Some of the most popular shonen stories are trope-heavy. Beloved genre titles like My Hero Academia or Jujutsu Kaisen blend humor and pathos while showcasing the protagonist’s growth with ambitious training arcs and spectacle-heavy conflicts. Even the most nuanced genre writing is reliant on “the power of friendship” trope, which allows optimism to bloom amid dire circumstances. These shonen trappings exist because they work, but a story’s merits rest on how these conventions are utilized.
In some cases, like Mob Psycho 100 (the acclaimed action-comedy from One-Punch Man creator One), only the bare bones of a shonen are used to weave a radically subversive coming-of-age tale. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the beloved Mob Psycho 100 anime, which evades genre trappings to revel in the beauty of the mundane. One uses an expressive art style that isn’t too caught up in looking “polished,” as the true focus is on carving out depth with a comedic bent. Bones ( the studio behind Fullmetal Alchemist, Gachiakuta) has done its part in bringing this story to life with three brilliant seasons, all of which prioritize the showcase of empathy over strength.
Shigeo Kageyama, nicknamed Mob, has trouble expressing himself. A cursory glance at Mob gives us the impression of an average school-goer, but he is secretly an esper with formidable psychic powers. As a kid who prefers the comfort that comes with normalcy, Mob tries to keep these ESP abilities suppressed, but this inadvertently leads to repressed emotions. Eager to master control over his powers, Mob seeks out the self-proclaimed “Greatest Psychic of the 21st Century,” Arataka Reigen, who pretends to be a spirit medium to earn a living. The two team up to solve mysteries and exterminate supernatural threats, but Mob struggles to keep his emotions in check, as they are inexplicably linked to his powers.
Bottling up our emotions rarely bodes well, which is also the case with Mob. Whenever he reaches 100% of any intense emotion — including grief or rage — it causes his psychic powers to act up uncontrollably to destructive levels. Mob Psycho 100 isn’t concerned with power progression or powerscaling in the traditional sense, as Mob is incredibly powerful to begin with, and perceptive enough to pick up abilities like Chlorokinesis (using psychic energy to grow plants). In fact, he joins the school’s Body Improvement Club to impress his crush, Tsubomi Takane, as opposed to having any lofty ambitions tied to strength or saving the world. As Mob adheres to the principle that his abilities don’t make him inherently better than others, the focus shifts from heroic power showcases to a nuanced, humor-filled character study.
Reigen isn’t a conventional foil to Mob, either. Although he is more than eager to hoodwink people for money (including Mob), his morals aren’t completely skewed or lax. There’s an honorable aspect to this professional fraud, as Reigen becomes Mob’s earnest mentor, imparting valuable life lessons about people’s innate value. This is an inversion of what is expected from most mentor figures in shonen. Someone like Kakashi Hatake from Naruto might teach a life lesson or two to his disciples, but his primary role is to prepare them for the worst while honing their ninja techniques in battle. Mob doesn’t need Reigen to grow stronger on a physical level, which is why the lessons are more emotion-driven.
Empathy is the lifeblood of Mob Psycho 100. Mob’s relationship with his powers is complicated, connected to a childhood trauma that informs his perception that his powers are an undesirable liability. Although a certain amount of caution is wise, Mob’s repressed emotions are a defense mechanism against the fear of inadvertently bringing harm to people. Empathy towards others and the self allows Mob to gradually accept that his powers — even the unpredictable emotional state of “???,” which represents his unfettered subconscious — are an indispensable part of him.
Even the most shameful, messy parts of Mob aren’t purged or cast away, as emotions can rarely be processed in such a simplistic fashion. Mob has to face his demons head-on and sit with his emotions despite the discomfort. This is the final obstacle he must overcome by the end of season 3, as the path ahead leads to authentic healing. Bones does wonders with these quieter moments, which lend the anime its relentless appeal. Sure, there are plenty of high-stakes fights that showcase the studio’s mastery of fluid animation, but it is the rich, slice-of-life elements that make Mob Psycho 100 so enduring.
The Mob Psycho 100 anime doesn’t end with the triumphant aftermath of a fight or a neatly wrapped-up happy ending. The final shot lingers on Mob’s face, which no longer wears a stoic, blank expression. Instead, we see him laugh his heart out and indulge in the sweetness of life without giving in to fear. What can be more life-affirming than that?
Mob Psycho 100 can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
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