Story: 8
The story behind Psycho-Pass was, all-in-all, very well done. The creators have created the series in a way that makes the viewer feel like you are viewing the events from many different viewpoints. Instead of sticking to the life of the main, female protagonist, the story offers short windows into the lives of many other characters, which serves to really tie the entire story together. These little pieces of backstory eventually come into play in the main scenario, shaping the ways in which many characters act and react to the unstable world around them. There were some questions left unanswered, however, but the creators still did a great job of making a cohesive, interesting story.
Art: 7
The art was pretty average in this anime. Like many other series, Psycho-Pass constantly emanates a somber, dark atmosphere from its art, which is reflective of the futuristic, police-controlled state that it depicts. This style became a bit boring after a while, however, despite the obvious tie to the conditions of the story's setting.
Sound: 8
All-in-all, the creators of Psycho-Pass did a good job on the audio aspects of the series. First of all, both intros were great choices for this particular show. I saw in them a tone of oppression and darkness, which is reflective, once again, of the society that the story attempts to portray. In a similar way, both of the outros tie the episodes together very well. The audio used within the episodes themselves was pretty average. It allowed for relative immersion in the show, but it was nothing out of the ordinary.
Character: 8
The characters were an integral part of this series in particular. Though the creators failed to adequately describe and make several characters important in the eyes of the viewers, the many characters that they did develop were multi-dimensional, interesting, and, most importantly, unique. From the fallen agent who seeks nothing but revenge to the seasoned veteran balancing work and family, and from the novice learning the ropes to the evil mastermind out to destroy in imperfect society, each of these characters is different. This was one of the main reasons why I enjoyed the series.
Enjoyment: 8
There are a few elements that I definitely enjoyed in this show. Firstly, as has been previously stated, the characters were very diverse and interesting. Secondly, I really liked the use of gore in the narrative. The creators of Psycho-Pass did not use gore for gore's sake. Instead, they used it in order to allow the readers to react emotionally to the material present and to convey the horrible, gruesome nature of many antagonists in the show. The use of gore was pretty average in its amount, but it was used very well. One aspect of the show that I did not like, however, was its pacing. I felt like the first half was incredibly slow, with the different arcs seeming almost pointless, while the second half was a metaphorical sprint through the rest of the material. Granted, the fast-paced action was a welcome respite from the slow pace the show had originally utilized, but this was still a bit annoying.
Overall: 10
The show does have a few faults. Its pacing is a bit uneven, some characters never achieve relevancy, and so on. The good outweighs the bad, however. Psycho-Pass offers a compelling detective story that establishes many emotional bonds along the way only to put them to the test in the most critical of moments. I would definitely recommend this anime to anyone looking for a thought-provoking and exciting story about a group of characters with their own motives and their own means of achieving them.
