Ahh, feel good animes. There's a lot of those, right? Slice of Lifes, Harems, Drama, Comedies, Dramedy animes. There's been a whole heck of a lot of those these past few years. The archetype at this point, unfortunately is getting a bit quite stale. So where does Mob Psycho 100 stand between it all? It doesn't, it blows the lid off all of them, nothing can even compare to such a masterpiece.
So recently Mob Psycho got a third season coming real soon, news hit just a few days ago. To celebrate the ocassion, I want to talk about this stranger-than-fiction and larger-than-life anime. One that has won me over even with its small flaws. Flaws you can basically call nitpicks this point.
Mob Psycho 100 is one of my most favourite animes out there. So this is going to be a super positive positive post. This is my Moral Ethics 3rd post, but where as the previous ones were deep-dives and analysis for a more serious take. Mob Psycho 100 is something I'll talk about with a cheery disposition.
Mob Psycho 100 is based on the workings of Mangaka, ONE. His earlier works were One Punch Man. Of which he didn't have the proper skills to draw at the time, so he relied on Yusuke Murata to remake his work into a fully fledged shonen manga.
OPM got adapted by Madhouse Studios, becoming one of the most action-packed, highly acclaimed anime of all times. That is thanks to the crazy visuals, the dry and slapstick humor, and most of all, crazy fight scenes. Season 2 was a far cry from the first season and so didn't do that well./
Thankfully that never happened to Mob Psycho 100. Studio Bones has continued working on the series, much as they are on the My Hero Academia series. Just goes to show that even with a studio that has around 1/3 of MAPPA's workforce can make 2 or 3 anime releases while still retaining the quality of their work.
Where as One Punch Man was a parody and social commentary of the superhero genre, MB100 dealt with important stuff about life like trying to be a better person, figuring out how to deal with the modern world, how to be yourself despite what people think, and even with crazy powers, becoming more responsible of yourself. There are several key reasons why they call this a feel good anime.
So what is Mob Psycho 100 exactly about? Well it's a titular series that's all about a young boy named Shigeo Kageyama, but he is called Mob(Mobu in Japanese). Which means that he lacks any sense of presence around him. Mob is kind what you would called kind of isolated. He mostly keeps stuff to himself, not because he hates anybody but he has this vulnerability that he's trying hard to control without losing himself. But he wants good things for everybody around him and himself.
He's afraid of participating in normal social activities, in fear that he'll do something embarassing to ruin his life. The shy, awkward and timid. Afraid that people might see past his naivete and might not like him. Oh, and he's also a powerful Esper. Which means he has crazy powers and that he can fight against any other paranormal instigations and then some. There's a reason why the 100 suffix exists in the name, when he has a full-blown emotional breakdown, he becomes a Super Saiyan and starts destroying everything with god like powers.
Here are the side characters: Arataka is Mob's boss/sensei for a paranormal service that dispels anything troublesome. Of course, Arataka doesn't have Mob's powers and usually tricks people into thinking he is curing them, in actuality, he is giving people placebo treatment. Then there's Teruka, a egotistical kid of Mob's age who turns out to be the head honcho of another school. After meeting Mob, he feels challenged and after an intense encounter, he goes through a big change in life. And then there's Takane, Mob's classmate and someone he has a crush on, she doesn't notice him all the time because she is too busy with her social circle. But you see Mob trying to win her over in mere earnest attempts.
Mob on the surface is a Shonen protagonist that uses goodwill and hardwork to convince anybody, even the bad people he's encountered in his life. Difference being is where as most other shows/mangas protagonists like this seem bland and padded. Mob Psycho 100 pulls a complete 180 on those just by being more grounded with intelligent writing, having creative ingenuity, and just being funny in the weirdest of ways it can be. But most importantly, he is a pure soul of a protagonist that makes anybody, INCLUDING YOU to reflect on themselves.
Everything else around the world, the poltergeists, power paranormal beings, secret organizations held by human espers, classmates, his family, and any other antagonists he has to deal with are fixtures of the bigger picture here. Mob is a dangerously powerful Esper. But instead of just being beaten down by how rough life gets, he gets back up no matter what. As you watch the show continuously, this timid character shows hidden strength, willpower, and determination. But even then, he needs people to help and he can't always figure everything out by himself.
There's a lot of character development that goes around, not just specifically for Mob, but anybody else surrounding him. Good people, bad people, people whom are stuck somewhere in the middle, sees good in life and start to grow as people. In a much more wholesome way that actually feels authentic. It's a show that after seeing 2 seasons, you'll know has so much more than that to offer and you couldn't wait to see it. Season 3 should be around next year and I am just teeming with anticipation.
Missing out an anime like this is like telling people you've never watched Breaking Bad or The Wire. It's criminal to dismiss such a great work of art and you should do yourself the honor of watching it.
Not even with a post like this, I could describe you the show. Like there's a lot to unpack from there.