How Vinland Saga helped me appreciate Mob Psycho's 2nd season

Mob Psycho 100 cast


The first time I watched Mob Psycho (in 2023), I liked it but didn't love it. I wanted to love it the way everyone else did, but I had a major problem: I couldn't relate to Mob. I could not understand why he wouldn't use his powers, even when he was in danger, even when others were in danger. Well, he would use them, but not to actively harm another human being.

It was maddening to me. Sometimes violence IS the answer, I reasoned. It was frustrating to see him refuse to solve problems in a way that felt so obvious.

Then I watched Vinland Saga's 2 seasons. My current rewatch of Mob makes a lot more sense.

There's more than one way to be strong, as Thorfinn taught us. In fact, it's not always about winning. Certainly not with brute strength or intimidation. He truly opened my eyes to what pacifism can look like, especially in a world where fighting was not only common, it was expected.

Mob's 2nd season is a perfect encapsulation of what the show is about: expressing your emotions, taking personal accountability, and embracing that just because you have psychic powers doesn't mean your life always works out perfectly. 

The main antagonist of this season, Suzuki, is such an interesting contrast to Mob (while also being an unintentionally humorous mirror to Reigen, who has no psychic powers but uses his powers of manipulation to take advantage of others the way Suzuki does).

Mob doesn't just want to take Suzuki down, stop the damage to the city, and protect the citizens--he also offers to be Suzuki's friend, tries to reason with him, wants to try to get him to understand. In the end, he attempts to contain Suzuki and himself in a protective barrier with the impending explosion. He's willing to die here because he doesn't want Suzuki to suffer alone.

The profound beauty of this really touched me the second time around. 

It might be more efficient, easier, or straight up better to eliminate harmful people, especially those who are actively destroying. But I don't think the point of this last episode, or the whole season, is to find the best path to accomplishing something--it's to challenge us to think about what the best path could even look like.

I love how Mob sticks to his principles and values, something that is not exactly seen in his brother, Ritsu, in season 1--he can't wait to use his powers to beat people up for the greater good. I can't say that I always agree pacifism is the "right answer", but it's never the wrong answer. I'm coming around a lot more on this topic. 

Thanks, anime! 

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