Summary

Mob Psycho 100 challenges the conventional view of power, emphasizing self-worth over abilities.
Espers in the series face societal isolation and unease due to their powerful psychic abilities.
Mob exemplifies maintaining humanity and ethical responsibilities despite having immense power.

Kageyama “Mob” Shigeo’s journey in the Mob Psycho 100 series is one of self-discovery, responsibility, and acceptance. Unlike various other shows like My Hero Academia, those with power in Mob Psycho 100 are not necessarily revered but face a whole range of different attitudes from the public depending on the specific individual.

While power makes an individual unique, Mob Psycho 100 is all about not allowing one’s power to determine one’s self-worth and the journey therein that is present in self-discovery. Unfortunately, the public doesn’t make that journey any easier, as being an esper could easily lead to a life of isolation.

The Episode That Changed Mob Psycho 100

Mob Psycho 100 was a lot to take in, but the fifth episode of Season 2, in particular, marked a big turning point for the series protagonist.

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By Matthew Magnus Lundeen

The World Of Espers

Understanding Psychic Powers In Mob Psycho 100

The Mob Psycho 100 series introduces various espers of differing personalities, and while some see themselves as individuals with responsibility, others see their ability as a ticket to world dominance. Espers in Mob Psycho 100 are generally of two types: naturally born espers like Mob and those who awaken their ability like Ritsu.

Espers possess psychic abilities, allowing them to perform various actions with their mind. Typically, most espers specialize in basic things like manipulating energy, seeing spirits of various kinds, and moving objects, all with their mind. With intense training, some espers develop their abilities a step further and are able to do things like teleportation and pyrokinesis.

Espers And Society

Integration Or Isolation?

Teary Reigen – Mob Psycho 100 III Episode 12

The psychic abilities of espers are generally considered fascinating; however, the line between finding the unknown fascinating and fearing it can become very blurred very quickly, particularly when esper organizations like Claw seek world dominance with forceful means. As seen with the many job offers Reigen Arataka’s Spirits and Such Consultation Office got, espers are considered useful when it’s time to solve a spiritual crisis. In the absence of a spiritual crisis, they are seen simply as individuals with enough power to do as they please, individuals to whom the rules don’t apply, and that itself leads to unease and isolation.

The general perception of esper abilities ranges from reverence to fear, with it being more tilted towards the fear end. With Claw and its many subgroups serving as the series' primary antagonists, a darker side of society’s fascination with the supernatural is exposed, and oftentimes, this fascination leads to destruction and eventually exploitation.

Espers are powerful, no doubt, and while some use their abilities to oppress the weak, others want to be seen more as integral and useful individuals in society. However, society generally isolates espers and only tries to use them as a means of personal protection and to further their own interests. A prime example is seen in the Awakening Lab developed by Kenji Mitsuura, who sought to become an esper himself.

Challenges Of Being An Esper

Acceptance And Alienation

Anime Heroes Burdened by Power- Mob Mob Psycho 100

What it’s like being an esper is best seen through Mob’s experiences. Outside of being an esper, Mob was an unimpressive individual with severe antisocial tendencies and a complete lack of self-esteem who also continually suppressed his emotions. Despite struggling internally, Mob’s younger brother, Ritsu, envied and resented him for being the only esper in their family, not realizing that at the time, Mob was suffering much more than the average person simply because he had psychic abilities.

For Mob, who only wanted to be accepted by society and have friends, his esper abilities made him either feared or idolized by many, creating a situation in which he felt even more alienated. Unable to relate to those around him, Mob's powers became a barrier to the normal life he desperately wanted, forcing him to suppress both his abilities and emotions in hopes of fitting in.

Mob Psycho 100 Challenges Perceptions Of Power

Balancing Power And Humanity

Despite being all-powerful, Mob has never considered himself special, and this must have particularly stuck when he and Tsubomi stopped talking because she grew bored with his psychic abilities. A central theme in Mob Psycho 100 is that an extraordinary ability doesn’t make you extraordinary, but it certainly gives you responsibilities. While the temptation to misuse power is always there, Mob never once fell for it. He maintained his humanity and treated even those who bullied him with kindness rather than pummeling them to the ground, never allowing his psychic abilities to determine his self-worth.

As individuals with extraordinary abilities, society is generally pervasive to espers, but by showing that espers are just like regular humans with regular problems, many begin to accept espers and help them grow. After all, Mob joined the Body Improvement Club to develop his body rather than simply using his psychokinesis to do the lifting for him. Mob’s growth throughout the series shows how the delicate balance between using one’s abilities while remaining grounded in fulfilling certain ethical responsibilities can help in being accepted by society. The real goal is not to conform to the norm, but to show society that being an esper does not equal being a threat.

Mob Psycho 100 is available to watch on Crunchyroll.

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