As if to respond to the gaping whole that series like Trigun and Ghost in the Shell: SAC left behind, Psycho Pass comes out of left field, taking the futuristic action of the latter mentioned series and super-charging it with a modern twist. What results is a great anime, but let's see how good it really is...
STORY 10/10
The story of Psycho-Pass is centered around the MWPSB, the special unit of the Ministry of Wellfare tasked with upholding the order set by the Sibyl System. This future is much different from the interpretations of others series, mostly because its both fantastic yet surprisingly plausible. People are judged by the system in question and are given a few potential careers that the system believes will not only give happiness to the individual, but to the most amount of people of society. Quite utilitarian to say the least. However, not only does the system govern job opportunities, but it also designates people who it believes to be criminals with a number known as a Crime Coefficient. Thus is the setting for this story...
The episode layout begins with more scattered approach, allowing the viewer to understand different aspects of the world, such as the online social media system, the schooling system, the law enforcement code and more. From there, a mastermind is slowly revealed and the main plot begins. Throughout the story, characters evolve based off their interactions with the world around them, whether they witness a gruesome death or begin to question the validity of the system that rules them. No one is static in this series and characters die at the drop of a hat, showing that there is no flimsy "plot armor" to protect them. This makes every encounter a thrill ride and a few well placed moments make all the difference. The series never insults your intelligence and those who are familiar with various authors may get a kick out of having some works referenced similar to how GitS references Salinger in the first season.
The ending is something that Psycho-Pass does well. It wraps of nicely and has a great deja vu feeling. Its also a bit opened ended, leaving room for the upcoming second season.
Art 9/10
Another strong area, this series does a good job animating the various action scenes, whether its an intense game of cat and mouse in the sewers or a showdown in a drone warehouse. The palette is dark, but is appropriate for the anime and character designs as a whole make people stand out. There are even some contrasts in outfit designs between the two main opponents, adding subtle details that separate this anime from the rest of the pack. One thing must be said, however: Episode 18 ruins the near perfect score. I've seen poor animation before, but this episode was just sad. I know there were extenuating circumstances, but the lack of quality can't be ignored. Until I watch a revised version of the episode (which I probably will in the near future), this anime cannot get a 10/10 for the animation category.
Sound 8/10
Psycho-Pass has a few good tracks, like the ones that play during the last few episodes, but the rest of the tracks are more or less unremarkable. The EGOIST endings are good, with the first one being better than the second, but the openings are mediocre, which is a shame.The voice acting is top notch, though, which is a definite plus.
Characters 9/10
Because the series starts off slightly episodic, a few characters come and go without much development. The antagonists are pretty interesting, as are the MWPSB, but the other side characters (I'm looking at you, random high school school girls!) take away from the sophisticated air of the series. In addition, some relationships (or rather, one in particular that occurs during the latter part of episode 22) appear without an prior indication of them existing. It wasn't bad, just unpleasantly surprising.
With hard hitters like Nobuchika, Masaoka and Kogami leading the pack in character quality, the main cast certainly isn't lacking. Sadly, one of the charactesr, Yayoi, is left with her arc unfulfilled, which is sad since she was becoming quite interesting. Overall, great characters marred by a few tail-coat riders.
Enjoyment 9/10
In all honesty, the first 5 minutes of Psycho Pass completely befuddled of me. It went straight into a further part of the series without explaining the basics, which dumbfounded me and drove me off for an entire year. However, when I came back I found an anime that I will remember fondly.
If you're a classical junky like me and want an experience on par with GitS, look no further. With great characters, a intelligent story and top notch artistic direction, Psycho-Pass is the future cop show we have been waiting for!
