Psycho-Pass: Sinners of the System
Sinners of the System, as a film trilogy, depicts side-stories exploring how things are faring with the members of the Public Safety Bureau and is mainly set following the second TV season of Psycho-Pass. They mainly serve to explore and develop several of the major characters of the Bureau throughout the film trilogy. I will offer my thoughts of each individual film a little later in this review.
But I'll first comment on the consistent element found throughout Sinners of the System in the impressive visual presentation. Like prior installments of the franchise, the films feature gorgeous artwork with highly-detailed scenic shots and character designs, plus fluid and elaborate animated sequences featuring various characters and vehicles moving about in mundane situations and action scenes. Only low points with visuals are vehicles and robotic technology being rendered in CG animation, that does stick out like a sore thumb compared to the regular animation. Plus, there is a rather ridiculous action scene involved an Enforcer taking on a giant mech in the climax of Crime and Punishment that sticks out badly from the otherwise rather grounded storytelling offered up with the Psycho-Pass franchise.
As far as thoughts on the individual films go:
- Crime and Punishment: The film is like an extended episode of cases from the TV anime with the Public Safety Bureau as they explore an experimental prison providing specialized treatment to latent criminals. The film offers some developments in exploring how the Sibyl System is experimenting with different means of treating latent criminals and Mika's character getting development when she comes to realize some of the flaws of the System as she learns more of the happenings within the prison.
- First Guardian: This explores more on Teppei Sugo, one of the new Enforcers introduced in Psycho-Pass 2 when he was a drone pilot for the Japanese military. He finds himself caught up in an investigation from the Public Safety Bureau when suspected of being involved in a series of terrorist attacks using stolen military drones. This is perhaps the hardest-hitting dramatically of the Sinners trilogy as the truths concerning the drone case hit Sugo hard throughout this film, especially when it's revealed what the reasons behind the drone attacks are being connected to military corruption. With the majority of the film being a flashback set months before the start of Psycho-Pass' first season, Masaoka does make an appearance as the Enforcer investigating the drone case and the film devotes some focus to exploring the tensions between him and Ginoza.
- On the Other Side of Love and Hate: This is a Kogami-focused film that serves to explore what he's been doing outside Japan following the events of the first series and offering development of his character as he finds himself lacking purpose in his life as a mercenary and trying to come to terms with his past acts after killing Makishima. He reflects on this as he teaches self-defense to an orphaned refugee seeking a means to avenge the murder of her family. Kogami also meets up with a representative of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs seeking him out and whom aids him throughout this film. I understand this aspect of the film's plot does play into developments with the third TV season of the franchise, which I'll have to look into at some point.
In short, Sinners of the System makes for a major improvement over the not as impressive second TV season and follow-up film, as the film trilogy provides further fleshing out and development of major characters and elements of the world of Psycho-Pass. The trilogy did help to reinvigorate my interest in the Psycho-Pass franchise following my underwhelming reception to the mentioned TV season and movie, and hoping to see where things further develop with the franchise when I get a chance to look into its third TV season at some point.
Last updated Friday, August 27 2021. Created Thursday, August 26 2021.
|