I did almost all of this teru piece about 2 years ago, forgot about it, then found it last week and opted to complete it, saving it from its dusty folder
It's strangely comforting how Mob Psycho 100 never gives Mob an award for his powers. Sometimes I feel like stories about powerful characters give them an exaggerated stardom: the whole world knows they're the Strongest Person, but at this point that's everything the narrative will let them be. Everybody acknowledges them as Strong, then the story ends.
Not for Mob. There is no recognition, no numeric classification of power, no awestruck talk about "the guy who can shatter stars", and assuming he should go after that is always a mistaken judgement. Almost none of the 7 billion humans in Earth will know who he is, because he doesn't matter like that. That's ok. Maybe when one hears his name, they won't remember it as the strongest esper of the 21th century, but they keep it in mind as someone who just wants to become better. A quiet, thoughtful guy who often falls during jogs and stops to watch the clouds. A boy who may be powerful, but that is also earnest, hardworking, kind. Their friend Shigeo Kageyama.
Most, if not all of these were learned through writing experience and obsessively checking the animanga. This post was initially an offhand comment about details that I make a point of showing in my fanworks, but I felt like this might be useful to others, so I added more and more info.
Might be updated later, but it's pretty good as it is now:
Personality and Reactions
Lies about everything possible, but especially his emotions. Will not be vulnerable unless he has no other option;
Tends to express care indirectly: buying food, offering advice, giving brief touches. Many of these will be brushed aside as being "the bare minimum" or pragmatic/selfish choices;
Low self-esteem. Sees himself as a mere conman and often downplays the good he does;
However, he still will act haughty and ignore others' feelings at times, even more when they conflict with his own;
Puts himself in unnecessary danger too much;
Knows when to be gentle when dealing with troubled persons, particularly his loved ones;
Besides these cases, he is as delicate as a horse kick and won't think twice before being blunt or even abrasive;
Despite what he thinks, is a very selfless person and will aid others even when it's not really needed.
Mentality and Beliefs
Realistic mindset and goals despite his grandiose work persona. See also: his arguments against the 7th Division;
Has an existentialist streak. Wonders about being "someone" and what this means, besides how to achieve that;
Cheapskate levels vary. Will rent a car to help the kids find some aliens, but not pay his employees enough or let them turn on the fan for too long;
While he gets into problems for being opportunistic, he offers the cheapest psychic services in the region and won't charge clients he feels like he didn't help, nor overcharge when he can;
Will not swindle a client and loathes those who do it;
A very "do what I say, don't do what I do" kind of person;
Against violence most of the time, but isn't afraid of using it either. His biggest fear in this sense is just getting in legal trouble;
Oh, he CARES about being in legal trouble;
Skills and More
Good in many different random things;
People are his speciality: is a master at cold reading and discovers how to solve others' problems very fast;
Is also a master of rhetoric and almost never loses an argument;
Related to this: is great at improvisation (bullshitting);
Vocabulary! He can switch between polar opposite types of speech in order to better convince clients;
More than capable of defending himself when the situation calls for it, thank you.
i think it's so funny (but also genuinely compelling) that serizawa is canonically a gamer and chronically online. he served as a good example of how people go to the internet when lacking community but end up pulled even farther down into isolation. it further parallels mob because even though mob has reigen as his guiding figure, he does also has his mom and dad and brother as support to keep him in reality, while serizawa only had his mom and then later suzuki. i like to think that he also gets more offline as he starts to recover. also, i'm actually really interested in what the terminally online people were like in japan in like 2012 or so, that sounds like it could be interesting, but i don't know enough about the internet to answer.
jbbartram-illu
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