Mob Psycho 100 III ⬢ A Stunning And Fantastic Send-Off

Original Run: October 6, 2022 - Decembrer 22, 2022
Number of Episodes: 12
Genre: Action, Comedy, Supernatural
Based on the Series Created By: One

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Mob Psycho 100. Reader discretion is advised.***

Series Synopsis

Following the epic battle for the fate of the world, Shigeo “Mob” Kageyama (voiced by Setsuo Itou) tries to return to his mundane life. However, given the stressors every middle schooler faces, there are plenty of opportunities for Mob to worry.

Among his biggest concerns, Mob wonders what he wants to do with his life. Aside from his psychic powers – which are proving burdensome – there isn’t anything calling to him. But as Mob considers his future, the consequences of his past encounters slowly begin to creep in.

Soon, Mob will need to come face to face with reality. Should he be unable to gain control of his emotions, Mob is nothing more than a ticking time bomb. His great powers draw in those seeking to exploit them. And if his last fight taught him anything, there are those who can take advantage o his weakness.

Series Positives

The Mob Psycho 100 series has reached a critical point. This third season accomplished something spectacular and rarely seen in anime – it brought its series’ story to a close.

Should this truly be the final season, it would be the cap-off to a well-travel journey. At any rate, if there is a Mob Psycho 100 IV, it will have to face the question that has killed many other returns:

Is a continuation necessary?

From everything done in Mob Psycho 100 III, that answer is likely a resounding “no.” And for all the right reasons.

Like its two predecessors, this third installment was exceedingly entertaining when there was a fight. That is outstanding, seeing how this series has had to one-up itself every time. And when season one already went balls-to-the-wall insane, the heights Mob Psycho 100 III needed to reach were daunting.

To add to its win, this season managed to reach those heights not once but twice: First during the Divine Tree storyline and second during the climatic, final arc. Therefore, it is no real surprise that these two instances – which took up the majority of the season – achieved success in the excitement department.

And even if we discount that point, Mob Psycho 100 III went far beyond the thrills-for-the-sake-of-thrills strategy. No, this season put a ton of effort into ensuring that these huge fights:

1. Actually challenged Mob
2. Had outcomes worth caring about

To avoid spoilers, we go into too many details about each of these story arcs. Still, both brought Mob closer to coming to terms with his powers and their place in his life. They also rounded off the character development of two key characters: Arataka Reigen and Dimple (voiced respectively by Takahiro Sakurai and Akio Ootsuka).

With that said, perhaps we can have a touch of nerdom slip through. Reigen’s sprint in episode twelve demonstrated how amazing the Mob Psycho 100 series has been these past eight years (2016 to 2022).

Up to this point, season three had been slowing down – more on that later. The show was running into the problem of Mob being so overpowered that no one could serve as an equal. While Mob was trying to get control of the situation, Reigen was making a mad dash to reach his “pupil.” The choice of song in this scene was phenomenal; it was a perfect send-off to the franchise and a clear indication that this will be the final installment.

On top of that, everything that has shaped this series was here: the animation, the action, the insanity. For one last glorious moment, Mob Psycho 100 illustrated why it has been such a brilliant ride.

Series Negatives

There was a stretch of episodes between the Divine Tree Arc and the climax that felt like filler.

Despite popular opinion, filler episodes aren’t the worst thing in the world; they can add a lot of character to a show. Of course, that argument holds strongest when said show is a couple dozen episodes long. To have filler in a twelve-episode season grinds everything to a halt.

Now, if you are a fan of Mob’s Telepathy Club, then you might find this mini-narrative enjoyable. Even still, it outlasts its welcome and brings in an element to the series that came off as out of place. And to consider what is “out of place” in the insanity of Mob Psycho 100 is saying a lot.

The real detriment of this story arc is that it takes some time for the show to pick up speed again. Although the series does lead to the far more excellent climax, the slowdown is an unforce hurdle.

Final Thoughts

Only time will tell if this is the last we see of this series. Again, this season gave every indication that the story had come to an end. Not only that, this third installment, like the other two, was a resounding win.

With the same fantastic animation we have come to expect, along with the excellent music, action, and comedy, this season left nothing to be desired.

Mob Psycho 100 III earns this franchise’s third recommendation.