s on his part-time job as an assistant to Arataka
Reigen.
Reigen works as a psychic despite
not having any psychic powers – basically a con artist. He’s simply charismatic, good with words, quick
to think on his feet, and skilled in random things (especially in giving massages),
and these qualities allow him to deal with his clients’ “supernatural”
problems. When a case is of legit
supernatural nature, such as an evil spirit that needs to be exorcised, he asks
Mob to perform the necessary task.
However, even though he’s technically exploiting Mob, he does sincerely
care for him. When necessary, Reigen
will readily step in and provide Mob with the protection and guidance he needs.
Aside from Reigen, the anime has
a bunch of interesting, colorful characters to serve as Mob’s solid supporting
cast. He basically starts off as friendless
at the very beginning. But as the story
progresses, he gradually gains more and more friends and acquaintances. Many of them are his schoolmates in Salt
Middle School, but a couple are actually former enemies.
Actually, this is a recurring
occurrence in the show (SPOILERS): everyone who goes against Mob becomes his
friend, ally, or admirer in the end (but not before witnessing how ridiculously
powerful he is). As I mentioned some
paragraphs ago, as a general rule, Mob avoids the use of his powers. Furthermore, he vows never to use them against
fellow humans – an instruction from Reigen which he has taken to heart. Thus, he’s basically a pacifist, and doesn’t
desire to fight and beat an enemy in the first place. His primary MO is to talk his opponents out
of any conflict. However, he does get forced
to fight many times during the series (particularly when his emotional counter
arrives at 100% or over). Still, he ultimately “wins” by means of heartfelt words
and empathy.
This is not the first time that I’ve
encountered a story that has a protagonist who seeks non-violent solutions when
confronting an enemy (e.g. Doctor Who,
Foundation, etc.) or has a story in
which every encountered antagonist has a heel-face turn after being defeated by
the hero (e.g. Katekyo Hitman Reborn). But Mob
Psycho 100 is truly one of the best who have utilized these concepts in its
overarching narrative.
In the end, I’m still Team One-Punch Man. I still feel it’s the more hilarious and more
exciting show. The shonen humor and
action in Mob Psycho 100 are also outstanding,
but One-Punch Man’s – as far as its
season one is concerned – are simply superior.
However, I do understand why
there are many who consider Mob Psycho
100 as the better anime. I admit
that it has more depth and a more developed, subversive narrative. Moreover, coming off these is a more spelled
out and more thought-provoking message.
However, although there are lessons to be had from it, its idealistic
view of the human condition is flawed and unrealistic that it doesn’t really
impress me significantly in this end.
Nevertheless, I like Mob Psycho 100. It’s well-written, well-crafted, and
well-directed in general – making it a notably smart, absorbing, humorous, and
entertaining anime series. Watching it
has been a blast.
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