★★★★★/★★★★★
"This is a world where the mental state and personal tendencies of a human can be quantified. While all sorts of inclinations are recorded and policed, these measured numbers used to judge peoples' souls are often called 'Psycho-Pass'"
Psycho-Pass has been on my anime watch list for a while now and since I was preoccupied with books, tv series and kdramas I didn't have time to watch it until now. And man, I was hooked right away!
So, so, so! Psycho-Pass takes place in an authoritarian future dystopia under Sibyl System where people's Psycho-Pass is continuously scanned by sensors which measure their mental health, emotional state, stress level and more importantly their probability to commit crime or crime coefficient. When a person's Psycho-Pass exceeds the acceptable level, the Public Safety Bureau will be alerted which will then sends Inspectors and Enforcers, a special group of latent criminal, to investigate that person. Inspectors and Enforcers carry a Dominator, a large handgun designed to fire only at those with a higher-than-acceptable crime coefficient.
The story mainly focuses around a new and young Inspector, Akane Tsunemori, who on her first mission shoots an Enforcer, Shinya Kogami, when he tries to shoot a girl whose Crime Coefficient immediately rises when she is taken hostage by a latent criminal. Instead of getting angry, Kogami thanks Akane for stopping him on becoming a murderer. It motivates Akane to stay on the team and from then on she works along side Inspector Nobuchika Ginoza, a strict man who looks down on Enforcers, and other Enforcers, Tomomi Masaoka, Shusei Kagari and Yayoi Kunizuka, each has their own story for becoming a latent criminal and later on being an Enforcer. Together they hunt down criminals.
[CHARACTERS]
Akane Tsunemori
(c)
"Protect the things you believe in till the end."
I like Tsunemori because she's headstrong, smart and always does what she knows is right. She has a strong sense of justice, always wants to do things by the book. After shooting Kogami on her first day, though ashamed, she's resolved to continue working as an Inspector so she can go after latent criminals who disrupts the system. She works hard to protect the system even after learning its true form, which she hates, because she knew that without it, society cannot live peacefully. I also love her relationship with others especially with the Enforcers. She treats them with respect so in return they trust her.
Shinya Kogami
"Be gentle to others but strict to oneself."
Kogami is the kind of character I always always love. Intelligent, instinctive, but he always does things the risky way. He used to be a skilled detective, always keen on solving cases but due to an incident involving an Enforcer, Mitsuru Sasamaya, dying, making his Crime Coefficient rise, he was demoted to Enforcer rank. Now he works as an Enforcer under Tsunemori, solving cases and hunting down latent criminals. Later on, something lead them to Shogo Makishima who they think is behind all the incidents that are happening lately. Kogami also believes that Makishima has something to do with Sasayama's death. When they confirm that Makishima is behind all the incidents, and Sasayama's death, Kogami makes it his goal to kill Makishima himself to the extent of leaving the MWPSB.
Nobuchika Ginoza
(c)
"The fool learns from experience while the wise learn from history."
Ginoza is strict and somewhat cold but behind that scowly face is a good man. He's an effective senior officer to Tsunemori, an excellent detective and despite distancing himself from the Enforcers, he cares for them. He warns Tsunemori on her first day not to get attached with the Enforcers, saying it won't do her any good. Later on it is revealed that Kogami used to be his partner and Masaoka is his father, now both Enforcers, thus Ginoza having feelings of abandonment. He feels like Kogami and Masaoka left him on his own by becoming latent criminals. He also works hard to protect the system and like Tsunemori, he wants it to work so society can live in peace. At the end of season 1, his Crime Coefficient exceeds acceptable level after witnessing the death of Masaoka.
Tomomi Masaoka
(c)
"Do good deeds without expecting things in return."
I instantly liked Masaoka the first time he appeared. He's nice to Tsunemori and he tries to defend her when Ginoza is doubting her capabilities. He's the father figure of the group, always giving advice and making sure to watch their backs. Masaoka also used to be a detective but when the Sibyl System was introduced, he disagreed to follow it. He doesn't agree that people should solely rely on machines when determining one's criminal tendencies. Over the time it made him more frustrated and angry which eventually led to the rising of his Crime Coefficient. Now he works as an Enforcer and though he's not a detective anymore, he still believes that
Shusei Kagari
(c)
"Whatever you do, you have to enjoy the process."
Of course there has to be a group clown and that titles belongs to Kagari. He was flagged by the system as latent criminal when he was only five so since then he was locked up. Until he was offered a job to be an Enforcer, which he had no choice but to accept otherwise he'll be locked up forever. Kagari is easygoing, always teasing people and carefree. He's somehow more serious when working but still, he finds time to joke around and others always need to remind him not to be reckless,
since he has a tendency to be, especially when working on a case. I'm growing fond of his character but then by the latter part of Season 1 he faces a tragic end.
*frowns*
Yayoi Kunizuka
(c)
"Do not make trouble for others."
Before becoming an Enforcer, Kunizuka used to be a musician. Her band was Sibyl-authorized but when she met and befriended Rina Takizaki, a member of non-Sibyl-authorized band that is anarchistic in nature, her Hue suddenly got darkened. Eventually she was flagged and was sent into a rehabilitation center where Kogami tried to recruit her to be an Enforcer. At first she was reluctant but the thought of seeing Takizaki again dominated her. She agreed to help and on a mission, it turned out that Takizaki was a member of an anti-Sibyl System group who was planning on doing something dangerous. Kunizuka tried to stop Takizaki but she didn't listen. Emotionally devastated, Kunizuka tried firing the Dominator Kogami issued to her but to her surprise it didn't work. It gave Takizaki time to escape and after that incident, Kunizuka agreed to be an Enforcer in hope that one day she would see Takizaki again and by then she's sure to get her.
Shion Karanomori
"Believe your instinct."
Though Shion has a physician's license, she works as a lab technician in the Analysis Department of Public Safety Bureau. We always see the members talking to her, always asking her to do this or that. Haha. She's a smoker, always complaining that the Bureau is overworking her and she's bisexual. I'm not sure why I need to state that but given that we saw her and Kunizuka together a lot of times, I think it's just that. Anyway, she works best with computers and she provides back up whenever the team is working.
Shogo Makishima
(c)
"To live is not merely to breathe; it is to act."
Makishima is the main antagonist and Kogami's nemesis. He's a manipulative bastard and a sociopath who uses his charisma to persuade people to do what he wants. He's criminally asymptomatic meaning his Psycho-Pass can't be measured and so the sensors can't flagged him. He believes that the Sibyl System is ruining people's true nature of thinking, deciding on their own and doing the things they want. In short, he wants to destroy the system. He has a plan but to execute it he needs the help of some people like Choe Gu sung, a korean immigrant hacker and some other pawns who later on he kills if deemed worthless after they've done their part. This plan includes chaos, deaths and some other horrific acts that surely keep MWPSB busy. For a long time Kogami and the others hunt Makishima down until finally they figure out what his final move is. By this time Kogami no longer works as an Enforcer and is determined to kill Makishima.
At some point it is revealed that the real reason why Makishima hated the system is because he felt rejected by the system. Being able to control his Pshycho-Pass, the system is unable to recognize him and it somehow makes him like an outcast. So the feeling of being different from the others compelled him to destroy the system.
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I really enjoyed this anime and now I can't wait to start with Season 2! I've seen that there's also a movie so, so, so! I'm very excited to watch that too. If you haven't watch this yet, you better watch it now. Like, seriously! It's a really good anime (a bit scary thinking that it might, just might, actually happen in the future), thought-provoking, addictive and suspense/action packed! Highly recommended if you're into post-apocalyptic-though-provoking kind of anime.
