10 Years Later, Reigen Arataka Is Still Tumblr’s Top Sexyman
Mob Psycho 100 claims the true rare victory of being one of the most perfect anime to date; its effortless means of self-exploration through creative diversity while telling such a heartfelt story is hard to rival. Through captivating animation and an intimate understanding of how precious the Mob Psycho 100 manga is, Studio Bones has immortalized one of the most important pieces of popular culture through the willpower of passion alone. The anime has celebrated its tenth anniversary, though over the course of a decade, one truth persists: Reigen Arataka is still Tumblr’s top sexyman.
While Reigen isn’t the complete focal point of Mob Psycho 100, his narrative arc and transformative journey have exemplified excellence in how the desire to change oneself to become a genuinely better person is entirely possible. Reigen sheds his self-conscious conman bravado by the very end of Mob Psycho 100 and embraces a kinder, more empathetic side of his personality, demonstrating that his willingness to break down the barriers of his ego in place of becoming more softhearted. Reigen proved that he was magnetic from his very introduction, bearing a bold and abrasive personality. Shortly after Mob Psycho 100 became a global phenomenon, Reigen was granted the coveted “Tumbly sexyman” status almost instantaneously. Year over year, the oddly endearing adoration for Reigen fails to subside.
Reigen Arataka’s Oshi Status Is Unrivaled
Per Japaniche, the term “oshi” can perfectly summarize the intense popularity of Reigen Arataka. “Oshi “comes from the verb osu, meaning to recommend or push forward,” Japaniche explains. “It carries the nuance of liking someone so much that you want to tell everyone about them. More than a simple favorite, oshi implies an active desire to spread the word about someone’s appeal and support their success.” Fan blogging social media platform Tumblr is incredibly responsible for launching Reigen to oshi status, and with such, allowed him to become one of the site’s popular “sexymen.” Tumblr has cycled through “sexymen” before, with others such as Sebastian Michaelis, Jack Frost, or Jim Carrey’s Robotnik from the live-action Sonic the Hedgehog series (which is still an impressive game-to-screen adaptation). It’s simply expected that Reigen claims one of the top spots in Tumblr’s most coveted ranks; his confidence, charm, and effortless sense of comedic timing, balanced with unconventional attractiveness, have permitted Reigen to make a strong impression.
It’s the self-contradiction of Reigen that makes him so appealing. Being both a fraud and a mentor, he’s enamored audiences through strokes of wit and ridiculous bumbling. Perhaps it’s his seemingly ordinary state of being that is inviting to those who are drawn to him without reason. Maybe it’s the instinct of wanting to see Reigen actually succeed when pushing Shiego “Mob” Kagayama in the right direction at such a young age. It’s the potential that Reigen eventually realizes in himself that makes that “oshi” label feel so undeniably natural. Year over year, there’s still a persistent love and adoration expressed for Reigen, especially with Mob Psycho 100 being complete, which allows fans to reflect on Reigen as a whole. With Tumblr’s favorite characters leaning more into strange and compelling personalities, and with Reigen’s being open to personal interpretation outside of his canonical story arc, his pathetic-yet-impressive state of being is open to interpretation. When refusing to fit into a singular character archetype, Regien has allowed himself to thrive as an undisputed fan favorite. Wanting to see the morally questionable underdog win has kept Reigen at the top of Tumblr’s food chain.
It’s important that long after Mob Psycho 100 has premiered, the affection for Reigen is still treated as fresh and exciting. Studio Bones has greatly understood that Reigen is a sensationalized character in himself. Mob Psycho 100‘s anniversary animated short not only elevated the animation quality for the beloved anime — it reiterated that the love for Reigen is completely timeless. Upon the release of the “movie,” Reigen was subject to an outpouring of restored adoration. Like clockwork, the emphasis upon how Mob Psycho 100 fans expressed their attraction to Reigen was set at the forefront of the anime’s decennial. Reigen’s natural return to form — questionable in character, yet attractive nonetheless — has captured the hearts of fans once again. Upon Mob Psycho 100‘s return for a brief couple of minutes, the anime’s time spent setting Reigen back in the spotlight is a celebration of the character’s legacy. Not many compare to the chokehold that Reigen Arataka has on the internet, and that’s a great thing.
Mob Psycho 100 is streaming on Crunchyroll.
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