"Psycho-Pass" happens to be the first experience I had with the writing of Gen Urobuchi, otherwise known as the 'Urobutcher'. Infamous for his dark, tragic settings and plot twists or not, you'd have to be a hipster of the highest order to say he doesn't know how to write a good series. Simply put, "Psycho-Pass" is a brilliant sci-fi dystopian anime in the same flavour as classics like "Blade Runner" and "Ghost in the Shell" and is well worth your time.
Story & World (7/10):
The story is set in the year 2113, where Japan is now governed by the Sibyl System. Through hi-tech guns known as Dominators, the state of mind (or Psycho-Pass, hence the title) of an average person is measured in numbers and those that exceed the acceptable limit are deemed threats to society and imprisoned or, in extreme cases, killed. The Public Safety Bureau is the police force in this setting, comprised of Enforcers, people whose Psycho-Pass has exceeded the acceptable level but have been granted permission to go outside to deliver justice, and Inspectors, who supervise the Enforcers and make sure they don't go too far.
The story follows Akane Tsunemori, a rookie Inspector who has just joined the police force. Together with the Enforcer, Shinya Kogami, Akane soon uncovers the plot of an exceptionally dangerous criminal, Shogo Makishima (no, it's not a spoiler, he appears in the very first scene) who is plotting something huge and just so happens to have a history with Kogami. It's up to Akane, Kogami and the rest of the Public Safety Bureau to track down this criminal and bring him to justice.
What the story sorely lacks in is surprises. I was almost always able to see exactly what direction things were going to go in, and what were supposed to be big twists I was able to see half an episode before they happened. There were also some truly ridiculous parts as well, such as Kogami being stopped from shooting a criminal with a Psycho-Pass of over 400, despite the fact that everyone is supposed to obey the system regardless. And, ultimately, all this results in is said criminal getting killed in the exact same episode! The concept of the Sibyl System is also underdeveloped, as we never find out exactly how it came to be. All in all, the story just felt very predictable with the really big twists being few and far between and even they weren't all that shocking. That being said, for what it is, the story flows fine and it is easy to understand for all of you sci-fi nerds out there but, personally, I would have preferred a few more things you didn't see coming.
Art & Animation (9/10):
Visually, "Psycho-Pass" looks nothing short of impressive. The characters models and environments are incredibly well-drawn and the fanservice is kept to a minimum. However, as someone who doesn't mind a bit of fanservice in his anime, I consider what replaces it to be no better, namely the truly gruesome imagery. Basically, if a criminal's Psycho-Pass gets too high, the Dominator changes from paralyser to lethal eliminator, which causes someone's insides to inflate and explode when they're shot. Because that really is the most humane way one could possibly deal with a criminal and we should all applaud the level-headed genius who came up with that.... and I say that with monumentous amounts of sarcasm. Thankfully, these gory scenes are quite rare and, at a certain point, disappear entirely, which myself and my stomach are grateful for.
Sound & Dialogue (10/10):
Without a doubt, the series's strongest area. The soundtrack is absolutely amazing and to say it fits the series would be an understatement. The series uses two openings and two ending themes and all four of them are fantastic. There are also plenty of other noteworthy tracks and I recommend looking them up to see for yourself. Some of it can easily be compared to that of "Deus Ex: Human Revolution", which, in case you don't know, is a very, VERY good thing. The voice acting is brilliant as well. As with most anime, I watched the dub and it was really good, with Kate Oxely and Robert McCollum delivering brilliant performances as Akane and Kogami, respectively. Complimenting this is a fantastic script with plenty of quotes from a number of great writers and thinkers, including Philip K. Dick. All of this combines to create an experience that is incredibly easy on the ears.
Characters (9/10):
What "Psycho-Pass" lacks in plot, it makes up for with a strong cast of characters. First, we have Akane Tsunemori, who, despite not being mentioned in the synopsis, is the undisputed main protagonist. While most people view Enforcers as mere 'hunting dogs', Akane believes that to be wrong and instead views them as people. She also disagrees with the flawed nature of the Sibyl System, but eventually learns that, flawed or not, it is still necessary to maintain order. Basically, she serves as the voice of conscience in a highly unforgiving world and while she goes through some huge character development, she never loses that role. Her evolution from naive newcomer to full-fledged badass-but-still-adorable detective meant that by the finale she had become my favourite character.
Next up is the deuteragonist, Shinya Kogami, who is also an anti-hero. Basically, nothing (not even the Sibyl System) stops him from doing what he believes to be right, and this is part of what made him an Enforcer in the first place. He can come off as quite static, especially when compared to Akane, but that's because he had a hard time in the past and became who he is now, meaning it only makes sense that Akane would change a lot and him not so much. His history and rivalry with main villain Makishima is also very interesting.
Apart from these two, there are several supporting characters, all of whom are well fleshed out and developed, with one unfortunate exception. Akane's superior, Nobuchika Ginoza, deserves a mention. He is the one who views Enforcers as 'hunting dogs', which naturally leads to several arguments between him and Akane. While he comes off as an asshole, he's really just bitter and angry. And boy does he have a good reason to be!
And, of course, who could forget the main villain, Shogo Makishima? Now, the way I see it there are two types of villain- those who are so deluded they believe they're good and those who know they're evil but just don't care. Throughout the whole series, Makishima runs a fine line between both of these. Many of the writer quotes come from him and he comes off as very normal despite being a cold, manipulative sociopath. This makes a truly compelling villain you will absolutely love to hate.
Enjoyment (8.5/10):
"Psycho-Pass"'s action is absolutely awesome, especially with the main action theme. It's definitely a series you will want to watch through to the end, so long as you can handle it. Unfortunately, there is some horrible stuff in here that may put some people off altogether. After all, they don't call this guy the 'Urobutcher' for nothing. There are also pacing issues here and there, as the hunt for Makishima can occasionally feel like a drag. Episode 12, which dives into the past, feels particularly disjointed as it only really serves to give Yayoi Kunizuka some much needed screentime and development and doesn't tie in to the overall plot at all.
Overall:
Regardless of its predictable story and occasional gratuitously gory deaths, "Psycho-Pass" is expertly put together. It will suck you in with its sci-fi dystopian setting, but keep you watching with its action, characters, music and writer references. All in all, a fantastic series that dark sci-fi fans would be crazy to miss. For more on "Psycho-Pass", be sure to check out my review for the second season and the 2015 movie.
Score:
7+9+10+9+8.5=43.5/50=8.7/10
