The production committee behind the successful animated adaptation of Mob Psycho 100 decided to go all out to celebrate its first decade. During the special “Reunion” panel held this weekend in Saitama Prefecture, the franchise surprised thousands of attendees with the surprise premiere of an entirely new animated short. Fortunately for Western fans, this new footage has already been released online with official English subtitles.

The best news about this unexpected return is that it’s not just a commissioned work to mark the date. The very own Yuzuru Tachikawa happily took back the director’s chair, also handling the script and storyboards for this episode that brings us back to the always chaotic Spirit Consulting Office. By his side, the legendary Yoshimichi Kameda returned as animation director and character designer, who also created a commemorative illustration and confirmed excitedly that they managed to reunite much of the original technical team to bring this small tribute to life.

Seeing Shigeo, Reigen, Smile, and Tome arguing on screen again is a direct hit of nostalgia for those who have followed the work of mangaka ONE since its remote origins in 2012. This original manga laid the foundation for an empire that masterfully closed its third TV season in late 2022, boasting also a handful of OVAs and even a peculiar live-action series along the way. Exactly a decade since the first episode captivated the industry with its overwhelming visual style and sincere narrative, this new footage proves that the chemistry between these misfits remains as strong as ever.

Given that the creative team still has energy and desire to keep animating these lovable characters, do you think the studios should bet on producing more original stories to expand a universe that has already formally closed its main plot?