Psycho-Pass 1 + 2

:// INTRO

I think it was around 2012 when I first heard about Psycho-Pass. For the uninitiated, Psycho-Pass is an Anime series which takes place in a “near-perfect” Japanese society in the future.

Cyberpunk baby.

Although the show is set in the future, there are many grounded elements which add some great flavor and creative language to the show. The story centers around a rookie who just joined the MWPSB (basically the cops). However, the reason why Japan has achieved an “almost” perfect society is because the entire country relies on an advanced Artificial Intelligence called the Sibyl System.

Sybyl is plugged into everything, but the main focus of the AI is to scan citizens and read their Psycho-Pass. Which can basically determine if a person could be prone to committing crime. The Psycho-Pass itself is a number, but it can also be read as a color hue. Basically a clouded hue leads to an elevated Psycho-Pass.

Sybyl also determines what place in society a person will have. Basically which person can do what job in order to help society.

The issue here is that this “perfection” come at a price, basically the over-dependency of humans to technology.

:// FUTURE JAPAN

If I remember correctly, the first season does not actually tell you what year the show is set in. The futuristic elements are the high skyscrapers with the abundance of holograms for all information which is presented to the citizens of Japan.

There are no flying cars thankfully, but the police vehicles are basically a sleek men-in-black style sedan. Those vehicles then turn into a black-and-white police vehicle (sirens included) when shit gets real.

In the world of Psycho-Pass there are basically no police officers. There are Inspectors and Enforcers. Inspectors are basically detectives who are in charge of the team. The remainder of the team are Enforcers, which are latent criminals (individuals with a high Psycho-Pass which Sybyl has determined not fit to live normal lives). Enforcers basically handle the dirty work so Inspectors do not get their hues clouded. Both Inspectors and Enforcers use a giant hand-canon called a Dominator. The Dominator is connected directly to Sybyl.

If a person is scanned with a Dominator and has a Psycho-Pass from 70 to100 the are incapacitated with the Dominator. Anything over 100 the Dominator transforms in Lethal Eliminator mode. Basically shooting a lazer which makes criminals explode from the inside out.

There is a quick catch which I thought was genius:

An Enforcer cannot shoot an Inspector. And Inspectors are the only individuals which can “allow” an enforcer to use a Dominator.

But there is a catch on the show: there is a person committing murders, but the Sybyl System cannot detect him.

Crazy.

:// PRESENT DAY?

There is so much more I would like to write bout Psycho-Pass but I would be giving so much away.

But there is a very creepy resemblance if the show with present day.

Basically, the Anime shows us how society is extremely reliant on technology and “always being online”.

Cast of Season 1 and Season 2

This is highly recommended, although the scenes featuring violence are pretty hard to watch as you see how people in this modern Japan are basically dumbfounded when confronted with these extreme situations.

I watched Seasons 1 and 2 basically back to back. This was an awesome experience, especially watching it dubbed. I have to wait a bit to continue with Season 3. I do know that Season 3 does follow other characters, but too much Cyberpunk does make me feel like I am in a constant state of brain-fart.

Too much neon and smoke I guess.