Does this world look perfect? Only at first glance. The fact is that the “potential criminal” of a person makes a combination of ordinary traits: a tendency to negative emotions, quick temper, critical thinking, the ability to think outside the box, a nihilistic attitude to formal laws and rules. “Protest” or dark art, provocative philosophical ideas – all this quickly fell into decline and was partially banned, and the cultural figures who created these arts and philosophy – in prison. Talented detectives also went there - thinking like a criminal in this new world turned out to be dangerous. Therefore, in the public security service, all operational work is performed by “executors” – potential criminals recruited by the state in exchange for relative freedom. They are assigned to inspectors – “shepherds”, whose purpose is to correct the work of the perpetrators, not delving too much into the investigation. And still - most often, carried away by the fight against evil, inspectors join the ranks of performers.
Akane Tsunemori, a recent student and now a public security officer, encounters a violent psychopath on his first working day. Then more; her squad is forced to confront maniacs, whose actions are directed by a mysterious manipulative terrorist. The ideal student and honorary student has to face reality and doubt the justice of the world ruled by "Sybila".
Anime leaves a rather painful impression: despite the fact that the main characters are 100% positive, in fact, on the screen there is a struggle between evil and evil. The cruelty and inhumanity of Sibylla, which destroyed all the sprouts of initiative, free-thinking and healthy aggression in its subordinates, is beyond doubt. But also a "revolutionary" terrorist. Makishima is the same monster, a sociopath fleeing boredom, organizing crime after crime. He is merely testing the system, for him it is a sport, a matter of self-assertion – the good of the people, freedom and democracy are indifferent to him. The conflict between Sibylla and Makishima is a conflict, using the terminology of Dungeons and Dragons, lawful evil and chaotic evil characters.
Heroes must defend an unjust law against lawless injustice. Akane tries to remain human and, trying not to break formal rules, at the same time not to be cruel. Her senior partner, Ginoza, long ago decided to remain a soulless machine and blindly follow the letter of the law. The performers have little choice and little risk. Most of them just follow orders. Kogami Shinya alone cannot calm down, obsessed with a sense of justice.
Akane and her colleagues are faced with difficult moral choices. Empathy for the victims and hatred for the maniac, such natural feelings, are contraindicated for them – they lead to an increase in the “crime index”. But, remaining indifferent, is it possible to put your soul into the investigation, imagine the threat the criminal poses, realize the degree of your responsibility, and (most dangerously) get into the skin of the villain, understand him? Isn't breaking instructions and risking less the price of saving the innocent? The authors of the anime managed to create not only a complex and contradictory world, but also characters that cause sympathy, living people with their stories, which we will learn as the plot develops.
But many people liked Makishima Shogo I did not even find “ambiguous”. Yes, in the course of the dialogue, he says a lot of practical, clever things (most of which are gleaned from the classics of philosophical prose - from Shakespeare and Jonathan Swift to Philip Dick), yes, the world of "Syville" deserves only destruction (why - I will not go deeper, for spoiler, but I will hint: everything is worse than it seems). But, often right in his words, he does monstrous things that go beyond the reasonable cruelty required to overthrow Sibyl. As I said, he just asserts himself, hiding behind beautiful words about the freedom of a strong person.
The visual component of the series deliberately contrasts with the noir plot - neon signs, giant skyscrapers, colorful virtual reality. Gingerbread holographic houses and other “Potemkin villages” mask the city, where injustice and cruelty reign. Evil could not be eradicated - it was simply made up, powdered and removed to the background, so as not to spoil the positive, glamorous picture of the world.
Music, as most often in anime - cheerful, hard J-rock, emphasizing the sharpness of the series. The screensaver at first was excellent, however, resembled the screensaver “Death Notes” with images (hero and antagonist on the roof of a skyscraper, etc.), in the second half of the series became a little gaggy due to the graffiti clutter. The general style of drawing is moderately realistic (to give seriousness to what is happening), moderately “anime” (young characters have a characteristic large-eyed, sophisticated appearance to emphasize drama and emotionality).
Bottom line: a grim philosophical dystopia as it is, and at the same time a tough police detective with very well-designed characters. "Psycho-passport" is definitely worth watching.
9 out of 10 Original