I watched Psycho-Pass last year and it was damn amusing. It is sure on my list of top anime. Hearing that the second season is airing this year, I was exhilarated. But does the new season offer something of the same value, or even better than the first season?
Story 6/10
Short summary: Our main protagonist Akane Tsunemori has learned more about Sibyl System in the first season of what it really is, how it works, and what's behind it. With her partner Shinya Kogami missing, she worked with new acquaintances in a new team formation. As an inspector in the police force, she has to work out solving crimes that cause the Area Stress to increase and threaten people's Hue, but something is off. The culprit, even though they are doing something unethical, are unable to be judged by the Dominator. What is actually happening?
The second season, unfortunately, doesn't have the luxury of the first season as the duration has been cut in half - they only got 11 episodes to play with.
I would say this season has too much on its plate.
First: there are a lot of new characters, which means they need an introduction, what is their backstory, motivation, etc. so they will appeal to us.
Second: the problems in the series are rather complicated, layered, and linked to one another. There are inconsistencies with season 1 regarding the facts of Dominator, the scans, and Sibyl System also unnecessary plot branches that don't make sense (read: the Toganes). If anything, they make a lot of plot holes and make me confused.
As a result, I'd say... the ending is not satisfying for me. The last few episodes did answer my questions that rises as I watch the series, you could say "all is well". But I think they could do this season so much better.
Art 8/10
You can expect the same quality of art and animation from the second season. If anything, I find it more colorful. Very rich... compared to the darker palette in the first season. I'm not sure whether is it due to the big question "What color?" which is imposed again and again in the series. The animation is smooth, sasuga Production IG doing their best again.
Sound 8/10
One um.. 3 words: I LOVE IT! The opening Enigmatic Feeling is pumping and catchy, and a revelation: the meaning of the lyrics (the TV size ver.) fits with the theme of the show, mostly about Akane's feeling towards Sibyl System. The ending Fallen is my jam.. It's good to have Ling tosite sigure and EGOIST doing the opening and ending for this season as well. It's been a while since I watched the first season, at least they keep the same spirit with the same artists.
Seiyuus are good as well, their voices match the character they are playing. Still having the same ones for characters from season 1.
Character 7/10
Akane has grown. She is cooler, more observant, and acting more like a leader now, but she still has heart and cares for the Enforcers. She experienced more emotional roller coaster here, you can see more of her expression.
A lot of events and incidents happened in the first season, eliminating quite a number of the original team formation. Hence, there are new characters to replace the missing positions. I like some of them (cough Hinakawa~). I'm glad that Saiga-san is still here as well, at least Akane has someone reliable to think and discuss logically. But I really despise the new inspector Shimotsuki. She poses from a different perspective from Akane. Yeah, she's annoying. But she's a realistic character - wants to bring others down but is such a coward. I do know some people who act like her.
Togane... another character I don't like. He is very gray (not that I don't like people in gray areas, but there's this feeling that makes me don't like him when he appears) in most of the show until his true color and who he really is got revealed in the end. This revelation, however, makes me despise him even further, like WTF?
Because Makishima in the previous season is such an intriguing antagonist, the crew for season 2 has the burden to show us a better antagonist. Unfortunately, I find the main villain Kamui Kirito is not on par with Makishima, although they make him so overpowered with many specialized skills and complicated issues about his existence. After the past he had gone through, I can understand his objectives for his existence and 'color' to be recognized by Sibyl. But it doesn't justify the crimes he did in this show to test how Dominators and Sibyl System works. I just don't get how he thinks.
However the production crew decided to mess things up even further, so he's not the only antagonist in the show.
Most, if not all, new characters suffer from a lack of development and exploration. Very few (except for Togane and Kamui) have their backstory and motivation revealed, making it quite hard to relate to and feel for them. Even returning characters Ginoza and Yayoi have very little screen time.
The designs are good for some (I like Ginoza without glasses ^^) but erm Shimotsuki's face looks too closely like Akane, just sporting a different hairstyle. In the earlier episodes, I have difficulty differentiating them if their hairstyles are not seen.
Enjoyment 6/10
Despite holes here and there, inconsistencies (mostly about facts and Sibyl System itself) with the first season, and lacking in characterization, well, I admit I still enjoyed this show, with its adrenaline pump with gritting cliffhangers. It is an interesting pick on Sibyl System which is not as perfect as it seems (and assumes), and some parts make me think along. But it's soooo bloody. A freaking level-up from the previous season. I'm not a fan of gore, so it comes off as too disturbing at times.
Overall 7/10 + Personal Comment
The less number of episodes makes the show more straightforward and rushed - cutting down the interaction and time developing characters, focusing solely on solving the crime and catching the culprit. It feeds us confusion after confusion up to episode 7, but especially in episode 8 explanations and revelations started to be thrown at you. Not the best way to uncover a mystery in my opinion, but rather effective due to their runtime.
It's still acceptable as a series with such quality animation, but... I prefer the first season.
