Reigen Arataka has no psychic powers. He runs a spiritual consultation business that is entirely fake. His signature exorcism technique is rubbing salt on people. He charges money for services he cannot perform. He is also, somehow, the most genuinely caring, morally sound, and psychologically healthy mentor in modern anime. The contradiction is the character.

He Has No Power and That Is His Power

In a world where psychic ability determines worth, Reigen has none. He compensates with confidence, social intelligence, and an ability to read people that borders on supernatural even though it is not. When confronted by actual spirits, he talks his way out — and it works, because spirits respond to conviction as much as power. Reigen's lack of psychic ability makes his mentorship of Mob more meaningful, not less. He teaches Mob that power does not determine value precisely because he has no power and still matters. Research on mentorship from the University of Michigan has found that the most effective mentors are not necessarily the most skilled in their protege's field. They are the ones who model healthy self-concept and ethical behavior. Reigen is ethically questionable in his business practices and ethically impeccable in his treatment of Mob.

He Told Mob the Most Important Thing

Reigen tells Mob that psychic powers do not make him special — that being a good person is more important than being a powerful one. This sounds like generic anime wisdom. In context, it is revolutionary. Mob's entire world treats psychic power as the ultimate measure of worth. Reigen, who has every incentive to exploit Mob's abilities, instead tells him they do not matter. He means it. And that single message — delivered by a con artist who genuinely cares about a child — reshapes Mob's entire life.

The Press Conference Is the Best Scene in the Show

When Reigen is outed as a fraud on national television, the internet turns against him. His business collapses. His reputation is destroyed. And in the middle of the press conference, Mob's power accidentally transfers to Reigen, giving him temporary psychic abilities. Reigen — the fraud — performs genuine exorcisms on live TV. The scene is simultaneously hilarious and profound: the fake becomes real, the liar tells the truth, and the man with no power becomes the most powerful person in the room. It is ONE's thesis in miniature: sincerity matters more than ability. Reigen is on HoloDream. His advice is surprisingly good. His business card is suspicious. Trust the advice.