Psycho-Pass - Episode 22 [END] Discussion / Poll

[HandofFate]

Laughed at it turning out Ginoza was just wearing glasses to look smart/professional.

[Kanon]

Predictable and disappointing ending. A full circle ending like this one works wonders for character-driven show, but is unsuited to a story-driven show like Psycho-pass. It makes it seem like the events of the series were ultimately pointless. Absolutely nothing has changed, life goes on. There is only a small glimmer of hope society will change.

I am particularly disappointed in Akane. It was obvious for a while that she wouldn't be able to change the system, but I didn't expect her to give in to Sibyl. She's even unwittingly helping them further their plans. Although she despises them, she has no attention to be the one to pull the plug. It turns out Sibyl's assessment of her was completely correct. I expected so much more from her
I thought she would at least continue a silent struggle, waiting for the right time to strike, swearing to one day bring Sibyl to justice.

My problem is actually not so much with the ending as it is with the last third of the show (ep 16 onwards). Imo it was a big mistake to keep Makishima in the show. They should have gotten rid of him back in episode 17 and focus the narrative solely on Sibyl. It would have been a lot more interesting. Instead, they made Makishima the center of the universe (everything revolved around him and the Sibyl plot took a backseat) and dragged his inevitable demise on. It could have been interesting if his rivalry with Kogami had been written better, but it was so one-sided it was boring. Kogami only wanted to kill him and didn't give a damn about the man himself. They should have perhaps played out the Akane vs Makishima angle instead. As it was, I fail to see why they had to keep him around so long. It only hurt the show.

The other weak aspect of the show was its characters. They were all too underdeveloped, save for Akane and Makishima. The show would have benefited from fleshing them out. I certainly would have liked to find out about their backstory. Even Kogami, who was a major character, remained fairly one-dimensional.

Overall, I still enjoyed following this show, but it had the potential to be a lot better than this. So yep, disappointed. But yay lesbians!

By the way, the new inspector is the girl back from Oryo's arc, the one Yayoi comforted. Seems like she turned out okay. And thus starts Yayoi's harem...

[ThereminVox]

Very strong ending. The wheels of change are in motion, but it won't be easy, and it certainly won't happen quickly. With the closure of Kogami's story, Akane has learned that there are some outcomes that can't be changed. All you can do, is pick yourself up and try to do a little better the next time around. Akane has the resolve to struggle onward, and Sibyl can laugh at her all it wants, but she's right; they can't go on ruling the way they are forever.

[Bern-san]

Kanon mostly summed up my thoughts. I really enjoyed watching it but there were so many things that disappointed me.
I still don't understand the Yayoi episode, they could have used that to develop Kagari a bit more (whose death didn't make a lot of impact in my opinion). I also wish it could have turned into Akane vs Makishima instead of Kogami who wasn't really interested in anything else besides revenge for Sasayama...

Good to watch for entertainment but it had a lot of potential to be an awesome story.

P.S Ginoza now has a harem (if you don't found the lesbians)

[Chiaki_chan]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Overall, I still enjoyed following this show, but it had the potential to be a lot better than this. So yep, disappointed. But yay lesbians!

By the way, the new inspector is the girl back from Oryo's arc, the one Yayoi comforted. Seems like she turned out okay. And thus starts Yayoi's harem...

Is that true? you're on it? it would be the girl Yayoi consoled?

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by Bern-san

P.S Ginoza now has a harem (if you don't found the lesbians)

Please, that guy has the hots for Akane but his feelings are obviously unrequited. Forever alone ending for him, not harem.

Yayoi, on the other hand, can begin to build her harem just fine with the new rookie.



On another note, what a pointless series. The Sybil system matter is tossed aside and it's just a KogamixMakishima thing in the end. That could work if the series was more character driven and these two had a more interesting dynamic going on between them. As it is, I really didn't give a damn about them.
As for Akane. She was just like Sybil said she was, someone who can't take any hard decisions on her own. Major despoilment all around, really.

[felix]

Originally Posted by Klashikari

I certainly didn't expect a "break free of the system" kind of conclusion, but color me quite unimpressed and annoyed by the "and things come into a circle" ploy, considering the build up so far is, practically speaking, meaningless at this point.
There wasn't any "magically universal good ending" possible with this series to begin with, that's a given. However, being sent back to square one is rather a major gripe with me.

Yes pretty much. While I can't really fault it for anything more then not being of my taste, I was expecting more from the series. The ending, and the episode in general, just demote a lot of action in previous episode (more specifically from around the time Makshima entered the Sybil HQ building to the present) to little more then hype and over-dramatized action with philosophical spoonfeeding, as opposed to the more thought provoking interactions of episodes before said events.

IMO the really good parts of the series are,

• the utopion society
• the sins of an utopian society
• the demons in an utopian society
• no limit to the world
• no center to the world

It's just so interesting to see really good people painted as really bad people and really bad people painted as really good people, just because of the frame of sybil and the social structure.

And the really bad parts are,

• the over reliance on Kogami as a plot device
• confining the world to some city limits and borders and this nonsense goverment
• the portrail of Sybil as a disguisting scam, in very basic cliche terms no less (ie. brains in a jar); the mood was so much better when it was merely "the perfect system that can look into your soul"
• the over dramatization of Makshima; I like the character, but it was just a tad over done
• the overliance on sybil hax as the only plot device; okey so to be a criminal you have to evade the detectors, we get it, I think in detective/police story you have a lot more bullets then that

Hm. From purely personal preference I'd say...

"sybil the system" episodes 10/10
"sybil the jarbrains" episodes 6/10

[RollingPenguin]

Things are not the same.Certainly a cycle has happened but there were some variations here and there that all indicate how gradual changes are happening and that they will change the system.Not a white haired dude that goes around killing people.
And what the hell were people expecting of Akane to go up and say "SCREW THE MAN!!" she did reasonable thing.If she were to destroy system now whole society would collapse.Instead she is going with and fighting with it at the same time,all for the sake of serving the desires of citizens.Even God damn Sybil system acknowledges in that piece of dialogue with Akane.

[GDiddy]

Why do I feel like I just got trolled?

Still a great series....best one I've seen so far this year anyway....but huh...

Spoiler:

So in the end, Shogo dies and thus a new circle appears with Ko as a new Makishima and Akane as the new Ko/Gino?

And Akane basically becomes Sibyl's bitch? Bullshit. I'm glad that the Makishima thing got canceled, but I was sooo hoping Akane would have at least one badass moment with Shogo again...dude did taunt her while killing her friend afterall. Damn....

Gino is quite hot.

I thought newbie looked familar.....she can be Yayoi's partner next season(if there's one). Shion would probaly love the idea of a threesome anyway

Oh well. Still better than most of the series this season anyway.



And LOL...I bet Chiaki and the rest of you guys are happy that Yayoi surived. So basically all of that with her backstory and her musician friend/love was filler and served no purpose. All righty then...

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Chiaki_chan

Is that true? you're on it? it would be the girl Yayoi consoled?

Yes, it's her. Mika Shimotsuki. She was chosen by Sibyl right after graduating high school apparently. They mentioned she was still a minor.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by RollingPenguin

Things are not the same.

They're the same.

Originally Posted by RollingPenguin

there were some variations here and there that all indicate how gradual changes are happening and that they will change the system.

Where? I didn't see anything even hinting any gradual change at all, expect for Akane's claims. For all we know the Sybil system will be eternal.

[viperdk1]

I can understand why people are disappointed by the cyclical nature of the ending, that's for sure - after 22 episodes, the idea that there seems to next to no progress in terms of story is bound to be disappointing, especially considering it feels like the end of 22 is following the same script as the start of 1 but with different actors (just like the start of RE5 being similar to RE4).

However, considering how much people rely on the Sibyl system, any notion that just one person can instantly lead to it's downfall wouldn't make any sense. Changing the perception of humanity to distance themselves from the system is something that takes a massive amount of time. In a way, it's like walking away from a relationship - at first, once you (reluctantly) sever ties, it seems almost impossible to be without that person and that your life is incomplete without the 'other half', having spent so long together with them beforehand - the change feels awful and you certainly consider going back. As time passes, however, you realise the positive side of ending that relationship and are (eventually) able to move on. It's a similar application here (albeit it would be on a grander, riot-inducing scale if Sibyl was merely switched off).

I'm reminded of a movie in regards to this - Sky Crawlers (seriously people, watch it if you haven't already, it's a brilliant film). I won't say much more about it so as to not spoil people who intend to watch it.

I don't say this lightly, however - Psycho-Pass is now my all-time favourite anime (Steins;Gate 2nd, Clannad 3rd FYI )

[GDiddy]

I didn't see too much of a change for Sibyl either other than Akane's comment.

But I"m guessing that's probaly for next season/OVA/movie/whatever

[Battler-kun]

Mediocore show, but the animation and music was nice.

[RollingPenguin]

Where? I didn't see anything even hinting any gradual change at all, expect for Akane's claims. For all we know the Sybil system will be eternal.

Akane who is now new Ginoza doesnt treat enforcers like dogs(which is how Ginoza treated them),Ginoza who is new Kogami actually prefers being enforcer and also this picture http://twitpic.com/cd8ysx .Do you recognize these figures?If you do then you certainly realize its intent.

[CJ_Walker]

Originally Posted by Klashikari

I certainly didn't expect a "break free of the system" kind of conclusion, but color me quite unimpressed and annoyed by the "and things come into a circle" ploy, considering the build up so far is, practically speaking, meaningless at this point.
There wasn't any "magically universal good ending" possible with this series to begin with, that's a given. However, being sent back to square one is rather a major gripe with me.

That's the thing, Im pretty sure he ended it like that on purpose, going in with his "you can't fight against fate/evil so stop trying" kind of themes throughout all of his shows (he's said this in a few interviews a while back) He doens't do "happy endings" in this case would be a takedown of the sibil system (after he's built up the premise that it's super evil and oppressive)

In his view, there's no point in "fighting" even for Makishima who failed in the end, hell EVERYONE (except for Kogami I guess) failed in the end. The old guy died, ginoza lost his father, ginoza is now an enforcer, something he tried to not become, akane didn't stop kougami from being a murderer, sibil didn't get their brain, and the people of the PP world didn't have sibil taken down nobody won anything, and thus, if you think about it, it was all pointless to try and fight.

Kougami won a pyirric(sp?) victory, yeah he finally got revenge against Makishima, but he lost everything to get that (where he could have actually been free if he let Makishima get away with the hyper oats hacking) it seems like Gen's trying to say that fighting against evil/fate, only prolongs it/makes it worse. . .if the detectives had just let it go and not bothered to chase Makishima once Sibil told them not to. . .sibil would have been taken down!

That's all I'll be saying for now. . .don't feel like writing a 120938476783 page essay on PP

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by RollingPenguin

Akane who is now new Ginoza doesnt treat enforcers like dogs(which is how Ginoza treated them),Ginoza who is new Kogami actually prefers being enforcer and also this picture http://twitpic.com/cd8ysx.

Think about it. These are the characters that went through a lot during the series. Of course they would change, but this doesn't reflect the kind of social change Akane is telling Sybil about.

Originally Posted by RollingPenguin

Do you recognize these figures?If you do then you certainly realize its intent.

Care to elaborate?

[Battler-kun]

All this changes actually strengthen the system because it is everlearning.

Sybil is going to employ new inspectors who are alike Akane.
And if this doesn't work, they will change it again.

Akane's comments are prententious...well the whole show could be called prententious.
Makishima, the only force who could have brought change, was killed. And now she is actually hopeing for a new Makishima.

Kogami was even more bland.
He was nothing but obsessed with killing Makishima the whole show, nothing more.

[RollingPenguin]

Think about it. These are the characters that went through a lot during the series. Of course they would change, but this doesn't reflect the kind of social change Akane is telling Sybil about.

I was talking about how positions that they are suppose to represent have changed.Remember how Makishima at the end was bitching about how system will always find someone who has the exact same talents as person who he is going to replace .The idea was in order for ever lasting system to stay,every chess piece needs to be positioned in exact same position without changing its meaning.Now both Akane and Ginoza have changed their traditional roles.Which we can see in a simple matter of how Akane(who again is now Ginoza) now refers to enforcers.Stuff has changed if only slightly.but it has.

Care to elaborate?

This is professor Saiga I believe.You know the one who was always criticizing system.Like Sybil has told Akane it wants to evolve to come to new better stage and apparently it is trying to do so not just by blindly ignoring its critics but also by I guess absorbing those opinions too.

[Dawnstorm]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

Where? I didn't see anything even hinting any gradual change at all, expect for Akane's claims. For all we know the Sybil system will be eternal.

Well, there's the scene where Makishima doesn't shoot Akane, because he recognised her. I'm not quite sure what that means, but I think realised something at that moment, and - since his is the kind of brain Sybil wants - I think this meant to hint at a blind spot. I think that Makishima's disappointment about Akane in the scene when he killed he killed her friend mirrors the downgrading of ability through the Sybil system. I think it has something to do with taking risks (or sticking to your ideals, or something) and facing the consequences head on (see Akane's splendid Psycho Pass).

Basically, I think what the show is saying is that while an "outside perspective" does see things and "inside perspective" doesn't see, it doesn't really get the "inside perspective", and that can lead to its downfall. (They miscalculated Makishima, too.)

So Sybil isn't as much in control as it thinks it is, and Akane knowing the truth probably is a sleeper threat (albeit a minor one).

I do think there has been some sort of gradual change, though if the Sybil immune system recognises the problem, it's easy to get rid of. (For now.)

As for the ending:

Originally Posted by Kanon

My problem is actually not so much with the ending as it is with the last third of the show (ep 16 onwards). Imo it was a big mistake to keep Makishima in the show. They should have gotten rid of him back in episode 17 and focus the narrative solely on Sibyl. It would have been a lot more interesting. Instead, they made Makishima the center of the universe (everything revolved around him and the Sibyl plot took a backseat) and dragged his inevitable demise on. It could have been interesting if his rivalry with Kogami had been written better, but it was so one-sided it was boring. Kogami only wanted to kill him and didn't give a damn about the man himself. They should have perhaps played out the Akane vs Makishima angle instead. As it was, I fail to see why they had to keep him around so long. It only hurt the show.

Pretty much this.

I also would have preferred Akane not being able to walk after that accident. Or scream Kogami's name at full lung power. It sort of breaks the mood.

Sometimes I felt I was watching a shounen fighter. That mood's not compatible with a cyberpunk noir thriller. (At least that's my reaction.)