Mob Psycho 100 Season 3 Episode 1 review: Horror, hilarity, and heart

Mobs Psycho 100 is back, and better than ever – and after three years of waiting, Season 3 Episode 1 strikes the perfect balance of humor and heart.

Mob Psycho 100 is finally back, after years of anticipation. The action packed and marvellously animated anime series is considered to be one of the greats, and Episode 1 of this new season suggests that the level of quality is going to continue.

The series, which follows a kind-hearted but unconfident middle school boy with apocalyptic level psychic powers, begins this season by going back to its simple roots: Mob helping Reigen out at his Psychic business.

But the episode manages to build up a suitable sense of tension for the rest of the season, all while remaining as funny as it always is. Without further ado, slight spoiler warning for Mob Psycho 100!

Mob Psycho 100 goes back to its hilarious roots

Let’s start at the very beginning, or rather, the opening. One thing Mob Psycho 100 is well known for is it’s incredibly psychedelic opening credits, and while this season’s opening song – titled “1”, and performed by Mob Choir – may not be quite as good as ones before, it’s still an opening that you should never skip.

The new season takes place not long after the events of Season 2, which saw a giant city wide psychic brawl that resulted in a ginormous broccoli emerging in the centre of the town. This first episode however chooses to keep that aspect on the side, opening with a simpler adventure between Mob, Reigen and new psychic hire Serizawa.

The episode follows them as they go from job to job, helping people who feel like their lives have been demonically possessed, though the way that the show links spiritual possession and general bad luck is always entertaining. For example, one client feels like buying a statue has brought him bad luck. Turns out, while the statue is possessed, he was also conned into paying over 10 times the amount for it, showing that he had bad luck to begin with. These comedic turns of events are what helps the show feel fresh amongst other psychic-based shows.

Of course, as is usually the case, Reigen is the best part of the episode. We get to see not one but two of his “special moves” and the way he is still able to convince those around him that he’s also a psychic is a bit that should have gotten old by now, but miraculously hasn’t.

The new season hints at what’s to come

Reigen also remains the heart of the show, as he provides Mob with advice that is once again heartfelt and funny.

The emotional turmoil of the episode, that being Mob not having any idea what to do with his future as he is about to graduate middle school, cleverly ties into what is hinted to be the larger plot of the season: The fear of an uncertain future, and the mistakes that can affect it. We can see this in one of the clients that the main gang deals with, and we also see it in the nervousness of new hire Serizawa, since he switched from an evil organisation to Reigen’s at the end of last season. As always, the series is able to use its characters to their fullest extent when it comes to exploring its own themes.

Not only that, bit the episode’s end also depicts this theme, as it features multiple members of the town looking up at the broccoli in what can only be described as ominous awe, which will no doubt become an issue for Mob and co. down the line.

Ultimately, it may be presumptuous to assume this, but from the first episode it seems like Mob Psycho 100 will be batting three for three, and we can’t wait to see where the new season goes.

Mob Psycho 100 Season 3 Episode 2 will premier on Crunchyroll on October 12.

Want more Mob Psycho Season 3 reviews? Check out our other episodic reviews below

Episode 1 | Episode 2 | Episode 3 | Episode 4 | Episode 5 | Episode 6 | Episode 7 | Episode 8 | Episode 9 | Episode 10 | Episode 11 | Episode 12