GeGeGe no Kitaro 44
Perhaps an episode that skirts some of the darker territory of other episodes this season, but on the whole it's a bit lighter fair. It's interesting that they chose a male idol for a glance at parts of that industry, from the fake identity some participants have to adopt and how that must mess with their sense of self after a while, and some of the seedier sides of fame and what it makes people capable of doing to others. There's an undeniable sense that this episode was at least spurred in part by
the assault on Maho Yamaguchi and resulting indictment of the industry's response to the incident. While it may not address those specific topics directly, there's an tenable sense that the writers wanted to paint a much bleaker picture of the industry than you normally see in shows like this, with particular attention paid to the subjects of artificial personas crafted for fan appeal and the predatory nature of some inside the business. While not as heavy as some recent episodes in the end because those themes aren't the foci of the episode itself, it's still kind of shocking to see a rebuttal of some aspects of the idol/entertainment industry aimed at such a young audience. But considering they most likely are tuned into social media from a very young age, it seems relatively fitting to be upfront about the ugliness behind the glamour.
Mysteria Friends 5
Lol, seeing Anne be too OP is rather fun, if nothing else! A decent short, though a bit lacking on the action front given the premise of the episode, though the series has never actually proven itself in that regard more than the occasional spell firing off. I'm kind of surprised at how Grea fights; I thought they'd take more advantage of her being able to fly to circle around her enemies a bit more even if her being melee focused isn't too much of a shock. It's a shame we didn't get to see Anne and Grea really fight together here, but hopefully we might get that at some point before the end of the show. At least everyone acknowledging Anne's magic as problematic in this scenario was amusing, given that seems in line both with that we've seen in the show and what I know of her in the games she's in. I do wish the series' visual flair would return to the level of the first couple of episodes, but I think I should abandon hope of that after three sub-par episodes in a row.
Mob Psycho 100 II 7
An excellent conclusion to the last episode, and a really fantastic look at Reigen and why he's so compelling. Reigen has always been the most interesting part of
Mob; hell, I'd go as far to say that from what I've seen he's probably the most well realized character I've seen from ONE. Writing Reigen as a con man with no redeeming qualities would have been very easy: his business and demeanor paint him as this exploitative shark who can and will convince anyone to part with what they have for a problem they may not have nor could he solve if they did. And while that's true, there's always been this undeniable kind streak that runs through Reigen that seems counter to much of the rest of his character, though how much it shines through varies from time to time.
It's interesting watching Reigen being broken in a way that he can't necessarily talk his way out of. We've been used to seeing him act his way out of what feels like overwhelming situations before, but when he's backed against a wall with no where to go, it's fascinating watching him slowly come to terms with how screwed he really is. The small hints toward his troubled relationship with his parents or having no social network to reach out to really sells how isolating it can be for someone who makes a living out of selling assurances and little else. And when everything is on the line, being reminded that the only reason he is where is now is because of Mob coming into his life and how casually he had used him until Mob stopped being in his life... really says a lot more about Reigen than you would expect. Him reaching out to say he was sorry in the middle of the press conference, with little expectation of any response, does highlight that underneath all the awful things Reigen is capable of, Mob's characterization of him at the end of the episode is actually correct.
Some really excellent additions as per Jarmel's post that I wouldn't have noticed since I'm not familiar with the manga, but they really did make a noticeable difference in the quality of the episode overall. It's funny to see Mob get to a place and tone that feels like something out of
Sangatsu no Lion at times, but it's another example of just how much an adaptation can elevate already good material with a change in perspective.