“I Want To See The Splendor Of People’s Souls”

From the get-go, Psycho-Pass takes you on a jarring, jolting ride through intensely violent scenes and disturbing psychological events. My shock at the first episode’s plethora of gore almost dissuaded me from continuing the series. I am so thankful I didn’t. This anime is truly a gem if you like to explore themes such the standard for good and evil, what is true justice, and what is life and its purpose.

Set in the perhaps not that distant future, the story begins in a sci-fi environment of Japan controlled by the enigmatic Sybil System, which assesses an individual by his Psycho-Pass. The Psycho-Pass, when scanned, will display a number that marks him either harmless or a potential criminal based on his level of agitation. While this may seem like a perfect system, it leads to unjust arrestings of those who haven’t committed a crime and may never, while letting some who can commit crimes with little mental and emotional disturbances go undetected.

This show’s main characters, Tsunemori Akane, Kogami Shinya, Nobuchika Ginoza, Kagari Shusei, Kunizuka Yayoi, Masaoka Tomomi, and Makishima Shogo each play vital parts in the complexity of the anime.

Though she may not seem much at first, Tsunemori Akane proves to be a capable Inspector, one who takes care of criminals or latent criminals. Ruled by her own sense of justice, this leads her to disregard the set rules of her Dominator, a weapon used to control or eliminate criminals. Though not the most brilliant of anime characters I have encountered, she is an interesting case nonetheless.

Kagari Shusei is a carefree young man, latent criminal since childhood. He has never committed a crime, yet he is bound by the system whose fairness he questions greatly. One of the Enforcers, latent criminals that work under Inspectors, he is loyal and always looking for a quick way to get the job done.

Once a popular rock star, Kunizuka Yayoi becomes a latent criminal, and later, an Enforcer. Kunizuka could not bring herself to shoot her friend, though the friend was a terrorist. After the incident, Kunizuka’s Psycho-Pass remained cloudy, reducing her to the status of latent criminal, and later a serious and thoughtful Enforcer serving under Inspectors Tsunemori and Ginoza.

One of the elder enforcers, Masaoka Tomomi provides a mentor figure for Inspector Tsunemori and is valued for his often expert advice. Though he may appear rugged and hardened on the outside, he is a very caring man who gives of himself before others, especially for his troubled son.

Nobuchika Ginoza is the epitome of a lawkeeper, guiding every step by the rules in the book. He prizes duty and keeping the rules over spontaneous ideas and actions. Ginoza is a strong leader, though often moody, for he hides long-buried pain deep within himself. He always would treat Masaoka with an air of disregard, but that hidden part of him comes to the surface when Masaoka gives his life for him.

In my eyes, this anime truly comes down to a showdown between two troubled but brilliant masterminds, Kogami Shinya and Makishima Shogo. One is always trying to be one step ahead of the other, playing a mental game on the gameboard of life and death. Enforcer Kogami Shinya struggles under the weight of letting a friend die, and burns with a quiet fury to get revenge on the one behind the death, Makishima Shogo. Kogami is a driven and passionate man who has a deep sense of loyalty to his friends, whom he would protect to the death. It is intriguing to watch others melt some of the ice in his heart and show him that there is a life outside mindless and dutiful killing.

On the other hand, Makishima Shogo has struggled with isolation since childhood, having always been different than others. His seemingly emotionless disregard of people’s lives as just “pieces on the gameboard of life” makes him appear cold and ruthless. He is a man who loves philosophy and the classics, often quoting his favourite authors to make a point. He reasons that, with the end of the Sybil System, which he deems unjust, people can be equal once more, regardless of their Psycho-Pass. This does seem true in some respects, if not many, casting doubt about who, or what, is the true villain.

For fans of Death Note, or any other highly psychological anime, Psycho-Pass will be sure to entertain. It has truly made me ponder a great many things, and given me hope yet apprehension that things are definitely not all they seem.