When talking about anime, people tend to forget that it refers to everything that has to do with animation, be it stop motion, claymation, full 3D, and so forth. They forget that using the traditional 2D style; allows the medium to experiment with different visual types.
When Mob Psycho 100 landed on our screens in 2016, viewers were not too sure about that one, with the opening giving the tone for what was to come visually. The title quickly became a fan-favorite, and until today, the fans are still wondering about the possibility of Season 3.
What happened so far in Mob Psycho 100
Shigeo Kageyama, who is fourteen years old, is better known by his nickname Mob, given to him due to his lack of presence and non-existence in a crowd. Shigeo is a shy, socially awkward, and soft-spoken introvert who would like nothing more than being famous and surrounded by friends. Shigeo is an overpowered Esper with psychic abilities linked to his emotions. Traumatized by a past event, the teenager decides to suppress his feelings most of the time to ensure that his power cannot hurt people. All he wants is to be an average middle schooler and to hell with his psychic abilities.
However, Mob acknowledges that he should still learn how to manage his power and starts working for con-man Reigen Arakata, an individual claiming to be an Esper. While exorcising spirits and ghosts for Reigen (and his pockets) under the pretense of being trained, the Mob tries to navigate the tortuous path of normalcy even if life does not agree with his choices. From other Espers to religious cults and evil organizations, Mob is kept busy, and slowly but surely, the young man keeps getting closer and closer to his 100% of emotional turmoil.
What is going on with Bones?
Mob Psycho 100 has two seasons: Season 1 premiered on July 12, 2016, and ended on September 27, 2016, after 12 episodes, and Season 2 was aired from January 7, 2019, to April 1, 2019, with 13 episodes. The anime is directed by Yuzuru Tachikawa, written by Hiroshi Seko, and the OST is composed by the one and only Kenji Kawai.
Looking at the story, you might think that it is nothing new. And you would be right. Yet, as they say in French, “it is in the oldest pots that we cook the most delicious dishes”; inferring that using basic premises does not mean you cannot reach new roads. With the proper characterization, plot twists, world-building, and visual identity, one can work miracles. That is precisely what Mob Psycho 100 brings to the table. If it is a shounen with top-notch action, the story is mainly character-driven, using the cast’s ambitions and personalities as catalysts to create believable conflicts. This not only demonstrates good writing but also allows the pace to feel organic. There is no need to manufacture suspense and conflict when those can naturally happen in a way that would prompt the viewers to say, “ah, it was bound to happen.” The show constantly maintains the balance between comedy, action, and slice of life. Jokes are not random, and when used, they bring more or align themselves with the moment. It is not a matter of just being funny for the heck of it, but rather to think in terms of, does that comedy bit has a reason to exist right now, or will it kill what we built. Thanks to the slice of life side of the show, each episode usually has its own little story with the red thread in the background. Under the microscope, you could say that Season 1 introduces the characters and builds relationships and personalities while slowly creating the foundations for the next season; Season 2 is a titan, smashing everything in its way with his action sequences and deep-diving into enemy territory and more significant stakes. At the same time, staying focused on Mob’s growth because before being an exciting shounen, Mob Psycho 100 is first and foremost Shigeo’s coming-of-age story.
The cast of characters is colorful and full of lovable weirdos, making it easier to insert comedic bits here and there without disturbing the pace and the tone. Shigeo’s main character is easy to relate to on a sentimental level: in him, we find the uneasiness we all felt as teenagers (and even adults) when trying to fit in. Mob’s philosophy is harsh: psychic powers are useless when trying to live everyday life. Making friends, being loved and appreciated, and bettering yourself as a human being can only be achieved through one’s effort and determination to change. The mob is intrinsically naive, kind, and gentle, and coupled with its phantom presence and social awkwardness, his goals look like fantasies that should stay in the dream world. But he does not lack initiative and is always willing to push through and try. The audience cheers for him when he makes new friends and allies, wishing that he could overcome his lack of self-esteem and understand that he is already a swell guy. Yet his nature created a dichotomy: how are you supposed to get better if you continuously keep your emotions bottled away? It is not in human nature to endure such, and for Mob, the emotional explosion is literal as much as it is figurative. After defeating Teruki as he thinks that he has not changed at all, his tears are difficult to look at because Mob does not deserve such unrequited sadness. This passage also shows how his emotions dictate how his powers will manifest: 100% sadness rebuild the destroyed school, whereas 100% anger is a cataclysmic occurrence you might want to avoid in this life and the next one. The mob is his biggest enemy, and seeing him learning about himself is a touching adventure.
The rest of the cast is as interesting since ONE shows most of his characters enough drive to create an emotional weight. Starting with Mob’s master, Reigen: you must think that he is detestable because he is taking advantage of Mob and is a charlatan. Try again. Reigen is easily one of the best characters in Mob Psycho 100. His personality is magnetic, and the man sweats charisma and confidence. He genuinely cares for Mob and will, surprisingly, be the source of many valuable life lessons for Mob and the bad guys. His outspokenness and silver tongue show that the man is wiser than meets the eye. Even if he has no psychic abilities, Reigen is an absolute master for Mob as he teaches him something more important than his powers: Mob learns how to define himself as an individual. We find other carefully crafted characters in the cast. The megalomaniac Teruki is convinced that he is God’s gift to the world. Because of his powers, he is not afraid to use against people, hiding his fear to be seen as average. Ritsu, Mob’s younger brother, who is jealous of his brother’s power and considers psychic abilities as a standard way to measure someone’s worth; Sho, whose young age does not deter him from displaying a ruthless behavior, manipulating nature and overconfidence, all to crush his father, and so on. The more supporting characters like Mezato get their time to shine.
The animation is way above average during action sequences: chaos never made so much sense. The rhythm is fast, impactful, restless. Angles take a dramatic turn, and the background explodes left and right and is reduced to smithereens and big chunks of concrete that will be used as projectiles or footing. A lot is happening on the screen, but Bones came to flex its muscles: everything makes sense, and it is still easy to follow and understand—composition at its finest. Otherwise, the animation is pretty basic during standard sequences, taking a notch for comedy parts.
At the moment, Bones is working on the next Eureka Seven movie (November 2021), an OVA for Netflix titled Super Crooks (November 2021), and the second cour of The Case Study of Vanitas (January 2022).
What do we know about Mob Psycho 100 Season 3 so far?
The countdown on both Japanese and English official Twitter accounts for the anime finally reached zero and the community woke up to good news! Studio Bones announced the third season and even shared the composition of the cast. The only major change is that the director will be Takahiro Hasui. The previous director, Yuzuru Tachikawa, is now the executive director. The seiyuu are all reprising their roles.
What are fans saying about Mob Psycho 100 Season 3?
Season 2 ended recently (in anime years) in 2019, and the average time before renewal is usually around three years. However, Mob Psycho 100 is a popular franchise with sustained popularity and a big fandom. Logic would dictate that a new season would have been announced by now. The series has a busy subreddit, a Discord server and is heavily featured in posts on Twitter. Another fun fact is that both official accounts for the anime in English and Japanese are still active, a rare occurrence for an anime that has ended two years ago with no official renewal. Both accounts also have a countdown going on, presented in a Mob Psycho fashion with percentages. Fans are waiting with bated breath, hoping that reaching 100% would mean running Season 3. It could be a cruel escapade, and after getting 100%, they would perhaps post a new season. For now, Fans do not seem preoccupied with the idea of a third season. Mob Psycho 100 scored way above average on MAL, AniList, IMDB, and Crunchyroll.
After the good news concerning season 3, no doubt conversations will take a whole new direction in the months to come.
Will there be Mob Psycho 100 Season 3?
TIllustratedand was written by the enigmatic ONE; the manga started on April 18, 2012, and ended on December 22, 2017, after 16 volumes. A one-shot focused on Reigen and titled, well, Reigen was released in February 2019. Two OVAs were released in 2018 and 2019. The manga and the anime have both received critical acclaim. A 12-episode television drama (live-action adaptation) was aired from January to April 2018, but that medium only encountered negative reviews.
Funimation released the two seasons in two different box sets with Blu-ray and DVD in 2017 and 2020. Mob Psycho often appeared at the top 20 of the weekly ranking for Blu-ray sales (animation). In Japan, The franchise is significant and has merchandise for the fans. The selection is not huge, but it is pretty big with diversity (pens, mugs, mats, keychains, neck-straps, and so forth).
The Mobmania is well illustrated through Google Trends’ map, and the graph shows a constant activity surrounding the search queries over the last 12 months. In addition, the values reached stay above average.
When will Mob Psycho 100 Season 3 be released?
Season 3 has been announced, but not with a specific date. It will obviously be for 2022, that much we know. Fans will be wise to always keep an eye on Twitter as the official Mob Psycho III accounts are going to be pretty busy.
What can we expect in Season 3 of Mob Psycho 100?
Season 3 will continue exploring Mob’s ability to grow but provide a defining point in the series. Until now, in the anime, this entity appeared only to wreak havoc without giving many hints as to who or what they are precisely for Mob.
This should also be the last season for Mob as there are only between 40 to 50 chapters to adapt from the manga.
