Mob Psycho 100 Season 3 Episode 5 Review: A big battle that feels personal

❘ Updated: 2022-11-02T19:11:23

Crunchyroll

Mob Psycho 100 brings the action in Episode 5, and it’s gearing to be perhaps one of the best battles of the show.

Mob Psycho 100 is back, after years of anticipation. The action-packed and marvellously animated anime series is considered to be one of the greats, as it balances the sweet and the super perfectly.

The series, which follows a kind-hearted but unconfident middle school boy with apocalyptic level psychic powers, has begun to bring said apocalyptic level battles to the forefront, with brilliant animation, as Mob and Dimple go head to head in the Divine Tree.

Not only that, but this episode manages to hint at a potential character arc, adding substance to the style. So without further ado, spoiler warning for Mob Psycho 100!

Mob Psycho is 100 on the action

This episode is mostly action, so let’s address the elephant in the room first. The animation is of course spectacular. The fight plays with angles and speed, different power levels and tactics, and it’s super enjoyable to watch. The environment of a giant broccoli, which could begin to feel dark and monotonous, manages to remain interesting as Dimple used the tree to cover himself in combat.

Though, while the episode has some stressful moments, such as when Mob must momentarily battle Teru, the fight’s main strength isn’t necessarily the action, or the stakes. So far, we’ve seen bigger sights from Mob, and there’s been a greater sense of danger. But this fight has the chance to be truly iconic through how personal it is. Not just because Mob’s friends and family have been brainwashed, but because the being that brainwashed them is also Mob’s friend.

Dimple gets some depth

Dimple has always been a interesting character in terms of his alliances. After his first defeat by Mob in Season 1, he’d been fighting on Mob’s side, albeit for his own personal reasons. There was always going to be a moment that Dimple switched sides yet again, however Mob Psycho 100 is thankfully showing the impacts of said switch. And not just Mob’s feelings of betrayal, but it seems like Dimple may be having second thoughts too.

This makes Mob’s battle with him interesting. After seeing Dimple get comedically defeated earlier, this fight was never going to feel super dangerous – Mob even slaps Dimple in this fight, and gets mad when Dimple insults his monkey shirt. But you can feel the internal conflict on both parties, and it sets up a truly cathartic moment for Dimple in the future.

Furthermore, there’s more development for potential love interest Tsubomi, which is always great to see, as she has been somewhat left to the wayside in previous seasons.

The only negative of this episode in terms of character development is actually Mob himself. The season appeared to be setting him up for an arc of getting big-headed, but this episode seems to have thrown that to the wayside, and not in any meaningful way.

But hey, perhaps this arc isn’t over. We’ve still got plenty of time for Mob in future episodes. And it seems like Mob will have a lot to do next episode, as he has finally reached 100%. Get ready!

Mob Psycho 100 Season 3 Episode 6 will premier on Crunchyroll on November 9.

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