Two superpowered teams of teens compete in a parkour-style capture the flag game, and the territory goes to the winner. This time, fortune does not smile on young Araki’s team, the “Polis Hoppers” (is this a reference to the polis, the ancient Greek city-state, or to the police, or to something else?), and their insignia is replaced with that of their opponents. Just after, everyone has to make a run for it: Someone has used too much power, and the authorities are on their way. Ten years ago, strange meteors struck the Earth. One impacted in Tokyo, and the neighborhood of Shin-Katsuhika was covered in strange particles called the “Mebius Dust” (Moebius reference?). Plus, an enormous crystal the locals call “Mother” for some reason has been floating over the district, and some of its younger residents have been blessed with superpowers! Nevertheless, the authorities are understandably nervous about this development, so the kids in question are not allowed to leave the area. The police can detect the concentration of Dust, and the youngsters will get into trouble if they are found out, but they still compete with their abilities to blow off steam while trying to stay under the radar. The Shin-Katsuhika seem to be living in small gangs and helping one another. I don’t know if their relatives have been victims of the meteor shower or are not allowed in the restricted area. Whatever the case, the slightly crazed-looking Professor Yuda tells them that there is a chance to escape the district. But first, they need to cooperate by showing her the full extent of their powers. What if they were able to play a game in which they could do whatever they wanted without the fear of being detected?

I really liked this episode, to the point that I may declare it my favorite of the season so far. Not the best or the most impressive (that honor would go to Love Unseen Beneath the Clear Night Sky), but the one I ultimately enjoyed the most. As you may have deduced from my avatar, I have a soft spot for choral superhero stories, for stories about found family, and for tales of mysteries that unfold under the city lights. Mebius Dust seems to be doing all of these things while adopting a hit-the-ground-running storytelling approach that I really appreciate. If the recently concluded MHA gave us a fully realized superhero universe echoing those of Marvel and DC, the vibe I got was similar to that of Claremont’s X-Men, but with contemporary skater and parkour trappings. We know precious little about the backgrounds of the protagonists, the dynamics of the Mebius superpowers, or the way things have come to this point. But that is fine by me. I love to see fictional strategists carefully considering the implications of superpowers and duking it out. I love huge casts of characters, each of them with a personality that is established in a few vigorous strokes, and in such a way that you look forward to seeing it being further explored down the line. Mebius Dust seems just my cup of tea, and I’m here for it. I hope it stays as good.

Mebius Dust can be streamed at Crunchyroll.