Psycho-Pass (2012-2013)

[PSYCHO-PASS サイコパス]

Director: Naoyoshi Shiotani, Katsuyuki Motohiro
Studio: Production IG
Starring: Kana Hanazawa, Tomokazu Seki, Takahiro Sakurai
Episodes: 22

Synopsis:
In a world where an automated system known as Sibyl judges citizens based on their mental state, a rookie Inspector is newly assigned to the Public Safety Bureau's Crime Invesitagtion Division.

Impressions:
I was immediately enthralled by the concept of the world. It resembles other surveillance state dystopias, but the focus on mental state as the determining factor for criminality (when entirely justified stress can render you a target for enforcement) and how people function in this system is fascinating to me. The culture clash between the latent criminal Enforcers and the Inspectors who supervise them is interesting to observe. The character interactions are great. Though naive and inexperienced, our lead Akane Tsunemori is a woman of firm convictions and considerable mental toughness, contrasted with her more high-strung superior Ginoza, whose experiences threaten to push him over the edge. Shinya Kougami, Tsunemori's partner, is the sort of cop who's gone too far down the rabbit hole, a cunning and insightful investigator yet too seeped in the violence he's experienced. The main antagonist, Makishima, is perfectly tailored to the setting, a criminal mastermind both ruthless and serene, who defies the very foundations of the society the Sibyl System maintains. The production values are quite high, which is always a plus. On pretty much every front, this is an excellent scifi crime thriller that definitely warrants a place in your collection.

Rating:
Own It