REVIEW: ‘Mob Psycho 100 III,’ Episode 5 – “Divine Tree 2 ~Peace~”

Mob Psycho 100 III Episode 5 has pushed the Psycho Helmet Cult arc to a tumultuous peak with Dimple, the neglected character for several seasons, now the season’s epicenter. 

The episode starts with the inevitable confrontation between Mob and the Psycho Helmet cult leader in the Divine broccoli, where the entirety of the episode takes place. Shortly after entering, Mob encounters the leader, who he surprisingly already realized is Dimple. While this revelation last week was a bit disappointing, as all clues clearly led to him being the mastermind, it is surprising that Mob reached the same conclusion almost instantly and proves he is more capable and aware of people and his surroundings than one would think. 

Mob’s demeanor becomes ever so serious after discovering that Hanezawa, who fought well in the last episode, has been captured and brainwashed along with the rest of the town. After freeing him, Dimple and Mob finally go toe-to-toe in one of the series’ most extended, well-produced, and exposition-filled fight scenes.

Speaking of exposition, the episode expands on last week’s point of whether or not leadership tactics like brainwashing and other unethical control schemes matter if it yields a harmonious world. That’s Dimple’s argument to Mob and the reason he can justify his actions. Of course, no matter how much you defend the notion and how much sense it may seem to make, it still doesn’t change the fact that it’s still brainwashing and that harmony is artificial, and Mob makes this very clear to him throughout the episode. It’s also harder to believe this ideology when it’s made clear that his long-time plan has been to become a supreme god, and every action he’s taken so far has been steps needed to achieve this goal.

This brings me to Dimple as a character. While we usually know him as a side character in the series, which takes a backseat position and occasionally advises Mob in some of his spiritual dealings, it’s easy to forget he was a villain at some point. His goal was always to become a supreme being due to low self-esteem or greed. The fact that he’s been observing, meticulously plotting an almost foolproof plan, and waiting for the perfect opportunity to make his move not only counts as a testament to the character’s depth but also the series’ excellent writing. I find the anime’s ability to transform one seemingly inconsequential result of one arc into a catalyst for another character arc simply impressive.

As for Mob, the episode highlights how much the stakes have risen by showcasing his rare angered state, making him an unstoppable force against Dimple’s overwhelming new power. This power is portrayed excellently in this episode via its fantastic direction, intricate movements, cinematic slowdowns, weighty impact frames, and great use of music. And despite the heavy theme of the episode, the staff also included some tremendous comedic shots, which are always lovely.

Overall, Mob Psycho 100 III Episode 5 was another excellent one, and I look forward to seeing how this arc wraps up, which may not be soon as we’re still barely at the halfway point. 

Mob Psycho 100 III Episode 5 Is streaming now on Crunchyroll.