Ever since his debut in 2009 to the world of manga creation, ONE's works have been on the rise in popularity. He began as a webcomic writer whose works were popular for their simple drawings and engaging storytelling. His two most popular works, One-Punch Man and Mob Psycho 100 were both made into anime series and have gained serious fan bases.
While both anime are incredibly distinct, comparing them may seem like comparing apples to oranges. Still, the fans of either show debate constantly over which one of ONE's works is better. Here are 5 ways that Mob Psycho 100 is the better show, and 5 ways that One-Punch Man is better.
10 Mob Psycho 100: Better Animation
The most distinct feature of ONE's manga is how rough and sketchy everything is drawn. Rather than being a drawback, the lack of consistency in his drawings gives ONE's art a unique style to play around with when animating his stories. One-Punch Man was first picked up by Madhouse, who did an impressive job in putting the story's many incredible fight scenes on the screen. Mob, however, was animated by Studio Bone, who saw the manga as the perfect way to experiment with crazy new animation techniques. With its jaw-dropping fluidity and quirky special effects, Mob's animation blows One-Punch Man out of the water.
9 One-Punch Man: Better Comedy
Time and time again, One-Punch Man fans are drawn to the anime for one important reason: It's absurdly hilarious. If Saitama's egghead appearance and personality don't make you laugh, seeing him obliterate the ultra-macho, overconfident characters around him sure will. Mob Psycho 100 may have its funny moments, but the show tends to lean towards a more sentimental and serious tone. The inverse is true for One Punch Man: While it has some serious moments, especially as the story progresses, not a single episode will leave fans looking for more laughs. For those looking for a great comedy to watch, One Punch Man is the best of them all.
8 Mob Psycho 100: More Interesting Characters
Mob. Reigen. Dimple. Ritsu. Teru. The Body Improvement Club. All of these characters are just a small fraction of the colorful cast that live in the world of Mob Psycho 100.
The anime is chock-full of strong, well-developed characters who all struggle with their motivations and complexes throughout the story, and almost every character is given the space to grow over time as their world is impacted by Mob's presence. Saitama and Genos are great, the two main characters of One-Punch Man pale in comparison to the sheer size and depth of the cast of Mob Psycho 100.
7 One-Punch Man: Better Fight Scenes
For a show where the main character only needs to hit his opponents with a single punch to win, the One-Punch Man anime's primary claim to fame is its intense fight sequences that get the heart racing. Every villain of the show challenges the protagonists with unique abilities in each fight, making each battle feel new and invigorating. Plus, the knowledge that Saitama is essentially indestructible takes away the anticipation of the results of each fight, letting fans wonder how the hero will win this time, rather than worrying about who will win. Mob has some great fight scenes as well, but One-Punch Man features a fight every episode, and the audience is drawn into the action without fail every time.
6 Mob Psycho 100: Bigger Surprises
The strength of One Punch Man's fight scenes can also be seen as one of the show's major weaknesses since the monster-of-the-week approach to each episode leaves little room for a complex story arc to develop. Mob, on the other hand, follows a captivating plotline that twists and turns at every corner. Just like Saitama, Mob is overpowered in his world, but this power is the main source of his troubles since he can't control them, and so ends up bottling both his emotions and psychic abilities within himself. As more and more intense situations face the middle-schooler, he begins learning the importance of speaking his mind and learning through relationships with close friends and family. Some cliffhangers at the end of episodes are so good, you can't help but want to watch the next one straight away.
5 One-Punch Man: Better At Representing The Shonen Genre
While both shows are technically considered Shonen anime, Mob exists in a sort of grey space between being classified as an action, slice-of-life, or comedy that makes its genre tricky to pin down. One-Punch Man, on the other hand, is a great example of a Shonen show-- especially because of how it parodies many aspects of the genre.
Not only is the show self-aware in how ridiculous its boring protagonist is when compared to heroes like Naruto or like All Might from My Hero Academia, but some characters straight-up imitate other shows' characters in hilarious ways. Lord Boros, for example, is based on Broly from Dragon Ball Z, in that he thinks of himself as the most powerful being in the universe. In poking fun at the Shonen genre, One-Punch Man makes its Shonen qualities more visible, which appeals to action-seeking fans.
4 Mob Psycho 100: Better Con-Man
One character type present in both series is the con-man, the character who pretends to be impressive with no actual talent. In One-Punch Man, King is considered the strongest hero alive, but he actually doesn't have any special powers and just takes credit for Saitama's biggest achievements. In Mob Psycho, Reigen is Mob's mentor who calls himself the greatest psychic of the century, but he often has to hide the fact that he's a phony. Despite being a fake, however, Reigen gets away with what he does because he's crafty. He can "exorcize" ghosts by giving clients a good massage, and can talk his way out of almost any situation. Plus, his combination of wisdom and stupidity makes him an incredibly loveable character. If King and Reigen met, Reigen's skill at smooth-talk would beat out King's deceit any day.
3 One-Punch Man: Better Monsters
With great action scenes comes great opponents, and One-Punch Man doesn't disappoint when it comes to introducing enemies who look ready for a good fight. From the bizarre muscular crab man from the first episode to the aliens and monsters that look straight out of the depths of hell, all of Saitama's enemies are uniquely drawn to give each fight a special draw to the audience.
Mob may have some monster-like spirits as villains, but for the most part, Mob spends his time battling other psychics or his social awkwardness. With creatures like the ones that appear in One Punch Man, there's no doubt that this show takes the prize for most impressive-looking villains.
2 Mob Psycho 100: Better Wig
While the two shows don't have too much common in terms of story, some small scenes are too similar to ignore comparing. Take, for example, Teru's wig after Mob accidentally chops off all his hair vs Saitama's disguise when entering the martial arts tournament. Saitama's tawny locks are hilarious enough, as the bald character looks like there's a furry animal on his head. However, nothing can compare to Teru's look after he is utterly defeated by Mob. When Teru loses his sense of pride, he also loses his hair, and the reformed Teru is humble and supportive, and also noticeably taller. He sports a blond wig that is so tall it shakes in the wind, and never comments on it once. He also keeps this wig for most of the latter half of season 1. Nothing is better than seeing Teru appear during a serious scene with the ridiculous obtrusion on his head.
1 One-Punch Man: Bigger Fan Following
Mob Psycho has gained a lot of traction ever since its anime debut, gaining a large following and even winning several Crunchyroll Anime Awards. Despite its success, however, One-Punch Man still reigns on top as a cult classic and has had more time in the world to claim its place in the hearts of fans. Its popularity only continues to grow as the manga continues. While Mob is also growing more and more popular by the day, there's a good chance that the show will never overshadow One-Punch Man in terms of devoted followers.