What makes a good protagonist?
Good, not in its meaning of being well-written but as a matter of
virtue and morality. A protagonist whose ideals and values are kind and honorable
in their actions. Mob Psycho 100 is a story elevated by its means of showing
kindness perpetuated by Mob, a child born with tremendous psychic abilities but
whose warm-hearted nature defines his character. As storytelling has developed
overtime, writers have explored the intricacies of developing heroes and
protagonists outside of righteously good personas through the inclusions of
anti-heroes, pragmatic heroes, and situated characters within a morally
grey void. Protagonists who don't waver from their kind persona have become far
fewer. Protagonists who don't deviate from their ethical morals are deemed
one-dimensional and boring compared to heroes undertaking ambiguous actions,
whose development is regarded as multifaceted and complex. Mob's growth
over the series isn't grand comparable to other shounen stories. Whilst in other
narratives where the hero's powers increase over time, Mob Psycho 100 never
once explores the ideology of growing Mob's powers instead forming and applying
differing interpretation of the overpowered protagonist trope. Mob's
psychic powers aren't there as an exemplar of his progression, as they don't develop
nor advance through a training arc, but rather exist as another element to Mob's
being. Instead the creative focus is on developing his humanity in lieu of powers,
showcasing how Mob's humility as a person can also shift and help the lives of
others. Unlike superhero counterparts, Mob refrains from using powers with the upmost
sincerity, procuring a resolve in dismantling vicious scenarios through the
goodwill of listening and understanding. Being sympathetic and compassionate of
both humans and the paranormal alike, Mob's truest power is enacting change in
others. As said from mentor Reigen Arataka himself,
"The truth behind one's charm is kindness. Be a good person. That is all."
Superpowers waver a thin line of stability and are useless in the hands of
someone callous. Greed and megalomaniac thoughts are prominent within people who
possess great power. To see oneself more worthy than average people. Yet, despite
Mob's powers, the show embodies the importance of fighting with kindness and
compassion, arguably the hardest traits to keep in one's heart, but the most
invaluable and rewarding. Initially starting the series, Mob persistently
contemplates the purpose of his existence, evidentially shown during the nervous
break he endeavors once asked, "What is it that you really want to do?"
It's a question that could throw many people off, but for Mob in particular,
it's a stark reminder towards the fear of a life unfulfilled, thus making his
decision in joining the Body Improvement Club much more endearing. Mob recognizes
the ease of which relying on psychic abilities could hinder his own personal
development. Psychic abilities can only help so much. They can't develop social
skills, make you friends, nor magically improve your physique, and those are
goals Mob wishes to achieve. To become comfortable in himself and build on his
growth without depending on his powers. In many ways, because of his powers, Mob is
a ticking time bomb. His friends and family sometimes fear Mob's instability
when confronted with intense emotions and the aftermath his 100% or unknown
percent state leaves behind. Through observation, Mob's variety of intense
states mimic that of real life. When feeling of rage, animosity, and tenacity
overwhelm him, Mob's actions are impulse. He unconsciously attacks with
negative emotions bursting at the seams, leading to incidents later filled with
regret. But his 100% states charged with gratitude, compassion, and kindness are
the times of which he's most conscious of his actions. Fully aware of the help he's
achieving, Mob takes initiative without the lingering results of remorse or shame,
showing the differing consequences of letting positive or negative emotions
drive your actions. On that note, the execution towards Mob's handling of
emotions could be interpreted as someone on the autistic spectrum: finding
difficultly with social cues, facing ridicule for being outwardly emotionless
despite very much being the opposite, and his 100% explosions an allegory of
autistic meltdowns. There's much evidence to suggest Mob is heavily coded as
autistic. As referenced from the National Autistic Society,
"Meltdowns happen as an intense response to an overwhelming situation, allowing for
temporary loss of control. When a person is completely overwhelmed, and their
condition means it is difficult to express that in another way, it is understandable
that the result is a meltdown."
From the description alone, it's hard to interpret Mob's explosions as anything
but similar to autistic meltdowns, and it makes sense. Mob is often found burrowing
emotions away. He grew up with a connection to humans and non-humans,
directly placing him as an outsider of normality. Having to carry the weight of
his actions and the pressures faced as a result of his powers, it's only natural
Mob would suppress emotions that could uncontrollably escalate under stressful
scenarios. In saying this, despite the negative connotations people unrightfully
push towards autism, in Mob Psycho 100 Mob's outbursts and difficulty in
recognizing nonverbal cues are never once framed negatively or as a hindrance. His
friends and family calm him down when spotting signs of distress not because
they see him as a danger or threat but because they care for his well-being. Mob
is haunted by the damage caused during his childhood, the reminder of Ritsu calling
in pain surrounded by injured bodies, the origin of Mob's resolve to never use
powers on humans. Some mistake this as complete pacifism, but Mob will step in
when justifiable against non-humans, exorcising evil spirits or defending
himself against espers when necessary. And yet, even then, Mob shows a
determination in proving to others violence isn't the answer. Showing power
not through brutality but courage and attempting to inspire kindness in others.
Most of the vigorous battles in the show Mob has settled through nonviolent actions
His impact not conveyed in heroics of saving people like in other shounen
stories, but the connection he's able to form with others to enact change.
Like the creator himself stated,
"I wanted to build on the idea of a protagonist who changes people's lives."
What good is defeating an enemy if their morals are unchanged?
Mob sees a chance of improvement and rehabilitation in anyone and it's because
of this that many in the cast are inspired by Mob. He makes them realize their own
mistakes and wrongdoings through the goodwill of his personality. His younger
brother Ritsu, riddled with newfound powers and rage by his inferiority
complex, was left in tears hearing Mob's confession of admiration for his younger
brother. Mob dismissed his challenge of a fight and even apologized on his behalf
to those he hurt. Ritsu lived his childhood feeling inferior and frustrated
towards Mob and his powers, and yet it's Ritsu's intelligence and charisma of which
he earned without powers, that Mob finds so inspiring. Mob loves Ritsu and was
elated to hear Ritsu earned his powers, knowing just how much he wanted them.
But powers or not, Mob is always proud of his brother, even through the mishaps
he created from being power-hungry. It's this earnesty that confronts Ritsu of his
misdeeds, changes the way he uses his powers, and slowly learns to overcome his
low self-esteem. Mob's confrontation with Serizawa is handled mostly through lack
of confidence, too. Mob instead is willing to listen to his troubles, understanding
his fear of losing control and offering him the kindness he lacked all his life.
Rather than manipulating the vulnerable like Suzuki, Mob consoles Serizawa,
offering an ear to listen rather than a fist to hurt. Even during the rare
occasions Mob's powers directly hurt someone, he's left overcome with feelings
of deep sorrow and regret. For instance, his unknown percent state going berserk
and harming Teru as a result of Mob falling unconscious. Mob felt intense
sadness and devastation when seeing the aftermath of his actions. Even if they
were unwittingly done, he's someone that takes every action he does to heart, and
with that comes the unfortunate times he's faced with the repercussions of his
negative emotions. In a similar manner, Mob feels regret when attacking Suzuki
during the World Domination Arc, telling the hotheaded esper he doesn't want to
hurt him, despite Suzuki making it necessary through his unhinged behavior.
It's through realizing his attempts at talking him down proved pointless that
Mob admits he's not strong enough. And that's something admirable about Mob: he
doesn't consider his lack of strength as a result of his weaker psychic abilities,
but in his attempts to help and change others. He's upset that his words aren't
strong enough to reach out and help Suzuki, which forces his hand to violence
instead. However, after an intense battle between the two, and Mob's sacrifice in
trying to minimize his self-destruct explosion, Suzuki does eventually
take Mob's words to heart. Everyone grows because of their encounters with other
people. People need other people. If not for Mob's kindness, many people's lives
wouldn't have changed for the better. Reigen's reputation would still be
tarnished from the humiliation of his press conference. Emi would continue to be
shamed of her writing work, the ripped pages of creative writing she poured hours
into still blowing in the wind. Minori Asagiri would still be suffering,
possessed by Mogami. And heartwarmingly enough even Setsuo Ito, Mob's voice
actor might not have gained the slightest self confidence boost if not for Mob.
Mob's strength in pushing purpose and motivation in others is what is
constantly supported. Through being kind to others you receive respect in return.
Mob's connection to friends and family is what keeps him grounded, to not wander too
deep into the power of the unknown, but also as a reminder of who he is and what
his morals are. During his time in Mogami's fake alternative reality, Mob
comes away from the experience feeling even more grateful for the people in his
life, understanding the despair and misery he could've endured if not for the
kindness he received too. Mob genuinely believes he was influenced because of the
people around him. A boy who was once secluded and riddled with inner thoughts
now having a massive list of friends who help and support him, even for something
as simple as building stamina. And it's this very reason he deems no one as
worthless nor undeserving of attempted change: because if Mob was able to change,
then anyone can. The premise of this series and Mob's character might not look
unique from the offset, but Mob is a warm-hearted person and amiable at
his core. He's still a young boy who makes mistakes and is flawed; he's terrible at
maths and even worse at sports, not to mention easily exploited and taken
advantage of. Even Reigen pays him pennies for the constant work and requests he asks
of Mob. But as the series progresses, you see a change in all aspects of these
flaws. Not progress in his powers, but Mob as a person and the relationships he
builds. "To be the protagonist of your own life," is a beautiful message. Make
choices your own. Choose a path you think is fitting for you. And if things go wrong
it's still your own story to change and alter the direction of. Mob Psycho 100 is
a favorite show of mine because its protagonist is kind to an unfaltering
degree. He knows everyone suffers differently- people come in all degrees of
fault and issues because the world can be harsh - but decides to be kind anyways. We
watch as a young and impressionable boy concerned about his powers slowly turns
to a boy more assured of himself, how he wants to fit in this world, and the lives
he wants to touch.
As always, thank you for watching. Sorry for the little delay in this video;
I caught Covid during the production, causing a little halt in the process.
But all is relatively good now. I want to thank my Patreons again for being patient
with this video, and I'll see you next time with a manga video.