Review of Mob Psycho 100 II
A few years prior to the 2nd season of Mob Psycho 100, this series was relatively unknown. One Punch Man - once a goofy webcomic drawn in the charmingly childish style of ONE - was masterfully redrawn by the accomplished mangaka Yusuke Murata, and not long after an explosive anime adaptation from Madhouse introduced the world to the works of ONE. No one saw Mob Psycho 100 coming. Adapted in ONE's style during the height of One Punch Man's popularity, its humble and unapolagetic flair both intrigued and repelled anime fans. But it didn't take long for those paying attention to take notice of the incrediblestory of ONE and the raw power of Bones' animation unfolding on screen.
And just when most of us were thinking, "how will they top season 1?", we got blindsided again.
Mob Psycho II is nothing short of lightning in a bottle - a perfect storm of solid storytelling, compelling characters and a studio willing to meet the challenge. What was initially shrugged off as "that thing that isn't One Punch Man" only two years before my typing this is now one of the most highly regarded anime series of all time.
STORY: 90%
In season one, Mob was always under the thumb of charming con-man Reigen. While Reigen is in many ways a father figure to Mob, it's clear from the very beginning that Reigen takes advantage of Mob's selfless good nature and naivete when it's beneficial to him. Despite that, Mob builds his philosophy around Reigen's early advice, "do not use your powers to hurt people." We see Mob get pushed to his limits several times as his emotions boil over and his hand is forced to protect the people that he cares for. Along the way, enemies and rivals become friends, and Mob begins to grow as a person.
In season two, we get to see the fruits of these actions pay off in big ways. In Mob Psycho, the "power of friendship" doesn't come in the way of inexplicable power level boosts - Mob has always been a force of nature. How he got his powers and why he is so powerful is trivial to the core of the story - I can't stress that enough. Mob isn't interested in his own powers, he sees no value to them. He sees the value in hard work, cherishing and nurturing the latent ability that is inside of all people, not just espers. When he's back into a corner, he'll do anything to protect the people that cherish him and the people that he cherishes. It's what has always separated him from the antagonists he has faced.
What Mob - and the viewer - are rewarded with is not the power but rather the value of friendship, as Mob's humanity inspires those around him to protect the same values he does.
But many wrenches are thrown in the works as one crisis after another compounds on itself to the final arc of the 2nd season.
My only reason that I am not giving the story a 100% is that the first few episodes retread familiar territory a little too much with Mob and Reigen doing what they always do - which isn't bad, but leaves you wondering what's coming next.
Then episode five smacks you upside the head with one of the most surreal and mind-bending battles that briefly unleashes a new terrifying power in Mob we haven't seen before, only to bottle it back up again and bring us back down to reality.
From then on, Mob Psycho puts its foot on the gas and doesn't stop. Mob and Reigen experience some heartfelt and well needed introspection. They drift apart briefly, only to come back together having a better understanding of themselves and eachother. And they need it, because the final arc of the anime is full of heart-stopping cliffhangers, twists and the most formidable antagonist that Mob and his friends have yet faced.
Outside of all the monologues about power, espers vs humans and sakuga battles, Mob never forgets its core message, which lies at the center of its protagonist. Find yourself, embrace who you are, and become a good person. Mob refuses to let his powers define him, and in that respect the story of the anime refuses to let the esper battles do the same. While fantastic in their own right, they are a part of something bigger.
Mob Psycho II ends in spectacular fashion and succeeds in taking the story to even greater heights. I have not read the manga, but I have nothing but full faith that if we are lucky enough to be graced with a 3rd and likely final season that we'll find ourselves stunned again.
ART: 100%
Studio Bones has taken full advantage of the simple style of ONE to take this anime production to a level we normally we don't get to see in broadcast anime. The characters' simple and straightforward designs allow the animators to be more expressive in other ways, and ironically Mob Psycho 100 is one of the most lively, well-animated and artistically striking anime we've ever seen. From the emotionally dramatic poses, facial expressions and light-hearted comedic moment styled in ONE's unforgettable faces, to the dark and foreboding nightmare sequences painted on glass by Miyo Sato, to the myriad of absolutely wild and untamed fight sequences, Mob has it all. I wish more anime productions were as bold as Mob to not be so rigid in an industry where I believe too much focus can be put into excessive character design detail, which forces animators to make a compromise in how many drawings they can squeeze into a scene. Mob, on the other hand, shows us what can be done when - perhaps unwittingly - an art style is animator-friendly, and consequently treats us to an almost never-ending demo reel of some of the world's best animators going all out for a project they care about. And you can tell just by watching it.
SOUND: 100%
Sound design and music in an anime can elevate or distract you from what is happening on the screen. A lot of creativity went into what an esper fight would sound like, and Mob has nailed it consistently. Every moment feels impactful and matches what is happening in that moment. To top it off, the music is fantastic and catchy - although what sticks out to me the most are the horror-esque caucophony of violins that screech every time something terrible is happening (or about to happen).
CHARACTER: 100%
Mob Psycho's story leans a lot on its characters, as many stories do. This can be good or bad depending on a few things. The first thing is the diversity and relatability of the cast. Do we resonate with the plight of the people in this fictional world? Do we empathize with their struggles, and even share them? I think the answer for most people with Mob is a resounding "yes". While none of us have Mob's powers, Mob is probably the most human of all in the cast. His pure intentions, desire for real friendship, and relentless drive to be a better and stronger person, all through a filter of humility are hard not to root for. He also learns to stick up for himself through the trials of this season, and while it causes temporary pain, he comes out stronger.
Reigen also experiences some valuable development, as he sees Mob growing up, he begins to feel threatened by his independence and lashes out. He soon learns that Mob was the only friend that he had, and has to make a decision that will either make or break him, with risk to his past and his future. Seeing a character that spends most of his life putting on an act come down to earth and look inside himself is a grim reminder that there can be grim consequences for the different faces we put on - that you can only "fake it 'till you make it" until you don't. While Reigen turns a page himself this season, he's still the same in-your-face, quick-witted ball of charisma that you loved from the first season - just a better version of the one he used to be. It seems, for once, Reigen took his own advice, and it was thanks to Mob's friendship and honesty that he was able to see its value.
As far as the supporting cast goes, I could go on and on. There are so many endearing characters, some who appear on-screen for a few moments and others who are far more important, like Ritsu, Mob's incredibly supportive and far more selfless brother. What matters is that there are two types of people in Mob's world - those who Mob has befriended, and those who he still wants to reach a hand out to. Everything in the story revolves around Mob, and the antagonists that are most closely tied to his outbursts of power are the ones who not only actively refuse his friendship, but seek to destroy everyone and everything he loves. It's at those moments we see Mob at his most terrifying and powerful, but want him to return to his humanity. And that's why Mob Psycho 100 is such a successfully character driven series.
ENJOYMENT: 100%
Season 2 is an emotional roller coaster. It's still full of light-hearted fun, and you will laugh. But it really plays with your heart on some extremely dark cliffhangers, life-threatening situations and a couple of "wait, did he just-" moments. At times, the antagonists can feel a little too shounen-esque in their monologues and diatribes about their power and just how great they are - but often get subverted by our heroes who are rolling their eyes as much as we are. It's proof that ONE is self aware of what he was writing and keeping Mob in a distinct place between an action series and a story about a boy who just wants to live a normal life.
There are very few anime out there that I can say have the perfect mix of all the ingredients Mob has successfully thrown into the mix. This is one in a hundred, maybe even more rare. Every second of the series has been satisfying to watch, and also leaves me wanting more. It will be sad to see the day when there is no more left of the story of Mob Psycho to tell, but I also genuinely look forward to whatever ONE writes next - and I hope Bones picks it up, too.
OVERALL: ???%
Mob Psycho 100 is something truly special. There is no one I wouldn't recommend it to. I believe its largest barrier of entry is probably the art style - which I can see a lot of people shrugging off at first glance. To that I would say, if you ever needed proof that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover - or in this case an anime by a single frame - point them to Mob Psycho 100. I feel bad for anyone who skips out on this or couldn't enjoy it. We may very well never see an anime like this again. I hope that we do - but in the meantime, I tip my hat to ONE and everyone at Bones for pouring more than 100% of their passion into making Mob everything it could be and more.