To fully understand the story, you need a bit of context with this world. Decades before, the Sybil system was implemented, a system that could accurately quantify the psychological state of an individual and determine if they were a risk to society - this value is their Psycho-Pass. People whose Psycho-Pass went too high are given mandatory counseling, and if it rises too much, are arrested and placed in facilities for the protection of themselves and others. These people are 'latent criminals'.
Our protagonist, Tsunemori, is a rookie detective tasked with investigating crimes and tracking down these latent criminals. To do this, she acts as a handler for 'Enforcers', latent criminals who work for the police; their altered perception of the world allows them to more easily get into the heads of the criminals, and they serve as a psychological buffer for the detectives. The main enforcer is Kougami, and he and Tsunemori quickly make a great team, along with the other Enforcers.
Of course, no good show is without its conflict, and as Tsunemori and Kougami unravel a few cases, a disturbing pattern begins to emerge, linking them into a plot far more sinister than the sum of its parts. It's smart, it'll keep you guessing, and it never lets up. It's nearly perfect, besides a few slow sections, the motivations of some of the antagonists, and one or two very minor plot holes. 9/10
The Art style looks great, focusing mainly on dark colors in sharp contrast, and patterns are used often to help distinguish between them. I found small shifts in posture and stance to be quite effective and kept the show from feeling too static at times. It's got a very Noir feel to it, the closest I can get is Cowboy Bebop, but with fewer bright colors, aside from billboards and holographic projections that keep the theme of a gilded age. It's very Blade Runner, and that's a serious compliment. Everything looks fantastic, and it fits the feel of the show like a glove. 9/10
The sound design is good, keeping the tension up and offering a mixture of electronic and classical styles. It does what it has to, and serves to compliment the visuals rather than overpower them. It knows when to die down and when to soar. It's nor memorable, but it's very effective. 8/10
Characterization is very important with a psychological show, and Psycho-Pass does an excellent job. In particular, they go into great detail showing the psychological state, delusions, and motivations behind the villains. They range from tormented people driven out of desperation to the truly psychopathic and bloodthirsty, and they're both intriguing and terrifying. The Enforcers are equally disturbing at times, ranging from apathetic to sociopathic to deranged obsessiveness. They're all simultaneously human, though, and as much as you might want to demonize them, you can't help but feel that they're human - reflections of the darkest aspects of humanity. It's very effective and it keeps you thinking about the show well after the episode is over. 9/10
Psycho-Pass is an excellent show, the kind of thing you discuss with your friends after watching it and you swap conspiracy theories and wild speculation. The show presents the world through the eyes of detective Tsunemori, and as we see more of the world and grow more disillusioned and even terrified of it, so does Tsunemori evolve from a naive novice to a skilled and determined detective. 9/10
The show is absolutely stunning, and aside from its propensity to quote Shakespeare and Heart of Darkness at inappropriate times, it's an incredibly intelligent and thought provoking science-fiction thriller. Other shows might draw from esteemed writers to seem intelligent, but Psycho-Pass pulls it off with flying colors. If you haven't seen it and you like your anime smart, watch Psycho-Pass.
