Yokai Hunter Amakusa Haruaki Appears!
~ The Threat of a Hundred Demons!!~
In Mob Psycho 100 Episode 002 – the Yokai Hunter Amakusa Haruaki Appears! the Salt Middle School is preparing for a cultural fair. Mob, Inukawa, Niido, and Sagure are left to create the costumes for everyone in their class. Inukawa, Niido, and Sagure want to take the lazy way out and “just put white sheets” over everyone. Mob for his part wants to take the job more series but when put on the spot he freezes and begins to ramble. Ritsu is concerned that the event is too much and can cause too much noise.
Elsewhere, Reigen is concerned about promoting the Spirits and Such Consultation Office. Katsuya Serizawa wants to go to night school. Reigen is supportive. Suddenly, Amakusa Haruaki bursts in and loudly proclaims that he’s here to “hunt those that writhe in the night”. Reigen doesn’t understand him and asks him to wait outside because he has a meeting with a client. Haruaki is questioned by police while Reigen deals with the clients.
He returns much to Reigen’s disappointment. Haruaki is super serious which makes him hard to take seriously. His use of hyperbolic language like “vortex of madness,” doesn’t help things. Reigen snaps. He calls Haruaki annoying and a “dumbass,” who needs to get to the point or get out. Haruaki gets to the point. He’s come to Seasoning City to find Yokai. Haruaki is specifically searching for an evil demon horde that hopes to collect enough energy to resurrect the Great Yokai King. Still, Reigen refuses to help until Haruaki offers him money.
Mob and Serizawa battle the Yokai horde
Mob appears and he joins Haruaki, Reigen, and Serizawa on the hunt for the Yokai. However, he’s preoccupied with the costumes he’s responsible for. As Mob’s explosion progress towards 31% they investigate an abandoned building. At this point Reigen is still uncertain if Haruaki is serious or just delusional. Reigen notices the walls are “slimy,” and the entrance closes behind them. Whatever it is something has tapped them.
When they venture further in the building their finally attacked by a “Yokai”. Haruaki spring to action, unsheathing his Holy Blade Kusanahi-no-Dai-Hannya-Kagemitsu that costed him 7 million yen. It breaks when he strikes the Yokai. Serizawa cuts it in half with a set of business cards he turns into a sword. The rest of the Yokai begin to attack.
The four generals of the Hundred Demons and the Great Yokai King appear. Mob and Serizawa battle the Yokai without much difficulty. Mob who hadn’t stopped thinking about the haunted house gets inspiration from the encounter. Together with his classmates they construct costumes based on the Yokai. The haunted house wasn’t a hit but it wasn’t a disaster either.
This episode continues to show Mob progressing as a young man. He was overwhelmed by the expectation and responsibility he had regarding the haunted house. Not only did he encourage his classmates to do more he succeeded in his goal, as Reigen notes he “solved the problem on his own.” This may seem small but the fact that the students weren’t that impressed with his efforts was realistic. What really mattered was Mob’s sense of accomplishment.
What are your thoughts on this episode? Did you think Mob progressed? What did you think of Yokai Hunter Amakusa Haruaki? I thought he was lying or delusional at first but the Yokai were real. Were you surprised? Do you think he’ll return? Like and comment.
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