Photo Courtesy of 小学館／「モブサイコ100」製作委員会- Wikimedia Commons
Mob Psycho (2016-2022) is a wonderful series that tells of the road to self-betterment. It is not about perfection, it is about taking the first step, a sentiment even clear in the origin story of the series’ creator.
Mob Psycho 100 (2016-2022) is a feel-good, often funny, often somber show about a young boy with incredibly powerful psychic abilities learning how to deal with his emotions. Although the team of all-star animators who worked on the show elevates the experience, the true heart of Mob Psycho 100 (2016-2022) is the quieter character moments.
Shigeo Kageyama, also known as “Mob,” is the protagonist. He is a soft-spoken loner who spends most of his time outside of school working for a shady psychic firm where his boss, Regien Arataka, exploits his supernatural powers for profit, paying Mob basically nothing for his work. Mob, being naive as he is, truly believes that Regien has the physic powers he claims to have and looks up to him as his mentor. Although Regien is nothing but a scam artist, he truly does care for Mob and is willing to stick his head out for him if the situation merits it. He might not give Mob the most sound advice, often in search of his own selfish ulterior motives, but he is always there to help Mob deal with his turbulent emotions.
If Mob’s internal turmoil ever reaches a boiling point, he loses control of himself and his psychic powers, becoming a threat to those around him. This is something, among other things, that Mob dislikes about himself. He struggles with a deep inferiority complex and lacks the social skills to navigate relationships. Sometimes, he views his power as more of a curse and refuses to use it. Yet, despite the qualms he has with himself, he decides to improve.
Throughout his journey, Mob becomes closer to the person he wants to be but never actually attains it. Eventually, he accepts himself, and the person he wants to become is the person he is. Oftentimes, the path of self-improvement does not result in the perfect body or perfect mind, but satisfaction in who one is and striving to push oneself even further. It is okay to have a goal you will never attain as long as it motivates you to look forward and keep on moving.
ONE, the artist of the Mob Psycho 100 manga is also the creator of arguably one of the popular pieces of Japanese media, One Punch Man, according to AnimeChicago. When people recall One Punch Man, they either think of the masterful manga adaptation done by Yusuke Marata or the fantastic season one adaptation by studio Madhouse. What they do not typically think about is the webcomic, which is the true source material. Although he is not a bad artist by any means, the panels are extremely rough and pale in comparison to everything else you can find on the market. According to AnimeChicago, Yusuke Marata was a fan of the original webcomic, which was growing in popularity at the time, and contacted ONE, eventually leading him to redraw it as a special project. Thanks to him and the anime adaptation, One Punch Man became an international icon.
This story ironically mirrors Mob and his journey. ONE just wanted to publish his story whether or not the art was amazing, and because he did so, he became insanely successful. It is the small and personal efforts that make all the difference. It is never too late to change or work towards becoming who you want to be. All it takes is saying “yes” to the right opportunity or working up the courage to try something for the first time. Everyday could be the day that changes your life forever. You cannot know immediately, but perhaps if you take one small step today, the rest of your life will be brighter than it would have been if you did not.