I’ll be honest. When I originally reviewed Psycho-Pass, (streaming for free legally, with region restrictions on Funimation’s site) I never expected to ever mention it again here. And yet, here we are. Huh, how about that?
I was hesitant to start this series, but once I did, it was a compelling – if difficult – watch. There were bits in the middle that were genuinely horrific and at least one scene that haunted me for days. It was actually worse for the clinical way in which the audience reaction was made part of the scene, and was discussed…as we were made to watch it repeatedly.
So, yes, this is a really violent, and in many, cases stressful, story. But it was, nonetheless, an extremely well-written genre piece. The genre is “suspense horror” so there are tropes that aren’t pleasant. If you know this going in to the thing, there’s a better chance that your won’t be too badly traumatized. It’s probably important to point out that folks with abuse or rape triggers might be better served to avoid this story.
When the end came, it was a solid genre ending. Our apparently naive protagonist had grown. But…you know, I don’t think she ever was naive or immature. The character design was camouflage – it was our belief that Akane *must* be naive, because she is small, female and young. If you pay attention to the story as it played out, she was actually fairly confident and cool – not emotionless, just able to make decisions regardless of whatever the circumstances were- throughout. We might not always agree with the decisions, but that was part of her strength, too. I consider Akane to be one of the overall best lead female roles I’ve seen in anime.
The DVD/BD license for Psycho-Pass has been officially announced by Funimation. It is slated for spring 2014, and will include a dub.
Oh, wait, I forgot to tell you why I’m reviewing this at all! You know how, in most series, the lesbian couple sleeps together and one always dies almost immediately? Well that didn’t happen here. After everything plays out, Yayoi and Shion both survive – and get to be together. I told you to be happy Fukami was involved! He loves the lesbians and we love him right back. ^_^
Ratings:
Art – 8
Character – 9
Story – 9
Yuri – 9
Service – 9 High and mostly extremely nasty with a little light – happy – lesbian service on the side
Overall – 9
It was not a series I’d suggest lightly, but it is something I thought was well-crafted. I wonder if I’ll ever be able to watch it again.
Oh! I was planning on watching this before but never had a chance too…but now I guess I will get to it! xD
It’s streaming for free, so yes – get to it! ^_^
Now if only the series gave Yayoi more to do which is why I hope there’s a 2nd season or OVA with the new team line-up. More specifically, have the new season be about that new female Inspector Mika (which surprised me that she’s the same one from that plasticized schoolgirl arc) who partners up with Yayoi, and they take down Yayoi’s former admirer, Rina and her rebels. Yuri subplots galore!
That seems likely. (Note to all you visitors from ANN – this was sarcasm. I don’t think it’s likely at all.)
July 13, 2013: There will be a second season, but I really wouldn’t council you to expect a Yayoi-centric storyline…or if there is one, don’t expect it to be pleasant. ^_^)
You think yayoi and shion’s relationship was only just sexual?
We have no way to know – it can be anything we want it to be.
This review is pretty much the same as mine. When I saw your previous mention and then saw there were 3 female characters I expected at least one of them to suffer horribly and then die a typical, gratuitous, female death. The addition of the possible Yuri relationship between Yayoi and Shion raised that possibility 1000%. I know I couldn’t take that at this point so I found out the ending for all the characters before I started it. I think I was so pleased I was wrong I enjoyed it more than I ever would have otherwise. Indeed, Akane is a great female lead and ends the series as the strongest character in the show. I cannot say I would buy this, but, you never know. Thank you for your review.
I truly enjoyed Psyco-Pass even though I felt it lost what made it interesting three quarters of the way though. It was great that of the side characters Yayoi got a back story episode.
Not to sound like too much of a downer but it does seam that Psyco-Pass managed to circumvent a lot of expectations of it and that is what I liked the most, sadly.
I felt it was inevitable that the focus shifted from Akane to the boys and their issues. I was relieved that Kogami’s vendetta wasn’t strung out longer and that Akane was given the lead role in figuring out what was going on. In fact, that was when she stepped up to be herself. I wasn’t disappointed by this series at all.
Kogami at the very least remained charming till the end while Makishima lost his charisma at about ep 8-9. Akane like you said went from strength to strength.
I completely understand. Makishima’s “charisma” never worked for me, I find characters like him very irritating, rather than appealing.
I started watching this after your first write-up. It was the first anime in possibly 8 years I watched each episode as it came available. I very much enjoyed it and agree with your review here entirely. Akane is a refreshing change for a protagonist and while I thought the premise of the show was initially HIGHLY contrived, we were rewarded in the end as it was well thought out. I truly enjoyed the thoughtful, non-nihilistic decision Akane’s makes in the end regarding Sybil.
I’m glad that Yayoi doesn’t get offed in the end. Though I wish Shion wasn’t so… nondiscriminatory. I’m not sure if her offer to Kogami was genuine since it’s obvious he’d never accept.
Thank you so much for talking about this anime!
Not sure if I would rate Psycho-Pass that high up myself, but I agree it’s not exactly a bad anime. It talks of interesting themes, and the presence (despite vague) of Yuri is lovely.
I was happy with how this series ended also. I’ll admit that I wasn’t sure, after watching ep 21, that ep 22 would resolve everything satisfactorily, but it did. That said, I would watch the heck out of a second season (although I’m not kidding myself into expecting one), and look forward to getting Funi’s physical release of this series. I got two seasons of more-ambitious-than-normal entertainment that didn’t spit on my time investment with a weak ending, some canon Yuri in a show that I actually like (as evinced by my Yayoi x Shion folder and Pixiv bookmarks), and fun had discussing it with other people. Definitely glad I got into it.
Exactly so, Katherine! Thanks for prompting me to watch it. ^_^
Psychp-Pass was pretty solid and satisfying, and somehow incredibly mature for an anime. I liked the theme of the show and its philosophical discourses, although some episodes did get quite pretentious with all the quotes Makishima and friends uttered. Maybe the scale did go a bit out of hand, as it usually does when it comes to anime series – the ending was satisfactory, but an another season would hurt no-one.
Overall, I liked our protagonist Akane, who did prove to be surprisingly strong and reasonable a female character. I have to say this, although I never really agreed with her decisions. Nevertheless, she did not fall into that “seemingly-capable-but-in-the-end-naive-and-incompetent-girl-who-needs-to-be-saved” -category.
The only thing which really bothered me was how she was not able to shoot Makishima to save Yuki – that was way too obvious and played right into the stupid old cliche – women don’t go for the kill and so forth, blah blah. I guess one could explain it all with the inculcated belief in the Sibyl system and stuff, but I really hope they had left that part out.
All in all, a good anime with surprisingly multi-faceted characters, not one I will ever watch again, but one I did enjoy. Thanks for letting us know about this :)
You’re welcome. ^_^
I’m not sure that they were “together” exactly as a romantic couple, and not two qeer people who had a sexual relationship as a stress relief. Yep, Shion is canonically bisexual, and Yayoi is canonically lesbian, but the fact that we don’t see any signs of their relationship other than sex, and Shion openly flirts with whole main cust, rather means that it’s purely sexual relationship than romance