PSYCHO-PASS - 16

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You knew something like this was going to happen when Gen Urobuchi was attached. PSYCHO-PASS is no exception to the rule!

Plot twists and death flags were to be expected at some point in the series. However, even I must admit the twist caught me a little off guard. More on that later, as we focus on the rest of the episode first. An episode that was excellent and leaves us with more questions to be answered.

This late in the game, a death in PSYCHO-PASS was a little expected. Given the nature of the series and Urobuchi-sensei's love of deaths, I wasn't all that shocked. Kagari was a character I did like very much, so I admit that I am saddened by his departure. His presence in the series had dwindled quite drastically from the first few episode, yet I still found him to be a likeable supporting member. He spoke his mind, made witty retorts and in the end he went out cool, calm and collected. An exit that was right for him; he stuck to his guns right till the end, with his hatred for criminals and the Sybil system. No remorse whatsoever.

Whilst Kagari leaves us with an emptiness, the remainder of the episode brought about a swift end to the Makishima man-hunt. With the flash-forward of episode one being revisited, it was made clear this wasn't the final battle of the series. Just another detour on the way to uncover the mystery behind the Sibyl system. It only makes sense that the ever-so-literate Makishima quotes Pascal's view on justice, which is consequently countered by Kougami's quote by Ortega. Back to the argument of what is justice, both sides can justify their own actions. Kougami's quote speaks to Ortega's view that revolt causes the people to lose all capacity for knowledge; the perfect counter in many respects. This also goes back to Kagari's fight against the guards, and his own views on justice.

The showdown itself left me a little unsatisfied. PSYCHO-PASS HAS been building up to this moment for a while now - first episode included - so I expected the fight to be a little more intense. The meeting had all the right intensity and drama, but the fight that followed just didn't carry that atmosphere. I would blame it on the arrival of Akane, but I actually liked that. Her vengeance was what you'd expect from someone with such a strong moral compass. In some ways, it's a disappointment that comes from Makishima's build-up as the main villain. Soon that dissatisfaction was replaced by curiosity.

Revealing the chief director to be some kind of android really threw me. My guess was that she was related to Makishima, not a direct helper of the Sibyl system. This definitely gave us some more questions about PSYCHO-PASS; the main one is, what is in that room Some may suggest the Minority Report plot. I won't go into it, for sake of spoilers.

A turning point has appeared in PSYCHO-PASS. With the detour mystery over, we move onto the final stretch of the mystery surrounding the world and Sibyl system. Each episode brings more thrilling developments than the last!

PSYCHO-PASS Episode Quotes

"Justice is subject to dispute; might is easily recognized and is not disputed. So we cannot give might to justice"

-Pascal, Blaise

"I have long since learned, as a measure of elementary hygiene, to be on guard whenever someone quotes Pascal"

-Ortega y Gasset, Jos