March 3, 2025
A Lovably Awkward Hero
Mob Psycho 100
Mob Psycho 100 follows Shigeo “Mob” Kageyama, an eighth-grader with powerful psychic abilities. The nickname “Mob” (モブ), or “Mobu” in Japanese, comes from Shigeo’s unremarkable appearance and personality, comparing him to a background character that’s easily overlooked. Mob is very socially awkward, missing common cues and letting other people determine his decisions.
Mob works for Arataka Reigen, a self-proclaimed psychic. Arataka is brimming with charisma, acting as a mentor for Mob. He runs the business “Spirits and Such,” where he offers exorcism services and solves paranormal problems for clients. He does this without having any psychic abilities of his own, relying on his silver tongue to talk his way out of various situations, and Mob to deal with real spirits.
Mob’s powers are tied to his emotional state, becoming more powerful as his feelings get stronger. Due to this, he tries hard to keep his emotions in check. While this is a very important aspect of the show, it’s not to Mob. He’s aware of his capabilities, but chooses not to use them in a meaningful way in his daily life. He asserts that being gifted doesn’t make him better than anyone else and turns to self-improvement instead of relying on his inherent psychic ability. Mob joins the Body Improvement Club, where he finds a group of friends who encourage him to improve himself and care for him without factoring in his powers. This improvement, or change, is something Mob chases for the duration of the series.
Just as Mob undergoes massive changes in his attempt to better himself, so does every main character in the series. Mob serves as the catalyst of change for his enemies, who ultimately take the initiative and better themselves as well. He fails multiple times, falling back on his psychic powers when things get dire, but it doesn’t deter him. At the end of the series, Mob must face his most fearsome enemy: himself. Mob loses control as he internally confronts the part of himself he hates the most: his powers. These psychic powers run rampant, and those he’s helped throughout his journey come back to help him.
At the end of this story, one thing becomes clear: the first step to change is acceptance. This emotional rollercoaster leads up to that moment for Mob. Upon accepting himself as who he is and also accepting his powers, he snaps back to reality. He’s finally able to accept both parts of himself and becomes better for it. Mob Psycho 100 is an important, meaningful story with a message that you should bring into your everyday life: accept yourself.
“Just between you and me… I absolutely despise the other side I’m hiding… But it’s because of my lies that you came into my life. And you’re who you are today because of your powers, aren’t you? Er … What I’m trying to say here is… You’re fine… just the way you are.” —Arataka Reigen