Psycho-Pass 2 - Episode 1 Discussion / Poll

[Triple_R]

That was a very good 1st episode. Highly engaging, entertaining, and interesting.

It's not quite as fun without Kogami around, but it's still excellent sci-fi.

Originally Posted by Kanon

Among the new characters, I particularly liked Togane. Too bad the OP heavily hints he's going to be a villain. Mini Makishima is more wimpy than I expected. Given that it was his first mission, I suppose that can be excused. Waiting for more of him. Mika confuses me. She says she's been an inspector for a year and a half but it looked like it was her first day with Akane. She questioned her superior's every action and acted like a total dick. It doesn't make sense, given that she was assigned to Akane's team right after she started working at the end of S1. Unless she transfered a day after and only started working with Akane again a year and a half later (which seems unlikely), she should have already been familiar with her way of thinking.

The time-skip approach (if that is what is going on here) is questionable, because it does raise the questions you're raising here, but I think I see what they're going for in the Mika/Akane dynamic.

Basically, they're aiming for a role reversal of the Akane/Ginoza dynamic in Season 1, in order to keep that type of ideological clash going, while also keeping things relatively fresh. Ginoza, as a veteran Inspector, was hard-boiled and uncompromising and stern. Akane was the young idealist who wanted to take a more nuanced/forgiving position to those with bad Psycho-Pass readings.

Now, we have a role reversal where the veteran Inspector is the more nuanced/forgiving one, and the younger Inspector is more hardcore about simply taking out criminals without much thought.

[Irenesharda]

Well, I'm really glad that I binge-watched the entire 1st season in 2 1/2 days so that I could be ready for this.

It is so great to see Akane all grown up and leading her team. This new intro to this old world is less gritty and dark than before, but that's simply because Akane is able to lead her team to have hope and keep faith in spite of, rather than simply going with the norm. She's so strong now and stalwart in her beliefs that she will go against protocol if it means doing what she thinks is right.

It's a revisiting of both old friends and new ones. I like how Gino has learned a lot from when we first met him in season one. He's more like his dad and is proud of it. The other girl is still in the background (still can't remember her name ) but it was nice seeing the new characters. I like the black haired Tougane, he sounds cool. The red head doesn't seem very sure of himself so we'll see about him. Mika's annoying the crap out of me right now, but I'm sure she'll get some development as it goes along....either that, or she'll die or be corrupeted. Either way, it's fine with me.

Also, we have our new villain mastermind as well. He seems interesting and it will be fascinating to see what they do with him. Makishima left huge shoes to fill, so we'll see.

[sayde]

Originally Posted by AkumaPrincess

You'll be fine just watching the original. The Extended didn't add much except background to Kogami, Kagari, and Makishima.

Good to know. Thank you very much.

[Wandering Soul]

Very good first episode and a nice reintroduction to Pyscho Pass.

Akane still believes in doing what is right and will go against the rules to do it but she is able to lead her team and earn their respect. Gino has also mellowed out and is more supportive of Akane and her ways. He really is taking after his father. Togane seems like a cool guy so far but it seems like the opening is hinting that he might end up being an antagonist. I can see what they are going for with Mika but that doesn't change the fact that she is still annoying.

The new antagonist seems like he should be entertaining.Makshima left a hard act to follow so let's see how this guy matches up.

[Traece]

Somehow Akane managed to become more of a badass in Kougami's place, by infusing hardcore action sequences with her own desire to save people. I like where this season is going already.

Her colleague is a hardcore Sybil follower, so I'm sure there will be a lot of interesting stuff going on there. On the other hand, she's as nice to the Enforcers as ever, so freckles is all alone in this division.

My biggest fear for this season is that they'll try to come to a resolution with the Sybil System. One of the two big reasons I liked Psycho Pass was the fact that there was no change at the conclusion of the season; no as-expected ending of the dystopia they live in. It's a very fresh approach, the idea that the status quo should be maintained even if it's strange and unethical, because rocking the boat would mean chaos and an end to the peaceful lives everyone lives. My hope for this series is that they don't reform their society, like they always do when there's a story like this.

[Esclair]

Akane is SO awesome. I guess it'd make sense that the new foe would have to be another Inspector with a clear hue in order to pose a challenge to her. She can probably go toe to toe with Makishima at this point.

I kind of get why the new inspector acts this way. She probably feels that Akane's attitude creates too many risks and can get more people killed, like how her friend was killed in S1 while the inspectors took forever to investigate. So she has a vendetta against latent criminals and wants to eliminate them as soon as possible.

[karice67]

Originally Posted by Traece

My biggest fear for this season is that they'll try to come to a resolution with the Sybil System. One of the two big reasons I liked Psycho Pass was the fact that there was no change at the conclusion of the season; no as-expected ending of the dystopia they live in. It's a very fresh approach, the idea that the status quo should be maintained even if it's strange and unethical, because rocking the boat would mean chaos and an end to the peaceful lives everyone lives. My hope for this series is that they don't reform their society, like they always do when there's a story like this.

Well, I agree to a certain extent. That was one of the things I loved about the first series as well, that it was realistic in portraying what people who want to take down a system really need to think about. That said, I want to see some change in the status quo - it doesn't have to be big.

Originally Posted by Allium

EDIT: Is it true that this season will run for 11 episodes?

Yes. According to the director, we don't need 'world exposition' this time, so we can jump straight into the main plot.

[revive4563]

OP animation is one of the worst in anime history. Some repeat parts of meaningless Akane's motions in 16 beats gave me shivers in a negative way. It's almost surreal.
As for the plots, when Akane adapted to her job completely, her personality is not shining after all. More than that, the plot of new Makishima is unbelievably tedious.
Almost I fell unconscious when I saw that kiss, since that was a super ultra corny.
I don't judge by just a first episode but I was disappointed.

Maybe I'm severe on Noitamina since I'm watching them with a lot of expectations because they are stylish.
I hope this gets better.

[MisaoFan]

Spoiler for Episode 1:

It's nice to see the story revisiting itself this time with the major comeback of Akane and co. in the world they live. Our cute heroine already became a lot more badass than initially expected, it looks like she hardened her ideology after all, with Ginoza being rather adorable and mellowed his rather aloof way of looking at the Enforcers. Mika is also playing a major role this time, but the thing that really bothers me is the way she's revolting against latent criminals with her rather pathetic morals, I really hope she gets good like Ginoza did last time. The two new characters are interesting in their own right, they don't do much stuff other than introducting themselves to Akane before things kicks the bucket clearly in the following episodes. As far Yayoi goes, even though she's not too relevant in the previous season, I hope she gets more screentime only because of a good bunch of foreshadowings in her flashback episode that will more or less affect a few plot threads.

While not as strong as season one's first episode, it still gives a rather modern nostalgic feeling by being nothing more than introducting the terminology, the mission instruction to the rookies and bringing on what's to come later with all the subtle foreshadowings that gives a particular meaning. The cliffhanger here is very intense, I'm looking forward to see how Kirito has to work his own goal when he's about to kidnap (?) Mizue Shisui while masquerading as a female hostage.

The opening theme is so heavy in symbolism it's not funny. The animation and the visual composition is more reminiscient to Tokyo Ravens's first opening than the early theme songs of season one and I wanted to see the new ending so badly. The animation isn't nearly as bad as I thought to be despite the new studio in charge, my biggest worry concerns about the story writing even though it's in the stages of the main plot soon to work properly.

And about Mika becoming an Inspector recently since 1.5 years ago, it perhaps actually had to do with her being part of a training institute before joining with two new Enforcers so it somewhat makes sense. Other than that, it was a very good premiere, looking forward to see what happens each week!

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by Traece

My biggest fear for this season is that they'll try to come to a resolution with the Sybil System. One of the two big reasons I liked Psycho Pass was the fact that there was no change at the conclusion of the season; no as-expected ending of the dystopia they live in. It's a very fresh approach, the idea that the status quo should be maintained even if it's strange and unethical, because rocking the boat would mean chaos and an end to the peaceful lives everyone lives. My hope for this series is that they don't reform their society, like they always do when there's a story like this.

What, you mean like the societal reformation seen in Orwell's 1984, or in Huxley's Brave New World?

I really don't know where you get this idea that dystopian fiction always ends with societal reformation. Given the more prominent examples of cyberpunk and dystopian fiction that I can think of, I'd find it much more refreshing for the Psycho-Pass anime to end with a successful societal reformation. Not that I'm particularly hopeful here, since once Sybil ends the Psycho-Pass narrative likely ends with it, and they might want to get Psycho-Pass for a third season or beyond. It's kind of like having Clark Kent don the Superman costume in Smallville - Once you go there, there's nowhere left to go, really.

[Fellen]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

What, you mean like the societal reformation seen in Orwell's 1984, or in Huxley's Brave New World?

I really don't know where you get this idea that dystopian fiction always ends with societal reformation. Given the more prominent examples of cyberpunk and dystopian fiction that I can think of, I'd find it much more refreshing for the Psycho-Pass anime to end with a successful societal reformation. Not that I'm particularly hopeful here, since once Sybil ends the Psycho-Pass narrative likely ends with it, and they might want to get Psycho-Pass for a third season or beyond. It's kind of like having Clark Kent don the Superman costume in Smallville - Once you go there, there's nowhere left to go, really.

They could have some jackass try and rebuild Sybil while Japan's in chaos after it's destruction if they want another season and Sybil's been destroyed.

[cupumanager]

It is just me, or the animation feels a bit choppy at parts?

Anyway, by what happened to Shimotsuki back in Season One, It is resonable that Oryo Rikako Case painted her view about the Sybil System, and blamed it partly on the absence of Sybil Psycho Pass in her Highschool made her best friend ended up as a literally twisted art piece. However, making her saying "You are Wrong" is uneccessary; how she responded in the entire episode is sufficient for the viewers to understand her disagreement with Akane.

And yes that OP is annoying. It is possible from the hints in the OP that the new Enforcer is positioned there by Sybil to monitor Akane closely, since She is one of the few person in the entire Japan whose aware of its true nature. Will Kogami have any parts in S2, is still in question, but was it him in the chair? or is that our new antagonist?

And oh, the Hologram Camo tech seems superior to S1 helmets - Scanners doesn't even register him as a human, never mind reading his Psycho-Pass.

[Jimmy C]

Originally Posted by cupumanager

And oh, the Hologram Camo tech seems superior to S1 helmets - Scanners doesn't even register him as a human, never mind reading his Psycho-Pass.

It isn't. As you may recall from the last season, scanners for secured systems are smart enough to refuse access if they cannot read your hue. I doubt they'll let random robots through either.
From the casualties this episode, I wonder if the other divisions will be drawn in only to serve as redshirts this season. Division 2 is down 3 people already.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by cupumanager

And oh, the Hologram Camo tech seems superior to S1 helmets - Scanners doesn't even register him as a human, never mind reading his Psycho-Pass.

I don't think he has a Psycho-Pass. At least the enforcer's dominator didn't register him at all. It was only sensing the inspector, whom the bad guy had in his arms. He was outright invisible to the Sybil system.

[Reckoner]

I remember arguing with many people about the ending of season 1 (Not necessarily here). People thought it was bad because it felt inconclusive or something, yet I kept adamantly saying that the ending episode screamed sequel in just about every way imaginable. It obviously didn't make sense to put an ending on something that wasn't intended to be a complete stopping point. They wanted full resolutions to the conflict with the sibyl system and the society, which didn't make sense to cram in during the first season. Seems I was proven right.

[GDB]

Salmon Makishima didn't really get much screen time, so it's hard to really place him. Since he and Togane were both "new" enforcers, it's obvious they can grow over time. Unfortunately, as someone said above, the OP teases Togane as a/the villain too strongly. Hate when OPs do that stuff, whether it's 100% accurate or not. Don't risk spoiling anything, you blimey buggers!

For the old cast, Ginoza definitely comes across like his father did in season 1. Yayoi is still Yayoi. Akane is still Akane (and her gun appears to still be unlocked). New girl comes off as kind of a bitch compared to how she felt at the end of season 1. You've been an inspector for 18 months now and yet you still don't understand Akane and get bitchy about her? Come on.

As for the episode itself, it was okay. The plot wasn't much at all (in fact, was pretty bland), but it fulfilled its duty of introducing/reintroducing most of the characters. The ending, however, was awesome. The bad guy reminded me of someone, but can't place who or from what series.

Originally Posted by Reckoner

I remember arguing with many people about the ending of season 1 (Not necessarily here). People thought it was bad because it felt inconclusive or something, yet I kept adamantly saying that the ending episode screamed sequel in just about every way imaginable. It obviously didn't make sense to put an ending on something that wasn't intended to be a complete stopping point. They wanted full resolutions to the conflict with the sibyl system and the society, which didn't make sense to cram in during the first season. Seems I was proven right.

Urobuchi prefers to leave his story endings open, even if he's finished with the story he wants to tell. Madoka Magica, Psycho Pass, Kamen Rider Gaim, Suisei no Gargantia, all have a conclusive end to the story they were telling while leaving it open for further stories later. In case you didn't notice, Urobuchi isn't writing this season of Psycho Pass. It being open ended wasn't because of a season 2, it's just his style.

[azarhal]

Originally Posted by GDB

Unfortunately, as someone said above, the OP teases Togane as a/the villain too strongly. Hate when OPs do that stuff, whether it's 100% accurate or not.

The OP only link him to Joshu Kasei, director of the Public Safety Bureau...

[psycho bolt]

This episode had a pretty good start, but I can't believe they never caught the flaw in the system. If you can immobilize an Inspector and use their weapon against a Enforcer... it just felt too unbelievable that a system so advance could have a simple flaw. Also considering that it must been years since society have been controlled by it. However, I could be wrong and the antagonist could be an Inspector. Now I am even more curious about how a Dominator actually work. We do know they got some authentication going on when you first pick it up, but does the user have to be in a full conscious state? That drug he injected her could potentiality lead to some side effects. E.g. Like driving under the influence

[GDB]

You have to immobilize the inspector while keeping them conscious and forcing them to use the weapon themselves (even if you help). That's not something that you can usually do, since even thinking of doing it would inflate your Psycho Pass.

[Irenesharda]

Originally Posted by psycho bolt

Good episode, but I can't believe they never caught the flaw in the system. If you can immobilize an Inspector and use their weapon against a Enforcer... it just felt too unbelievable that a system so advance could have a simple flaw. Also considering that it must been years since society have been controlled by it. However, I could be wrong and the antagonist could be an Inspector.

I think they hinge so much on the Dominator recognizing people instantly, that when a person's being controlled, they forgot to take that into an account. So, when the new villain immobilized the Inspector, he could control her body to use the gun, but she wasn't unconscious either, which I'm thinking that the gun may pick up on.

He used the inspector as a shield and so the Enforcer couldn't shoot. But even when he tried, to get a read on the guy, NOTHING came up. It's like he wasn't even registering. Somehow he's outside of the Sybil System. Even Makishima at least was recognized as a person by the Dominator. This new guy? Nothing.

Originally Posted by cupumanager

It is just me, or the animation feels a bit choppy at parts?

Anyway, by what happened to Shimotsuki back in Season One, It is resonable that Oryo Rikako Case painted her view about the Sybil System, and blamed it partly on the absence of Sybil Psycho Pass in her Highschool made her best friend ended up as a literally twisted art piece. However, making her saying "You are Wrong" is uneccessary; how she responded in the entire episode is sufficient for the viewers to understand her disagreement with Akane.

And yes that OP is annoying. It is possible from the hints in the OP that the new Enforcer is positioned there by Sybil to monitor Akane closely, since She is one of the few person in the entire Japan whose aware of its true nature. Will Kogami have any parts in S2, is still in question, but was it him in the chair? or is that our new antagonist?

And oh, the Hologram Camo tech seems superior to S1 helmets - Scanners doesn't even register him as a human, never mind reading his Psycho-Pass.

I had absolutely no idea that this girl and the student from the "body art" case was the same! I must have completely missed that. Still can't stand her though. She got my sympathy as a high school girl, now...she's gotta step up a bit.

And yeah, I think Kogami will be important. he wasn't just in that chair in the OP, but they also showed this shot of him:




So, he might have something to do with Tougane as well.