Psycho-Pass

It's rare I love something so much I have to write a review about it, but that's just how I feel about Psycho-Pass

I'm still relatively new to the anime world, and I finished this series quite a while ago, but it is absolutely amazing.

the storyline is intelligent, creative, and is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. every character has so much depth and their stories are explored with so much care that you feel like you really know them. the ending is so beautifully well done and wraps up the story perfectly.

I will admit I found it hard to watch the second season (I have yet to get very far in it) but the first is and probably always will be one of my favorite shows.

In a dystopian Japan, the so-called "Sybil System", an autarkic omnipresent surveillance framework, controls the lives of the country's population in the pursuit of optimal happiness. It monitors aptitude, potential, and psychic health of its inhabitants. By means of the Psycho-Pass, an individual psychological fingerprint, stress levels are measured and preemptive measures are taken, should a citizen display anomalous behavior such as depression or the intent/latency to commit a crime. The latter finds expression in a number called the "Crime Coefficient", a characteristic showing the latent criminal potential of a person. Once this number surpasses a certain threshold, this person is branded since there is virtually no chance of reducing this number again. Set against this background, a crime unit investigates into a series of murders that set the stage for what I find to be one the most compelling and complex Anime series in recent years.

What begins as a well-executed alteration of Orwell and Dick, soon turns out to touch so many additional topics that I was actually surprised and happy to see that the shear audacity to put all this into one show did neither ruin the flow nor the arc of suspense. On the contrary, all the references to literature, the philosophical discourse, the sociological aspects are woven astoundingly well into the plot. Name it, it's there: Kantian ethics, Max Weber's sociology of domination, Sartre's existentialism, Foucault, etc. All this is combined with contemporary phenomena such as the loss of privacy, alienation in urban areas, and the boundlessness of human beings that are overwhelmed by an overly complex reality.

The show is action-packed and VERY graphic, has brilliant character development and is emotionally very demanding to say the least.

Watch it and be blown away!

If you're on the fence about pursuing this endeavor don't be, it's such a well thought out anime. It's almost as good as Erased, combining action and mystery seamlessly. I am saddened that I didn't get to it until 2018 but better late than never.

This is an anime that will undoubtedly be among the best of the best in the near future with its excellent plot, character development and intelligence. It is expected by the viewer that he/she has a certain knowledge of classic literature like 1984 and Gulliver's Travels in order to fully appreciate the story. GITS SOC brings to the table the question about AI, Robotics and social disruption/cohesion. This delves much deeper into the issues about what is the absolute best political/social order? Is it like in Foucault's panoptican where you have as few guardians as possible who watch from their watchtower the entire prison/society? Or Weber's thought on the political elites who must be the most unbiased in the society in order to lessen corruption as much as possible?

This series will be appreciated by the viewer who searches for depth, suspense and action.

You like Blade Runner, GITS SOC, Neon Genesis? Then DON'T rob yourself of this.

I am primarily taking the time to review this, as while the only other review here at the time of writing, makes good points, I disagree on it's quality, and the issues are fresh in my mind, as the last episode is presently still on my screen.

I was extremely pleased to learn the series had continued, I felt the first Psycho Pass was a surprising hit, which attempted to add to the GITS, Deus Ex or cyberpunk societal dystopia type anime, which is among the most interesting style of anime entertainment, IMO.

I do not believe Psycho Pass managed to reach '9/10' heights, but it did pose interesting questions and I did want more.

For Psycho Pass 2... the assistant inspector character is simply so illogically blind to the obviousness of the truths around here, from the beginning, that it is somewhat immersion breaking.

The previous reviewer seemed to feel that was explainable by only fools being chosen to be police officers. I'm seeing a bit of disconnect there however. Perhaps that is how this series chose to present the situation, but I didn't get that vibe from the original series, and it's just too ridiculous. The 'hounds' are far more capable thinkers, as were the officers originally. That is poor writing, bending the reality of the world they created to serve their point.

(Which better writing could've avoided)

Additionally there are, IMO, several aspects that are poorly written justifications for scenarios.

Although overall, I am still pleased there was more of this world to watch, I enjoyed the literary and historical references and the overall warnings the show presents.

I would simply argue that Psycho Pass '1' was the superior work.

I don't think anything plot or characterisation wise was better done here, and of course, Psycho Pass 1 was great, because it was better than many other things, not because it was actually an amazingly cerebral work of art, to the standards of GITS.

There are too many 'plot sheep', but I suppose there are in life as well.

However unlike our reality, the evils of society, are extremely obvious, unchanging and clear cut. IMO, more black and white, than a show discussing these themes should have - and far moreso than Psycho Pass 1 - but then this IS a continuation.

Still worth watching!