Psycho Pass || Anime Review

I have been meaning to watch this for a while now. Let’s get on with the blog.

Comment down the suggestions for more anime or your opinion on Psycho-Pass. Critics are welcome! 

Onto the Anime Review of Psycho-Pass by Wired Ends.

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PLOT
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In this day and age, Psycho-Pass is a series that rides on an interesting premise- a machine called the Sibyl System being able to measure the probability of a person committing a crime and how special police called Enforcers & Inspectors prevent these crimes from happening.

This simple premise is worked on to produce a vast world of connected crimes, organized massacres, high-level conspiracy, etc etc. Psycho-Pass relies on the high octane lives of these policemen and borderline criminals trained to fight crime in society. We're introduced to a world, in the long run, that isn't equal with regards to this control over crime, since only Japan and our city of focus, in particular, are benefited by the Sibyl System and not the other countries of the world.

While we see the cases of several ill-fated citizens falling prey to the judgment of Sibyl, we also see the nature of the System itself being questioned and unraveled, and quite beautifully so. While it wasn't hard to guess that the System itself is nothing ordinary and must be a superiorly intelligent entity of sorts, it also was somewhat underwhelming.

A collection of brains forming an interactive network that spreads throughout the city may sound fascinating but is damn difficult to materialize. But hey, that's why it's called science-fiction after all.

What was absolutely bonkers though is Season 2's Kamui and his body is a jumble of 184 different body parts into one, which absolutely defies all logic of Biology since each body's part should reject the other's due to the receptors and antibodies present in them. Although that should come into play when an Immune System exists, so that's kinda debatable too T-T

What the plot excels at doing is raising questions on the privacy and integrity of a person's thoughts and whether it should affect the final judgment one should take on them. For a time when concealed emotions and nested agendas are widespread, along with anxiety issues ranging from personal to social, the plot of Psycho-Pass is very relevant and jarring. This is why the story truly is gripping and so is the way the characters spar against each other with respect to their varying takes on true crime and judgment. The plot itself, therefore, deserves applause, owing to the twists and turns it takes throughout its course.

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CHARACTERS
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Psycho-Pass's characters are by no means mainstream, either by looks or by backstory. Sure, Kogami looks like a serious version of Spike Spiegel, but he as well as the others are fleshed out enough to stand out, as should be expected from Gen Urobuchi. Not only does each and everyone have a solid backstory (except for Kagari who honestly needed some detailing on his addiction) but their interactions in the present well highlight their past actions and decisions.

A lot of anime relies solely on the characters to advance the plot and Psycho-Pass could've been one of them if not for the engaging plot in the first place. We're shown several contradictions, many conflicts and a whole lot of philosophical arguments and discussions between pairs or groups of characters, such as Kogami and Makishima, Makishima and some of his henchmen as well as among the Enforcers. It fills out the gaps in the episodes which would otherwise be filled with excessive animation except that here there's some moving talk involved too. Some characters I adored include Makishima, the S1 antagonist, Joji Saiga, Akane Tsunemori, Kamui, the S2 antagonist, and even Sibyl.

Ginozo and his dad form an interesting interacting pair with both of their ideals clashing like swords anytime they're together. The blonde (and sexy) doctor Shion suffers from promiscuity but enjoys a lifestyle free from bounds, on her wits, and her sexuality. Kagari was the funny fellow who represented a haunting past with a less dismal present, the kind of person I like.

Season 2's Sakuya was also interesting despite seeming like a bland corrupt badass version of a cop. His tie to his "mom" which manifested from Sibyl was painful and jarring to see, given that he was partly in denial about what happened to her. The movie's characters also display a great amount of enigma and class, including the soldiers of the SEAUn & Shambala Float, who have agendas of their own to flesh out their main driving force. The resistance soldiers also display endearing, unique characters, something that helps empathize with them.

A surprising characteristic of Sibyl was the personification granted to it, making it an active participant in the course of events rather than a mastermind working from the shadows.

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ANIMATION
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If not for the plot or the characters, Psycho-Pass is sure to sweep viewers off their feet solely due to its animation.

The animation quality isn't just crisp and immersive, it is wholesome, extravagant, and sleek. It's a perfect scenario of how a futuristic city based so heavily on technology should look like, with all the holographic simulations, assistive AI, prosthetic limb replacements, etc etc. making it a deeply well-made world which the audience can enjoy.

One appreciable aspect is the accurate body proportions and facial characteristics that the characters were given, reminiscent of the anime Cowboy Bebop, a certain style that I like since it keeps the setting realistic.

To be honest, all the Destroy Decomposition scenes shown have this unnerving quality to them, looking like a hammer of justice that literally squishes the criminal out of existence, giving the audience a feeling of guilt and a chill down the spine thinking how it might be if they were the criminal.

Production IG did a fantastic job animating Psycho-Pass, and no less could be expected from them, having been responsible for exemplary animation in Jigoku Shoujo & Le Chevalier D'Eon. The team deserves applause for working so hard on producing this intricate futuristic world of vivid *hues*, deep colors, and a wide spectrum of characteristic features seen on every persona.

By far my favorite animation aspects were the cityscapes and the times they used Dominators. Yet other times were when holographic technology was used to project certain things and events (I shall not spoil, plus the daily lives of people including architectural elements such as fountains, full wardrobes, and patrol robots (which looked kinda creepy).

One must appreciate as well the job done on the OP & ED sequences, the OP ones in particular. Several key plot elements are hinted at in the OP sequences, the kind of style I like, especially in the 2nd season's OP where the flight crash, Kamui's body is made of several ones, the focus on Akane, etc. were all well highlighted. 

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MUSIC
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The OP and ED themes for each season and the movie are very beautifully made, powerful songs that suit the cyberpunk theme of the anime. Not only are they accompanied by interesting visuals, but also give us an overall feeling of immersion.

The OP themes Abnormalize and Out of Control are awesome set-ups for the crime-thriller stories that are shown in each episode. They're adrenaline-packed, headbang-able(I know this isn't a word), and got me singing with them multiple times.

Enigmatic Feeling, the S2 OP and my favorite one, is a play on the psychologically harrowing aspect of Sibyl, coupled with the plotting and powerplay involved in the series, and also kind of a callback to the initial crime-thriller feel.

The soundtracks used in the series are remarkable, composed by Yugo Kanno, and fitted well into each scenario wherever required. In particular, action scenes and any scene involving Shogo Makishima sported very memorable soundtracks, which, to this day, remain as one of my favorites from the series. Here's the soundtrack for y'all:

Two other soundtracks used in the series stand out with regards to their context and grandeur.

The first is Beethoven's Ode to Joy, a symphony the cyborg hunter Senguji hums to himself when going on a "hunt". The second is Nessun Dorma, played during S2 E9, when terrible human taxidermy is shown & Akane is revealed her grandma's ill fate by one of Kamui's partners.

Here are the 2 soundtracks in order:

Ode to Joy

Nessun Dorma

What I can at least say about the OST is that despite the electronic and rock heaviness of it, it tends to seep deep into the mind and persist long afterward. Plus, I must commend the band Ling Toshite Sigure for their signature voice that went into making those jarringly pleasing OP themes for the 2 seasons, especially Enigmatic Feeling.

This is the kind of music that leaves an impact long after hearing it. Cyberpunk anime will usually have fast-paced, electronic-heavy tracks to keep up the fast tempo of the plot pacing and the characters' lives. An example of the aforesaid persistence is this song.

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CONCLUSION
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With all its pros and cons, Psycho-Pass is an interesting and watchable series for the mind craving for thrill and some badassery. To conclude, I should comment on the philosophical nature of the anime. Sure, it has a bookish take on it, which leads to several characters citing quotes from renowned philosophers like Nietschze, Plato, Aristotle, etc. that buff up the depth of the series. These citations are coupled with scenes exemplifying human activities that resonate with said quotes. 

However, the kind of philosophical "lecture" I'd prefer is a ride, a kind of first-person experience from the protagonist's point of view, that, I suppose requires a different directorial approach. That's something which anime like Evangelion and Serial Experiments Lain has accomplished in the past, something I personally enjoy more, in my own personal opinion. However, did that make Psycho-Pass any less enjoyable for me? Of course not! I enjoyed the highs and lows, the long, sometimes rough, drive through this anime's glitter-studded and neon driveway, as it drew me into the cyberpunk world in a soothingly thrilling way. This anime is recommended to all those who want a taste of modern sci-fi crime thrillers, and also as a gateway anime for anyone interested in seinen.

That was the anime review of Psycho-Pass by Wired Ends.

Thanks for reading it!

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