Since I have been writing about television shows this past month, I thought I would continue to watch them and write about them for the rest of the month. Fortunately, a Netflix subscription gives you access to shows that I never heard of, so it behooves me to watch them.

I could a chance on Psycho-Pass, and I am glad that I did. I am not a big fan of anime series, even though I did that whole Hayao Miyazaki series a few months ago. A lot anime shows are very complicated in their storylines, and I glad that I can watch these from the first episode.

Psycho-Pass is pretty easy to follow. It takes place in a dystopian future where a program known as the Sibyl system can scan your mental state, to see if you have any criminal tendencies. The Sibyl system has scanners in every place, so unless you have a clean Psycho-Pass, you will be arrested by the Public Safety Bureau’s Criminal Investigation Division. If you come quietly, you will be taken in for mandatory therapy until your criminal coefficient turns the proper color. If you can’t get your criminal coefficient down, you have the option of becoming an Enforcer who stops potential or actual criminals.

That sounds pretty complicated, but I was sold on it after a few episodes. The world that it creates seems realistic to me, and reminds me of Minority Report. That is, a world so afraid of crimes that it attempts to stop them before they occur, even though freedom is sacrificed. What is strange is how this Sibyl system has been put into place for so long that no one really questions it anymore.

The main character is Akane Tsunemori, who is a new Inspector. She works with an Enforcer named Shinya Kogami, who she kind of has a thing for, but that doesn’t really get developed much. These two work with other Inspectors and have a big case when then take on Shogo Makishima.

I will have to say that this one of the reasons that I have a hard time following anime is that I can’t remember the names. Yeah, that’s me and my misunderstanding of Japanese culture, and I really need to just learn how that works.

It is very clear that Psycho-Pass is inspired by the works of Phillip K. Dick, and the author is actually mentioned by one of the characters. That character is Makishima, and he is one of the coolest villains ever because he is just so emotionally detached.

Anyway, if you like or don’t like anime, give it a shot.