ANIME: MOB PSYCHO 100

SCORE: 9.5/10

After watching the first season of One Punch Man and the first few episodes of Mob Psycho 100, I was very thoroughly Whelmed™ by Tomohiro’s/One’s work. One Punch Man is one of the most gimmicky shows I have ever seen and that’s really all it is. Fun, Fast, and Forgettable. The kind of show you could share with anyone and have a nice laugh with but nothing more than that. I just assumed Mob Psycho would be the same.

But now that the show is OVER (i’m crying now), I can pretty safely say that we will not see a show like Mob Psycho 100 for perhaps a few decades, it was incredibly special. While it is not my absolute favorite show or completely perfect, there is an undeniable charm and a beautiful palette of emotions that Tomohiro utilizes and implements in ways I have never seen before in Mob Psycho 100. It’s a show that will make you laugh, cry, scream, and do it all over again in just one episode. It masters a balance between some of the most intelligent storytelling and directing alongside some of the most idiotic characters and humor you have ever seen. Mob Psycho 100 is the kind of show that anyone can like and watch for many different reasons. Your media-illiterate friend who may miss the entire point of Mob’s arc can love the show just as much as someone like me who analyzes the unique narrative beats that redefines what is possible in modern storytelling. That might be a bit of a stretch, but I can assure you, Mob Psycho 100 is something extraordinary. I’m going to try to cover as much as I can with this show from the silly jokes to the convoluted narration. But, I’m surely gonna miss some stuff because Mob Psycho 100 is PACKED for a 37-episode show.

Storytelling 

Tomohiro seemingly has an obsession with main characters who have far too much power for their own good with both One Punch Man and Mob Psycho 100. Typically, overpowered main characters are used for some form of (male) power fantasy that invites the audience to just enjoy the ride for what it is, a journey of escapism that empowers them. I don’t think Tomohiro hates that idea, but he sure doesn’t seem interested in it. Both Saitama and Mob are astonishingly uninterested in their own power and any potential power fantasy the audience may want to experience. Sure, there are moments where they do utilize their awesome power but it’s usually against their own will and oftentimes they seem to hate using their powers in general. 

Like I said, I don’t think Tomohiro is going as far as to criticize things like superhero comics, isekai, or fighting anime that heavily lean into (male) power fantasy, even if he probably should. He just doesn’t care for it and likes to deviate from the norm of male power fantasy in order to play with audience expectations. And honestly, it’s really refreshing, at least for me. I really don’t enjoy getting off to any sort of power fantasy stuff these days unless it has a purpose. I mean hell, SHINJI IS THE CENTER OF THE BANNER OF MY FUCKING BLOG YOU SHOULD KNOW WHAT I LIKE. Mob doesn’t ever really go as far as Shinji but they are quite similar tbh. More on that later, but what’s most vital about this quirk Tomohiro has is that with Saitama he felt gimmicky but with Mob he seems genius.

I know, I know I really shouldn’t constantly be comparing Mob Psycho 100 to One Punch Man. It’s generally not fair to compare a creator’s first work to their next just because they are similar. I couldn’t help myself to at least make note of them but let’s move on from that now.

One of the most unique things about Mob Psycho 100’s storytelling is the simple percentage that consistently pops up throughout the show.

This initially seems like a gimmick and almost a handicap for the audience to help them interpret the plot but it actually develops into a powerful narrative tool with very unique imagery. Mob Psycho 100 tells an inherently “masculine” story. Not that women or other genders can’t relate to it or that the show is toxic, but it explores an emotion particularly associated with masculinity, anger, and more importantly, suppressed anger. Men tend to suppress their emotions due to one societal standard or another and often there is a formative experience that causes them to do that. The percentage sign is the embodiment of that phenomenon. Whether it’s a consequence of them being made fun of or hurting someone they know, men will supress their emotions. For Mob, it was more than likely the latter, having hurt his brother Ritsu in the past is a life event that shapes how he functions as a person to this day.

I also adore that Mob Psycho 100 doesn’t ever fully show Mob hurting Ritsu because it respects the audience’s intelligence that they can pick up what happened with a couple of jumbled flashbacks. We have a good enough idea of Mob’s trauma, we don’t need the details for every little thing, let characters have their secrets, let them bloom onscreen. It just made the whole experience feel smoother and more authentic to not have it in your face.

But why anger? At any given time men will suppress most negative emotions including grief, loneliness, and sadness because of the standards of hegemonic masculinity. What anger separates itself from any other feeling is the dire consequences of failing to control it. People are hurt, they start talking behind your back, and you end up being treated like a monster. While men are told by society to suppress many of their emotions, no other emotion is as dangerous for men as anger.

It is necessary to hide. We must, or else.

But as much as we may try to hide it, push it away, or pretend it’s not there, anger will always be a part of who we are. That’s just human nature.

Let’s focus on how Mob Psycho 100 engages with anger. I’m not a psychologist or claim to be an expert on everything emotional, but I have done lots of therapy and spend way too much time being introspective, so hear me out. People think anger is built up only from small things that make you mad. Spilling your coffee in the morning, getting stuck in traffic, or having your entire family murdered by your brother.

While sure, those things do compile onto anger and stress in general, there is a lot more to it than that. Even just feeling really happy and excited can put one into a heightened emotional state, it can cause them to feel negative events more intensely or make them susceptible to less emotional consistency. There are lots of other examples of this but this is what Mob Psycho 100 explores using the percentage screens as transitions. It serves as a window into what makes Mob tick in quite a literal sense. It gives meaning to the smaller scenes in the show like when Mob is talking to his classmates, going on a run, or just eating dinner. There’s a slight anxiety to the show when Mob does literally anything and moreso as the dumbass fucking number goes up. How much will it add on? What will happen this time when he explodes? WHY NUMBER GO UP? This show will be predictable right? 

That’s the most rewarding part of Mob Psycho 100, everything keeps building and asks more questions than it ever gives answers. Mob Psycho 100 is one of the few shows I have seen that only got better over time and really benefitted from increasing the stakes each and every season. The show still has slice-of-life “lulls” but again, these lulls serve to build up on Mob’s emotions and the next big climax. The most rewarding part of the show is seeing how Mob changes how he reacts to his build-up, but let’s save that for later and just dive straight into the characters.

Characters

Mob is weird as I mentioned. Having a character blatantly acknowledged as overpowered would seemingly take away the stakes from a story if this were a fighting show, which it kind of is, but it isn’t. Mob Psycho 100 is by most definitions, a coming-of-age story, my sweet addiction. An overpowered character may ruin the stakes of a show solely focused on fighting, but in the genre of coming-of-age, being overpowered is just a nifty little quirk because no matter how powerful you are, puberty fucking sucks. 

But genre talk later, back to Mob. Mob is incredibly, unfortunately awkward and has a lot of unusual idiosyncrasies that just make him seem weird and a little off. It’s almost relieving seeing someone as monstrously powerful as him struggle with the same things most of us struggled with in middle school. It makes him very down-to-earth and very warm as a character. There’s just something really comforting about seeing all of those spirits and psychics screaming about world domination and Mob just wanting to focus on his workout or helping his friends. The juxtaposition of who Mob could be and who he really is defines the show and makes it so charming.

Now, it’s not like Mob Psycho 100 is all about Mob or anything. While I think the audience is mostly interested in how Mob, they also like seeing how he deals with the crazy cast of characters the world throws at him. From the monsters of the week to the classmates with silly ideas, most characters end up feeling memorable. Not to the point of memorable where I can recite to you every single character’s name, struggle, and overall character arc, but they leave a lasting impression on the show and more importantly on Mob. These interactions help pace the show very consistently and intentionally.

Pacing

It starts off slow in season 1 with the people that Mob gets to know. They all have a bit of adverse reactions to Mob just with how weird he is. Mob doesn’t necessarily fit into any little box that we might try to put him in. He isn’t a complete nerd who is too shy to exist, he has conviction and confidence when it comes to certain things. He isn’t a powerful psychic whose ego controls him, he’s very down to earth and concerned with basic things. He isn’t a complete loner who only thinks about himself, he values and cares for those around him. I won’t go as far as to say Mob Psycho 100 delves into anything too deep, but it has a wonderful complexity to Mob and his relationships.

Season 2 is where a lot of these relationships and more confrontational moments occur in the show. Mob has to start asking himself a lot more intense questions and begins to run into people who more firmly oppose his way of living than ever before. Mob very much learns about the real world and realizes how little he knows. Not to make him seen ignorant, inconsiderate, or naive but to mainly just juxtapose his problems to others. Mob’s charm is his wonderfully simple, matter-of-fact way of solving problem’s despite being insecure or awkward. A lot of the great character moments in season 2 are about giving hope to every single person Mob meets, even when their problems seem greater than anything Mob could ever handle. Because no matter how bad one’s problems are, getting better is often a similar process for many of us. And, I don’t think the show tries to paint Mob as a savior, even if it does a little, but moreso as someone who recognizes (most of) his problems and wants to see others do the same. He’s not saving them moreso as he is befriending and encouraging them. And what great friends Mob does make.

This scene in season 2 where basically all of Mob’s friends show up to support him is super cute and great and lovely. The show finds a great way of giving you a little bit of everything without feeling shallow or inauthentic. 

Season 2 does have it’s darker moments that really force Mob to look into his inner darkness and problems, but Mob doesn’t really answer these questions until Season 3. The big clash at the end of Season 2 is really fun though.

Season 3 of Mob Psycho 100 is one of the most refined seasons of anime I have ever seen. Not only does it just have incredibly strong moments on its own but it finally answers many of the questions that Mob has been refusing to answer for himself. The introspection and self-hate stuff that was previously ignored by Mob now becomes the central plot point of everything. I cried, or at least teared up, many a time. It used it’s unique imagery and ideas so beautifully and really found ways of making everything feel so bittersweet. I’ll sink my teeth into season 3 in a bit but let me cover my bases real quick.

Action/Humor

Just want to quickly go over the action/humor stuff since the show is mainly these two things despite having a really powerful coming-of-age story also baked into it. The humor isn’t anything that will make you absolutely lose it but it’s certaintly unique and personable which I like. Quite a bit of it is physical comedy, over-the-top characters, or wacky reactions. It’s fun, I enjoy having light-hearted moments and weird situations. Gives the show personality. Not why I watch the show but I get it’s appeal. The giga-chad Mob stuff was actually really funny tho, I kinda want to see shows use a little bit of meme culture sprinkled in here and there. Nothing crazy though, too much would be cringe. But seeing memes in shows reminds you that Tomohiro is in fact a human being on the internet writing this.

The action is also just pretty solid. After watching a lot of shows with CGI action, it is refreshing to see lots hand animated action. I don’t think Mob Psycho 100’s action or array of fight styles are incredibly intimate or full of emotions like Avatar The Last Airbender’s, but they are at the very least well-developed and have an identity of some sort. It’s a lot less anime looking and more comic/webcomic aesthetic which makes sense considering the source material. I enjoy the exaggerated action and constant dynamic camera stuff. Bones really did some great stuff with Mob Psycho 100 but it was really Tomohiro who set them up for success. You can’t mistake the style of art or animation for many other things which is what makes the show so memorably charming. From the lighting effects to the facial expression, Mob Psycho 100 is unapologetically itself. But it’s not pushing new grounds or anything. There’s a lot to appreciate in each shot but nothing that really blew me out of the water in the end. Good, but not the biggest talking point of the show.

Suppressed Male Emotions

I’ve already talked about Mob’s suppressed anger a decent bit but that was mostly in the context of the show generally, so let’s zoom in on Season 3 and the final arc of the show to fully grasp what I’m getting at.

There was no other way Mob Psycho 100 could end. Absolutely none. That bullshit with Claw, Dimple’s actions, or Ritsu’s little rebellion arc, those all mean nothing in the wake of Mob’s unrelenting anger. Mob lashing out at everyone he knows is both an aggressive cry for help and the consequence of everything that Mob has been going through. 

Bottling up one’s emotions feels unfair and almost like an assault on one’s character by everyone around them. Why do I have to work so hard to keep things in? Why can’t I just be myself and use my powers however I want? Why do I have to lie to myself while everyone else just gets to live so damned carefree? The act that triggers Mob is him having to save a cat with his psychic powers into him then needing to throw his physical body in the way of a car to save a kid not paying attention. He has to use his whole self just to let other people live their lives. That is so unfair.

WHY WEREN’T YOU PAYING ATTENTION?! 

WHY DO I HAVE TO WATCH OUT FOR EVERYONE?! 

WHY DOES NO ONE WATCH OUT FOR ME?! 

WHY CAN’T I JUST TELL HER HOW I FEEL?!

WHY DID THIS HAPPEN to me…

This is the type of mental stress that Mob is under constantly whenever he has to help other people. He feels as though his feelings aren’t being respected by others. Which is true, I think many people take Mob for granted. We see that regularly throughout the show how strong Mob has to be in order to support those around him. But the reason why becomes clear, it was always the reason why.

Mob hasn’t been letting himself be who he is.

And now he is angry.

And his anger amounts itself into a wild and violent storm.

This is what Mob has been holding in. It’s not a power, it’s something far worse than that. This isn’t your favorite little power fantasy show. Mob doesn’t want any of this. This is because of everyone else, right?

Now, this absolutely could have come from the influence of others. It most likely did. Whether it was his incident with Ritsu or something with Tsubomi. That doesn’t matter, what matters is that the result has been that Mob is rejecting who he is. We get some hardcore Evangelion shit of Mob’s self and his other self. Let’s just call his other self Shadow Mob, the true self. Yeah, we real Persona up in this bitch.

This was always going to be about the self and more importantly, the male self. The one that has had to keep everything in, because that is what expected of Him. Understanding that Mob Psycho 100 could have been about power fantasy like any other mindless fighting anime is the premise for all of this buildup. Mob isn’t like all of those other soulless protagonists. He deeply hates himself, his powers, and how he hides who he is. Mob has taught many people the value of not being self-obsessive in one’s power. He has saved the world more than once over by doing that. But what no one has taught Mob is that it’s okay to love one’s self.

Love

Men are often faced with the issue of either loving themselves too much and being a narcissistic egoist or not loving themselves at all for feeling they are undeserving of it. Mob is most definitely the latter. He is riddled with guilt and completely rejects the half of him that is a psychic. He only uses his psychic powers when he is pushed to his limits, when he is pushed to 100. To only feel everything in an explosion of visceral emotions after suppressing them for so long is one of the most tragic cycles many men face. It is an exhausting, painful process of making a mess, saying you’re sorry, and pretending like it won’t happen ever again. Now, Mob is more introspective and intelligent than the average man, but he’s still just a boy, a boy who has been expected to keep his powers and emotions in check. And that part of him is understandably angry and hurt for not being acknowledged.

You see, anger isn’t a hazard or danger that should be kept away from others, but like any other emotion should be monitored and cared for. You should get angry, you should express that anger (in healthy ways), and you should understand why you became angry. Mob is so scared of his anger that he has cowered in fear from it. During his fight with Hanazawa, Mob can only sit and watch in tears as he can no longer control his anger. He knew this would happen, that despite all of his abilities, he was powerless in the face of his own anger. His anger ultimately controlled who he had to be. This is the consequence of many men’s actions.

But fortunately, Mob is not alone. He has made the effort to befriend and care for people who would truly go the extra mile for him. Even if they aren’t the ones capable of stopping him, they know their limits and try their best to help. It sucks to feel alone and powerless to one’s emotions. But it’s a good thing we aren’t alone.

Season 3 of Mob Psycho 100 just kept on compounding breathtaking flashes of emotional expression from Mob’s friends that pushed me to my limits. I was tearing up nearly every episode of this arc. It feels impossible to express to you the incredible depth of animation that went into making each moment so impactful. From Hanazawa, to the body improvement club, and defintley Ritsu. Reigen’s final stand and chase for Mob is one of the greatest moments of catharsis in anime as we see a character’s redemption be truly earned through his feelings and actions for Mob.

At the end of Mob Psycho 100, the world didn’t almost come to an end because of an evil spirit, an international psychic mafia, or a giant tree. It nearly came to an end because of one boy’s anger. That is the danger of anger. I’ve always said that as much as we worry over the world’s complexities and intricate relationships keeping us all together. More likely than not, the world will come to an end because of something silly or selfish. Mob Psycho 100 reminds us of that.

But, it also shows us that the answer to this problem was never through fighting, it was just about talking things out. Figuring out who we are, what we mean to each other, and learning to love one’s self. As cheesy as it all may be, these things are so easy to forget and it’s so important to put them in contexts that feel so real and authentic. 

And as Mob’s emotional arc finally comes to an end, he gets accepted and loved by the girl he’s wanted all this time right?

No. Stupid. Idiot. Why would you ever think that?!

Hollywood and media has taught you WRONG! Why is the woman in this situation supposed to be the one to provide the missing self-love in the man’s life. Mob needed to be rejected. The story is flawed otherwise. While conventional storytelling measures says that Mob should then earn the fair maiden’s love for going on his journey, my ass from reality tells you that’s not how things fucking work. Just because Mob had a hard time doesn’t mean he has earned anything. But, he can start earning those things now.

The epilogue of Mob Psycho 100 shows all of the things Mob has earned in his life. The friends he has made, the communities he’s joined, and the powers he’s given himself. Tsubomi at the very least, can give that kind of person a chance, maybe talk to him over the phone now and then. It’s not the end of the world that they don’t go to the same school anymore. Now that Mob isn’t bottling things up, he can feel truly feel the love and care for those around him. He can take his time and love himself along the way, and love his life for the first time. He isn’t holding himself back with impossible goals or emotional barriers. He’s just Mob, with a side of Psycho but never reaching 100.

Mob Psycho 100 is a special kind of story. It balances everything so perfectly while all serving the purpose of Mob’s growth but making time for the small slice-of-life moments as well. It doesn’t waste a second of it’s time and gives us a truly memorable story. The only reason why I don’t have it rated higher is because I wish it was a bit loftier with it’s goals and went for crazier risks but that’s just me being greedy. I thought Mob Psycho 100 was going to be an 8 and got a 9.5 so I’m happy.

We will most likely not get a show like Mob Psycho 100 for quite a while. It takes an intelligent storyteller with a creative mind, brilliant sense of humor, and eye for detail to make this kind of show. As sad as I am to see it gone, I am so glad I got to experience it.

Mob Psycho 100 is a show for everyone but gives an extremely poignant message about suppressed male emotions. It has a depth and breadth to it that most shows can’t match in 100 episodes let alone 37. It is one of the most important anime of our generation as it steps outside the lines to use its own unique style and humor to tell a story that means a lot to me and others who never gave themself a chance.

Thank you Mob, 

Please, be happy.

– Jared/Zeph