Lelouch22 said: This was definitely the strongest episode since the first, as it effectively served to render a temporary reprieve from the increasingly dull monotony that had gradually filtered into the narrative. Following the mediocre pacing of the last few episodes, this one was actually rather well-paced. As such, the repetitive nature of events has diminished, allowing for an episode that's both exciting and riddled with a plethora of seemingly far-reaching developments. The atmosphere in the latter half of the episode evoked a certain intensity that was quite impressive in it's effectiveness.
This episode continued it's focus on a very engaging case, as the story benefited considerably by the extended, familiar nature of the crime. I greatly enjoyed the meticulous deconstruction of Spooky Boogie's death. Though expected, one of the most interesting developments, since it pertains to the larger narrative, is that others, such as Mido, are able to carefully avoid detection from the Sibyl system, thus illustrating yet another flaw within the system.
The ending was definitely the best moment in the episode, as it's revealed that Kogami was once an inspector. Though the initial development wasn't particularly unexpected, it was quite surprising to learn that he was, in fact, Ginoza's former partner, since I assumed that to be Masaoka. This excellent cliffhanger of sorts also, once again, distinctly illuminates the likely possibility that Kogami's rise in criminality and subsequent demotion were due, in large part, to a specific confrontation and, perhaps, a heightened involvement, with Shogo.
The distorted visuals that were used throughout the latter half of the episode were extremely effective, as they evoked a certain chaotic atmosphere and claustrophobic paranoia that complemented the tension of the moment supremely well.
All in all, Psycho-Pass, following several slightly underwhelming episodes, has improved immensely with this one. There still appears to be a disappointing lack of ambition, but the revelation at the end of this episode gives me hope that the story will return to fully delivering on it's exceptionally promising potential. One of my largest criticisms, aside from the unnecessary restraint and inconsistent execution, is that the narrative has been needlessly fragmented in a manner that doesn’t fully explore the advantages of an episodic nature. As such, I'm hoping for a gradual broadening of the character interactions, since, up to this point, they've been noticeably lacking, save for Akane and Kogami's occasional conversation.
Generally speaking though, that is how a lot of anime works. Usually have a pretty good first episode that gets the viewer hooked, have a few episodes that end up being a feeble attempt at character and/or plot development, and then start to pick up the pace again when it takes character/plot development more seriously.
I'll agree with you on that this was probably the best episode thus far. Granted, my opinion differs greatly on the first four episodes, I'll agree with you on that this episode GREATLY advanced character development, especially with Kogami, and offered yet another element that the Sibyl System isn't only flawed in theory, but practicality as well since certain people have found a way to avoid getting scanned.
There is one more thing I might add. You did say that you thought Masaoka was Ginoza's former partner and then due to the end of the episode, said it's Kogami. This thought crossed my mind after you said that, what makes Enforcers...Enforcers? How did they become Enforcers? Obviously this episode clearly stated that in Kogami's case, he was a former Inspector who's crime coefficient rose too high and refused getting treatment so he was demoted to Enforcer. Simply put, it is still possible that Masaoka could still be Ginoza's partner. Perhaps the same thing happened to him as well as Kogami. It makes me wonder considering Ginoza's interactions with Masaoka are MUCH more heated than they are with Kogami. |