This anime truly is something else. Although it starts off without an elaborate introduction to this cyber-punk futuristic Japan of the 22nd century, it compensates for it by letting you make up your own mind on the issues depicted instead of having them dished on a silver platter. The viewer is confronted with a world, where every person is scanned for their Psycho-Pass, a 'hue' that reflects a person's current affinity towards crimes.
Law enforcement is based on the Sibyl system (the all controlling and regulating system calculating these crime coefficients for any given individual in the whole population) directing the 'police' towards those with very clouded hues (reaching crime coefficients above 100). The 'police' consists of investigators (detectives) and enforcers (former detectives whose hues have permanently clouded or potentially criminal individuals with useful abilities) and they incapacitate (for mandatory rehabilitation) or eliminate the criminals according to their Psycho-Pass, which can be scanned by aiming a specialized weapon at the target. The investigators and enforcers each must synch with their weapon beforehand and the target can only be shot when their crime coefficient reaches a critical value, which means that investigators or enforcers cannot act without the permission of the Sibyl system.
This was designed to prevent judgement errors that are frequent in fallible human beings. However, it also takes away the freedom of a person working in law enforcement, making them a marionette of the Sibyl system.
At first glance it seems a little outlandish and the concept of such a Psycho-Pass is debatable. Especially, since it is always a snapshot for any given moment and may fluctuate over time. But as we follow a newly assigned female investigator called Akane Tsunemori on her quest to fulfill her duty, one realizes that the anime is much, much darker than anticipated and it raises several central questions about how far humanity should go to enforce order and harmony, how much personal freedom a given individual should be allowed and whether or not that freedom is more important than safety.
The conversations throughout the anime are intelligent, well constructed but might at times appear slightly exaggerated and elitist. The protagonists are likeable, capable and each of them is in his/her own way unique and relevant. The main villain is a highly intriguing, interesting and well-read individual. He is clearly the driving force behind the doubts that gradually shake Akane's confidence in the mysterious and seemingly infallible Sibyl system. The characters all undergo development depending on their perspective - and the action sequences are fast-paced and thrilling. Some scenes are deeply disturbing and although not overly gory, still quite violent in nature. It is not an anime for those with a weak stomach but still within range of what you would expect from a thriller.
However, the scientific basis of the Sibyl system, the destruction mechanisms applied by their special weapons as well as the neuronal cues used to calculate the crime coefficient are - sadly - neglected. People looking for a story where everything will be explained in the end might be disappointed. The focus lies much more on the philosophical and ethical questions that arise when confronted with a utopian (or rather, dystopian) society such as the one under the reign of Sibyl.
Despite the strong tendency towards lengthy intellectual dialogues, there is no boring minute. In addition to the well structured plot, the audiovisual elements fit the sombre atmosphere and are of good quality. The dark frames, strong contrasts and cold hues add to the overall mysterious and slightly chilling tone of the anime. This is a great example of how to handle a thriller. I therefore highly recommend it to anyone who is an attentive watcher, has a passion for thrillers and likes to ponder the deeper questions regarding human nature and the ideal society. I thus rate this anime with a solid 7.5/10.
Character Analysis: Shogo Makishima
(Potential Spoilers ahead)
Shogo Makishima is easily one of the most intriguing villains I have encountered so far and there are several aspects contributing to this fact. The unsettling feeling one experiences when watching Psycho-Pass stems from the reason that - albeit cruel in character - the villain should be the hero in this story.
In my brief review of Psycho-Pass, I pointed out how society is controlled by the Sibyl system. People are being directed in their everyday life by Sibyl, going so far as to monitor their emotional state, choosing careers and partners for them, limiting them in their choice of hobbies and free time activities, thereby taking away their freedom and stripping them of independence. Instead of being judged by their actions, people are being judged by their potential to commit crime, which means, that a given individual may be incarcerated (or worse, eliminated) for a crime they did not yet (and may never) commit. The deviations, those individuals with a Psycho-Pass above the regulation level (clouded Hue), are pursued by the police, as their crime coefficient is picked up by one of the public scanners throughout the city.
The most disturbing aspect is the fact that victims of a crime usually show an elevated crime coefficient themselves due to the trauma they experienced, ending up in a rehabilitation facility or being executed on the spot. The same goes for those trying to understand the mind of a criminal, since they may in turn become a latent criminal themselves (a person with a crime coefficient above 100), as they gaze deeper into the abyss.
It strikes us as a highly flawed system that ignores the ability of a person to choose and does not value individual decisions, which (one might argue) are a large part of what defines every human being. However, the brutal preventive methods of Sibyl exerting control over society do establish a safe and harmonic state. And out of this futuristic society rises someone seeking to free the people from their shackles and boring lives, who tries to liberate them and give back the independent life they were once able to live.
Shogo Makishima is greatly annoyed at how technology takes over every aspect of modern life, how people forget the value of personal relationships and let Sibyl dictate their every decision. He wishes for ordinary things to be done in an ordinary way, finding excitement in reading paperback books, appreciating art, music and tea. Makishima's personality is one of an intellectual, a philosopher and curious observer of human nature. He enjoys the thrills of life that result from individual decisions and their consequences and his interest in people is only peaked when they defy Sibyl, when they act according to their own will:
"I think the only time people really have value is when they act according to their own will." - Shogo Makishima
But due to Sibyl depriving society of everyday stress, to reduce the probability of emerging latent criminals, people become increasingly stress intolerant. Shogo Makishima noticed this and blames people's bystander role and decrease in responsiveness and autonomy on the lack of stimulation in their safe and boring everyday lives:
"For some time researchers have understood that moderate stress has beneficial effects. It boosts the immune system for example. Stress motivates and prepares us for action. It compels our body to survive. However, routine psycho pass checks take away the stress from us. There are patients whose stress reaction is so numb, they can’t even recognize the basic stimulation of their senses. Once that happens, it’s a neurological downward spiral, they become like living corpses." - Shogo Makishima
While Sibyl is an agent of the ideology promoting safety and harmony over individual freedom, Shogo Makishima represents the opponent valuing personal freedom over safety. His case is special in many ways, one of which is him being criminally asymptomatic, meaning, that his Psycho-Pass never exceeds the regulation norm, enabling him to commit crimes without being held accountable by Sibyl. His actions resulting from the conviction of them being just, do not seem to impact his crime coefficient. He uses this ability to wreak havoc by guiding other latent criminals to commit crimes that point out these flaws in the system and are meant to wake society and turn it against Sibyl. He pushes people to breaking point, so they might realize who they truly are. In a way, he wishes to expose humanity's true nature, as this is - in his mind - the purest and only valuable form of a human being. He sees society as a tiger being caged, behind bars, controlled by tranquilizers and threatened by an ever looming whiplash. His sole interest is to let said tiger out of the cage, to observe what will happen if he is no longer restrained.
One might call him a humanist, although most certainly one of the darker side, a critical thinker with excellent self awareness. He understands the needs of a human being for attention, meaning and excitement, realizing that what humanity desires most is not necessarily good in nature, and when suppressed, may lead to people desperately trying to overcome boredom and break free from the routine and discrimination implemented by Sibyl.
"The opposite of boredom is not pleasure... but excitement. People will gladly seek out any kind of excitement, even pain." - Shogo Makishima
Makishima’s outlook on society and his ambition to break the cancerous influence of Sibyl seem reasonable, even preferable to the system. However, as we progress in the story, we are confronted with another question, the one of „do the ends justify the means?“.
Makishima’s methods to achieve his goals are brutal and ruthless in nature. Even though he does not mind getting his hands dirty, often using his knife as opposed to a fire arm, he usually takes joy in manipulating people from the shadows, nurturing their criminal tendencies to use them for his own ends. Makishima is an enabler, a puppeteer pulling the strings, arranging for those with violent intent to connect with those who possess the means to support them. He thoroughly enjoys his role as a mediator, taking earnest interest in his "projects", despite him being able to cut the strings at any given time. In this manner, he is inciting a criminal to publicly kill an innocent woman just to prove that people have become so numb that not a single bystander will rise and intervene. And he ends up being proven right, as people start filming and taking pictures instead of helping the woman out. Further, he enables people with a special helmet device to circumvent Psycho-Pass scans, so that they may freely roam the city, despite their crime coefficients reaching a level above the regulation norm. All this, just to see what will happen if the handcuffs are being taken off:
"In order to measure a person’s worth, you must do more than push them. The real way to test their worth is to give them power. When they gain the freedom to act outside the boundaries of law and ethics, you can sometimes see their souls. When the weak become strong... When good citizens become free to engage in violence... I'm interested to see what is the outcome of that." - Shogo Makishima
Despite his capability of cold blooded murder, when interacting with others, he comes across as calm, collected and polite. The criminals and outlaws he grooms and supports see him as a mentor they can rely on, as he engages in personal conversations, spending time to get to know them. Although, one might argue that it is not social bonding he is after but rather a way to figure the person out, to observe and judge them, like a psychologist trying to find out what makes someone tick. He sees them as toys for his enjoyment or tools to accomplish his goals and whenever they disappoint him - and everyone is eventually bound to do so - he loses interest. From that point onward, their lives hold no value to him anymore. His sadistic tendencies, infatuation with the darkness of human souls and his willingness to stop at nothing (casualties included), beg the question of whether there is not a better way to achieve society's freedom from Sibyl's reign. It is what makes him the villain instead of the hero.
Enter Akane Tsunemori. As an inspector of the police, she enforces the law but eventually comes to understand the reason behind the Sibyl system. Sibyl is a a brain collective improving the network of computer analysis with biological connections used to judge every person's affinity towards crimes. Ironically, it is composed of criminally asymptomatic individuals, just like Shogo Makishima, whose clinical thinking and keen intellect is an asset when objectively observing human nature. While Tsunemori despises the thought of being the system’s marionette, working for "someone" of the same nature as the person she is currently pursuing to bring to justice, she also recognizes that Makishima’s way of shaking the city’s foundation will ultimately lead to chaos and destruction and she therefore opts to support the law and follow Sibyl's judgement, until she finds a better way to free society.
Makishima however embraces the possibility of chaos, intending to discover what lies beyond the destruction. As opposed to inspector Tsunemori, he is convinced that the only way society can be cured is if it is destroyed down to its core and built up anew, risking that it may never recover.
At one point, Makishima is temporarily captured by the police and asked by Sibyl whether he would like to join the brain collective, enabling him to reign over the people. Interestingly, Makishima declines. Even though he does enjoy his position as an observer, he does not want to be limited to it.
"Like God, you mean? That might be pleasurable in its own way, but unfortunately I'm not into being an umpire or a referee, as I can't genuinely enjoy the game unless I'm part of it. And I love this game that people call "life" from the bottom of my heart. That's why I'd like to continue to participate in it as a player [...]" - Shogo Makishima
It also shows that Makishima is not after omnipotence, but truly invests in his own belief of what society should be like, valuing it more than personal pleasure gained from a position such as the one proposed by Sibyl. He remains true to his cause, which makes him more believable and all the more convincing.
Makishima knows how to and who to play, being incredibly charismatic when the occasion demands it. His slick talk and logical approach to problems easily sway those longing for someone to guide them towards freedom and self realization. He is a person who radiates authority and danger while philosophizing about „the game that is life“ he so enjoys. His goal to free the people and enable them to make their own decisions away from Sibyl’s prying eyes may be noble, but it clearly seems to also serve as his personal entertainment, as a distraction from the boredom and loneliness he experiences and to get revenge for being made an outcast by the system that won’t judge him.
Shogo Makishima's personality is complex and highly intriguing and it is the splinter of truth to his arguments that makes him such a thrillingly great villain. Because the danger he exudes doesn’t stem from him being physically intimidating or notoriously brutal, but him pointing his finger to the dark truth in humanity, making one question one's own moral standpoint.
However, like every individual, no matter if lawful or not, Shogo Makishima is not without weakness. Even though he is a genius at gambling with human emotions, there is always a risk involved - a risk that he is gladly willing to take. Makishima, despite his arrogance, never valued his life above his ideals, rather willing to sacrifice himself than to submit to society's standards and a government that prohibits free will. Thus, his ultimate demise is caused by his philosophical nature, wishing for a death that wasn't ordered by Sibyl, wanting it to be violent and honest, because someone wishes to kill him, not because the system said so.
Makishima, despite being highly intelligent and sophisticated, never concealed the fact that he is cruel or claimed to be without guilt. He acknowledges his nature instead of denying it. And in a way it makes his death rather poetic, when he, being a vicious animal himself, is eventually killed by one in turn.
It is quite surprising though that he has not been killed earlier, as there were several occasions where he could have been eliminated. One of them being when he tossed that shotgun to Akane Tsunemori, enabling her to kill him, but only if she was the one sentencing him to death and not Sibyl - when she would no longer be able to hide behind the system and shift the burden of responsibility on a seemingly omniscient being pulling the trigger for her. Tsunemori had the chance to follow through and shoot him, but alas, she missed. It was a bluff on his part, but one that could have easily blown up in his face. Just as he told her back then, the only way someone can make him pay for his sins is if they make their own decision and decide to kill him.
And this is where we learned something very valuable about Makishima that might turn his death - from his perspective - into a win, rather than a loss. He clearly stated that if someone came for him with the will to sentence him to death, he'd actually appreciate it, as it would be caused by someone acing on their own free will. Meaning, because it was the will of this person to kill him, his death would share the same value as his executioner's life holds. Value, that only persists because someone acts according to their own will and not according to someone else's (Sybil's).
Thus, when his hangman (Shinya Kogami) came for him - the only one who understood him and was able to beat him at his own game - and pulled the trigger, we ought to ask ourselves whether Makishima did not actually win. When he made Kogami into a murderer instead of an enforcer, Makishima changed him in a way that Kogami was no longer able to live as a legitimate citizen among society - because of a society that is not able to judge right from wrong, as they are never given the option to choose in the first place. Accepting his death at the hands of a rogue enforcer, Makishima chose this opportunity to make his point one last time.
To conclude, Makishima really proved to be a formidable antagonist, one that had purpose and power, with principles that made sense and a steadfast conviction that didn't waver in the slightest. As it is truly rare to encounter a "villain" who isn't just the bad guy wanting to scorch the earth and cause destruction, Makishima set the bar of an interesting, multilayered and frighteningly disturbing antagonist very high.
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