Pop
culture’s fascination with dystopian futures is nothing new. From classic
science fiction novels to the current young adult book-to-movie trend in
today’s cinema, writers often imagine a world in which our basic human rights
are stripped away. And whether it’s due to class warfare, or the rise of
machines, the success of each incarnation largely depends on the strength of
its characters.
PSYCHO-PASS, a cyberpunk police
procedural set, yes, in a distant dystopian future, follows the concept with
interesting cases, a tightly wound mystery, and a study on empathy.
Set
a hundred years in the future, PSYCHO-PASS takes place in a world where a
simple brain scan can determine if you are — or have the potential to become —
a criminal. The Sibyl System individually reads a person’s personality, mental
state, and the probability that they will commit a crime. Each crime is
measured by the Crime Coefficient index, and if a person’s index is too high,
they’re immediately apprehended by the police.
What’s interesting is that the
Sibyl System doesn’t just register if someone has committed a crime, it also
measures their potential to do so. These walking time bombs are known as 'latent
criminals,' and they’re followed around by the protagonists in our story, Unit
One, which is comprised of Enforcers and Inspectors. Both wield Dominators, large
handguns that can only fire on criminals with a high Crime Coefficient.
PSYCHO-PASS begins with Akane Tsunemori, a
brand new Inspector on Unit One who learns about the system through an
Enforcer, Shinya Kogami. Throughout the course of the show, the two take on
multiple cases and eventually encounter Shogo Makishima, a criminal mastermind
that they must take down.
If
the plot sounds vaguely familiar to you, you’re not alone. PSYCHO-PASS
definitely has elements of several Philip K. Dick adaptations, including BLADE RUNNER and MINORITY REPORT, but it also brings to mind other sci-fi flicks like
EQUILIBRIUM. The themes are the same: what’s the price of living in a world
where crime has reached an all-time low and the population is, theoretically,
happy and safe? Is it freedom? Is being capable of a crime the same as
committing one? Even the mere thought of doing something wrong can get you in
trouble.
Though
the story gradually takes on a major arc with its key villain, I most enjoyed
the individual cases and the way they explored those societal themes. Each
grisly murder says something about the people caught up in this world, and the effect the Sibyl System has on its 'participants.' Stylistically, each case is
sharply conceived, with unabashed violence and dark, gritty visuals.
PSYCHO-PASS
does not shy away from the truth, nor does it allow its psychoanalytical theory
to get in the way of some major action. As with any good sci-fi action story,
the two go hand in hand. I highly recommend PSYCHO-PASS for anyone who’s a fan
of the aforementioned films, cyberpunk dystopian thrillers, and explorations of
human nature.
Rachel Heine is a pop culture junkie, amateur food blogger, and cat nap aficionado. She also regularly contributes toNerdist and Static Beach. Check out her blog — popandsizzle.com — and follow her on Twitter: @RachelHeine
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