Eighth-grader Shigeo "Mob" Kageyama has tapped into his inner wellspring of psychic prowess at a young age. But the power quickly proves to be a liability when he realizes the potential danger in his skills. Choosing to suppress his power, Mob's only present use for his ability is to impress his longtime crush, Tsubomi, who soon grows bored of the same tricks. In order to effectuate control on his skills, Mob enlists himself under the wing of Arataka Reigen, a con artist claiming to be a psychic, who exploits Mob's powers for pocket change. Now, exorcising evil spirits on command has become a part of Mob's daily, monotonous life. However, the psychic energy he exerts is barely the tip of the iceberg; if his vast potential and unrestrained emotions run berserk, a cataclysmic event that would render him completely unrecognizable will be triggered. The progression toward Mob's explosion is rising and attempting to stop it is futile. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
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There’s probably a million ways to describe Mob Psycho 100. One simple word is just exciting. How can it not be? It’s by the same creator of one of the most talked about shows from 2015, One-Punch Man. As a reader of the source material, I can also firmly say that the show’s trailers and hype is legitimate. Not in the legitimate way that it’s the best anime of the century. It’s more of legitimate excellency that represents classic supernatural entertainment. Even if you’re unfamiliar ONE’s work, you’ll easily recognize that Mob Psycho 100 isn’t just a show with traditional artwork. The visual follows the mangapretty closely while the action sequences are animated by a famed studio, Bones. Plus, we got director Yuzuru Tachikawa on board as part of the staff. Known for his work such as Death Parade, Terror in Tokyo, and Kill la Kill, it’s definitely something to get excited about. Fans of the franchise will be also be pleased to know that Kawai Kenji is the sound director, known for famous works such as the Ghost in the Shell franchise, Gundam 00, and the more recent Joker Game. Still, Mob Psycho 100 is beyond what just the staff has to offer. It’s not always so simple to understand the visual representation of Mob Psycho 100. Taking a closer look at the storytelling will give you a better idea as we are introduced to the main characters. At its core, we have main protagonist Shigeo Kageyama, otherwise known as Mob. He is a 14 year old kid attending a school with an average life. However, it’s immediately obvious that he is a special because of his ESP powers. Events in the story causes his powers to go unstable and Mob finds himself difficult to be “normal”. The premise is pretty simple on paper, right? An ordinary kid who tries to live a normal life with abnormal ability is the basic idea. However, the series delivers many scenarios where Mob uses his powers way more than he should. For a kid who wants a normal life, he gets into many abnormal situations which puts himself at risk. Still, this isn’t exactly the case as we’ll see how powerful Mob is. While he isn’t a Saitama 2.0, Mob’s abilities are not to be underestimated. In many battles he’s been in, Mob is able to overpower his opponents, sometimes without even realizing it. It’s interesting to also see what often triggers Mob to get involved in such unusual events. Social peer pressure and bullying are a few factors. Mob also seeks admiration and even wants to impress a girl he likes so this leads to him making mistakes at times. I mean, he is still human and humans make mistakes. Even though he is the titular character, the show doesn’t neglect its others especially with characters such as Reigen, Ritsu (Mob’s younger brother), Teruki, and Dimple. Ritsu has really grown to me as a very interesting character. Unlike Mob, he is very clever and often uses trickery to get what he wants. Sometimes, he even treats life as if it’s a game where playing the right cards will win. What most impresses me about Ritsu is his own self-awareness and how despite being powerless in the beginning, he is able to rise up as a leader. It’s also shown that he has an inferiority complex compared to his brother (because he originally lacked special powers) and that causes himself to express doubt. This eventually also turns into guilt and there’s reasoning for redemption. Reigen is also an interesting character who is known as “Mob’s master”. He claims a lot of things and often speaks and lies with the truth. Despite being manipulative, he isn’t a bad guy and often looks out after Mob’ well-being. He also offers good advice to Mob including what really makes someone a “better person”. One weakness that I do find about him though is his unwillingness to admit mistakes. Somewhere in between, there’s Teruki (“Teru”). I have to admit though, this guy has one of the most ridiculous hair styles I’ve ever seen from ONE’s work. Unlike Mob, he freely uses his esper powers like if they are God’s holy gift. What makes him interesting is how after meeting Mob, Teru undergoes a big change in his character. It’s like a bully that reinvents himself after getting put to his place for the first time in their life. Quite iconic if you ask me. Finally, Dimple strikes to me as the most mysterious character. In fact, he isn’t even human! He’s actually a spirit who even at one time had his own cult. What makes him interesting is despite having a God-like complex and ego, Dimple also wants others succeed in particular Mob. With such a colorful character cast in this series, expectations are met especially when it comes to creativity. Despite the story looking complex, it really isn’t. The first few episodes introduces our main characters while most episodes for the first half just follows Mob’s life in his daily misadventures. The latter half focuses more on linear plot though as dangerous individuals are introduced that truly tests the strengths of our protagonists. This puts strains on Mob as he must overcome his personal demons. Because remember, Mob just wants to live a normal life and when he gets stressed, rage follows. When that rage explodes, we get Mob Psycho 100%, literally. And it’s not a very pretty sight. As a source reader, I am impressed at how they adapted the character relationships. Mob and Ritsu has one of the most complex relationship even as brothers. Teru’s evolution from a bully to a sidekick/ally to Mob is both amusing and also impressive to see as changes aren’t always easy for characters to accept. Reigen’s relationship with Mob is also based on respect and trust. Mob genuinely cares about Reigen and in one episode, his rage level almost goes out of control after seeing his master being put down. On the other hand, I am slightly disappointed that the season is only a 1-cour of 12 episodes. Some episodes are rushed as I was hoping they would adapt more into the story. For most parts, the series is still directed with good faith. Ah yes, the artwork and visuals. Even though I already talked about it before, it’s really hard to ignore Mob Psycho 100’s quality with its artistic style. It is very stylistic to the manga and unique in quality. When things get serious, the artwork really works with its hardcore cinematography. Violent scenes really do feel impactful while body movements never really suffers in the show as character designs are simple enough to avoid that. In addition, Mob’s character is portrayed as pretty plain normal just as he should be. Other characters such as Teru and Dimple stands out with some unique physical traits; seriously, I still can’t get over how ridiculous Teru’s hair is at times. In retrospect, Bones did a fantastic job with the production for the show. With talented animators such as Yoshimichi Kameda and Matsumoto Norio involved in this project, Mob Psycho 100 stands out extravagantly in the artistic field. Don’t underestimate the soundtrack either. The OP and ED theme songs are also stylistic and as a whole. The OST is instrumental and often intense during many segments. Character voice expressions are also noticeable especially when Mob’s mentality reaches 100%. And because the show is so filled with personality, the speech pattern and dialogues of the more prominent characters are often very memorable. The amazing thing about Mob Psycho 100 is the excitement while feeling less of an anime but more like a comic action flick. As an adaptation, the show is stuffed with action, personality, and creativity. I can’t remember any episode where I was watching the clock and in fact often feel like episodes goes way too fast. “What? That episode felt like 5 minutes?!” It’s because of how entertaining it is that is more than just pure popcorn entertainment. Sure, this might not be a series that’s suitable for everyone. However, Mob Psycho 100 stands on its own merits and is definitely not just a One-Punch Man-wannabee. Crafted by ONE, it’s a show that’s more than a supernatural character drama. It’s just a damn good piece of greatness.
Have you ever watched an anime that had 12 episodes that had very interesting visuals, great characters (and development) and story that was charming in its own nature? No? Well Mob Psycho 100 is right here for you to watch! Story - 8/10 To be entirely honest, I didn't think much with this series. I was going to skip over it and not even bat an eye at it--why? I heard it was by ONE and even though I enjoyed One Punch Man, it wasn't something I'd rewatch and go after again. I tend to steer away from "stereotypical" shounen series nowadays. I thought thisseries was going to be the same formula. I was wrong. Yes, the anime starts off slow--yes it appears to be recycled garbage at first. But it really evolves into something very charming. The premise of this series is pretty simplistic. Mob is the main character and he's a middle school boy who's an outcast from most of society, including social circles. What separates him from the norm is his psychic abilities. It's quite a quirky show with a lot of comedy elements. Each episode consists of Mob going after spirits and performing an exorcism using his psychic abilities. Along the way you meet different characters that add to the comedy aspect of this anime. With this said, story-wise. It's more of a character driven show, but honestly, I like the simple story and how it goes deeper and deeper into the world building. Conflicts arise later in the series and the way it's handled between the characters is nothing short of amazing. I don't know about you, but I'm really sick of melodramatic sequences in stories where characters act really stupid (i.e. romcoms) and it ruins the quality of storyline. Mob Psycho 100 doesn't do that--it propels a simple story with endearing characters. I'm honestly so surprised how much world building we got in 12 episodes without it feeling rushed (I'm an anime only so I do not know how well paced it was compared to the source material). Art - 10/10 Bones has done it again with another incredible job with animation! The art is probably what makes this anime stick out so much--and why people probably turned a blind eye to this series. Which is such a shame given the beautifully fluid animation; especially in action scenes! The style may come off more cartoony than the traditional "moe" anime style we are all used to, but I promise you that it's not a reason to overlook this anime. I personally think the style is unique and really sets a tone for the series. It's simple in nature much like the story. Sound - 9/10 The OP "Mob Choir 99" is such a catchy tune and you start counting with the song every week! The visuals that go with it is also very catching! You notice something new every time you look it. The ED song is very simple and mellow--this captures the easy going nature of the series (until the battles scenes though lol). The OSTS are also very interesting to hear. Character - 10/10 I've seen comedy series get 25 episodes and do absolutely nothing with the characters and shove repetitive rubbish in my face episode after episode. Whether you like the comedy or not is entirely subjective, but regardless, in 12 episodes I never once felt that rubbish shoving in my face. The characters manage to get more development in such a short amount of time compared to anime with 24 episodes. Our main character, Mob, starts off fairly easy to read. He's introverted in nature and isn't good with social interactions. The only thing he seems to be good at is his psychic abilities--he has deep admiration for his little brother who seems to be the top at everything except what Mob is good at. Later in the story, we see how Mob expresses his emotions and feelings. We see how complicated and powerful he truly is. But what separates him from most main shounen characters is his modesty--he doesn't want these powers and he never once in the 12 episodes ever desires to be stronger. He's never egotistic about it. He never shows it off. He's almost always kind to anyone who returns kindness to him. He tries his best and he's deeply supported by those around him. He's a misfit in theory, but he's managed to have so many people care about him and despite his struggle to express feelings, he's close to them as well. He never wants to hurt anyone unless it's a spirit. He'll do anything to protect his brother and friends even if it meant throwing away personal values. And even when he's been knocked down and defeated, he gets back up and though he may lose his way, he still tries. Maybe not with strength, maybe just maybe, in the end he will win without really winning. Maybe he'll succeed with only restoring those personal values and the faith others have given him. Mob, the main character of Mob Psycho 100. Anything else I say about the characters would be considered spoilers, and I wouldn't want to ruin it! But for the sake of summary, Ritsu (Mob's brother) has great development and beautiful characters bonding between brothers :') Reigen (Mob's Master) comes off as an asshole in the beginning and you come to think that he only uses Mob as a tool for his own personal gain. Later on however, you come to realize there's way more to him than at first though. He will also have his shinning moment! Ekubo (Mob's spirit friend) starts off evil but then develops a bond not just between Mob, but the other main characters and even some of the supporting characters. He went from bad to not so bad haha. Any other characters that have some sort of role are likable and charming to say the least. It's just all well balanced with a full set of cast without making it feel overwhelming! I'm just so impressed with how Bones handled this anime--so very impressed. Enjoyment/overall - 10/10 Through the comedy, stunning action, great characters, and unraveling plot, this anime didn't fail to assume me! I'm so excited to see a season 2 ASAP! I highly recommend this anime :)
Funny, whimsical, charming, and oddly enough, thoughtful. Mob Psycho 100 is another comedic/action endeavor brought to us by author ONE, the mind behind 2015's breakout hit, One Punch Man, and like that success story, this also carries with it his signature flare for cool action set-pieces, theatrical displays of goofball antics, an art presence that's immediately eye-catching, all while being peppered with an obtuse sense of humor that's interwoven to form the finished product. And while it started out in a manner that felt like a subsidiary of its much more recognizable older brother, as it ventured on, it has proven to be more thancapable in earning its own identity, deserving of the same level of respect as its predecessor. Where One Punch Man was all about being bullheadedly direct with everything it hits you with, Mob Psycho 100 instead chooses to blare the same kind of energy upfront, before coming in with a sneaky left hook; one that not only rattles off a few bells to the unexpected viewer but also lands the first blow of the show's claim to autonomy from unnecessary comparisons to determine its own self-worth. And with that being said, let's get the obligatory comparisons out of the way first, if only for the sake of those viewers who simply came for just that. •Both Mob and Saitama are characters with regressed emotions, but where Saitama's emotionless state comes from sheer boredom from a life with no true obstacles, Mob's state derives from a completely different reason. He's socially inept and insecure about his inability to make meaningful connections, while at the same time, mindful of his immense power, choosing to suppress them, and in the course of doing so, suppress his feelings as well. But when he could no longer keep those emotions in check, the show's namesake becomes clear as day, but we'll address that later, for now, hold on to that thought. •They contain fights that are equal parts wacky and inventive. Where OPM chose a more polished look to exemplify everything, MP100 decided to go the opposite route, staying faithful to the source material, while maintaining the level of quality expected from a work of its stature. •Mob looks like Saitama with a wig. Alright, with the comparisons out of the way, on with the review! The first thing that would immediately jump out at you is the art itself, which could be described as a fever dream filtered through a barrage of psychedelia, along the lines of a visual interpretation of an acid trip. With neon reds and blues swirling around disproportionate character designs, and animators that look like they're trying everything within their power just to color within the lines, this anime could get quite intoxicating at times. An accomplishment in wacky cerebral distortion that hasn't been seen since 2008's Kaiba. And it's this very warped production that helps drive the narrative along, and for many, this aesthetic appeal would have already been enough to get them through all 12-episodes. But thanks to some meaningful passages being brought up to supplement this nutty art-style later on, to many, the presentation only became a secondary reason to stick around instead. And with a story as frenetic as this one, this style of presentation felt like one of those "why haven't anyone done this yet?" kind of moments. Mob Psycho 100 is X-Men meet Ghostbusters. Shigeo "Mob" Kageyama, residential egghead and harborer of immense power, is our protagonist. As he bobs along with an expression that makes it clear that he's not the sharpest knife in the drawer, he enters the office of his employer, Arataka Reigen. When he isn't busy stealing your wallet to sell it back to you, Reigen and Mob forms a ghostbusting duo that runs around town exorcising evil spirits for profit. And when I say they exorcise evil spirits, I mean Mob does the work while Reigen thinks of new ways of swindling some sap out of their hard earned paycheck. And had that been the only thing going on in the story, there wouldn't be much here to discuss, but thankfully, that's only a jumping off point to what's really important. A dive headfirst into easily digestible symbology and subtext. While adored the world over by critical thinkers and any reviewer worth their salt, allegorical content is usually received with mix reception by the general audience, in large part to the fact that said material requires a keen eye to make what's being digested more engaging. Indie films don't rake in big box office returns, the big brand-name Hollywood blockbusters do, and understandably so. The general audience simply wishes to be entertained, and where one requires more fixation on the details of the plot and what certain things may mean, the other promises none of that, instead offering an experience that's as straightforward as the images on the screen would have you believe. In a way, that's the difference between OPM and MP100; OPM makes bullet-point statements with no hidden agenda, while MP100 has fine print written into its spastic portrayal. And let's not make any quick assumptions here, that's not bad at all, simple programming is equally as needed as something with a bit more bite to it. One services everyone, while the other offers a second helping for those that want a bit more. But then there's that weird breed of content. One that's as direct as the big blockbusters, but at the same time, manages to slide another layer in for those that pick up on it. Something that appears to be a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese, but when bitten into, has the texture and taste of something a bit more high-end. We've seen it with anime titles such as Gurren Lagann, Gunbuster, Abenobashi, and FLCL, and now MP100 has seemingly stepped up on the mantle to join their ranks, if only on a scale that's not as far-reaching. This unexpected layer is found in the humorous scenarios, quick "blink and you'll miss it" commentary, and the relationship Mob shares with his brother, Ritsu. Being hidden within the folds of blaring orchestrated set-pieces, comedic jabs at the situations that the characters are placed in, and the occasional factoids pertaining to the state of certain issues, you'll find very quick cheeky retorts that draw into question the very nature of these kinds of narratives that are simply accepted by the masses. Where mini-boss battles are simply accepted as side conquests for smaller characters or obstacles that the protagonist has to plow through to meet the head honcho, in MP100, that very idea of thinking is sideswiped with a swift punch to the face and characters that are practically voicing the audiences' concern of "just get to the boss battle already." Where the presence of a villainous organization full of henchmen being operated haphazardly is simply shrugged off as a byproduct of superhero stories, MP100 makes that very notion its reason for doing nothing short of walking through the front entrance without so much as a scuffle. And where we never questioned why megalomaniacs all come off as infuriatingly disturbed manchildren, MP100 doesn't even think twice about having someone say "These guys who are seriously talking about taking over the world are children who failed to grow up." Every jab towards these trends are delivered with pinpoint accuracy but never in a mean-spirited way that feels like the writers are cynically lampooning them. ONE has proven to be a fan of these accepted tropes and cliches but doesn't shy away from addressing it for what it is. I can go on and on about moments like these, but the point is, MP100 is fully aware of the lunacy populating the very landscape of contemporary trends it has become a part of, while still fully embracing it to tell its own kooky version of the same kind of story. And while this very tongue-in-cheek manner that MP100 operates on is worth discussing in lengthier detail, the true heart of the show's content lies with Mob's mental state and the relationship he shares with his brother. Mob, as a brother, is too dense to see the anguish felt by his little brother, Ritsu, while Ritsu himself is too focused on trying to surpass Mob that he loses focus on the fact that he's admired by him, for reasons even someone as powerful as Mob himself can't obtain. It's the "grass is always greener on the other side" saying, but instead of them being delegated as enemies, they're simply misunderstood. Each seeking a quality that the other has without registering the actuality of their own self-worth. Where Ritsu fosters all of the qualities of a well-acclimated socialite, his brother, unfortunately, possesses the charm of Bozo the Clown. A trait that's only worsened by the increasingly negative reception that his powers tend to draw from others. What was once seen as an astonishing gift to some, was now only registered with blasé responses, or in worst case scenario, something that could endanger the lives of others. As a result, his already simple demeanor was reduced even further to a state that's almost autistic (and no, I'm not saying that in a joking manner), since the one thing that made him unique was now bastardized, effectively boxing him into a corner with nothing left to turn to. But where others shunned or ignore him, his brother saw otherwise. He saw a gift he yearned for but couldn't have. Despite being accepted by society, something his brother was robbed of, he still harbors a feeling of inadequacy when Mob levitates objects like it's no big deal or causes his dinner spoon to bend like playdough. Just the very duality between these brothers was enough to dissect already, this doesn't even address the elephant in the room; Mob's powers themselves. The title of Mob Psycho 100 quite literally refers to his power and what they mean, as it's shorthand for what's going on whenever he uses them. No one could suppress their emotions long enough before they hit a breaking point, and that's essentially the idea presented here. But where that "final straw" is usually only presented through someone emoting, in MP100, it's seen by a radiant burst of energy that exudes from every fiber of Mob's being. A burst of energy that's presented by a percentage scale that's occasionally flashed onscreen, when the number hits 100%, this power manifests itself upon release with the emotion he was suppressing. Whether that be the guilt he feels for putting others in harm's way or the animosity that boils over when someone dares to endanger his loved ones; every pent-up emotion is externalized into a colorful display of energy, feeling, and chaos. It's simple ideas like this that adds a certain charming layer to MP100's content. It doesn't boast about its ideas nor does it tell you to take them seriously, it simply presents it for what it is and chooses to let the viewer take from it what they will. A kind of earnestness that goes a long way after witnessing other titles that flamboyantly boast their basic accomplishments. It's a small change in approach, yet it makes all the difference. And that's what this is as well; a simple idea but done so in a way that adds new meaning to what's at face value, another beat-em-up with superpowers. And with the understanding of these basic ideas, physical encounters become much more than empty fists clashing, they become a fight for something. Not all share in this quality, but for the ones that matter, there's a reason for the audience to be genuinely invested in the outcome. In the schizophrenic world of MP100, it's these very humanistic ideas that keep everything anchored behind the layer of jokes and satirical jabs. Even characters like Reigen that would usually remain pigeonholed as the sleazy money-grubbing con-artist types are given a surprising amount of humanity by the time everything comes to its final stop. This doesn't come from excessive showboating, it comes from observations made after seeing similar things play out. ONE's innate understanding of tropes has allowed him the ability to work them into something straightforward and fun, yet clever without the need to reinforce that fact. Don't get me wrong, this isn't to say that the show is subtle; on the contrary, it's very much on-the-nose 100% of the time. But what it is is humble about its ideas, not expressing some inherent birthright to be taken seriously just because it has something to say. This is the kind of landscape that ONE seems to be paving with each new undertaking, helping give birth to a mini-cultural zeitgeist in the medium. One where not taking yourself too seriously could be a commendable approach, while still having ideas that could please those interested in them. Simplicity delivered with a new flare. A compromise that could give rise to fun, yet thoughtful, projects like this one. It may just be a direct response to the superhero genre that's dominating pop culture, but with results like this, I'm in full support for it. And with that in mind, Mob Psycho 100 is a welcomed addition to this blossoming trend.
Last year, One Punch Man rose to popularity and became of the most mainstream and popular anime of the current decade. However, the mangaka of One Punch Man also had another really good series that not many have heard about, Mob Psycho 100. With an adaptation for ONE’s other series, Mob Psycho 100 was also able to generate a good amount of popularity, due to it living off of One Punch Man’s brand. Though there might be some similarities between the two series, Mob Psycho 100 is quite different One Punch Man in a lot of ways. And it manages to create its own name,rather than relying on the popularity of what its being compared too. Mob Psycho 100 is more original, well-written and thought-provoking than it initially seems. ~{Story}~ Mob Psycho 100 is about an 8th grader psychic named Shigeo (also known as Mob) who tries his best to become a normal person by trying to fit into society. The story focuses on Mob and how he tries his best to control his powers and not cause any harm, while being in very risky situations. The story may seem a bit simplistic at first, and near the beginning it kind of is, but the series starts to get more complex and explores many themes like morality and what it means to be different. But the story just doesn’t focus on Mob, but also other characters too, like his mentor (who is a scammer) and his brother (who has an inferiority complex). At first the series has more of an episode/slice-of-life structure, but in the second half, the main story gets introduced. And also, a lot of the omake chapters from the manga got adapted, so you’ll be seeing some short stories revolving around Reigen and Mob throughout the series. The overall story doesn’t really end, since the manga is ongoing, but the final arc of this series wraps up nicely, while teasing what’s next to come. Hopefully it gets a second season to continue the series. Story: 9/10 ~{Presentation}~ Mob Psycho 100 looks and feels a lot different from your normal anime. The style is very over-the-top, exaggerated and weird, and it matches the tone of the series. It’s supposed to be weird and quirky and its style isn’t something you will see often. But the series just isn’t a comedy as it is more than that. There are a good amount of moments in the series when things get a lot more serious and emotional. Unlike One Punch Man, Mob Psycho 100 expects you to take them seriously. However, they are handled in such a way that you as a viewer are aware that things aren’t being played for jokes anymore. The series switches between its tones very well and not once did it ever feel drastic. The art style is quite unique too, and that will be mentioned later in this review. Bones did a good job in adapting the manga, though it’s not the most perfect adaptation I’ve come to expect from a studio like them. Near the middle of the series, the pacing got a little fast and the buildup was a slight bit underwhelming. And too many unnecessary omake chapters are adapted and they ruin the flow of the series. But those are only minor gripes to what is an outstanding anime. Presentation: 9/10 ~{Character}~ What is probably the most impressive and surprising thing about Mob Psycho 100 is its characters. For those who were expecting another One Punch Man, were probably shocked at how well-written the characters are. Even as a One Punch Man fanboy myself, even I admit that most of the characters in One Punch Man aren’t really complex, they’re just fun and entertaining. Mob, our protagonist, starts off as an apathetic school boy who’s wants to fit in, but can’t due to his powers. He’s much more complex and well written than he seems. He can’t express his emotions because releasing them releases his powers. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone with his powers, but accidents do happen. He has a hard time in deciding what’s right and wrong or whether he should be selfish or selfless. The way he’s handled is amazing. Then we have Mob’s con-man mentor, Reigen. He may start off to be a little irritating, but his character is used well during comedic situations. And he’s more than what he seems too. Then we have Mob’s brother, Ritsu, who is also handled really well and his character change is believable. And there’s a bunch of side characters that are all used well for comic relief. Character: 9.5/10 ~{Art}~, It doesn’t take long to realize that Mob Psycho 100 has a really, really unique art style. ONE was never a good artist and his web manga don’t look too good. Mob Psycho 100 was his best looking work, yet a lot of the panels can look cruddy or unorganized. However, this crude art added to the style of the series. Bones manages to adapt the art of the manga, while making it visually appealing. The crude look of the manga is still in the anime, but things look more detailed and organized. The zany art style adds to the comedic moments, and feels stylish during its action sequences. The backgrounds are pretty well done too. The character models look really unique, though they all have similar faces, just like the web manga. The art isn’t the most detailed, but doing so would ruin the style. However, the lighting and colors used in the series and the shadows are really well done. Art: 9/10 ~{Animation}~ If there’s nothing that interests you in Mob Psycho 100, there’s always the stellar animations. Simply put, it’s the most well animated TV anime series I’ve seen, and yes, it’s better than One Punch Man. When I mean better, I mean that it is more fluid. Since the art style isn’t incredibly detailed, this lets the animators makes the animations as smooth as possible. During big fights, characters will be going all over the place and destruction would be happening very fluidly. The cinematography is also stellar and the way it moves during fights is very stylish. Sometimes the fights can feel overwhelming, due to how much is happening on the screen. And Bones extended most of the fights and made them longer, so they can have some more eye-candy visuals. Animation: 10/10 ~{Voice Acting}~ The seiyuu cast do a great job in doing the comic relief and executing the more dramatic moments. Mob’s seiyuu, Itou Setsuo, has barely done any voice acting before, as he only did one supporting role before and this is his first main role. But he doesn’t sound like a newbie at all as he does an excellent job as Mob. He gets the apathetic tone of his voice right, but he really shines when he has to add emotions to Mob. He does his angry voice really well and his seiyuu delivers during emotional scenes too. Sakurai Takahiro (who is doing a lot of voice acting recently) does Reigen and he does him perfectly. It’s well known that Sakurai’s a really talented seiyuu and he gives all he’s got as Reigen. He makes his character absurd, wacky, deceiving, and truly hilarious. Irino Miyu does a very good job as Ritsu and gets his emotional and strong-willed personality right. Matsuoka Yoshitsugu’s really at his best when he does supporting characters and him as Teruki was a perfect choice. And all of the other seiyuu also do a good job in what they have to do. Voice Acting: 9/10 ~{Music}~ The music in Mob Psycho 100 is also really good and adds to the already amazing series. The OP, "99", is really good and catchy and I don’t need to say much about how the lyrics are quite matching for a series like this. Never did I thought that counting up to 100 could be so fun and addicting. The ED, "Refrain Boy”, is also very good and it really matches the dramatic aspect of the series. The vocals, the lyrics and the music is great in that ED. The background music is also really good in the series, particularly the ones used during fights. The add more to the tension and make things more fun. The music used during a fight in the fifth episode was particularly good. Music: 8.5/10 ~{Enjoyment}~ I knew I was going to enjoy Mob Psycho before it even aired. I really loved the web manga and the fact that Bones was going to animate it makes the chances of the anime being a good adaptation really high. And Bones surely did deliver. Though some of the omake chapters getting adapted ruined the flow, everything else was done perfectly well. The characters are really well developed and really well handled. They ended up being more complex than they originally seemed. The story itself is really good and manages to keep you interested most of the time. The way the humor and the seriousness is blended together makes sure that none of the tonal shifts feel jarring. I don’t think I’ll have this much fun again in a long time. Enjoyment: 9/10 In the end, if you haven’t checked out Mob Psycho 100 yet, then seriously, what are you doing? This is the most fun you’ll probably have this year, and it’s not wise to skip on it. Even those who didn’t like One Punch Man should definitely check this out because it’s quite a different anime and it’s much more complex than it originally seems. The characters are well developed and handled excellently. Mob’s struggle to make the right choices is presented fantastically. The art style is unique and adds to the wackiness. But most importantly, the animations are simply stunning and some of the best I’ve seen. Mob Psycho has all the ingredients to make an amazing anime and uses all of its potential. Mob Psycho 100 is easily a candidate for anime of the year, and if you haven’t checked it out yet, you should do so soon. + Handles its characters well and Mob is a really realistically done and complex character. + Amazing direction and conveys the style of the web manga perfectly. + Very unique art style and mind-blowing animations during major fights. + Properly blends its humor and wackiness with its emotional and dramatic scene. + Premise is simple, but the execution is really well done and the story starts to evolve in the second half. - Pacing was a little fast in the middle and the adapted omake chapters break the flow. Overall: 9.1/10
Living by the shadow of One Punch Man, Mob Psycho 100 is probably the best anime that aired this season. People are always complaining about how anime is always the same: boys that can travel back in time, tsundere protagonists or MMORPG worlds. Mob Psycho 100 tells the story of an overpowered boy who doesn't know he's overpowered. About a boy that doesn't feel special just because he has powers. He instead wants to become more popular and more fitting to other humans. Story 10/10 I thought MP100 was similar to OPM since the protagonists is an overpowered esper that can deal withalmost any evil spirit. But after some episodes, the anime tells you the story of an underdog. A guy who doesn't feel special just because he can defeat spirits. He is a humble boy who wants to be better in other ways. Mob is in love with a girl and he wants to impress her, but he knows his powers are not the way to impress a girl. Mob is given the opportunity to join the "esper club" but he is not interested in that. In conclusion, Mob is a boy who wants to overcome his own insecurities that happens to be a powerful esper. Character 10/10 Characters are so funny and likeable. Apart from Mob, we have Reigen (Mob's master), Ritsu (Mob's brother) , Dimple and some other characters that join later. The story takes a lot of comedy twists and they totally work. Reigen is a smart con man that always knows how to deal with every situation. Also, he's very caring towards Mob. Ritsu is a boy who feels overshadowed by his brother, but learns to overcome that during the plot development. Art and Sound 10/10 The animation is impressive. The fights look so damn great and epic. Contrary to OPM, real fights actually happen and they look fine! The music is astonishing and the opening is not bad either. Overall 10/10 Mob Psycho 100 has a lot of perks: good animation, good story, good character development and it also comes as one of the best comedy shows out there. If you liked One Punch Man, you will absolutely love Mob Psycho 100. If not, I feel like Mob Psycho 100 can get a place in your heart.
When I went into Mob Psycho 100, the only thing I tried to expect was that I'd be watching a good comedy series paired with good action. We all know that One is a competent writer, but I decided that comparing this series' quality to One Punch Man would most likely be unfair. Little did I realize that this series would not only match the quality of One Punch Man, but add the things I felt were missing in it. Now even though I didn't want to compare this series to One Punch Man, I'll be doing a fair bit of that inthis review, because I know anybody checking this review will be curious how it looks next to it. One obviously made the decision when writing Mob Psycho 100 to have this series take itself a little more seriously. Because of this, I feel the characters are a lot more fleshed out than One Punch Man. We have serious character building arcs in this series, something I didn't expect in the slightest. Another refreshing thing is that (in my opinion) Shigeo isn't much like Saitama. Sure, he's overpowered, but he doesn't have much of Saitama's irreverence. Despite the series revolvling around Shigeo being emotionless, I feel he cares quite a bit. But this series doesn't just focus on him. For the most part, the entire cast gets some time to shine. Aside from Shigeo, the characters I feel stood out the most are Reigen, Ritsu, and Hanazawa. This series is not lacking at all in the character department. The artstyle to me came off like a mix of One Punch Man, and an adult swim late-night cartoon. It was trippy in all the right ways at times, and it's animation style lended itself to some great matches. The characters may not be as sharp looking as a series from Trigger or Gainax, but I feel I enjoy One's style just as much as those studios. It's also very consistent. I can't recall anytime I thought the animation looked poor. I think because they went with the exact style the manga must have, it made that very easy to accomplish. It's only flashy when it needs to be. The storyline among other things is about our protagonist's emotions and how much he conceals his powers. It's hard to describe it in depth without spoiling, but I can say they accomplish what they were going for very well. I believe that Mob Psycho 100 is the greatest anime of 2016. Not only did (in my opinion) it surpass One Punch Man in quality, but it also surpassed many of the series that I didn't think would be topped this year. I like this series so much in fact, it's surpassed many of my long time favorite series, and is currently number one on my profile. I can't give Mob Psycho 100 anything but a strong 10.
(spoiler-free review) Mob Psycho was a show I really wanted to enjoy. After I heard about it from one of my friends, I searched it up to see if it would be worth my time. Everyone had great things to say about it, and some even went as far as to say it was the greatest anime of all time. This, however, was not the case for me. Firstly, I'd like to talk about the positive traits of this show because although I didn't enjoy the series that much, there are still a few things I enjoyed. Art/Animation: Let me say this: Mob Psycho 100 has themost ridiculous, in your face, outright crazy art style, but that's what makes it so great. Right after seeing the first frame, I was instantly turned off from the strange and wacky animation, but later on, it really grew on me. It works really well with the characters and comedy of the show, and I thought it was the best part. Overall I give the art an 8/10. Sound: The shows sound is good as well. I felt like the sound really fit the scenes and made the show much more watchable. In some moments the music completely changed the tone of the story (along with the art of course), and all in all, it wasn't bad. Overall I give the sound a 7/10. Characters: According to most people, the characters in this show are AMAZING, and I agree... that one of the characters is amazing (I'm not going to say who, but his name might start with Re). Aside from that one character, I feel like I missed something out of the others. In fact, I found most of them to be quite cringe-worthy and/or decent characters. If you watch the show, you might just wanna come back here and kill me for saying that, but I'm being completely honest. If you wanna message me and explain why you think they're great, feel free to add me! Overall I give the characters a 7/10. And now we get into the - not so good part of Mob Psycho. Story/Plot: THIS part of the show is what really brings my rating down. I love myself a good ass story. If the story isn't good, the chances of me liking the show go down quite a bit. Having watched/read titles such as Death Note, Code Geass, One Piece, and Oyasumi Punpun (which are all amazing stories that I highly recommend), this mediocre story seriously kills the series for me. I understand that some shows aren't supposed to have crazy plots, and I have definitely enjoyed many shows that aren't story-driven, however, Mob Psycho has so many pointless and boring episodes, that it almost seems like some episodes are just fillers. Maybe I'm missing something, and the story is actually fantastic, but I have yet to find that missing piece. Overall I give the story a 5/10. To conclude, I wouldn't go out of my way to watch Mob Psycho. Sure, lots of people think very highly of the show, and some people can't stop talking about it, but in my opinion, it's a little over-hyped and the story needs to be worked on. As I mentioned, the series is loved by many, so it probably isn't a waste of time to check out. I'm just a random anime guy, so watch whatever you'd like! Overall rating: 6/10 (thanks for reading this!)
Wow... trying to come up with a compelling first sentence sure is hard... I'll just take a moment to myself before I start. ...97, 98, 99, 100... *BOOM* Story: If you're familiar with the original artist, you can basically guess that the story will be good. Mob psycho was no exeption. It doesn't have a clear plotline from the start (Though we do get that later) and has an episodic structure. For me, the story didn't really strike untill episode 6, when we actually get to the ”real” plot. The story itself is very comical, filled with crazy situations and eastereggs for the audience to pick up. Butthat's not all the show has to offer, Mob psycho varies very smoothly from those comic situations to the deeper moments, inner dilemmas with the characters and the action sequences that were purely amazing. The comedy itself, is very ”ONE” if that makes sense. Simple, not too forced, though that depends greatly on your own sense of humor. I would have loved giving Mob psycho a full 10 on the story, but the fact that the story took half of it's run time to really get the plot going, is something I can't ignore, so from story, i give it 8/10. Art: This is something that strikes me everytime, I've hear people dropping this show because of it's art. Fine, I can see, why people would dislike the art, but for me it was not the case. For me the art was amazing. Taken what the manga looks like, the animation was executed nearly perfectly. On the cheerful/comical moments the animation stays simple, harsh like the original material, but oh my God when it's time to battle, let me tell you, they pull all the stops. While sticking to its rather rough appearense, it manages to make the fight scenes flow smoothly, filled with epicness. It's very hard to describe. For me, the art was solid 10/10 Sound: I'll be honest. Other than the opening and ending songs, I don't remember much of the soundtrack. What I do remember is that one electrical riff that plays everytime shit is about to get real. But honesty, I don't think I have to remember anything else. The opening and ending songs fitted the show nicely, the opening gave me an exiting, explosive vibe, and the ending was a nice calm counter measure for that. But the fact that nothing else but those three stuck with me, bothers me so much, that I can't give the sound a full score, even though those three were on point. 8/10 Characters: Much like the artist previous masterpiece, One punch man, Mob psycho has a rather large cast, but thankfully, the series doensn't even try to focuse on all of the. So for this review, I could point out 3 characters that get the most screentime and development, also known as the main characters. If you don't want to read those, my point is, that the cast is very much amazing, the characters (atleast the main 3) have development and each have their own psychological dilemmas to deal with, though some more than the others, but still, it's there. Kageyama ”Mob” Shigeo: Mob, the obvious protagonist of the series. He is calm and collective, blank faced psychic user, though at times shy and a little naive teenage boy, so nothing we haven't seen before. For me, the most fascinating part of him, was to see the contrast of his character, how he could go from a wimpy goody-two-shoes character to a psychic rage monster in a matter of seconds. That gave some more sides to him, including his inner dilemma, not wanting to hurt anyone, but at the same time not being able to control himself. Kageyama Ritsu: Mobs little brother, whom I unfortunately can't speak too much without going to spoilerific territory. Lets just say, he's the ideal brother character. Honorable student, polite to everyone and looks up to his older brother. Personally Ritsu was my favourite character in the show, atleast after episode 6, when they actually started to develop his character, (and boy did they develop) and the direction it took. Reigen Arataka: Mobs boss, a con artist, who runs an exorcism business. Do I have to say more? To me Reigen was a very interesting character. Jack of all trades, master of none. Being verbally skilled and a tad melodramatic, he managed to pull off quite the amazing show. And after those couple last episodes I would just like to do a quick salute by saying ”Reigen, u da real mvp!” There would be a couple of more characters that I could mention, but I won't. 9/10 Enjoyment: My enjoyment of the show must have seen through the whole review, but I'm going to say it once more. I definelty enjoyed Mob psycho 100. The fact that the plot started only halfway did bother me a bit, but taken that I still managed to like the first half, because if I truly hadn't liked it, I wouldn't have continued watching. So, being a generous person, I'm going to forgive the show for that. ONE has a habit of putting over powered characters in his series, and honesty I'm more than fine with that. For one, I happen to enjoy watching an op character go on a full on rampage much more than those where the main character struggles till the very end and then manages to win because of ”the power of friendship” or something like that. 10/10 Overall: Mob psycho 100 is a great show, with funny moments, deep thoughts and more than anything, epic battles, and I could easily recommend this show to anyone. The avarage that I got was 9 points, but I still decided to give it the grade of 10, because I think it truly deserves it.
Mob Psycho 100 was LA's favourite anime of Summer 2016 and really it pulled it off, bringing in a two for two for ONE, the creator of One Punch Man, so what made Mob Psycho 100 another great like One Punch Man?, well it's a bit complicated to say the least...let's find out. Mob Psycho 100 looks at both the stress of the youth, superiority and inferiority complexes and the look at how having powers isn't what is all that is cracked up to be...which is also becoming something of a trend these days like Saiki Kusuo no Psi-nan this season to. Mob Psycho 100 allwraps this up under the notion of Kageyama Shigeo (a.k.a. "Mob") voiced by Setsuo Itou who holds his psychic power under check unless he literally explodes it in any manner of varying emotions and trying to find meaning in his ironically normal life. Mob Psycho 100's plot pacing (and comedic timing) just feels like an bomb explosion with setup, exposition and character development as the long thread that is lit, Mob Psycho 100 for as much as a rather ironic anime (main protagonist suppressing his powers) it still has some profound meaning and character development which helps make this anime more than a typical shounen anime. Mob Psycho 100 isn't as much as a deconstruction of being a superpowered human like One Punch Man as it is a coming of age and "what youth does to you" and for the shounen element side of things, "power isn't everything, be it if your a villain or a superpowered normy". In terms of characters, we have our comedic foils to the main protagonist like the con-man mentor of Arataka Reigen voiced by Takahiro Sakurai to more serious characters like Ritsu voiced by Miyu Irino, Mob's little brother and Dimple voiced by Akio Ootsuka an evil spirit turned Mob's "spiritual advisor" with all his evil intentions still intact, don't worry he gets better. There was also Teruki Hanazawa voiced by Yoshitsugu Matsuoka a rival to Mob who abuses his psychic powers, again he gets better. If there was a character who got the most development, it would go to both Mob and Ritsu as their developments were polar opposites in terms of how they used their powers and how they deal with their stress. Unfortunately, Mob Psycho 100's minor cast are cliche or support like Mob's love interest Tsubomi voiced by Uki Satake to the purist with evil intentions student council president Shinji Kamuro voiced by Kouji Yusa and Tome Kurata voiced by Atsumi Tanezaki the club leader of the Telepathy Club and just a slacker like the rest of club members. Overall, as much as the minor cast members were support, they at least somewhat helped move the pot forward, even indirectly. Where Mob Psycho 100's strengths comes in is in the majority of the main cast (Mob, Reigen, Ritsu, Hanazawa and Dimple) as they do get the majority of the screentime. What's better is that these character's chemistry as bizarrely disjointed they are, they actually meld together, be it comedically or dramatically (or more precisely be a catalyst to Mob's varying "100%" emotions). LA's favourite character easily goes to Reigen by the end of the anime, which comes unexpectedly for LA as LA just went with Mob due his badassness. The animation done by Studio Bones if anything was an experiment in the uncanny comic styling, LA can't quite put it into detail, but the animation is uncanny, but visually it makes it stand out for it's uniqueness. Where does the animation shine?...well when Mob uses his psychic powers (a la once he reaches 100%)...it is utterly GLORIOUS to the point and it's not only in Mob's battles, the battle scenes in general are GLORIOUSLY AMAZING, sure it's uncanny but it's unique to as the least. LA will say that Mob Psycho 100 was the best animation for Summer 2016. Mob Psycho 100 goes into a more serious plotline further down the line and really, LA thought it compensated for the somewhat slow beginning and more meaningful episodes about youth to ramp it up by the last half by focusing more on a serious plot with numerous battles to test Mob and his "friends", and really it is a good compensation by the latter half, with less on the meaningful look at those with superpowers and youth to some awesome battles and sure you can complain that Mob would quite easily take down the threat that arose in the serious plotline and you'd be right...and wrong. Right as Mob can easily take down the "strongest" foe without trying, but mentally, he's a bit different from the typical "OP protagonist". Overall the serious plotline is a nice bonus to have and really it's just pointing out that Mob Psycho 100 ironically is having fun by making a serious plotline with some bombastic battles left, right and centre. This serious toned plotline however gets quickly back to it's tone in the earlier episodes once Reigen appears as well as make a realistic impression on the "evil" Claw 7th Division. As much as this anime has contexts of being an "OP main protagonist anime", yes it is but it's one where the main protagonist knows about his own power and always tries to suppress it unless as a last resort to, if anything Mob Psycho 100 is a deconstruction of THIS trope and really we WANT to see Mob reach 100% and see him go batshit crazy with his powers which makes the "OP main protagonist anime" pitfalls almost nonexistent. In terms of voice acting, you'd kinda expect LA to bash the voice acting for it's rather lackluster voice acting especially coming from Mob himself voiced by Setsuo Itou, but you realize that he's SUPPOSE to repress his emotions to keep his emotions via powers in check. This diverse voice cast goes all over the board in terms of vocal toning and really LA actually enjoyed the voice acting VERY much, LA's favourite voice actor goes to Takahiro Sakurai as the con-man Reigen for MANY reasons. The ending was unexpected to say to least and LA wasn't really expecting the "big finale" that One Punch Man did, sure it did a very cool "final battle" but the "ending result" was unexpected to say the least and ended as "anti-climatically" but LA didn't care. Firstly Mob Psycho 100 isn't the same as One Punch Man, secondly, it kinda the expected tone Mob Psycho 100 to have, it's not anti-climatic to say but it's was a great way to resolve the "serious tone" and still be "Mob Psycho 100". Sure the ending still has one plot thread that it brings up hinting at a second season, but for what this ending did, it was still greatly satisfying as much as it had an "anti-climax" final battle. LA said it before at the start of this review, Mob Psycho 100 was LA's favourite anime of Summer 2016 and it really shows, if One Punch Man was the thing for you, then Mob Psycho 100 is also a definite watch even if the anime is completely different from One Punch man with it's own meaning and collapse of "superiority and power" as well as "youth and the stress of it all" and of course, Mob Psycho 100's uncanny animation that was just utterly unique in the season 2016.
Mob Psycho 100, one of the best anime ever created by the famous manga artist and author of One Punch Man. First Episode, the introduction of two important and major characters got the eyes of every viewers. The self-proclaimed Arataka Reigen and Shigeo also known as Mob. The story have mixed with exorcism and plenty of comedies. Second Episode, you'll laughed when they dress up as a girl student to exterminate and exorcise the ghost who is scaring the girls in their own school. Also the intense fight between Mob and Dimple is very exciting and no one can deny the fact that every viewers were shockedby Mob's hidden ultimate 100% power. Third Episode, the story goes on Mob who is being forced to join by the Telepathy Club but ended up to join the Body Building Club. You'll laughed as you watch every scene in that part. Fourth Episode, the ultimate fight and first Psychi fight between natural born espers Teru and Mob. Although Mob doesnt want to fight, Teru wanted to fight with him with full power. But in the last part of the episode, Teru got lost because of Mob unconscious ???% that almost destroy half of Teru's middle school campus. Fifth Episode to Seven Episode, the story goes on to the part of Mob's younger brother who wants to become an Esper like him. He joined the Awakening Club lead by the rich man named Kenji Mitsuura. Ritsu has been introduce to Daichi and Kaito Shihatori, Gou Asashi, Rei Kurosaki, and Takeshi Hoshino. Ritsu has successfully awakened his powers due to the part of being felt guilty to what they've done to Tenga Onigawara, Together with Dimple, he slowly develop his powers properly. Eight Episode, this is the part where Ritsu and Mob were argued for the fact that Ritsu wants to end his Bro-Love Relationship with Mob. However, Mob just told him that he is lying about it and he just congratulate his own awakening. However, the reunion has been lifted when one of Scar member named Koyama, entered the field. He was ordered to kidnap Ritsu, who used Mob's name to enter the Awakening Lab. Mob and Koyama fight till the end but Koyama ended up to withdraw due the overwhelmed power of Mob's rage to save his little brother. Ninth Episode, Teru offered a helping hand inorder to save Ritsu. Teru, Dimple and Mob got a good information when Terada has been tortured. Terada shows and leads the way of the location of their own HQ. Mob's crew attacked the Claw's 7th Division HQ. In this episode, one by one Scars members has been introduced. The fight goes on when they enter the battlefield. Tenth Episode, Mob and the rest has almost wipe out the seven members of the 7th Division. However, Dimple and Teru has been defeated. Ritsu has been defeated by Sho who has just showed his way in the ground. Mob has been defeated when Motou shows his own projection of Ritsu's dead. This leads to Mob to flow to 100% REJECTION. Both him and Mob fainted from that scene. The four remaining members were gathered in the small room. Celebrate their victory againts intruders (Mob's crew) In the after credits, all viewers and non-reading manga were shocked when Reigen Arataka shows up and entered the field. Some viewers were mistakenly thought he was the CLAW's BOSS. Eleven episode, the misunderstanding has been cleared when Reigen just make a con-artist entrance. Well, he doesn't introduced himself as the boss. Actually, the low-ranking soldiers of Claw just mistakenly thought him as their own boss. Reigen save the boys from the ceiling and when they finally near outside, the Scar members showed up. The saddest thing is when he was stabbed and we thought he died back then. However, Final Episode of Season 1, Reigen became BEAST who has 1000% from Mob's 100% Gratitude. They totally defeated everyone. The story has a lot of impact in terms of the real life with comedic plot. The development of the characters shows it in the good way. Totaly, I give all around 10 out 10 for every thing. Good Job to the author and manga artist. He made a splendid rare kind of plot story.
First thing is first, don't compare this to One Punch Man, in my opinion the first 2-3 episodes is kinda like a bad copy of OPM truth be told, but afterwards you see what Mob Psycho is all about and that is where you start to love it. Story - 8.7. I mean, it's really interesting to see how to show develops into a more character focused story and throws away your expectations of what you thought It would be like, even the big plots didn't turn out like you thought. Art - 9.5. I really loved the art, kinda reminded me of Soul Eater, avery loose and flexibel art-style that makes bad animation not really look that bad, and the parts where the animation shined, you could really tell they put alot of work to it, really well done! Sound - 8? I didn't really pay much attention to the soundtracks sadly, Ending theme > Opening theme though! Character - 9.5. At first sight the main protaganist is a lame, booring, normal, casual child who seems kinda "emotion-less?" but as the show progresses you can see a wide and clear development which makes me so happy, spot on work. The side- characters were extremely interesting to me at least the master, aswell as the brother. Well done!!!!!!! Enjoyment - 10.9? :D. It's just pure entertainment which we are all here to see, a great show with perfect phasing in my opinion. 100% recommend to all who just want to see good entertainment. Overall - 10. It's just a so well made show that I can't put anything else then a 10. (YES THE START IS SLOW BUT WHEN IS IT NOT?)
This show is an absolute treat. As many already know, Mob Psycho 100, based on the web manga by ONE, shares many aspects with his One Punch Man series and the subsequent adaptation. However, while OPM is immensely entertaining due to the overwhelming strength of its protagonist, Mob Psycho 100 takes a more refined look at its characters and produces a show that not only reaches but surpasses the heights of its sister series. Story: 6 Mob's story is nothing too special, and luckily it doesn't need to be. Mob is an awkward, dull, incredibly overpowered esper struggling his way through the social nightmare that is middleschool. In the meantime, he works for fraud exorcist-for-hire Reigen (a phenomenal character, but I'll get to that). The story ends up boiling down to Mob demolishing tougher and tougher opponents by becoming uncontrollably powerful any time he gets worked up. It works on a quickly paced arc-based structure that succeeds most of the time and feels a bit rushed at others like the arc that follows Mob's brother Ritsu. The final few episodes hit a great stride and are impeccably paced. Art: 9 This show looks absolutely stunning most of the time. Adapting from material as crudely drawn as ONE's works would take a massive amount of talent. BONES has just that talent. The art style hits a perfect sweet spot by utilizing rough looking character designs with rugged lines and a GOD-TIER level of polish in action sequences that makes for some of the most kinetic fights I've witnessed in animation. Seriously, some of the scenes in this show are jaw-droppingly awesome. The crew at BONES also isn't afraid to used mixed animation styles to convey a visual message. Some segments utilize a paint-on-glass style that looks amazing and unique. The entire ending animation is done in this style and is one of the most impressive ED's I've ever seen for that very reason. Sound: 9 Speaking of the ED, the music associated with this show is just too badass not to commend. The opening theme credited to a band simply named "MOB CHOIR" is a catchy driving techno rock track that hooked me instantly. The ED by "ALL OFF" is similarly great and sends off every episode perfectly. I have a feeling it will be a very nostalgic ED for me very soon. Now the soundtrack. It's by Kenji Kawai. Kenji Kawai is an absolute boss. I needn't say anything else, but the man is a fantastic OST composer. His use of a variety of traditional instruments, electronics, a multitude of percussion instruments, and electronic instruments is always effective. The battle music is intense and kicks ass. The sullen moments are beautiful and emotionally written. Tracks can be used repetitively, but that is a common occurrence in anime. He's awesome. Quick plug for the Seirei no Moribito OST, another great score he wrote for another great show. Alright. Enough rambling. Character: 9 Man, the characters in this show are so fun. I think the biggest takeaway I had from these characters was just how good-spirited they all were. Any character you thought could be written off as "just some jerk" ended up being really pleasant and like-able. The members of the Body Improvement Club could have been rude and unaccepting of someone as out of shape and traditionally "uncool" as Mob, but instead they openly welcome him and treat him with care and respect. Teru could have remained an uncompromisingly pompous prick, but instead turns into an honestly good guy who is willing to help Mob. Dimple, though seemingly bent on world domination, helps Mob and offers him advice after Mob defeats him. And then there's Reigen. A fraud, con-artist, and outright liar who tricks people into paying for his services is virtually the coolest most genuinely good-hearted character in the whole show. He takes Mob, an insecure middle schooler struggling with his powers, under his wing and provides him with advice that inadvertently affects his entire world-view for the better. Reigen alone makes this show worth watching, and if you've read what I've written above, then you know there are MANY things that make this show worth watching. Enjoyment: 9 As I've already said, this show is a treat. Studio BONES has crafted an exceptional adaptation of a story that may have flown well under the radar otherwise. Overall: 8 As exciting as One Punch Man and packed with fun and interesting characters, Mob Psycho 100 is the best show I watched this season. With only 12 episodes (but hopefully more to come), this fun ride is well worth your time.
For the people that expect another OPM from this. Don't get your hopes up. This is totally different. OPM focuses mainly on comedy while Mob Psycho 100 focuses more on the story and characters. Mob Psycho does have it's comedic moments but it's mainly about the emotions of the main character and what happens around him. It can't be helped, this will be unjustly compared OPM by people like DOWA who don't understand anything and haven't read the manga to actually make claims that it doesn't have a story. The story itself is pretty simple on the surface but when you start paying attention to the little things thathappen around Mob as the story is mainly about him and his emotions things become significantly more complex. The fight scenes are fantastic, such beautiful animation. Not to mention in all that seriousness during the fights there is some comedy as well which actually isn't out of place. The show is mainly about the characters so you bet that they're good. Mob keeping his emotions sealed since when he expresses them things become extreme. Reigen being the comic relief of the series but also serving as a mentor to the protagonist (albeit a fraud as a physic, he gives pretty life advice to Mob). and other unique side characters such as Tome and Mob's bother Ritsu who has always had inferiority complex towards Mob, always putting his brother on a pedestal and thinking he can never have psychic powers like his brother.
Ok, I won't mince words on this one. Mob Psycho is one of the most ambitious anime I've ever seen. Now, I may not be one of these die hard Otaku that's apparently seen everything but out of 3500 episodes I can speak for; these 12 were among the top 100. Mob is on my top anime on MAL's top 100 as of 2018. A lot of negative reviews of this show I feel come from the show being misunderstood, and I hope my review is helpful in clarifying a few things. As we saw in One Punch Man, ONE's work seeks to tackle real world problems thatare both complex and relatable. The brilliance of these stories is they use simple characters and a dash of satire and dry humor to get a point across, which is something that's lacking in television, both live action and animated. If you've ever sat there watching the walking dead, or game of thrones and wondered 'Why did they make this? what's the point?' then you know EXACTLY what I'm getting at here. They lack a straightforward premise. ONE's work has direction, its purpose driven in a way that 99% of what we see is not. That said lets break it down: Story/Characters 8/10: A Hallmark of this mangaka, Mob Psycho 100 is the story of an unremarkable middle school aged bow who possesses remarkable psychic abilities. As a psychic mob is so overpowered that the universe itself would bow to his will should he so choose. Aside from this power Mob is in every other way completely unremarkable, he's not terribly intelligent, he's not athletic and he's cursed with a mediocre physical appearance. When he's not in school, he's working from his 'teacher' and supporting character 'Reigen', a paranormal investigator who has convinced mob and his clientele that he's a powerful psychic/medium capable of banishing ghosts and curing a wide range of ailments. he is of course a complete fraud. As Mob develops we very quickly learn that despite his tremendous power mob has a problem. Mob has a crush on a girl, and said girl is unimpressed by psychic powers. Herein we delve into the real plot of Mob Psycho, it is the story of self improvement. Whereas many shows focus on showing you characters that are really good at something getting even better at what they're naturally good at, Mob is a character that's stuck in the same boat as the rest of the world. The reality of life is that the things we need to get better at are often the things that we're NOT good at. I may be the best player on the football team, but if what I truly want is an advanced degree I have to crack the books and study. The show expands on this by complicating Mobs situation with conflicts in which external forces in Mobs life are convinced that by choosing to improve upon something that does not involve his psychic powers is a waste of his innate talents. This theme of self improvement carried over when we take a look at Reigens clientele, people who seek an easy way out and turn to the paranormal for answers, when in reality they already have the answers they seek. Whenever our point of view shifts back to Reigen we see the other path we can take in our lives and inevitable ignorance it spawns. Despite being a conman by trade Reigan makes every effort to use his charade to legitimately help his clients as well as Mob through some good ole fashion psychological therapy, ultimately teaching them that they don't need a psychic to gain the closure or stability they seek. Ill stop here cause this review is long winded enough, but trust me, I could write a paper on this show if I wanted to.. that's just the kind of story Mob Psycho is... contrary to the complaints of it having dull characters and no plot as I've seen in some of the negative reviews. Art 10/10: If you don't like the art that's a matter of opinion.. however in terms of animation there is a strong case that this is the best in a decade. The paont on glass ED alone took close to 2 months to create! I mean for gods sake these guys used PAINT.. as in ACTUAL PAINT. They witheld episodes from finishing and animated unfinished shadowing, they were mad scientists. French New Wave of animation. In terms of diversity of art style Mob Psycho sets a record of all time. The animation is smooth and flowing with one thing morphing into another and scenes bending into each other seamlessly. Each key animator was unique and left his mark for the discerning eye. Yes it's weird, and crude in its designs, however that's the way the original material was designed. Its different; a breath of fresh air. Sound 8/10: The effects and OST were just appropriate.. that's really the only word. As were the OP and ED. Overall 10/10 I've beaten it to death enough already ;) If you don't sit down and watch it, you're missing out.
[7.0/10] ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Mob Psycho 100 - Wacky, decisive, entertaining, subversive, and occasionally funny. With the constant influx of Shounen anime that pours out of the pores of the industry, you'd expect that a plethora of parodies would release every season. But no, for some reason parody is kind of rare. Even shows marketed as parody, like KonoSuba rarely actually do any substantial and biting parodying. While Mob Psycho doesn't really go the route of being a full-on parody, it does have satirical elements through subversion. For the most part, it points out the ridiculousness of a lot of similar Shounen action through it's own storytelling. It lampoonsthrough doing something completely different, which, to its credit, is a very unique way to create a defining image for yourself. Mob Psycho 100 utilizes common Shounen tropes to enhance a theme that it builds on throughout the entire show. Self-improvement and actualization. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ [Dynamic Art] If you simply want to watch some great action, then this show can suite your needs as well. Mob Psycho has one of the most impressive animation showcases I've ever seen in a television anime, with absolutely gorgeous and fluid animation throughout. It never felt as though the show had a dip in quality in that regard. Even if the the action itself may feel as though it's generic, as in, it has a formula that a seasoned action anime viewer has seen before, the animation elevates it. Before I even touch on the story itself, I want to make it clear that in animation, exceptional visuals really do create an entirely new appreciation for what you are watching. Undoubtedly, if this show had average or below-average effort put into the action, which ends up taking up a big part of the whole show, then the amount of enjoyment I would've gotten would be substantially lower. This can be explained simply. If you want to have your show be action packed, then you better be ready to make that action a delight to look at. Whether through great direction, nimble audio design, or just spectacular animation. Thankfully, 100 has all of these things. The entire show is rough-looking and much less polished than a lot of battle anime, but what it doesn't have in standalone visuals, it makes up for in movement and fluidity. With simpler character designs, this show can contort and bend them to their will. They bend like metal spoons and create uncommonly dynamic action. The direction is also solid. While it isn't particularly standout, it has moments of captivating imagery through engaging motion within the metaphoric camera that the director is working with. There are a lot of shots that have you, the viewer, move through the environments observing the unfolding action. Instead of giving you a more whole image of what's happening, you are thrust into a barrage of mid-shots and close-ups, which may have looked too confusing and headache inducing if the director didn't understand his craft. I was initially thrown off by the sound design. Mainly because the OP really didn't jive all too well with me. The opening itself is fine, i'd say it's above average for an anime opening, but the music in said opening is kind of silly. What with the corny English. But I will give credit where it's due and say that the opening does actually connect itself to the theme of the show, which i'll get into later. The audio overall though? Beautiful. The show has an aggressively awesome stinger track that it plays when shits really starting to go down that is really hype. Something about whining synths really gets me going. The sound design is also solid throughout. Since there's a lot of movement, there needs to be a lot of syncing with said movement. The action is fast and the sounds are crisp. Characters often smash face-first into brick walls, cracking them into rubble and it sounds great. Artistically, the show is spectacular. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ [Thematic Narrative] So in most Shounen battle anime you have your protagonist. And he's cool and Kirito and broody and duel-wielding and edgy and spiky-haired and sexy and has a long black coat and has a non-caring but actually caring personality. We've seen it all before. These "cool" MC's are one of the main reasons I generally stay away from action anime. Their innocuous and banal entirety is a huge turnoff, especially since every bland cardboard cutout girl ends up draped over them like a wet tarp. Shigeo, our protagonist, is similarly non-caring yet caring. He's distant. But all these tropes are acknowledged, not in the winking "hey we know we are doing this stupid bullshit", kinda way. But in a literal story kind of way. These are actually problems. For once, these battle Shounen aren't saying these traits are attractive. Early on in the series it's established that Shigeo is not only ridiculously powerful, but emotionally distant. He hates that about himself. His crush is more interested in athletic guys than she is in emotionally unavailable quite boys with crazy magic powers. But instead of just saving her and getting the pussy, like what most of these shows would do. Shigeo acknowledges this and tries to improve himself. These aren't just traits you have to live with. These are flaws you can fix if you work hard enough. From the second episode the ongoing theme of this series becomes apparent. Self-improvement is awesome. Throughout the series he fights. If you've ever seen battle anime then you'd know that he'll be fighting increasingly powerful enemies with his crazy over powered abilities and then it leads to a out-of-this world climax. What Mob Psycho 100 does so intelligently is use that obvious buildup to have this theme not only be there in the background, but enter the foreground of this narrative. It becomes clear that the enemies Shigeo is facing are powerful espers who, much like him, have social issues. Different social issues, but social issues nonetheless. But unlike him, they don't want to change or better themselves. So in a cathartic kind of way, Shigeo is fighting anime protagonists from other series'. Kind of. Especially towards the middle half of the show as he faces the first true esper he has come into contact with. This parallel is, put bluntly, really fun. This self-improvement theme continues with Shigeo's mentor in telekinesis, Reigen, being nothing but a con-man. This con-man, however, is genuinely a nice guy who disperses nuggets of wisdom throughout his mostly comedy-focused act. He is dangerously charismatic and convincing and cool, which are all the things that Shigeo wants to be. This parallel continues with Shigeo's spouse, too, which plays a major role in this series. Honestly, this theme does get stretched thin, as in, becomes really really obvious as the show progresses. So much so that at one point towards the end it is explicitly explained to you. But in a way, that's alright, especially when i'm considering the demographic that this show really should flourish within. Teenagers. I feel as a teenager i'd be really into a show like this. In fact, i'd go so far as to say that this could be a very mandatory viewing to teenagers who are very into battle anime. Especially introverted kids who begin to think that their introverted-ness is due to some special power or hidden ability and the world will, at some point, hand all the answers to them. In reality, that's far from the truth and Mob Pyscho 100 could be that pill that breaks them free of those kinds of thoughts. This genuinely smart, thoughtful, and refreshing message is perhaps this shows strongest narrative angle. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ [The Cons of Being] Unfortunately, the downside of being a show that lampoons through narrative are also in full effect. I do want to say that this shows entire point is not to make fun of Shounen action anime, as much as it is to tell a story that simply serves as a refreshing take on the genre. However, these connections need to be drawn regardless since critically, the stories aren't too different. The biggest flaws are that when this show isn't engaging you with these thematic narratives it really just follows the path of a generic Shounen. As I've said, this could be easily forgiven if I actually enjoyed Shounen. But the gauntlet-style action that really becomes the norm towards the end of the series gave me vibes that weren't really all too engaging. The subversive moments were fun, but they were far from the meat of the final episodes of the show. Also, throughout its twelve episode run, there was a small dip in narrative tightness towards the later middle-half that impacted the shows flow. Especially beginning these corruption oriented stories that really didn't have reasonable or interesting conclusions. A lot of the side characters also never really played much of a role at all, which I was a little disappointed in. There was also an annoying ghost side-character that generally served as comedic relief. The comedy in just about every Shounen action anime always ends up being more miss-than-hit for me, which kind of sucks. This show, surprisingly, did ring a few laughs out of me but for the most part, I really didn't care for the solely comedic scenes in the series. When it blended comedy with it's action it became much more palatable. There were also a few moments in which there was some truly obnoxious character baits that didn't go anywhere. I despise when shows do this and it's very rare that they actually have any effect other than momentary surprise, only to realize that everything is just going to be fine in the end. This is because by the end of the show, the status quo is generally very samey. While some people definitely got powers, there were some cheap narrative shots taken to make sure everything wraps up a bit too neatly, setting up a potential second season. I wish this show took more risks with finishing it's story. Hell, kill off a character or two. This show, while comedic in nature, never really felt like it was beyond having powerful scenes. Especially since it does try and get you in the emotion-bone every so often with some of the flashbacks and heartfelt moments. Unfortunately... that's where the emotional attachment ends. The characters and their general characterization balances the line between generic and semi-creative, with some characters being genuinely fun and engaging, while other characters being a bit too generic for this shows premise. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ [Conclusion] Overall, Mob Psych 100 is probably the best Shounen battle anime I've seen so far. I haven't watched the other series this creator has written, One Punch Man yet, but with how impressed Mob Psycho left me, maybe it's about time I check that out. I think for it's various flaws, Mob's strong themes and incredible visuals elevate it past a lot of action anime that I've seen. There are some legitimately great moments here that unfortunately cluster around the first half more than they do the second half of this shows run-time. However, the show as a whole is so short that I felt like this wasn't as big of an issue as it could've been. The length really did do it a lot of favors. The breezy duration made even the less-than-interesting parts easy to get through. I think Mob psycho 100 is mandatory viewing for Shounen action fans. It brings an element of creativity in a genre that I feel, narratively, has been very stagnant and similar. Mob Psycho goes the extra mile with entertaining action, tying together crisp audio, solid direction, and great animation into a thematically resonant twelve-episode bundle.
The more time passes, the more clear it becomes to me that I am a lone man on a lone island who people can't hear because they're too busy jerking off to the latest "best girl", a term that has become about as meaningless as the word "Final Fantasy". Pretty much every anime fan that matters seems to have watched one of the brightest gems to have come from the Japanese animation market since the one from last season, but I watched an anime that I would have only considered going back to in five years is if I was stranded on an island withnothing but this show and a bunch of ecchi crap to pass the time with before my laptop ran out of batteries. I think similar to Re:Zero, a big part of my problem with Mob Psycho 100 is that I'm not an anime nerd. Every single praise I've seen for this show always glorifies the "nerd" stuff, with the only one I appreciate being the actual animation. Unfortunately, most animation nerds seem to judge the art based on the actual technical quality or the style whilst I judge it based on what emotions are successfully conveyed through the art and I have high standards when it comes to emotions. For starters, the emotions that the characters cannot be dripped in nerdiness. Mob Psycho 100 is the latest manga adaptation from ONE, author of the hit webcomic-turned-anime series, One-Punch Man, and brought to life with the production values from Bones and the directorial talent of that guy who made Death Parade that only smarmy elitists would remember the name of. Unlike the instant hit of what's apparently the best superhero series in a year where every single medium was trying to cash in on the boom, Mob Psycho initially churned out a mixed response for its artsy visual style (because apparently, the anime community is composed of nothing but teenagers who misuse the word "pretentious") and had to win people's hearts the hard way aka by keeping a consistent quality and going through heavy promotion from all the big-name nerds. Obviously it succeeded, because the show quickly rose up in popularity to the point that it's considered amazing, let alone the best anime of the summer. Definitely going to be showing up on many top whatever anime lists by the time this year ends. And obviously I have to stomp on some sycophantic heads, because the word "amazing" is not something you want to throw around lightly in regards to anime. It's something you should only reserve for something that'd be in your top 40, or more accurately, your top 20. It's no secret that a large part of why people paid attention to Mob Psycho at the very start (for good or for bad) is because of its visual style, which in a community that's getting increasingly sakuga-obsessed is like posting a Youtube video on the Net for all those losers who still think "lolcats" is funny. The real draw though comes from Mob himself, a psychic boy who uses his powers for a local con man in order to make money whilst trying to rely on skills that us powerless humans have to get by in his every day life, despite him being as athletic and social as a donkey in the middle of this year's dragon-hatching festival. Whether you prefer One-Punch Man or this show, you'd be hard-pressed to deny that Mob is a much more relatable character than Saitama considering he actually "can" fail and has goals in life, even if said goals are pretty standard for the superpower genre and teenagers as a whole. Become more social. Join a club. Win over that attractive girl who doesn't have any physical screen time. Take care of your younger brother. Defeat a bunch of evil psychic-users. We've all been there before. Okay, not so much the psychic-user part, but shut up. I'm trying to make a point. Of course, Mob Psycho probably could have helped alleviate the negativity from the non-sakuga crowd if it had established a more clear direction at the start. The show's primary genre is shonen comedy, and like most American sitcoms and Shonen Jump products, it has a bit of trouble working out the quirks and the characters early on because the writers are either experimenting to see what sticks or are looking so far ahead that they forget that there's no time like the present. The first episode in particular is completely divorced from the overall plot and only exists to establish who Mob and his boss are, which could have easily been accomplished in a way that didn't involve that goddamn "salt splash" meme and only exists because ONE is just that quirky. And the rest of the first half mostly just exists to introduce new characters whilst spouting out lessons regarding how psychic powers should not be used for evil, which could have only been more cliched if they added "thou must not kill" into the mix. Not that you have to worry about anyone dying, because ONE's works run on toon physics and thus getting hit with a Kamehameha is the equivalent of getting hit with a girl's megaton punch. Still hurts mind you, but you'll live. One of the things you have to keep in mind with Mob Psycho is that a large part of your enjoyment will come from how much you can get into its unique brand of humor. A guy I know who's really into the show claims that it's basically Earthbound: The Anime, and without game play to back it up, Earthbound doesn't have much to its narrative beyond the fact that the protagonists are a bunch of kids who name their pets "Vagina" and fight weird-looking aliens with frying pans and sticks of butter presumably shoved up the ass. As such, even when we get more of an overall plot later on and the storytelling improves, the actual story doesn't grow along with them. All that happens when Mob's brother takes his "why does my nii-san get the powers and I don't" jealousy too far and other psychic users get in the mix is test Mob's resolution regarding when it's acceptable to use his powers to hurt people, as well as provide more convenient excuses for Bones to show off their visual prowess. This does lead to a kinda funny final resolution that's been getting some flak for its anti-climactic nature, but that just goes to show how much Mob needs to make you laugh in order to work. Personally, whilst it got a smile from me every now and then, I don't recall ever flat-out laughing at anything Mob Psycho did. If this show was an American cartoon, it'd be more alone the lines of something like The Amazing World of Gumball or current-day Adventure Time rather than something like Steven Universe or The Loud House. Okay, Steven Universe isn't exactly a riot either, but the point is that at the end of the day, Mob Psycho feels like a Japanese version of one of the lesser cartoons on Cartoon Network rather than the amazingly brilliant ones. As I said, the animation is awesome, but so is The Loud House's, and most people wouldn't call that show the revival of Nick's animation block just based on that. All of the morals Mob Psycho imparts are too universal to be hard-hitting unless you have low standards and want to ignore all the evolution that superpower stories and animation in general have accomplished in the last few years. And whilst they're all executed well, there's a limit to how much good execution can achieve when your elements are only slight less base than a Ridley Scott film. It also doesn't help that by the end of the show, nothing really changes other than a few characters not taking psychic powers quite for granted, which is about as progressive as a harem story that ends with the main character slaying a dragon, which would make him come off as less of a loser but it doesn't help in choosing a girl unless they're repulsed by the smell of dragon guts. Mob is still living his life the way he wants to, everyone else's plotlines get resolved cleanly, and it ends on a cliffhanger foreshadowing a Noragami Aragoto-esque sequel that isn't guaranteed to deliver on the same level that Aragoto did. Oh, and there's a two-minute skit at the end that's completely irrelevant to the plot and only exists because Bones realized they had a few extra minutes left to animate and let ONE do whatever the hell he wanted. It wasn't the least bit funny, so let's not dwell on it, shall we? I definitely wouldn't call Mob Psycho 100 boring. But there's no denying that as far as superpower/psychic stories are concerned, it still plays in the kiddy pool regarding how to handle its elements, and there's nothing in it that makes me want to buy the blu-rays when they eventually come out. It's just a "fun" show at the end of the day, and Bones has proven in the recent past that they're capable of so much more than that, so I'm not sure why I should be satisfied when this is all they have to offer. I'm already looking forward to putting this show behind me after I finish this review. Got to free up some room in the excitement chamber for Luke Cage, bruhs.
TL;DR – A refreshing take on the special snowflake teenager who wants a normal life style of power fantasy, but it is held back from being something special by a few weak episodes in the third act, when it becomes hobbled by the very tropes & clichés it seemed such a welcome break from. The power fantasy has been a staple of anime since kids tuned in to watch a wide eyed robot boy fight villains by shooting bullets out of his arse. Indeed, it's one of the purposes of fiction to take any sentence that begins with “I wish I...” & answer what itmight be like. & we, as viewers of all ages, seek the vicarious thrill of seeing people we wish we could be, visit places we wish we could go & do things we could only wish to, or would never dare to if we could. The Light Novel boom, despite the lamentations of some, did not suddenly cause anime to become awash with these power fantasy stories, particularly ones with protagonists who are soon to exclaim "I wish I was normal". Yet in recent years one gets a sense that the stories being told in this style have become more self-indulgent, more focused on escapism than introspection, certainly more smug. We still get to see people get the girl, beat the bad guy & prove they're awesome, but there doesn't seem to be the interest in asking why, for example, a twenty something year old would want to be a high schooler again, or whether being transported to a fantasy world is the best solution to your problems. In that context, Mob Psycho 100 comes as a breath of fresh air. Mob, the titular main character, is a middle school kid who was born an esper, with the ability to do pretty much anything that can be explained by “because he's psychic.” Yet rather than seeing this as the gift that keeps on giving, Mob instead resents it as a danger to others & a burden, not least because the girl he likes is more interested in sporty guys than dweebs who can make objects float. Rather than wallow in self-pity or act out until she & others have to notice him, however, Mob instead seeks to move on from his life revolving around his power; under the guidance of mentor & business partner Reigan, an exorcist & scam artist. As an early example, when picking an after school club he is initially approached by the Telepathy club, who sound like a natural fit for an esper but in practice are just a bunch of dossers who are interested in little more than playing games & eating. Instead, Mob opts for the Body-Improvement club, attracted to their pursuit of physical & self-improvement, despite their appearing ill suited to his fragile figure. Self-improvement is the name of the game in Mob Psycho 100. Reigan, despite exploiting Mob's abilities for his own business (is it still a scam if spirits are actually being exorcised?) sees it as his responsibility to help Mob grow into a well rounded individual who can move on from the anxieties his powers cause. Indeed, one could argue he doesn't so much use Mob as give him a safe space in which to use his powers without harming others. Reigan in many ways is the Fool as well as mentor figure of Mob Psycho 100, a comic who has good intentions even towards his customers & a fountain of wisdom you might want to think twice before drinking from. If Reigan is the one encouraging Mob to better himself, the Body-Improvement club show that you don't need to already be amazing to get respect. Despite looking like a sapling among trees, his club mates quickly come to respect him as one of their own, not because he is already physically strong but because he is determined to improve himself as a person, a goal their intense physical regimen is a constant pursuit of (it's not without reason that their leader is called Musashi). This side of Mob is contrasted against the often shallow, selfish & conceited motivations of the shows antagonists. The Body-Improvement club & their pursuit of physical perfection is an end in itself are set against the city's many school delinquents for whom physical strength is a tool to intimate others & give them a sense of power & respect that they crave. Teru, the first other esper that Mob encounters, shares mobs anxiety about his powers, but whereas fears the harm his powers can cause if he loses control, Teru uses his as a front to keep others & himself from realising that without them, he'd have nothing. That anxiety, of not being special or not being treated as special by others, is something Mob Psycho 100 ultimately suggests is immature. As Reigan says, “what use is being special if you can't get what you want?” Nobody Mob encounters can really be said to be happy with themselves, instead seeking simple fixes to what they perceive as their failings, ways to avoid confronting the real cause of their unhappiness or things they feel they deserve but don't want to to earn the hard way. That's not to say that the series rejects the uniqueness of individuals, but rather that fixating on your problems & seeking simple, fantastical solutions to them is, in a sense, childish. Getting what you want, what you need, is difficult, & understanding that, as well as how measuring yourself only in terms of what others have that you don't ultimately gets you nowhere, is a mark of maturity. Inevitably, comparisons to ONE's other adapted work, One Punch Man, have been all over the internet. There are certainly some parallels & contrasts, which have been used mostly to prove which one is supposedly better. Saitama is a normal guy who wanted to be super-powered. Mob is a super-powered guy who wants to be normal. While looking very different – OPM looks like the best of modern anime while Mob Psycho 100 looks like the best anime the 1990s never made – both are visually gorgeous & are a wet dream for people who use the word sakuga. Both characters personal conflict stems in part from their being too powerful in their worlds, Saitama unable to be what others actually consider a hero, Mob to feel comfortable around others when his powers can do serious harm. Most importantly, Saitama becomes the mentor to a blonde guy, while a blonde guy mentors Mob. It's like they're the same show! What a rip-off. But if we're comparing anime, I would suggest there are more similarities with Natusme's Book of Friends. Here me out. Both Mob & Natsume resent & feel unfulfilled by their powers, Mob because of the harm he could cause others, Natsume because of the bullying & isolation it has caused him. Despite this, both are inherently, some might say annoyingly, good people who will put themselves in harms way to help others or to avoid hurting those who'd wish them harm. Both of them are able, seemingly for the first time, to make friends, their power no longer a complete hindrance to their living a normal life. Many of those Mob encounters are causing trouble because of their resentment towards others or themselves. Many of the Yokai Natsume encounters are causing trouble because they're lonely or misunderstood. Most importantly, both of them have a spirit buddy who is fooling nobody when they say they don't care what happens to their human companion. It's like they're the same show! What a rip-off. Excuse that tangent. The point being that were it not for its underwhelming music, there wouldn't be much to say against Mob Psycho 100's first half. Actually, even that's unfair, as the OST contains one of the best battle tunes in ages. It's really just the OP & ED that disappoint. It is nice that they wrote a theme song for the OP, rather than just using whatever rubbish King or Lantis wanted to flog. The same can't be said about the ED, which is a piece of utterly disposable Jrock, complete with a “dubstep” breakdown because apparently it's still 2010 in Japan. But while the OP is original, it's a bit of an unimpressive mess that certainly doesn't match OPM's OP. Still, if that was the biggest issue with Mob Psycho 100, it would have been a serious AOTY contender. But then, in episode 8, the generic evil esper organisation show up & things take a turn for the worse. If one criticism can be leveled at both OPM & Mob Psycho 100, it's that at some point they come to rely on the same tropes & clichés that they seemed to be parodying or purposely avoiding. The arrival of Claws, & the Scars who form it's leadership, mark that point. Its almost as though a different writer took over, as the pacing goes out the widow & we're rushed through a muddled & confused third act. A new theme of being able to overcome individual weakness by working together (shown by a couple instances of minor characters combining their powers) comes from nothing & is discarded just as quickly. Mob suddenly suffers a case of power creep, able to defeat without blinking a character who he'd had to go 100% (which refers to the point where he loses control) barely an episode earlier. Said opponents are a a group of one dimensional bores who are quickly rushed through, their motivations boiling down to their being a bunch of man-children. But worse then that, they interrupt what was setting up to be a much more meaningful confrontation between Mob & his younger brother, Ritsu. Despite being an all round nice guy who wants what's best for people, this could have highlighted one of the hypocrisies in Mob & similar characters – that it's easy to want to be “normal” when you're anything but. Mob's younger brother initially lacks his esper powers & deeply resents the almost sanctimonious & (to him) condescending way Mob & his parents talk about his achievements. When those esper powers awaken, Ritsu goes down a similar path that Teru was, using his new powers to take out his inferiority complex on others. Mob having to resolve the dilemma of needing his esper powers to face off against the very person he most feared harming with them could have been the climax that might have made Mob Psycho 9-10/10 material. Instead we got a series of rushed fights against uninteresting opponents , all apparently for the sake of making Act 3 a bigger spectacle. Fortunately, Reigan shows up to save both the day & the show, ending on a decent note that reinforces the overarching message while leaving the door open for another series (or reason to read the manga). But the damage is done & those few episodes in the final act drag down what otherwise was a great series. Dragged down, but not sunk. Despite a couple of weak episodes, Mob Psycho 100 is otherwise strong enough to stand as a recommendable series. An engaging story, entertaining characters, gorgeous artwork that manages the seemingly unusual feat these days of making the background art match the characters. Perhaps most importantly, Mob is a rare anime protagonist whose claim to want a “normal” life is one you actually believe because of his efforts to achieve it. Even if he's an esper who can blow up buildings & speak with spirits, he's still a teenage boy who likes girls, obsesses about silly things, wants to be noticed & needs a hand from time to time. In other words, a pretty normal one.
I rarely start an anime with any expectation at all, this was the same case for Mob Psycho 100. I sincerely believe that this is the best way to start watching something, let me insert here the example of One Punch Man, created by ONE, that show was so overhyped that people called Saitama the second coming of Jesus, leaving me thinking it was gonna be super awesome, but it was just OK for me, but then again, different people, different opinions. Other thing to note is that opposed to OPM, Mob Psycho didn't get "clean artwork" by Murata, just the raw creation of ONE, leaving alot of people skeptical to how the art and animation would be, and let me tell you this, it's beyond amazing. Mob contains amazingly fluidly animation, especially during the epic fights sequences, and there's quite the number of them, and the average animation is also pretty notable due to the unique artstyle, the colors are vibrant and colorful yet ominous and dark at more serious scenes, making it quite remarkable for me. The cast is filled with diverse characters, with pretty fleshed out personality if I might say so myself, I find myself laughing with almost every episode, and this doesn't even happen oftenly with other popular comedy animes or even TV shows, this is mostly due to Reigen, the most charismatic evil spirit exorcist that you will ever find, every single of his shenanigans is amazing. About the sound... if I were to read the manga now, I'd perfectly associate the VA's voices to the characters, they seem to fit amazingly well, the OP and ED fit like a glove within my music taste and I find myself singing the OP every now and then due to how absurdly catchy it is, and the remaining of the OST and SFX are pretty darn good as well. If you haven't started this anime yet, you should really check it out! But like I said in the beginning: different people, different opinions.
With the success of One Punch Man, everyone was looking forward to the next ONE adaptation Mob Psycho 100. As it finally aired, it was initially met with mixed reactions. Maybe people set the bar too high and were met with a slight disappointment. However, I personally saw the show’s potential and patiently witnessed the show progress which turned into a quite satisfying experience. The show follows the story of Kageyama Shou a.k.a Mob who tries to avoid using his psychic powers with the intention of hurting others. He looks up to his master Reigen Arataka said who is actually a clever swindler that I personallycan’t help liking because of his smooth nature. While Reigen often lacks screen time, focusing more on Mob’s part of the story, they are the two core characters of the show. Other characters of interest include the cheeky spirit Dimple, the stylish Hanazawa who is another esper, and Mob’s caring brother Ritsu. There are other interesting attention-grabbing characters present but the three of them have more significance due to their own story arcs. The overall approach of the story seems to gravitate towards a parody-styled zany comedy while trying to satirize the idea of possessing supernatural powers. The action is fast-paced and explosive. Shot and often manoeuvred at different insane angles, one can’t help but be amazed despite that the animation is not as top-notch as OPM. The art looks rough and cartoony, but it fits the atmosphere well. There are elements of coming-of-age and drama present as it shows Mob’s struggle of possessing psychic powers as he grows up. The dramatic effect is not too overblown and is just restricted to internal monologue but it does provide a good edge on presenting the conflict within the main protagonist. If there is one issue I have with the show, it is the direction of the story. It started cool with introducing to us the everyday life of a boy with psychic powers working part-time for a scam business which I find really interesting. However, it would’ve been great to see if Mob finally discovered or realized that Reigen is a fake supernatural expert. The story finds a way to solve that problem later on but it would have been a nice good character development if it went toward that path. As mentioned earlier, there are character arcs in the story where Mob finds himself involved in some way. Though I enjoyed all of them, one in particular sort of bothered me which was Ritsu’s arc. I felt like the show has put way more time than necessary for it. It does try to develop Ritsu’s character, but all the time I was thinking that Mob could have used that development more since he is the more important and interesting character. Mob was still struggling with conflicted feelings about using psychic powers when it was revealed that there’s a villain organization. Basically, I liked that the show tries to take its story more seriously and not devolve into a redundant punch-line comedy. However, I feel like it doesn’t want to harm the comedic nature of the show thus always choosing the easy way out of a conflict. It’s a shame really, but maybe we can get more action if we can get a sequel. Overall Mob Psycho 100 is a refreshing approach to action comedy, not too exaggerated and not too mediocre. Don’t expect another One Punch Man, it’s a show that can stand on its own without being associated to the author’s more successful endeavor.