Overview
“Psycho-Pass” is a Japanese TV anime series produced by Production I.G., and aired on TV in 2012–2013.
It is a police drama/psychological thriller/cyberpunk/science fiction anime set in a near-future, highly-automated surveillance society.
Original story by Gen Urobuchi (Nitroplus). Directed by Naoyoshi Shiotani. The supervisor is Katsuyuki Motohiro. Animation produced by Production I.G. 22 episodes.
Plot Outline
In Japan in 2112. The people have been supervised with the numerical data of their mental states, called “Psycho-Pass”, by “Sibyl System” (the Health and Welfare Ministry’s comprehensive support system for lifelong welfare). In this society, a person with his or her “crime coefficient” over the defined value is handled as a “potential criminal”.
The detectives (Inspectors and Enforcers) of the Public Safety Bureau have maintained public order for crime prevention, using “Dominators”, which are special guns connected to Sibyl System.
Akane Tsunemori is assigned as a new Inspector to the Unit One of the Public Safety Bureau’s Criminal Investigation Division.
With another Inspector Nobuchika Ginoza and four Enforcers (Shinya Kōgami, Tomomi Masaoka, Shūsei Kagari, and Yayoi Kunizuka), Akane pursues Shōgo Makishima, a man behind a series of murder cases. Meanwhile, she closes in on the secret identity of Sibyl System that rules the society.
Commentary
Though this series contains lots of brutal violent descriptions, it can be enjoyed as a police drama/dystopian science fiction dealing with the theme of justice in a social situation in which it is not necessarily obvious what is good and what is evil.
There are also the 2014 extended edition of the TV series first season including new shots (11 about one-hour episodes), the sequel TV series, and the movie versions.
