After three pretty sedate episodes (which is a MP100 mode I love) the final season finally shifts into action gear this week. That said, it’s the sort of action that’s still character-driven. For the first time since the very beginning of the series, we’re seeing Ekubo in full-on antagonist mode. He’s always been the most opaque figure among the main cast, even allowing for how complicated ONE’s characters are. At various times Dimple has seemed like a sidekick or a mascot, and he’s even been an ally in combat. But he’s still a very powerful spiritual being who has a worldview (and view of himself) that stands in stark contrast to Shigeo’s.
Given the prominent role of cults in Japanese politics and their history of prompting societal trauma, one wonders if ONE isn’t making a point with the whole Psycho Helmet development. As with his powers themselves, one can only be glad that Mob is the sort of person who’s completely disinterested in what such an organization could offer him. The universe keeps trying to get Mob to be a threat, but he’s still too relentlessly himself to give in to it. Ekubo, though, is completely in his element here. Cults are the essence of his game, and a ready-made opportunity like this is simply too tempting to pass up.
Putting myself in his shoes (if he had feet), I think Dimple is probably pissed off that he was offering a partnership in something so great to Mob, and he was just not into it. That rejection probably hurt and angered him, and it certainly hardened his resolve to show Mob was a loser he was for sitting this one out. Ekubo efficiently rolls into action, branding himself as the “true founder” of the Psycho Helmets and brainwashing the populace of Seasoning City with “Divine Tree Powder“. He’s also sucking so much spiritual power from the broccoli that it has to send its root system far and wide, sucking the nutrients right out from under the native plant population
This, naturally, attracts a lot of attention – starting with Teruki. Realizing what’s happening (at least the tip of the broccoli) he resolves to eliminate the tree, but that proves a lot harder than he imagined. Teruki ends up inside the Divine Tree facing off with the true founder – and getting brainwashed by him. It says a lot of Teruki’s spiritual power that he’s able to fight off Ekubo’s brainwashing not once but twice, but eliminating this enemy proves beyond him. Dimple’s new body – needed to give the followers something to focus on – keeps regenerating itself every time Teruki tees it up.
Reigen has noticed what’s going on, too. He may be a fraud in the esper department but he’s no fool by any stretch, and he realizes that this is a huge problem both for his city and his business. He drafts Mob to help deal with the Divine Tree, and offers up a plan – have Mob uproot and carry it all the way to the ocean and dump it. Mob quickly surmises that might be a big much even for him as a solo job, so it’s resolved to draft Ritsu to help. Ritsu has noticed something weird going on, too – a lot of new believers at school, including in the student council.
That Ritsu falls under Ekubo’s spell (via divine candy) is 100% certain. There almost seems to be some kind of psychic information sharing going on too – maybe Ekubo is capable of pulling that off on a large scale now – since the entire town now seems to know what Shigeo and Reigen are up to. What the deal is with Reigen, that’s less clear. For a while he seems very much himself – the way he picked apart Mob for dismissing the true founder as a “fake” was extremely insightful. But after that his behavior starts to take on a very strange air, and Mob at least seems convinced that Reigen has fallen under the spell too (and this upsets him even more than Ritsu, because Mob just depends on Reigen that much.)
Mob facing off against Dimple solo in his current form would be a big challenge, even for him. Of course Teruki is still in there somewhere, and it seems as if Ekubo is unable to keep him under his spell for any length of time. Mob may the most powerful esper around but he still leans pretty heavily on Reigen for emotional support – and strategic planning besides. As such, this may be another big personal growth opportunity for Mob – something that’s very clearly becoming a theme of the season.
Nicc
October 28, 2022 at 7:30 amI know it was not intentional, but it got the atmosphere of a Halloween episode as paranoia was hanging all over the air through the episode. Mob was wondering if they were being watched, and they were. We see more and more people getting branwashed. By the end of the episode, the question became who wasn’t?
That’s the reason why the girls didn’t show up as they too became enamored with Big Broccoli. I’d say the best way to take care of it is to uproot it and dump it in a giant stockpot with water. Then, boil it to death until all of the color and nutrients are gone and then dump the mush on a plate to serve… Ah, sorry, got reminded of some childhood trauma. Then, my parents figured out to steam broccoli and what a world of difference. That’s when I started to like broccoli.
Your comment about cults in Japan are spot on, considering they were in the news not too long ago. I too wonder if Reigen was got brainwashed or it’s just another act he’s putting in. Being the professional shyster that he is, it’s hard to tell. The Mob still continues on indeed shows his growth and Mob from Season 1 wouldn’t have been able to deal with it.
sonicsenryaku
October 29, 2022 at 8:16 amThis was an extremely-well directed episode no doubt
sonicsenryaku
October 29, 2022 at 5:55 amHoly smokes this episode was visually striking; the production values on season 3 are not letting up. If this keeps up this season will definitely be the best-looking one of them all, no surprise seeing as how this season’s production fully wrapped up about 5 months before airing. Add to that the fact that the next two eps are going to be cranking things into high gear with our current conflict and we can expect a tour-de-force of animation to rock our socks off. I’ve always found the way ONE frames this conflict between Mob and Dimple to be emotionally gripping and intelligently articulated. Everything about this is presented with a nuance you don’t usually see in this demographic of anime storytelling when friends become foes. Dimple wants Mob to be his partner, but obviously these guys don’t see eye to eye about the responsibility of power and how you should use it to exist among the masses.
So what does Dimple do? He takes it upon himself to become “God,” and while he absolutely wants this dream for himself, he also genuinely wants to prove his viewpoint to Mob about how power should be used. So what’s his genius plan? basically push Mob into a corner to see things his way in the most non-confrontational way he possible can to force a conversation that leans more in his favor this time around. After isolating everyone, Mob is forced to go confront Dimple about the matter; but rather than baring his fangs at Mob, Dimple uses the psycho helmet cult to welcome him with praise, celebrating that there are TWO founders! Now why would he make it known to the cult that Mob was the original founder if not to offer the proposition once more; this time with a brainwashed city to better illustrate the splendor of what he’s putting on the table. Mob being the goodest of boys, is of course not interested in such a career choice; and while he himself has always wanted to be popular, Mob isn’t too fond of garnering people’s attention with his powers. Before, popularity wasn’t something Mob thought he could attain; but given the last 2 seasons of growth, he has learned confidence, self-assertion and autonomy, and now has reason to believe all these improvements are visible enough to others in way that would reasonably net him attention. Sure he started letting the potential adoration get to his head, enough so that he considered showing his face to the psycho helmet cult, but of course he did: he’s a realistically written 14 year old adolescent. Regardless, Mob isn’t ready to compromise his ideals either and so here we are, in the thick of this arc’s third act, which I’d rank as some of the strongest character stuff the show has to offer and is handled in a way someone with ONE’s sense of worldly perspective and understanding of shounen storytelling conventions would.
We’re moving into the series endgame and I couldn’t be more excited. After this episodes 7 and 8, which will cover what is probably my favorite content of the entire manga (it’s between this and the climax of the series). Keep your eye out especially for episode 8 especially. If you’re waiting for top episodes of the year material, this might be what the doctor ordered; that and probably episode 11, if I’ve calculated the manga material pacing correctly
Marty
October 29, 2022 at 9:49 pmI’ve heard about the Cults in Japan being a big problem, but haven’t found much literatura on the subject. Is this a fairly Recent development or does it go far back in Japan’s history? Are there any good articles or books written on the subject u or anyone might suggest?
Guardian Enzo
October 30, 2022 at 9:59 amIt’s been a problem for a long time. And you have the fact that the ruling party in what’s basically a one-party system has been in bed with a cult for decades, which was an open secret. The Japanese are peerless at ignoring open secrets, but recent events have forced them to acknowledge it.
I don’t know of any specific books on the subject but I’m sure many exist.