Psycho-Pass - Episode 22 (Completed)

It was inevitable that it would come to this, and thus Psycho-Pass' final episode sees Kogami facing off against Makishima in a no-holds barred knife and fist fight.  Can Akane reach them in time to stop this conflict turning lethal?

Yes she can, as it happens, although in the ensuing confusion Makishima manages to slip away once again.  Rather than immediately taking Kogami into custody, Tsunemori instead allows him use of her Dominator, switching this for his traditional firearm and allowing him to accompany her as they redouble their efforts to capture a fleeing, and now injured, Makishima.

Although it seems that Akane has gotten the edge on her colleague when it comes to making this arrest and ensuring that Kogami doesn't incriminate himself, it seems almost as if a higher power (and I don't mean the Sibyl system) has decided the fate of our two male characters - thus, it's Kogami who gets to achieve his goal, leaving Akane distraught.  Fast forward a couple of months and much has changed, although in the same sense nothing has changed - the Sibyl system still reigns supreme, and Akane continues to find herself torn between fighting for justice and fighting for a better justice than the one she serves now.  There's little time to consider this however, with a new recruit coming on board in the continuing fight against crime...

So often, a series can ruin a lot of its hard work by leaving things sufficiently open for a second season - not so in Psycho-Pass' case, which is clearly hopeful of being able to tell more stories in its world, but is confident enough to assert that a single incident or character isn't enough to bring about a revolution.  Thus, we're left with an immensely satisfying ending to the show's major story arc that both subverts and lives up to expectations, as a final reminder of just how self-assured it has been in its narrative.  Admittedly, sometimes it has been a little too cocky and full of self-importance in its ideas, but as a whole Psycho-Pass was a superb viewing experience - a top-notch crime drama with a thought-provoking setting and worldview that, for all of its literary quotes and philosophical, actually asked its deepest questions of society on a far higher level.  It might not be the true successor to Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex we all hunger for (what could possibly take its place?), but that shouldn't undermine what is an excellent series in its own right.

Psycho-Pass - Episode 21

The game is afoot as we reach Psycho-Pass' penultimate episode with Kogami and Tsunemori racing to be the first to reach and deliver their own visions of justice to Makishima - oh, and saving the country from starvation into the bargain.

With Kogami unable to bypass the biometric security required to enter the facility where Makishima is crafting his virus, it seems as if he's already realised that Akane is smart enough to keep with him, and thus he's happy for her to take the lead by using the MWPSB's influence to shut off all power to the complex - a move which also disables all of its security.  Thus, the race is well and truly on to capture the culprit at the heart of events - but what will his next move by with no power to any of the systems that he requires to complete his plan?

Akane is convinced that rather than run, Makishima will head to the control room to manually reboot the plant's power, and thus heads off there while sending Ginoza and Masaoka to cut off any escape routes he might have.  It comes as rather a surprise therefore when we reach said control room to find no sign of either Makishima or Ginoza... has Akane miscalculated something?  Indeed she has, and that something is the kind of nefarious deeds that Makishima is willing to carry out to achieve his goals, which in turn sets us up for a tumultuous finale...

For all of its occasionally heavy-handed moments of proselytizing about the freedom of the people, the importance of true justice and so on, this was another rip-roaring episode of Psycho-Pass that showcases everything that has been so great about the series - the strength of some of its main characters, the excellent realisation of its crime drama roots, and that blending of crime drama with bursts of action, emotion and, yes, those monologues and reference-heavy debates between characters.  Am I hyped for the finale of the series?  You bet I am, and Psycho-Pass remains the best anime of the past six months and probably beyond in my book.

Psycho-Pass - Episode 20

It seems that somebody wants to Akane to know about the truth behind the Sibyl system, and thus it's off for another trip to the basement as this week's episode of Psycho-Pass begins...

Clearly, the disembodied brains that make up the system have deigned Akane worthy of the knowledge of their true nature, and we soon come to learn of the reasoning behind this decision - quite simply, they need someone to bring them Makishima, and bring him to them alive.  In spite of her disgust at what truly props up the justice system she protects so fiercely, it seems that Akane is left no option but to do their bidding as they manoeuvre her into a no-win situation, although not before she makes them promise to rescind the decision to execute Kogami before agreeing to their terms.

Meanwhile, Makishima himself is well on his way to achieving his latest terrorist plot of destroying the city's vulnerable food supply - after paying a retire professor who designed the virus that protects the oat crops which feed all and sundry a visit, he has everything he needs to execute this plan.  Thanks to his own knowledge, Kogami is in hot pursuit of his quarry, but it seems that he isn't completely immune to the possibility of leaving his fellow detectives some clues as to what's going on - clues that only Akane seems to have the ability to pick up on.

It's really Tsunemori's character that drives and defines this week's episode - watching her put on the spot by the revelations to her about the Sibyl system was fascinating in its own right (if distilled by being followed by some clumsy and largely needless dream sequence conversations), and seeing her at the peak of her deductive and reasoning powers as she effectively takes control of the hunt for Kogami and Makishima is stirring to watch as we see her potential (and training at Kogami's hands) fully unleashed.  It seels as if we're all set up for a finale that will be as satisfying as what came before, and provided it manages to provide that I really couldn't ask for more from this series that might not be perfect, but certainly still has a lot to offer.

Psycho-Pass - Episode 19

Kogami has gone rogue in his pursuit of Makishima, turning his former colleagues at the MWPSB into enemies - can he beat them in the race to his target?

In spite of struggling with some Psycho-Pass related issues of his own, Ginoza is determined to ensure that his department are at the forefront of efforts to put a stop to both Makishima and Kogami and whatever they're planning, and his stress levels certainly aren't helped by the knowledge that those around him clearly had some involvement in Kogami's disappearance.

For Kogami's part, his major hurdle is figuring out exactly what Makishima plans to do next, something which he searches for outside help to comprehend.  Needless to say, this comes via psychologist and friend Professor Saiga, an individual who helps Kogami gain at least a little understanding of both Makishima's personality and where he has similarities to Kogami's own train of thought.  It's these elements, coupled with a pointer to an anonymous bulletin board, that lifts the lid on what might just be Makishima's plan to ensure that the Sibyl system is crushed in a matter of days.

Having misfired somewhat last week, this latest instalment of Psycho-Pass was a bit of a slow-burner which ultimately demands the swallowing of a rather tough to swallow in-series truth about Japan's food consumption and production, which feels a little too convenient for the wider story as a whole.  I suppose a sufficient suspension of disbelief is required to accept the Sibyl system itself, but somehow this feels dangerously close to being a bridge too far - perhaps it can be woven into the current narrative so as to make it more palatable, but we shall have to see, and I'm really hoping that this isn't the kind of late misstep that might serve to undermine everything that Psycho-Pass has done so well up to this point.

Psycho-Pass - Episode 18

Makishima's time in custody has proved to be brief after he makes good on his escape in the wake of revelations to him (and ourselves) about the truth behind the Sibyl system, and all of a sudden it's the MWPSB's job to catch him again despite having been taken off his case previously.

With the instruction going out not only to recapture Makishima but also to ensure that Kogami is kept well away from the fugitive for Makishima's own protection, it's now clear to all and sundry that something highly untoward is going on.  But can anyone actually do anything about it?  In spite of the chief's absolute ruling, Ginoza proves himself to be more sincere to his beliefs than you might have believed by arranging for some sneaky shenanigans that will keep Kogami on the case.

The trouble is, that the chief (or the person currently acting as her, anyway) doesn't have the wool pulled over her eyes that easily, and she quickly moves not only to put a stop to Ginoza's plan but also to Kogami himself - a state of affairs that is only saved by some quick thinking by Akane to avoid everyone's favourite Enforcer meeting a premature fate.  With any pretence of Makishima being pursued in the name of justice now entirely out the window, it's now up to Kogami, and ultimately Akane, to choose their respective paths towards ensuring that justice is served.

Let's get this out of the way first and foremost - this week's episode of Psycho-Pass looks terrible.  Not just "oh, some of the animation is a bit sub-par" bad, but bad to the point where the poor facial expressions and detail were genuinely distracting from what's going on on-screen.  Another episode of this show might have got away with it somewhat, but given the slow burning nature of this particular instalment and its reliance on character over and above story for the most part it really hurts the narrative and what is unfolding.  That aside, I can't help but feel that the sinister side of the "chief" is overplayed a little in this episode (would this hive mind really be so blatant in their goals if they're so smart?), although on the positive side Akane and Kogami and their respective ways of reaching what is effectively the same goal continues to be a strong touchstone to drive the series forward.  Hopefully they can wrestle the animation jobs away from small children with crayons for next week's instalment...

Psycho-Pass - Episode 17

The dust is settling in the aftermath of the riots, and in spite of the economic, physical and psychological damage done to the city it seems that it - and the Sibyl system - are safe in the wake of Makishima's attack.  But is this a system really worth saving?

Either way, it seems that the MWPSB aren't going to get a chance to evaluate Makishima's plans or goals, as Gino is soon informed that his department are being taken off the case and won't be given any access to the criminal - something which understandably doesn't go down too well with any members of the squad.  For now though, their thoughts have to turn elsewhere, namely tracking down the missing Kagari as his disappearance threatens to cause a whole new set of problems for the section.  Little do they know how deep that particular conspiracy actually runs....

This brings us to Makishima's "interrogation", which isn't in fact an interrogation at all.  After learning that even the Chief in charge of the Sibyl system is not who she purports to be, and isn't even a singular individual, we finally get to the crux of what drives the Sibyl system - not so much computational power as outright brain power, harvested from those with an unusual personality which separates them from their peers.  In other words, an individual like Makishima, who finds himself summarily invited to join the Sibyl system as one of those who exercises control and judgement over all and sundry.  Of course, this kind of thing really isn't Makishima's bag, meaning that everything is quickly turned on its head once again.

I have to hold my hand up and admit that I'm not completely sure what to make of this big reveal surrounding the Sibyl system - I suppose kudos should be due that it wasn't entirely what I was expecting, but I'm not sure how well it fits into the series as a whole at this point.  Then again, it does look set to make for a compelling story moving forward, threatening as it does to shift both Makishima and the MWPSB's perspectives markedly as the truth slips out - it is perhaps what the show does with its big reveal that is more important than the details of the revelation itself, so for now I'll give it the benefit of the doubt against the backdrop of a show that is clearly still going places and has plenty more left to say.

Psycho-Pass - Episode 16

Shogo Makishima's goals have taken him to the heart of the Sibyl system, hidden from the general public though its true nature might be.  Can the trio of Tsunemori, Kagari and Kogami put a stop to his plan, whatever it might be?

Right off the bat, things are further complicated by the fact that Makishima and his accomplices have split up, with some taking to the roof of the building and its radar antenna, while the rest have set off for the basement.  With Kogami in particular given explicit instructions to capture and arrest Makishima alive, he sets off for the roof with Akane, leaving Kagari in charge of handling the basement, which proves to be far more expansive than even the building's public blueprints suggest.

Purely and simply, the majority of this episode is a straightforward race to catch up with and stop the main instigators of the chaos currently ensuing, with Kagari finding himself being tempted to join the "dark side" by Makishima's hacker accomplice, while the relationship between Kogami and Makishima himself is far more simpler.  While goings-on in the basement offer us a couple of twists and turns, at the top of the building it's left to Akane to choose between her emotions and her ethics with Makishima at her mercy.

In the grand scheme of things, and compared to much of its output thus far, this week's Psycho-Pass didn't really have anything in particular that it wanted to say, leaving the episode open to some simpler entertainment as we watched our "heroes" set forth on their mission to stop Makishima's plan.  In terms of this goal, the episode succeeded - the action was pretty slick for the most part, we got a real sense of the depth of Akane's character in terms of her drive and determination, and we also gained some glimpses into Kogami and Kagari's psyche and why they are considered to be "latent criminals".  Where the series goes from here I have no idea - with some big reveals made and others clearly around the corner though, I remain hooked in terms of following through with whatever Psycho-Pass has in store for us next.

Psycho-Pass - Episode 15

After a visceral demonstration of what can happy once you bypass the Sibyl system last week, you might be forgiven for thinking that Makishima had proved his point and will shift his attentions elsewhere.

Well, think again.  Come the start of episode fifteen of Psycho-Pass we find even more undesirables roaming the streets while sporting the helmets which allow them to effectively "hide" the hue of their Psycho-Pass, even while committing the most heinous of crimes.  As this ragtag and anarchic revolution grows, so the Internet spurs it onwards in a blur of urban myth, rumours, shocking video footage and (just occasionally) some elements of truth - its enough to send the normally law-abiding citizens of the city into a frenzy, and before we know it outbreaks of vigilante justice are being meted out against the helmet-wearing criminals... or anyone who looks like they might be "that sort of person".

After so long enjoying the fruits of the Sibyl system, law enforcement agencies are entirely ill-equipped to deal with riots and anarchy, but nonetheless it's up to the MWPSB to put a stop to the insanity infecting the streets, with little more than some EMP grenades and stun batons for protection.  Cleaning up the city seems like an almost impossible task, and every act that is carried out against the rioters and the like only serves to antagonise the situation further, but is this chaos even the real centrepiece of Makishima's goals.  Of course not - a man of his calibre has even more grandiose plans...

Once again, this week's episode of Psycho-Pass was a superb effort - both gripping and fascinating as it takes the system that it's positing from the very start to breaking point and beyond while making no shortage of obvious but nonetheless interesting points about the entire idea of a system that judges people before they've even committed an act to be judged upon.  There are plot holes for sure (last week the helmets "borrowed" the Psycho-Pass hue of a nearby person, yet even in the chaos of criminality that is a riot they still worked flawlessly), but in my eyes they can be forgiven for the fascinating qualities of the wider narrative as we look set to delve into the heart of the Sibyl system, both ethically and technologically.  Is this still my favourite currently airing series?  You bet it is.

Psycho-Pass - Episode 14

Sibyl system or not, having someone just walk into a pharmacy on the hunt for drugs and kill a couple of people in the name of finding said medication just isn't going to happen, right?

Wrong.  When a strange, helmet-wearing man succeeds in doing just this, it's no surprise that the Public Safety Bureauare called to the scene.  Just how could such a blatant criminal breeze past all of the Psycho-Pass scanners installed as security, kill two people brutally and walk right back out again without anyone batting an eyelid?  It's obvious that the helmet is the key to all of this, but there's little time to dwell on the situation as reports soon come in of another murder - again, the culprit is with helmet, and this time he committed his crime in front of not just a Psycho-Pass scanner but also a crowd who simply looked on nonplussed.

It's Kogami who begins to put two and two together about these incidents, and as yet another crime is reported he takes his first major step towards identified the killer.  Once they've figured out who this person might be and where he lives, a visit to his home soon confirms his motives, while an initial attempt to stop him reveals the "trick" behind his helmet.  From here, it's a simple matter of shepherding the suspect where they need him to go so that they can bring him to justice - a fine piece of police work, but perhaps a drop in the ocean when the real mastermind behind it all is still very much at large...

I realise that it might be a little boring me saying this about the series every week, but this was another great, great episode of Psycho-Pass - as has so often been the case with this show, the core concept of what it was trying to do and the ideas it explored were obvious and pretty simple, but the execution and simply allowing things to play out without getting caught up in defending or demonising the politics of the world made for a top-notch standalone instalment even without the implications for the wider series as a whole.  In short, Psycho-Pass remains as good as ever, and a welcome addition to my week's viewing, somewhat gratuitous violence and all.

Psycho-Pass - Episode 13

After last week's aside, we return to the real business of Psycho-Pass this time around as our thoughts return directly to Shougo Makishima and the case within which he is now beyond a prime suspect.

However, Akane's experience when confronting Makishima is giving her boss Ginoza some serious headaches, with the powers that be concerned at her story of the Dominator not working even when confronted with a blatant criminal.  It seems that this isn't a surprise to them however - in fact, it's a known issue with the Sibyl system that last manifested itself in none other than the main suspect in the so-called Specimin Case; a case with which Makishima was also believed to be involved.  Of course, those same higher-ups ensured that the culprit in those cases disappeared so as not to upset the trust of the public in the system that governs their lives, and it seems that they are willing to tread a similar path with Makishima - an idea which looks likely to built on top of other stresses for Ginoza as he struggles to control the hue of his Psycho-Pass.

One person who seems to have no such problems is Akane, who is willing to take a potentially risky measure to further the hunt for Shougo, allowing her memories to be delved into to grab a definitive "photofit" picture of him.  The downside of this is that Akane has to relieve the entire experience of seeing her friend die at Makishima's hands into the bargain - a harrowing experience which she nonetheless manages to bear with little more than some short-term upset.  The net is closing in on our killer, but surely the investigation and capture of the culprit is going to be anything but simple...

In spite of a rather weird revelation (I suppose it isn't that tricky to imagine Masaoka as Ginoza's father, but it feels at odds with the series prior to this point) this was a slow but nonetheless interesting episode of Psycho-Pass, that gave us a good feel for the strength of Akane's psyche beyond mere lip service while also further exploring the Sibyl system, its deficiencies and the barriers put up to "protect" the public from the truth about it.  None of this is the kind of thing to shock and surprise the viewer - it's all par for the course in our typical dystopian future - but given Psycho-Pass' interesting concept exploring it further in this way is absolutely fine by me, especially when the actual detective and investigation angle of the series is also pretty strong in its own right.

Psycho-Pass - Episode 12

Deliciously poised though the half-way point of Psycho-Pass left us, that isn't enough to stop the first episode of this show's second half deviating off in a slightly different direction.

Specifically, this week's episode drops us back in time by three years to tell the back story of Enforcer Yayoi Kunizuka, allowing us to meet her at a time where she was encarcerated on account of the cloudy hue of her Psycho-Pass after getting involved in the underground music scene despite being an "authorised" musician under the Sibyl system in her own right.

While her desire at this time was simply to clear herself of her mental "ailment" and return to her life as a musician, things clearly weren't quite this simple - not that this kept Yayoi from her determination to follow her chosen path, even when offered the opportunity for a way out of her current situation by becoming an Enforcer.  Eventually, Kogami (at a time where he was still a detective) proves to have the nous to persuade her otherwise, which sees her becoming involved with the MWPSB to hunt down some supposed anarchists operating in her old haunt, in turn bringing her face to face with some individuals whom she used to admire which makes for some difficult decision-making on her part.

Although I was more than a little keen to see what had become of Akane after her run-in with Makishima in the previous episode, I have to confess that this was another pretty strong episode of Psycho-Pass - as has been true for quite a lot of the series many of the points it deigned to make were quite obvious, but the story as a whole were no less strong in spite of that and the episode as a whole gave us a broader view into the outlook of Kogami in particular as well as his relationship with Sasayama, which in itself was a valuable piece of insight.  Never mind the perceived weakness of the winter anime season, as long as we have more of this to sustain us through the next few months things don't seem so bad at all right now...

Psycho-Pass - Episode 11

Reinforcements may be on their way, but will they arrive fast enough to rescue Kogami from the decidedly dangerous game in which he is now embroiled?

Once he has a Dominator in his hands thanks to the first of those reinforcements, it seems as if the balance of this game has shifted in Kogami's favour, but in the midst of this "hunting ground" and up against an experienced opponent with a shotgun that isn't necessarily the case.  Thus, it takes all of Kogami's wits to win the day, albeit not before he takes a few bullets in the progress - however, taking out Tenguchi is only half of the story...

With Kogami incapacitated, it's time for Makishima to take a more direct role in things, snatching away Yuki once again (who is now a shoe-in for a "most kidnapped character in anime 2012" award) and going on the run.  As Kogami's comrades arrive on the scene, it's inevitably Akane who gives chase in the hunt to rescue her friend, and once she runs into Yuki and Makishima it seems like dispatching with this suspect in a number of criminal cases will be a piece of cake with a Dominator at her disposal.  However, for some reason Makishima's crime coefficient isn't high enough to activate the device, and even drops further the more aggressive Makishima's behaviour becomes.  Providing her with Tenguchi's shot gun to give her the opportunity to save her friend of her own volition outside of the rules of the Sibyl system, a disbelieving Akane is faced with an almost impossible choice....

If nothing else, that was quite a spanner to throw into Psycho-Pass' works, carving a swathe out of the system around which everything is constructed thanks to a single, human anomaly before reminding us just how ruthlessly bloody this series can be.  It's certainly a heavy way to end the first half of the series, casting Akane's fortitude into doubt and potentially also turning her career on its head in the ensuing chaos.  As a result, Psycho-Pass continues to be gripping and occasionally tense stuff, and I look forward to more of the same from the show's second half.

Psycho-Pass - Episode 10

Being a detective can be a dangerous job - not just for the individual themselves, but also for those that they care about, and when Akane receives what appears to be an e-mail from one of her friends before disappearing, it seems as if somebody has a bone to pick with her....

...or do they?  Needless to say, the first thing Akane does is call upon Kogami to help her out in visiting the meeting place of her friend noted in the e-mail - it's thus Kogami who undertakes the search for her in a derelict part of town that couldn't scream "It's a trap!" more if it was a scene from Star Wars looped over and over.  Lo and behold, a trap is exactly what it is, with Kogami ushered onto a subway train and transported goodness knows where while any tracks or evidence to show where he might have gone are removed.

This spells bad news for Kogami and Akane's friend Yuki Funuhara, who is alive and well within the subway carriage, as they find themselves dumped into the middle of a quite literal hunting ground - no prizes for guessing who this particular technological "fox hunt" belongs to.  It's up to Kogami to find a way for them both to escape, and rather oddly it seems that he's been given more than a sporting chance in proceedings to boot, offering him ample opportunity to show what he can do when his back is against the wall, and ultimately giving him a chance to contact his colleagues and request their assistance.

In one sense, I'm not too sure what to feel about this week's Psycho-Pass - it lacks any of the intriguing discussions or concepts of previous instalments, but on the other hand it gives us a better view of Kogami in action, which in turn made for a reasonably compelling episode in its own right.  Of course, this whole scenario also furthers the current wider plot arc as a whole; perhaps not quite as quickly as one might have liked, but it still seems to have plenty to offer in a broader sense.  This wasn't Psycho-Pass at its best then, but given the quality of the series as a whole I'm willing to give it a, err, pass.

Psycho-Pass - Episode 9

Rikako Oryo's killing spree might have come to a grisly end , but it's become very clear that there was a mastermind behind her "works of art" who is going to be an altogether trickier individual to track down given his abilities.

It's to this end that Kogami offers Akane some assistance, taking her to see a psychologist (not the best choice for a first date, Kogami) with a particular interest and expertise in criminal psychology, meaning that he's perfectly suited to give her a crash course in psychological profiling of suspects and the like.  Given the risks such knowledge could have for an individual's Psycho-Pass - the reason why such training is now barred from being offered to detectives - the decision to undertake this training is hardly a popular one in Ginoza's eyes, although Akane seems to have grown enough in stature to be able to bat his admonishment right back at him... a confrontation that also gives us a window into Ginoza's own back story.

Alongside all of this, we also get a glimpse into a world making strides in cyborg technology - strides demonstrated in an intelligent but also slightly creepy for by Toyohisa Senguji, a pioneer in this field whose entire body has been replaced with that of a cyborg aside from his brain.  But how does one try to keep one's brain young in an ageless body?  By turning young girls into smoking pipes and selecting people of interest to "hunt" and murder, it appears, as this very same Senguji is the man at the centre of many of the goings-on we've seen throughout the series thus far - goings-on instigated more directly by Makishima, the man currently the focus of the Pubic Safety Bureau's manhunt.

Now that it's more comfortable within its proverbial shoes, Psycho-Pass feels more and content with giving us some thought-provoking insights into its world - of course, its talk of cybernetic bodies and minds has more than a passing resemblance to Ghost in the Shell, but its ever-extending thoughts on the whole Sibyl system and mental health, be it the sitgma of mental illness or what even constitutes a "healthy" mental state is also fascinating in its own right, to the point where the detective drama angle of the series can quite easily take a back seat to such major concepts.  Thankfully, both the thought-provoking and dramatic elements of the series are working very well indeed up to this point, and Psycho-Pass remains one of the autumn season's best as a result.

Psycho-Pass - Episode 8

As the bodies rack up and Rikako Oryo plans even more "works of art", the net closes around the all-girls private school she attends - but is that net trying to catch the right fish?

Despite supposedly being overly invested in the case at hand, Kogami seems remarkably clear in his thinking as he dismisses the prospect that the likely culprit of the murders which took the life of his former detective partner is the same assailant as the person responsible for these latest grisly deaths, most notably due to the lack of panache shown in the location of the bodies discovery.  To back up his theory, Kogami and Akane pay a visit to the prison which houses those with the highest Psycho-Pass ratings - the ones that are still alive anyhow - to mine one particular individual for information.

It's this information, and knowledge of her father's art works, that lead straight to the feet of Rikako - if his colleagues doubt Kogami's abilities in this case, his Dominator certainly doesn't lie when it outs Oryo's incredibly high Psycho-Pass rating.  The only remaining problem is how to catch her in a school full of supporters amongst both the students and elsewhere, and even after making some more disturbing discoveries within the school premises Rikako seems all set to make good her escape.  Unfortunately for Oryo, it seems that she is simply the monkey to the organ grinder and puppet master above her, and now that her usefulness is outlived so is her time, with the attention of her superior turning elsewhere... namely, towards Kogami himself.

Grisly and brutal though it might have been, this was a great ending to an excellent arc - provided that you can ignore its one massive plot hole (private school or not, why not just check the Psycho-Pass of every student and staff member in the school to find their criminal?) it was snappily paced and written before bringing things to a close as far as this arc is concerned while still leaving the wider story very much open and in an even more compelling position than when it started.  As long as you can stomach its rather graphic and pull no punches handling of its characters when push comes to shotgun, Psycho-Pass is still well and truly where it's at for the autumn season if you're looking for a series that you can get your teeth into.

Psycho-Pass - Episode 7

Thanks to the appearance of a girl's body put on display in a very similar fashion to those of the "Specimen" murder cases in which Kogami is so invested, the Inspector turned Enforcer finds himself barred from any further involvement in the case thanks to the prejudices of those previous grisly murders.

With Akane tasked with keeping an eye on Kogami and ensuring he doesn't do anything untoward that might interfere with the investigation, our protagonist gets to find out a little more about Kogami's former partner in crime-fighting Sasayama, while also revealing some of the more recent leads that Kogami's scratching around had brought forth.  Although he's off the case, Akane certainly doesn't seem to be immune to helping him with the idea of proving his usefulness to his colleagues one way or another.

Meanwhile, this week's episode spends plenty of time delving into the world of the murderer herself - Rikako Oryo, the daughter of an artist whose oeuvre was depicting girls in decidedly sadistic poses despite said artist's morally sound real-world behaviour.  However, his insistence upon being of sound mind and morals appears to have been his downfall, as one of many people to succumb to the ill effects being overly concerned with ensuring that their Psycho-Pass results remain crystal clear be it through medication or other means.  Thus, it becomes clear that Rikako's macabre work is one of revenge while also making a statement about the world in which she lives... but how does it tie in to the Specimen murders, and who are those who choose to help her go about her grisly business?

This week's episode of Psycho-Pass was excellent on two counts - firstly, its murder-mystery story is gruesome yet gripping stuff that manages to make both the killer and the scenario surrounding her efforts feel grounded in some kind of in-world reality and oddly fascinating.  On top of that, this week sees us come to another crux point in the show's concept - that of mental well-being and the removal of stress gone mad, and the effects that this can have on both society as a whole and the individuals within it.  Although this was expressed via a long and slightly meandering monologue, it did little to lessen the impact of a thought-provoking discussion of what a world where stress is seen as wholly negative has created.  If I wasn't already entirely on-board with what this series is trying to do (which I am), this episode was yet another powerful reason to convince me that it knows what it's doing and seems intent on delivering with aplomb.

Psycho-Pass - Episode 6

If you hadn't pegged Kogami as a character with a troubled past from the outset, then... what show have you been watching exactly?  Anyhow, as well as a glimpse into the cause of Kogami going off the rails and ending up as an Enforcer, it seems that the crime which caused his fall from grace could well be about to come back at haunt him.

First things first though, Akane is certainly more than a little intrigued by what she's learned about Kogami so far, particularly given that he too was a high flier and inspector before a particularly grisly murder case claimed one of his colleagues and sent him off the rails.  While asking around and doing some digging fills her in on the story, she still seems to be finding it difficult to correlate the scenario with Kogami's current status.

Meanwhile, previous plot threads such as the murders in the robot manufacturing plant and the cases of murder and identity theft in the virtual world come back to the fore as Kogami seems determined to link them to the unsolved case which took the life of former comrade Sasayama - his theory also seems to branch out towards the other main subject of this episode, that being an all-girls school created to protect those within it from unwanted influences upon their psyche; all well and good, except it seems that the biggest threat of them all is the leading light of the student body, Rikako Oryo....

Now that it has so many of its balls up in the air, I'm fascinated to see just how Psycho-Pass is going to try and juggle them - some aspects of its story are threatening to feel a little too unbelievable (sadistic killer lesbians in a private school, anyone?), but if it ties most of the show's cases so far in a suitably impressive way then I'd happily forgive it such qualms and end up decidedly impressed with the whole thing.  This feels exactly like the kind of episode that doesn't deserve to judged in isolation, acting as it does almost as a bridge between previous instalments and what is to come.  It seems to be carrying a lot of promise inherent in its plot that is growing exponentially in complexity (a trait that feels a little Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex-like in itself), which is a heavy weight on its shoulders, but could make it into one of this year's anime giants if it carries it all through to its goal without straying too far from its core ideas.

Psycho-Pass - Episode 5

In the midst of its story of murder, mystery and malevolent avatars, Akane seems to have lost her closest source to solving the groups' current case as "Spooky Boogie" seeks to distance herself from the police after their bundled raid of a club and an offline meet designed to capture the prime suspect.

If this seems like bad news for Akane, then Kogami has something even worse in store for her thanks to his suspicions that something isn't quite right with Spooky Boogie's behaviour - something which seems to prove correct as her figures of speech have clearly altered from past logs and encounters.  In short (and as we saw at the end of the last episode), it appears that she has simply been another victim of the killer.  It appears that she may not be the only one either, with a third popular online avatar also suspected of having been taken over by the same person.

With this information growing and building, the opportunity appears to effectively "triangulate" the person responsible and track them down - an ability which leads them straight into a booby-trapped building and a warning that they're clearly dealing with someone who is serious about not being caught.  In spite of this, they persevere in their efforts to track down the culprit and eventually do so, having to tackle his hacking abilities which succeed in making life decidedly difficult for them, and ultimately leaving them no choice but to perform a fatal takedown.  Have they really caught the true culprit at the head of this whole affair however?

From a decent start to the arc in last week's episode, this second half of the story was a decidedly excellent one that made good use of the show's premise and setting to make some subtle (and not-so subtle) points about online life, whether it's the difference between looking things up online versus actually remembering them or the opportunity for (and ease with which) anybody to slip into the proverbial shoes of another's online persona.  Just as importantly, this was backed up by a strong central story itself which appears to still have some not insubstantial legs to it given its ending - throw in some more coverage of Kogami's back story and Psycho-Pass is most certainly still going strong and deserving of its place as a noitaminA series.

Psycho-Pass - Episode 4

Following recent events, Akane finds herself troubled by her relationship with Kogami... or rather, the relationship of "a friend" which someone who sounds just like Kogami... a concern that sends her into the virtually reality Internet of this world's future to take some advice from the star of an online community who posits himself as a kind of online agony aunt.

While all of this seems to be unrelated to an investigation into a missing person (logged thanks to, of all things, the toilet having not been used in a significant amount of time), the reality that said missing individual is dead cascades onwards towards the news that he is in fact Talisman, the aforementioned Internet celebrity.  But if he's been dead for months, who was Akane talking to online?

With that question in mind, the investigation has a clear path - to unveil the real life identity of the current Talisman as the probable murderer.  This looks set to be easy thanks to another online celebrity and apparant former classmate of Akane's, an anarchist known only as "Spooky Boogie" who offers her help in cornering Talisman.  This is done via the arrangement of an offline meet where everyone involves dresses in "holo-cosplay" (not Holo cosplay, you understand - no wolf girls here) to appear as their online avatars - of course, this isn't likely to deceive a Dominator, but it seems that Talisman has some other tricks up his sleeve, causing sufficient confusion to make good his escape and giving him an opportunity to plan his next crime.

It's certainly good to see that Psycho-Pass is happy to tackle things beyond episodic story arcs, with this week's instalment setting up what looks likely to be a two-parter.  What a decidedly good opener it was too - no matter how clunky its virtual reality (which is at odds with a world of holographics cosplay and furnishings) the key tenets of its story are rock solid and make for a great murder-mystery drama in their own right.  No matter how many possibilities this series might hold as a whole, I'm quite happy for it to stick to this crime drama angle for at least a little while, as it too seems ripe with opportunities for good story-telling.  As a result, Psycho-Pass remains one of my favourite shows of the autumn so far, as it continues to get a lot of things right to outweigh those moments where it feels a little creaky.

Psycho-Pass - Episode 3

With most of its concept now successfully dumped out into the open air, Psycho-Passfinally has some room to focus a little more centrally on its storyline, and this third instalment takes us into some pretty episodic territory via a specific investigation for the Public Safety Bureau.

The call comes to the team with the news of the third fatal accident in a year to occur at a plant responsible for building robots - a fully automated process with the exception of the testing process which comes at the end of the production line, which is handled by a relatively small number of staff who effectively work around the clock and live, eat and breathe within their workplace.  What's more, to avoid hacking the entire building is effectively an "air gap", cut off from the Internet and online communications.  Yet despite all of this, the Sibyl system is showing that everyone within the company are calm as cows.... how can this be possible in that climate?

Eventually, spending some time around the factory floor throws up and answer, with the department consistently making use of a "sacrificial lamb" who is used for the other employees to literally take out their frustrations upon before replacing said "lamb" once he's outlived his usefulness.  This time however, the target of this bullying has remained with the company from a date which coincides with the first "accident" - the team have their culprit, but are they actually going to do anything about it?  Ginoza seems happy to turn a blind eye to things, only to find himself shouted down by Akane, who along with the Enforcers has a more elaborate yet dangerous solution.

Perhaps inevitably, this week's episode of Psycho-Pass still doesn't live up to the wonders of that first episode (spouted exposition and all), but it still brought us a pretty good one-shot detective drama story told within its unique (well, unique-ish) universe.  It still has clumsy moments and plot holes (the Dominators can suddenly shoot robots?), and moments of needless explanation of things which are either already clear or could be illustrated better, but the crux of the story this time around had plenty to keep my interest while still offering a little more food for thought about its concept of automated psychological analysis in a world where human values seem decidedly skewed.  In short, this is still one of the autumn's better series at this juncture.