Psycho-Pass – 22 [END]
It ends in blood, bullets and oats.
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Blood, bullets and oats sounds like a good name for a heavy metal band consisting of only farmers. Then again, there are no farmers in the Psycho-Pass universe. Just robots. Nothing more metal than a band made of robots though, am I right? …Anyways, I digress. Trying to write too many essays all at once has made me delirious. I’ll shut up about robo-bands and get onto the actual episode now. |
It’s a bit of a bittersweet feeling to see Kougami and Akane work like a true team just before they have to inevitably part ways for the rest of their lives. At first, she was asking her friends for advice about how to deal with him. Slowly, she not only got tough enough to keep up with him physically, but her wits got progressively sharper as well. It’s only in the last episode that they’re matched step for step in both areas, working as equals. Kougami is not an Enforcer acting as her shield, but a partner. It was short-lived, but it really cemented the fact that Akane is now on equal footing with Kougami…and that he acknowledges it himself.
As much as he’s probably beaming with pride underneath that stoic exterior, he still feels a duty to protect her. Kougami may have plausibly followed Akane’s plan and just paralyzed Makishima if he hadn’t almost killed her. Again, I can’t ever properly express how much respect I have for an animated character like Akane. She’s not even real and I want to be like her! You got to love someone with enough tenacity to cling to a truck like a koala and land that one, critical shot to crash it. She put her life in danger, and Kougami could not bear the thought of losing her. They are both there, chasing after Makishima, to protect each other from something. Yes, Kougami has his pseudo-revenge thing going on to settle the demons wrestling around in his head, but I think he also is doing this to save his partner from getting hurt.
From there, the chase itself is great. Makishima is flustered for one of the first times ever! I love Makishima as a character, but I can’t say I feel sorry for him lashing out just because he was “lonely.” However, the way he feels about society being full of replaceable human beings is understandable. It’s easy to feel anonymous in the city. Sometimes you feel like your contributions don’t matter and that no one would miss you if you were gone. Dying with those thoughts in mind is a sad way to go. All this time, maybe he didn’t really care about Sibyl or not…he just wanted to be recognized by someone.
In other words, the finale is just really depressing. Not Madoka levels of depressing, but a real downer nonetheless. The main villain dies feeling cold and alone, Kougami lives an entire life on the run, and Sibyl is still ominously watching Akane. The only uplifting part is that one day Sibyl may be replaced with a new system. The key to that? Akane. She is the key to Sibyl becoming a better system and she is also the key to finding an alternate method for society to be run. It’s a bit of a compromise in terms of how to end a sci-fi anime based entirely around a morally ambiguous system, but I’ll take it. It’s better than Akane or Makishima getting their brain scooped out and dunked into a tank.
Oddly enough, I found myself focusing on the characters more once Sibyl was revealed. It was like everything I had wanted to know about this world had been answered, and all that was left to analyze were Akane, Ginoza and Kougami. I loved this series, but I think it got a little half-hearted at the world-building part. It’s like Urobuchi ran out of stuff to show us and ways to show off Sibyl. Psycho-Pass prompts us to ask all these questions about whether the system is good or not, but never seems to come up with a satisfying answer. It’s a shame, because I feel like a lot more could have been done with the system itself showing the life of everyday civilians. How do people not in the police force feel about Sibyl? Aside from extremists like people in unlicensed bands, it’s hard to tell.
It falters a bit towards the end, but I really enjoyed getting to learn more about Sibyl in the very beginning of the show. Every week was exciting, and I liked slowly altering my opinion about the system more and more as I got new pieces of information. Another great thing about blogging this was that everyone had their own opinion of Sibyl too. It’s not a black-or-white issue, per se, but everyone was a different shade of grey. From instant food to magical wardrobes and job selection processes, there was a lot to take in. Getting to know Sibyl at first was fun, and Urobuchi really created an interesting society.
The contest to be the most hardcore chick begins!
Despite the up-and-down world-building, I feel like Akane’s development was extremely well-done. She went from being shy and afraid of her Dominator to a hardened detective with the resolve to protect the law. Urobuchi doesn’t hesitate to remind us how badass she is at every turn, even showing us a parallel scene at the end where Akane is now the one in charge of a newbie, detective girl. If this series gets a second season (based off of the ambiguous ending screen) then it might follow the newbie under Akane’s care. Do we really need a new season? Well, if they actually do something about Sibyl in another season, then yes, it would be good. I’d also be curious in seeing what would happen AFTER Sibyl is removed, and if the citizens have trouble functioning normally without it. I won’t be sad if we don’t get S2, but I’ll be happy if we do. I don’t mind returning back to this world again where Akane is a badass and Ginoza pulled the stick out of his ass. Would you guys welcome a season 2, or do you feel like there’s nothing more to tell?
Well, maybe this is the end of the line for Psycho-Pass or maybe not. There’s no official announcement yet, and “Sibyl still continues…” isn’t any sort of guarantee. Let’s assume this is the end for now. My time blogging Psycho-Pass has been insanely fun. I don’t think I’ve ever got the chance to blog a show that so perfectly encompassed all of my interests. It’s got violence, psychology, psychopathy, science, and Urobuchi Gen. I’m telling you, I was born to blog this show. That’s not to say I dropped some crazy science bombs every time, but I did combine some of my interests into posts every now and then. Heck, Psycho-Pass even leaked into my real life school work. I found myself exceptionally interested in the topic of finding ways to prevent mental disorders by spotting them early. I even wrote an essay about the neuroscience of psychopathy and how to potentially detect it early to stop crimes (I got a 92% on that, thank you very much). I just got really into this show on all levels.
Thanks for sticking with me for this wild ride. As a special message from me…never forget about HYPER OATS. See you for the spring season!
Soooo, yeah… This was also a thing that happened.
About Overcooled
A neuroscience graduate, black belt, and all-around nerd. You'll either find me in my lab or curled up in my rilakkuma kigurumi watching anime.
POWUH: 500-599 with 519 comments
What a wild ride this anime was. I loved how it questioned laws, morality and everything in between. And Akane was awesome on every level and it was nice to see her grow up as the series progressed.
However, I felt like the ending was…lacking? I don’t know how to describe it but when it was over I didn’t get my usual, “Damn, that was a good show and I’m happy that I watched it but I’m sad it is over” vibe. Instead I felt like there should have been more?
I did like how it came full circle in the end with Ayane helping a new rookie along. However she’s apparently a minor that’s joining?(If I’m remembering what Ginzoa said correctly…)
A part of me does want a second season(my KougamiXAkane ship does not want to sink. T_T) but at the same time I don’t unless it can do something different. I can’t picture this could work like GITS and have different main villains every season.
Hang on…they never explained Shion did they? What she did and such to become an enforcer right? 0_o
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
It was an okay ending for me too. Although the people changed, the actual city is pretty much exactly where it started.
They’d need something new to focus on – not just a new villain. Otherwise it’ll just be deja vu. But it could be done!
They never did talk about Shion. I guess they just didn’t have enough time.
POWUH: iLurker with 11 comments
I loved the ending. It was sensible. It didn’t try to pull any deux ex machina out of its arse and it didn’t go “And with one bound the Sibyl System was destroyed and they all lived happily ever after”.
Makishima loses, but the system doesn’t entirely win. Akane is only allowed to stay alive because the system finds her interesting, but can dispose of her easily if she threatens to expose it.
There are slim threads of hope and a nice circular ending.
Makishima was an erudite anti-hero (had he brought down the system, he might have been remembered as a hero) and I always liked his discussions.
I think it’s a good thing when characters can have an intelligent conversation from time to time.
I’d love a second season if there’s a good way to overthrow the system.
On the other hand, it was in some ways an Orwell ending. Not quite a boot stamping on a human face, but in the same vein.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
It would be impossible to topple Sibyl in one episode, so I’m glad they didn’t try and squeeze that in. I would have liked if they included Sibyl being taken down as a plot point earlier on and actually succeeded that way though. Maybe in season 2 if it happens?
Makishima sounds like he’d be a really interesting conversation partner, providing you’re not one of his targets for murder. He quotes books to a ridiculous extent, but I kinda liked that about him.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 131 comments
I am in equal parts happy and disappointed with the ending. Kougami and Akane (especially Akane) were rounded out wonderfully in the last episode. I’m not satisfied with how Makishima died (we all knew that was coming, but still), but I’m glad he was pulled off his high throne by Kougami and Akane in succession. OH. And that partnership. I didn’t really notice it until you pointed it out (I was too absorbed in the action scene
and Kougami screaming out her first name and hellyeahOTP!, but yeah. Finally Akane was able to keep up with Kougami mentally and even do something that he might not have thought of if he were alone. (I especially like your term for it – “cling like koala”, huh? lololol)But, yeah. I do agree that it’s as if a lot of threads were left loose, like with the world-building, and how the system will be changing, and Shion. Madoka ended in a way that you wouldn’t want a 2nd season because extending the story would ruin the perfectly ended series. PP, on the other hand, feels as though there’s something missing, which is probably why a lot of people I’ve seen are hoping for a 2nd season. That and I want to see my baby Akane be the lead badass Inspector and Ginoza just being himself without all the angst.
alsoyesmyKougamixAkaneOTPfeelsUsing Shimotsuki Mika as the new Inspector was the thing I didn’t like the most, though. I felt like it was such an ass-pull. I mean, why shove another irregularity into Unit 1 just as the series ends and make it seem like it’s just very forced juxtaposition versus what happened in the first episode? I mean, it’s very nice and all, it’s just that… the new Inspector being a bit character from a previous arc, plus a minor at that feels too forced. This is another reason why I want a 2nd season, or at least an extra story – I want that girl’s presence in the Unit to be a little more justified.
Anyway, besides that and the gratuitous yuri scene, I’m okay with how the ending turned out. Especially when I saw the interpretation of why Kougami was reading “Swann’s Way” in the stinger.
once again, OTP feelsIt really breaks my heart to know that I won’t be seeing Kougami and Akane out-badass each other next week.POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
I prefer him getting shot to being stuck as a brain in Sibyl. Goodnight, sweet prince. We shall miss you!
I like how an actual pairing never formed, but the two of them were really close. Romance would be too mushy, but there’s plenty of room for shipping with all this hinting haha.
I definitely agree. S2 of Madoka would be a nightmare, but Psycho-Pass could potentially keep chugging along. I liked the new inspector and the juxtaposition, actually. They’ve lost Kougami, Kagari and Masaoka…plus, Ginoza left an open spot for an inspector when his criminal coefficient went up. It’s not totally uncalled for. My only gripe is she looks too much like Akane.
What is Swann’s Way about? I wish I had read even half the books referenced here…
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I thought the ending was pretty good. Akane’s anger at Sibyl was interesting, and her ‘screw it, whatever’ attitude towards whatever they decided to do with her after the plot was resolved was being cool.
What I really liked from this episode was the significant difference in what Akane said to Mika, vs. what Ginoza said to Akane in the first episode. The way she changed it around was pretty much what people hoped to see, I think, and her work towards humanizing the whole system may be the important part of her work, that reason for going there that she was struggling to find.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
She hasn’t beat Sibyl, but it still feels like she somehow has the upper hand. I like it! Her confident attitude makes her seem more like a hero.
I didn’t even notice the changes in what she said, but now that you mention it, that’s actually really important. If she can spread her way of thinking to more people then Sibyl really won’t be needed one day.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Yeah, it seems that a lot of people didn’t pick up on that. Ginoza explicitly says that the Enforcers are not humans. Akane specifically says that they are human, just have a different way of thinking.
I think there are a lot of similarities between Akane and Saki Watanabe of SSY. Both of them have an inner strength that even when facing terrible things allows them to keep going. Akane was a bit more badass than Saki, but I think both of them are good characters that I hope to see more like.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
I got it the other way around. I thought Ginoza’s speech was just as open-minded as Akane’s. I forgot he used to have a thing against Enforcers.
I definitely see a lot of similarities between the two, especially since they’re explicitly told they’re the type who can bounce back from anything. They get upset, cry, and get mad…but they get over it in the end. It’s kind of amazing how they live fairly normal lives after all that’s happened to them in both shows.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
I don’t doubt that you enjoyed it. This is definitely your specialty. Can you say the same about most of the shows you’ve blogged?
An acceptable ending, one that I can live with for such a thought provoking and exciting anime. What made this acceptable is because of real the situation played out saying that life is not a fairy tale and there are no happy endings. Everything came full circle except for a few changes and Akane spouting the same speech Ginoza gave her on her first day to the new recruit. For those who haven’t noticed yet, the newbie, Mika, is a friend of one of Rikako’s victims in episode 8. The one Yayoi was consoling because she started blaming herself for her friend’s death.
Other than the sweet, jealousy-inducing technology, the best factor goes to the character development. I can’t stop applauding at how much Akane has grown during these 22 episodes. What she lacks in strength with such a frail looking body she makes up in intelligence, bravery and determination following her ideals. Ginoza is now following in his father’s footsteps. This could be a way for him to understand him better. I’m not really bummed to see him like that because it kind of suits him well and he looks better without the glasses (but he looks like a black haired Makishima now) and doesn’t have to worry about his Psycho-Pass as much anymore. It’s only a matter of time before both of them bump into Kougami again.
Makishima will always be remembered as one of the most badass villains in anime. Though he may be dead now, he leaves an impression because his persona poisoned Kougami, forcing him to cross the point of no return. First and foremost, he became malicious because he was following his own ideals, some I feel people can agree with that’s why it’s hard to completely hate him for being such a wretch. I can now say that the entire story is based on points of view.
The bed scene with Shion and Yayoi was unexpected but sweet. And is it just me or did the animation suddenly got better right then? Shion x Yayoi for the win. I had suspicions and luckily they got confirmed. Though Shion seemed bisexual because she wondered if she and Kougami should have slept together, Yayoi was another story and had yuri written all over her. From the episode she first appeared rushing to get herself dressed when Akane came in and that episode to herself with her relationship with her music friend, she’s always looked like yuri bait to me.
All and all, Psycho-Pass ended on a high note. It was worthy of all the time invested in it and it’s a win/win situation for me if it stays where it is or continues with another season. The tag “Sibyl still continues” and Akane’s last words to the Sibyl System feels very open ended. Note also that Kougami’s professor was in Chief Kasei’s office during the credits. Now onto Spring season with Gen Urobuchi’s latest upcoming work Suisei no Gargantia. Mecha and Urobuchi together. That sounds like an Overcooled x Foshizzel Tag Team waiting to happen.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
As I mentioned, it’s important to note the differences in Akane’s speech and Ginoza’s. Ginoza says don’t be fooled, that the Enforcers are not human, they’re just dogs. Akane says that they ARE humans, just ones who think differently. There are other changes in what she says as well to support that, but that was the main one. If Makishima’s main complaint was the dehumanizing effect of Sibyl, Akane has done more to rehumanize some of the people affected than Makishima ever did.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
I don’t think I’ve blogged anything I felt I was “suited” for more than Psycho-Pass. Not to say that I’m a good fit for the show…but that the show is a good fit for me. If I had read more sci-fi beforehand then it’d be truly perfect lol.
I love Akane’s new badass personality. Ginoza has also come a long way, and it’s kinda nice to see him finally relax after being uptight for so long. I’m a megane-fetishist so I can’t say I’m glad to see the glasses go though…
I think Shion just sleeps with anything that’s hot. Sex seems like her hobby lol. Now we know Shion x Yayoi is official, at least.
Haha, we’re working on next season stuff, so we’ll see who gets what. Admittedly, I’m optimistic about Gargantia :3c
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Yuri happened!
The ending was awesome and I have high hopes for a second season, I mean if they did another season of this I would like to see it from a different police team or a maybe a whole new city? That could make it interesting…
Akane such a boss! I really did not care for her at the start, but after the end I like how her character transformed from scared to a total bamf! That and it helps to be voiced by Hanazawa Kana <3
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
It was to be expected when Akane walked in on them. Shion didn’t get enough screen time so there was little indication on her part but it was painfully obvious that Yayoi was yuri bait, she was exuding it. It wouldn’t surprise me if she had the same kind of relationship with her music friend in episode 12.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
It was my distinct impression that that basically happened all the time, and that Shion and Yayoi were a pretty regular couple.
I don’t think this is a show that will get a second series. And I’d be afraid if it did, because the world-building did kind of fall off throughout the show.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
It was heavily implied up until this point…but now we KNOW they’ve been doing this kind of thing on a semi-regular basis.
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 304 comments
I really enjoyed the ending. I went in expecting to come out in tears and despair, but instead, the ending was pretty happy. Of course, I did cry when Makishima died, but his death was expected.
Akane has really come a long way since the beginning of the series and the very end really emphasized that. She’s probably my favorite character in Psycho-Pass.
It’s sad to see the show come to an end; I’m going to miss waiting for a new episode each week.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Haha, for Urobuchi this is pretty happy, indeed. I didn’t want Makishima to die either, but it was inevitable.
Me too…but then again, I always forget about old shows as soon as the new season comes.
POWUH: iLurker with 10 comments
A good ride. Made even better by this blog. Thank you for blogging the show.
Rather than seeing a future of a better, more humane Sibyl, I see Brave New World, the one book Shogo didn’t throw around.
Sibyl wishes to reveal itself without consequence after realizing after Nano Tower that should they be revealed not on their own terms, riots will happen. They will lose their god status, as well as what remained of their lives.
And Akane, despite her hatred and distaste for the very nature of Sibyl, works on for stability, waiting for the peaceful revolution that will never come. I have the feeling Sibyl will try to genetically/socially engineer society so that more people like Akane will result. So ironically humans will evolve and change, but on Sibyl’s terms. They will not be easily stressed. They will still be stable and productive after horrible tragedies. They will value stability to the point of openly accepting Sibyl and working to protect Sibyl, despite opposing believes and moral misgivings. I wonder if Sibyl will make the new young Inspector go through similar things Akane went through, just to see her reactions as lab rat #1, with Akane as the desired final product. It’d be funny to have the hypothetical S2 end the same way S1 ends, with the new girl welcoming another innocent to the grinder, while Sibyl grows stronger.
Maybe one day not being powder blue most of the time will get you incarcerated.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Thanks! I think Sibyl knows that they can’t hide such a huge secret forever, so it’d be better to reveal themselves first then have it leaked. It makes them look better that way. Still, it’s gonna be hard to do without causing riots no matter how people find out because…come on…criminal brains deciding everything is crazy! No wonder they don’t know how to break it to the public yet.
Hmmm, could Sibyl really affect breeding? They only have domain over deciding jobs and who has a cloudy Hue. That’s outside of what they can really do.
POWUH: 900-999 with 915 comments
This ending… It really caught me off guard and for a lot of reasons.
1 – I didn’t think Kogami would really catch Makishima.
2 – Makishima’s death wasn’t even close to what he deserved. And I wasn’t thinking of a cruel death, but at least some glorious death, something much bigger than being shot at the head on a forest past the crops of Japan.
3 – I really, really, really hoped that Makishima would succeed.
4 – I never thought that Psycho-Pass would leave so many questions unanswered. Like, damn! Where is Kagari!!! TT.TT And Ginoza was great at the end without glasses.
5 – After Kogami killed Makishima, I thought he was already dead for sure, but he escaped, who would have thought that he would be able to do it?
6 – And I thought that it would have a definitive ending. Let’s be honest, this ending clearly leaves an opening for another season. The question is if they want to go on or not.
7 – Ah, and at last, I would never think that Akane would end up like Ginoza. I thought she would stick with her idea that you could befriend Enforcers.
So… I thought the ending of Psycho-Pass would be something much bigger, to be remembered forever… It wasn’t bad though. Now all that is left is to wait for Gargantia and see what Urobochi will do next.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I have a different interpretation of a couple things than you got. First, Kagari is dead. He’s been dead since the Chief found him and Choe in the room with Sibyl, and overrode the Sibyl enforcement action from paralyze to disintegrate. Sending Division 2 after him was a red herring to shame Division 1 for losing one of their Enforcers.
And Akane didn’t end up like Ginoza, and did keep with the idea that you could befriend Enforcers. That was evident in her allowing Ginoza to visit his father’s grave, and also in what she said to Mika at the end: They’re human, they just think differently, try to understand the way they think.
Also, I had the initial thought you did, that Makishima had survived thanks to that scene with the book, but I’m pretty sure now that was supposed to be Kougami’s room instead of Makishima.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Makishima lived alone and died alone. I think that’s suiting for him.
Anyways, like Highway, I’m pretty sure Kagari is dead and that Akane still trusts Enforcers.
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 318 comments
The Ending was really something. I sometimes feel so sorry for Akane, she had a really tough time. But she ended up changing something inside every colleague (in a good way).
I guess she ended up being my favorite character after the half of the series.
I was so scared that Akane would end up having to kill Kougami, so glad he escaped safely. Hehe
And the ending was kind of…how do I say it? It was kind of sad, everything just ended up repeating itself, only the characters changed and got different roles. I think it was a good ending. A really good one.
It kind of let us with a hint that it could be continued, but you understand that you can’t really put anything else to it.
POWUH: Meta Resident and Metanorn's Hime-chan~ with 1758 comments
God, I can not believe how long I haven’t been here! I’m sorry TT^TT
I just finished Psycho-Pass a couple of minutes ago.
To me, the ending wasn’t depressing, it was bittersweet. As you said, Akane and/or Shougo becoming a part of Sibyl would be a bit too much, as well as Akane saving Shinya. The ending was realistic and believable, and I like that. Though I still feel so sorry for Kagari TT^TT and Ginoza too. And Akane….. Idk, this show is probably one of my favorites when it comes to characters. The biggest part goes to Akane. And I love how they changed out her outfit, it showed how she matured and grew up so well!
Ginoza became such a cutie-pie <3 I think I like him even more without his glasses.
The last scene made even me feel proud about Akane, weird as that is. Especially when she told the newbie to trust the enforcers but keep an eye on them as well. Akane, you go girl!
Makishima is officially one of my favorite villains now. I said that before, but now I’m absolutely sure. It was so satisfying to see that such a smart, calm, coldblooded villain was motivated by very simple human emotions, like loneliness. I felt a little sorry for him, but didn’t get the feeling that they tried to make me feel it.
I think making a second season would be a little too much. I’m content with this anime as it is. BUT if they did release a second season there is no way I would miss out! :3
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
Ha! Finished it in two and a half days! Boom, baby! 😉
Anyway, so, what did I think of Psycho-pass overall? Well, it was an interesting look at society and it made sure you saw all the symbolism and ties that go back to our own world. This show has the subtly of a sledgehammer….
However it did have a cool group of characters that were a little hard to get used to at first but you warm up to quickly. I liked Akane, though not 100% of the time. I loved both Makishima and Kogami and their rivalry. I thought Makishima had the perfect death and I didn’t see it as depressing at all. I thought he actually kind of died pretty much at peace with everything, and that he was glad that it was Kogami that killed him. I actually didn’t find this really depressing at all, the ending was actually rather hopeful for the future where Sybil can be done away with.
I liked how far some of the characters have some, some stayed forever to the background, and some really didn’t change all that much throughout the show like Kogami or Makishima. However, Akane showed a ton of growth throughout the show and I’m really happy for that. I was a little annoyed with her stance on Kogami not killing in the end, since I think the police in this universe are all “killers” to a degree, but that’s neither here nor there. I’m so happy that he actually did take the shot in the end. I would have been extremely pissed if Makishima became another brain-in-a-jar.
And speaking of the brains-in-a-jar….that was one of the most stupid plot twists I’ve ever seen. It practically took me out of the show. We were in dark crime noire, and suddenly it was like I was in Star Trek with the Gamesters of Triskelion. I was really hoping Sybil would be taken down this time, but I can see it being a slow process. The seeds have already been sown. And like every evil machine-ish thing, they often underestimate the humanity they are trying to control.
However, despite the disappointment of Sybil, I was brought back in by the last two episodes with the face off between Makishima and Kogami, and the end to the arc of Ginoza and his father. That arc actually hit me the hardest of practially anything in this series. The fact that Ginoza felt jealous of Kogami for having more in common with his father than he did. His anger that no matter how much he tried to distance himself from him, something would always pull him right back. How his father did the best he could with him, even though he had made mistakes and lost his son’s respect, he still wanted his son to do better than he could. I cried so much at that death scene since it resonated with me so much, considering my relationship with my own father, and how much I love him despite mistakes that he’s made, and that he’s always been there for me, even in spite of them.
I knew Gino would become an enforcer for a while now, and I’m actually glad he did. To me, the enforcers were moreso what I equate with being a real detective/behavior profiler, and they have a bit more freedom despite being limited in where they can go. Gino seems to be less stressed out now, and now that he doesn’t have to report to the chief or worry about his crime coefficient anymore.
All in all, I’m glad that I watched this series. It had it’s missteps and I kind of liked the crime procedural of the first half more than the revelations of the second half, but all in all, I liked it a lot. 8.65/10
Now, for the sequel, well, like many have said, I don’t see what they will do with it? I mean it really seems to have wrapped up. What do you do without Makishima? Do you have another central villain to tie the plot together? And who could replace that guy? Do you stick with a procedural and make this the anime futuristic version of “Law and Order”? Will they be able to finally take down Sybil this time? Will they realize how incredibly stupid complete isolation from the world is? Well, I’ll be there to see. I’m ready.
See you guys for Season 2! 🙂
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
You have finally completed your journey, grasshopper. Glad to have you join the bandwagon. See you there for more latent criminal activity and psychological trauma in Season 2!
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
That was fast!
The amount of character growth is variable and I still find myself utterly unattached to some of the cops, but there were some great characters. Makishima is definitely a big favourite. Akane’s rise from being a naive little police girl to a badass cop who won’t hesitate to smack down a supervillain. She’s still very just and righteous, but she learns to be more flexible about it. So although she’s a good girl, I still love her because she’s not afraid to get shit done.
Haha, the brain thing really can turn people off. But I’m glad you regained your interest in the end! Oddly enough I found the last arc to be forgettable (other than how hilarious the whole OATS thing was). I was glad Makishima didn’t end up as part of the Sybil System though. It was a fitting end for him.
Ah, that father-son relationship was a great side story. I was a bittersweet ending, but I think Gino is happier now too.
Yeah, no idea what they’ll do with a sequel since everything has been (mostly) resolved. We already know what Sybil is so…what’s next? Anyways, I’ll see you for season 2! 😀
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
I was sick with a bad end-of-summer cold this weekend, so while I stayed home with my tea, tissues, cough drops and soup in bed, I just binge watched episodes while resting and taking medicine.
The oats thing was weird to me too. You mean your entire diet is oats-based? And what did that all accomplish anyway? Akane says she overlooked something in regards to Makishima and why he wasn’t in the power room but was instead in the garage. I don’t quite get what his plan was after the power went out, but whatever.
Do you think they will try to replace him with another central villain next season? Is he even replaceable? Also, looking at the new characters they’ve introduced to the division, I really don’t see anyone who will be the comedic relief. The red-head looks like he will replace Kagari as the young wild one. The guy with the black hair looks just as serious and brooding as Gino (I don’t know if we really need another one of those), and the new girl just seems like any other girl. I’m going to miss Pops and Kogami, they brought such snarky humor. And as much as I love Akane, she’s really not the reason I was watching this. Well, hopefully they’ll figure this out.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Hope you’re feeling better now! I was stuck lying on the couch for a few days after getting my wisdom teeth removed and I used it to catch up on anime too. :B
It was a really odd thing to add to their already odd way of running a society. It was such a random thing to bring up at the end.
I don’t know how they’d do things without some sort of villain, so maybe they’ll try and replace Makishima with someone else. Hopefully the new cast are good…I’m a bit skeptical they’ll be as good as the original cast though. I hope they figure it out too!