ONE, the creator of the two smash-hit series Mob Psycho 100, says that despite their surface-level similarities, the two series and their protagonists, Saitama and Mob, are actually opposites, sitting at two extremes of the emotional spectrum.

One-Punch Man, created by ONE, is a series about Saitama, the most powerful man on Earth who now finds everything incredibly boring as a result of his strength. Mob Psycho 100 follows young Shigeo "Mob" Kageyama, an unbelievably powerful psychic who wants to live a normal life more than anything else. Since both protagonists wield incredible amounts of power that put others in their setting to shame, it's easy to see why fans often compare the two series. ONE himself, however, apparently sees them as opposites, according to an interview with the English Weekly Shonen Jump.

One-Punch Man's Saitama and Mob Psycho 100's Mob Represent Opposite Extremes

One-Punch Man's Saitama with his simple face against a red background.

In the interview, ONE says: "In contrast to One-Punch Man, the main guy in Mob Psycho 100 is emotionally weak and delicate. So the side characters act as a for him. The series are kind of opposite, but they are both extremes, making them easier to create." It's an interesting perspective, given the aforementioned fan tendency to compare Mob and Saitama, but it holds up. Saitama often has a worldly sort of wisdom, with his simple reasons for doing what he does. Mob, on the other hand, is indeed fragile, and the very title of the series references what happens when that fragile shell breaks and his true power is unleashed.

One-Punch Man focuses almost exclusively on Saitama's heroics, with little interpersonal drama involving him. The dramatic moments are usually reserved to the great cast of 'side' characters, with Saitama's lack of strong emotions being a constant theme in the story. Mob Psycho 100, on the other hand, focuses heavily on Mob's relationships with other characters, and these relationships are often at the root of battles or confrontations that occur. With that in mind, it's easy to see how ONE approached them differently, particularly in the final arcs of Mob Psycho 100. Both series do share a tendency towards introspection and comedy, and the basic premise of an ordinary guy wielding absurd power, but otherwise are very different.

Collage of characters from Mob Psycho with Mob standing in front and using his powers next to Dimple.

ONE's view of his two most successful series as opposite extremes is certainly an interesting one for fans, who often look more at what they have in common over how they differ. It also explains what ONE gets out of writing both series. Since he sees the two main characters as opposite ends of a spectrum, they're two different ways of exploring a simple premise - an overpowered character - and its complex consequences: isolation, feelings, and relationships. One-Punch Man and Mob Psycho 100 are both amazing works, in the end, and having the creator's insight into how they differ allows fans to think about the two series in a new way, making it possible to appreciate them even more.