Counter-intuitively (or maybe not, who the hell knows) I think it’s possible to feel too much affection for a character. At least for a reviewer, because that can obviously put a dent in your objectivity. The fact is, I was already losing it over the events in this episode before the final cliffhanger ever happened – so what chance do I have now? We’re getting pretty close to what the original definition of moe was – feelings of protectiveness and worry about a character. If any character ever lived up to that, it’s Kageyama Shigeo.
In the final analysis I suspect this season of Mob Psycho 100 will trail behind the second in the esteem of many fans (though that’s an enormously high bar). There’s no denying that it’s been quieter and more interior, where Season 2 featured a ton of blockbuster action. For me, though, this is a step up, because it’s closer to the heart of what this series is (or at least what I love most about it). This is not a smart action series with good characters – it’s a character story that happens to be blessed with some of the best art and animation TV anime has ever seen.
That MP 100’s final arc should be called “Mob” can hardly be a surprise to anyone. The subject at hand is one that’s been largely invisible since the first part of the first season, Mob’s crush on Tsubome-chan. It’s pretty obvious that ONE intended for this to be the climax all along, and Mob’s procrastination about it largely reflects the author’s intentions. Everything has been building towards this – not some climactic battle with another overpowered esper with the fate of the world at stake, no. The existential crisis of Mob’s adolescence, where he’s forced to put everything he’s tried to change about himself into action and confront what he fears most (in more than one sense).
That’s wholly appropriate, because Mob Psycho 100 is (to me) indisputably the chronicle of that adolescence – the fact that Shigeo happens to be a God-tier psychic is basically an interesting character trait. None of his powers can help Shigeo in situations like this – and that’s exactly the point. Yes, he’s actively engaged in self-improvement, and with real success – but none of it has been directly connected to his powers (which are already strong enough). He’s improved his body (continually illustrated with great subtlety), and stopped judging himself so harshly. What’s important about Mob’s powers is not the powers themselves, but the way he’s learned to accept them because he’s learned to accept himself.
For all that, when fate intervenes in the form of Tsubome’s planned move, Mob has to accept another reality – he is who he is. He’s an introvert, an introspective boy who will always doubt himself and overthink situations like this. I’ve always believed we can never stop being introverts – for those of us who live with it, it’s part of our essential nature. We can learn to manage it – which I call being a “recovering introvert” – and to his great credit Mob has been honest with himself and made great strides. But in a crisis moment he can still revert to type, and desperately needs the help and support of those who care about him.
Fortunately for Shigeo, there are a lot of them around. Because anyone who gets to know Mob realizes the truth – he’s as essentially kind and gentle a spirit as you could ever hope to meet. There are some standouts as Mob makes the rounds seeking advice – an especially moving moment was when Ritsu involuntarily clasped his hands in prayer (expecting the worst) when Mob was finally able to bring himself to call Tsubome (Saitama wallpaper!) and arrange to meet. Of course most of Mob’s circle are not ideal candidates for advice in situations such as this, but that doesn’t stop them from each and all doing their best in their own way (fortunately Mob graciously deferred when Teruki suggested helping him pick out clothes).
I had a recurring thought while all this was happening – that of all Mob’s friends, it’s Ekubo who could have been the most helpful here. Dimple’s incisive bluntness would have been more use to Shigeo than anything, but he’s gone. Of course Mob turns to Reigen in this moment, and this too is a wonderful sequence. Reigen is clearly neither confident or experienced when it comes to succeeding with women (under 70). He proceeds to give Mob a hilarious collection of bluster and platitudes – much of it cribbed off the internet, no less. But in the end he snaps his antique flip-phone shut and gives Mob an incredibly wise and relevant observation – “There’s no point keeping up appearances with someone you want a deep relationship with. Just be yourself.”
Nothing could exemplify the human contradiction that is Reigen Arataka better than that – he can’t resist bullshitting to try and look cool when he’s not, but in the end he gets it exactly right. It’s very obvious here just how much Reigen loves Mob and wants to see the nobility in his nature survive the harshness of the world. And indeed all through the episode it’s made very clear to us just how much Mob’s friends and family (even his secret ally at the flower shop) care for him, and just how much he’s grown as a person – in no small measure (though unknowingly) as a result of that affection and respect from those he respects himself.
This all seems like a brilliantly heartwarming reflection leading to a likely bittersweet end, but the episode takes a major left turn in its final moment. Shigeo uses his powers to save a cat from a speeding car, but when another runs the light (its driver dozing off) and is about to hit a small boy, it’s all Mob can (or at least thinks to) do to knock him out of the way and absorb the blow in his place. I’m not even going to entertain the thought that Mob could actually die here (stop it, I’m not) but this could still have all sorts of implications – even something like Mob losing his powers after a head injury, who knows? Apart from frantic worry over this noble child, I oddly find myself most anxious that he still get the chance to tell Tsubome how he feels.
Aera
December 1, 2022 at 10:46 pmThe little scene where Mob played soccer as he thought that he didn’t feel like he’s repressing his emotion that much anymore in this episode was a callback to Season 1 Episode 1. In that episode, Mob missed the ball, couldn’t keep up with his peers as his phone was ringing and he collapsed. Here, Mob got the ball, and could keep up with his teammates. A fascinating addition to highlight how much Mob has grown.
I’m on the same boat with you in agreeing that Season 3 is much better than the previous seasons. I’ve seen many grievances over how slow-paced and “lack of action” this season has been from many people. Season 3 feels more and more like a season to conclude all the loose ends and character arcs. It’s more character-driven and more focused on the main characters’ struggles, which I like. As you’ve said, above all else, Mob Psycho 100 is a tale about Mob’s adolescence, and it’s very fitting for the final arc to be about Mob’s struggle to confess to Tsubomi.
I also feel the same way about Mob. I feel very emotional when watching this episode too. At this point, I just want this precious boy to be happy, to be successful and can confess his feelings safely. The enormous amount of support he’s received from everyone around him, the fact that he has changed and has become far better person, and the fact that he’s still very much selfless even if it kills him. Poor boy can’t catch a break at all.
I’m still very much hoping for Mob to be able to confess his feelings safely, but yes, I cannot deny the feelings of anxiety, dread, and worry that overwhelm me as the credits roll and Teru took over the role of narrating the next episode preview, which reminded me all the way back to Episode 5 of Season 1, when Mob was also close to dying as well at that time.
Thank you for the review, I’m really glad to find more people that appreciate the character-focused episodes of Season 3 so far. I’m hoping that you can enjoy the rest of the final arc!
Guardian Enzo
December 1, 2022 at 11:42 pmYou’re quite welcome. I think there are plenty of us that love this side of MP100, but perhaps we’re not as loud about it as those who love the action stuff more.
Orion Taylor
December 1, 2022 at 11:09 pmI really like this specific review you wrote, but I really don’t want to engage with it at the moment with a proper response/commentary because the last thing I want to do is accidentally spoil you for what is my favorite arc of the whole series (by a large margin). I’ll be able to say more next week though.
Guardian Enzo
December 1, 2022 at 11:41 pmYour restraint is appreciated.
sonicsenryaku
December 2, 2022 at 12:00 amWow, Enzo; you were in analysis bag for this one and delivered a really great episode write up. What’s the occasion? Is this series coming to an end or something??? 😀
Man; what a great episode of Mob Psycho; this one rose up as one of my favorites in the entire series. You’ve heard me singing the praises of the third season’s content so you’re probably already aware that I’m right there with you on this season being a step up from 2 (both prior seasons actually), an incredible feat considering 2’s quality; and yea, it’s pretty much for the exact same reasons you pointed out. Like you said, Mob Psycho ain’t about being a smartly plotted action series: it’s just a brilliantly written character story on adolescence helmed through the perspective of an adult, and I find that to be the best way to write these kind of adolescent tales. It’s one thing to write a coming-of-age story that captures some truth about youth, but it’s another for it to actually feel like it’s written with the insight of a mature adult. When it fails to feel like the story is written with a mature perspective, the coming-of-age narrative you’re writing can feel overly simplistic; stripped of life’s contextual nuance and lacking any sense of adult relatability. The whole point of growing up is to understand that the world and how we come to process it is something that becomes more complicated as we grow up, right? That’s why I think it’s important that these kind of stories flex that kind of mature consideration when they are being told. Something like FLCL is impactful as it is BECAUSE the emotions it explores are told through the insight of an adult who has had time to think about how that adolescent confusion made them feel back then, how they went about processing it, and the personal enlightenment they’ve been able to achieve as an adult looking back. I think the same goes for Mob Psycho and why I find it to be such a great work.
On a side note, Reigen’s pessimism about his worth when it comes to interacting with women this episode was an insightful and sad bit of characterization; really hammers home why Reigen is such a lonely dude. Like damn, beyond all that charisma is a man that kind of thinks poorly of himself because he struggles with being honest to people…shit
h
December 2, 2022 at 1:24 amloved this review and the appreciation for this season as a whole in general. i love it too and while i understand that for many season 2 is the show’s best, i always found season 1 to be overall stronger, so season 3 i think has been a really great mix of both seasons for me but with more deliberate pacing. i think people will gain more appreciation for this season once they view the show as a whole because i think season 3 has been a really great culmination of the the development and growth we’ve seen in the past two seasons. seeing mob grow up before our eyes, not just in personality and in confidence, but also physically has been so rewarding! feels like i’m watching my little brother grow up.
Rob Barrett
December 2, 2022 at 2:17 amThe way that Mob’s phone conversation with Tsubome is handled by the production team actually made me cry. In the manga, it’s static panels, about half of which focus on the phone or the facade of Mob’s house (with all of Mob’s dialogue crowding the panels). To break it up and have Mob moving through the darkened house as he goes through with the conversation was surprisingly powerful—even just little details like the addition of his mother coming in as he’s making the call (but with the production team resisting any cheap gags about embarrassing parents). For all of its relative simplicity, the sequence was a master-class in what animation can add to an existing manga text.
Guardian Enzo
December 2, 2022 at 8:00 amAgreed, that was magnificently done. You could feel Mob’s anxiety (that aimless pacing through the house is exactly what most kids would do in that situation), the curiosity from his mom, and that moment when Ritsu clasped his hands fretfully – wow. So emotionally honest and powerful, all of it.
Marty
December 2, 2022 at 2:30 amWell, if anime of Recent years has taught me anything, Mob is having an Isekai adventure RN.
All kidding aside, I wonder if this final arc will address the ??? Entity within Mob. I’m assuming that if they are physically connected, Mob being ran over by a whole car might be the impetus to allow it to leak out uncontrollably.
Yann
December 2, 2022 at 8:14 amWhat a beautiful and powerful episode…
The cliffhanger though…? I have a hard time believing Mob would not have time to use his powers in this situation. We’ve seen him being punched through walls and all sorts of other crazy shit many times before. He was always able to protect himself instantly. It just doesn’t ring true considering everything we know… Kind of a bummer. I wish they could have written this better.
Rob Barrett
December 2, 2022 at 2:41 pmBizarrely, ONE does a better job in the manga of making it clear that Mob is focused on the cat and the car he’s just stopped while the boy approaches from behind him (i.e., from the other side of the street). So Truck-Kun is about to hit the boy at precisely the moment Mob turns and sees what’s about to happen. As a result, with no respite between the two incidents, Mob panics and uses his body instead of his mind. Whammo.
Guardian Enzo
December 2, 2022 at 5:28 pmInteresting, thanks for clarifying.
russenoire
December 5, 2022 at 1:34 ammob can be knocked out and/or taken out of commission. we’ve already seen this previously. he’s not invincible.
he’s also not the fastest thinker (teru would have fared differently here, for sure) and rarely thinks to use his powers first in most situations. mob is just not that kind of OP character, and his sacrificing himself here to save this kid’s life… is wholly in character for someone as selfless as he still is. as enzo has already mentioned above, MP100 is a character study first and foremost, not a power/action-focused story.
Guardian Enzo
December 5, 2022 at 7:37 amWell the thing is, he did think to use his powers first to save the cat. So absent the kind of clarity Rob says the manga offers, it’s a bit odd to see him not do so seconds later with the kid.
Eugene T.
December 2, 2022 at 3:09 pmI agree Mob Psycho is generally more compelling when its being a character story rather than an action one. Even the Dimple arc was great as it wad because it was basically an episode-long conversation between Mob and Dimple- the action was secondary to that end as well executed as it was.
As well intentioned as Minegishi’s gesture was, I can’t help but feel the smaller bouquet was probably more appropriate and subtle for just asking someone out lol. That said the whole round robin with Mob’s friends and family was great, especially the segments with Mezato, Reigen and Ritsu.
Guardian Enzo
December 2, 2022 at 5:29 pmHow could anyone not want to do anything possible to help that sweet kid?