Mob Psycho 100 Director Reflects On The Ending Four Years Later

Four years have passed since Mob Psycho 100 concluded, yet the series remains a touchstone in contemporary anime. Its lasting impact is rooted in themes of camaraderie, unwavering innocence, and an unshakeable belief in the best within each person.

At Anime Expo 2026, Kotaku secured an exclusive sit‑down with Mob Psycho 100’s visionary director Yuzuru Tachikawa, alongside voice actors Setsuo Ito and Takahiro Sakurai. The interview delved into the series’ finale and the creative process behind breathing life into its iconic characters.

Mob Psycho 100 adapts its eponymous manga, charting the journey of Shigeo Kageyama—affectionately known as Mob—an ordinary middle‑schooler with extraordinary psychic powers. When his emotions flare, his abilities surge, often causing widespread destruction. In pursuit of mastery, Mob partners with Arataka Reigen, a charismatic con‑artist masquerading as a seasoned psychic, and together they confront a host of supernatural threats.

Reigen’s duplicitous nature—exploiting the vulnerable and spinning tall tales—does not erode his popularity. Many fans regard him as one of the series’ most endearing paternal figures. Voice actor Takahiro Sakurai found balancing Reigen’s two sides straightforward, capturing both the conman’s charm and his underlying care.

Sakurai explained, “On the surface, Reigen is a fraud who takes money from kids and others. Yet he’s simply someone trying to make a living. He often finds himself in dilemmas, but he also steps in to help. That duality makes him hard to hate, and his awkwardness reminds us he’s human.”

Sakurai elaborates that his character earns redemption by caring for Mob. Oddly, the dynamics balance out, resulting in a net benefit whenever Reigen appears.

Mob’s supernatural powers drive the narrative arc of the series. Throughout the journey, viewers discover that beneath his formidable prowess lies a middle‑schooler yearning for ordinary childhood. In a comparable vein, Ito concealed much of his emotions while recording his dialogue in the studio.

Reflecting on the process, Ito recalls that he consciously restrained his emotions from surfacing. He aimed to keep feelings from overwhelming his daily routine, acknowledging that this didn’t erase them but required vigilance.

Concluding a series with a massive fanbase like Mob Psycho 100 is always fraught with tension. Yet, time has allowed the audience to digest the finale, and the consensus points to widespread satisfaction with the ending. Remarkably, the production team shares this sentiment, aligning closely with viewer reactions.

When the series wrapped up, Ito reflected on how the show managed to protect its protagonist, Mob, right up to the very final moments, allowing him to return to an ordinary middle‑school routine. “The ending felt like a natural continuation of his everyday life,” he said, praising the resolution for its subtlety and realism.

Tachikawa echoed that sentiment, noting that Mob’s journey was defined more by incremental growth than by dramatic leaps. “He chose to evolve through small, meaningful adjustments rather than sudden, sweeping changes,” he observed, highlighting how those modest steps ultimately shaped his character.

Sakurai expressed satisfaction with how Reigen’s concluding arc unfolded, feeling that the climax felt “saved by Mob” in a way that resonated deeply with him. He admitted it was hard to envision a different conclusion for his character that would have satisfied him as this one did.

Mob Psycho 100 stands out for blending suspenseful battles with moments of humor, especially through Reigen’s antics. With just three seasons and a total of 37 episodes, the series offers a complete, engaging experience that can be finished in a relatively short time.