PSYCHO-PASS Psycho-Pass 3 in-depth review: What's the appeal of season 3?

PSYCHO-PASS 3: A future surveillance society and the questioning of the true nature of humanity

"PSYCHO-PASS 3" is the third season of the Psycho-Pass series, which aired from October 23 to December 13, 2019. Although it is a short series of only eight episodes, it is characterized by its dense story development and deep themes. The series is based on a story by Gen Urobuchi, directed by Naoyoshi Shiotani, and animated by Production IG. It was broadcast on the Fuji TV network every week from 12:55 a.m. for 30 minutes.

story

"PSYCHO-PASS 3" is set in a near-future Japan, depicting a world where the "Sibyl System," a gigantic surveillance network that quantifies souls, maintains public order. The system aims to prevent crimes by measuring each individual's "crime coefficient." The story begins from the perspective of two new inspectors, Shindou Arata and Kei Mikhail Ignatov, who have been newly assigned to the First Division of the Public Safety Bureau's Criminal Investigation Department. With the "Dominator," a gun that measures crime coefficients, in hand, they spend their days chasing potential criminals.

In the third season, Shindou Arata and Kei Mikhail Ignatov take center stage as they pursue the truth behind unsolved cases, delving deeper into the limitations of the Sibyl System and the true nature of humanity. In particular, Shindou Arata's mental tracing ability and his role as Kei's mental rope partner are key elements of the story. Through their actions, issues of freedom and justice in a surveillance society are highlighted.

In addition, "PSYCHO-PASS 3 FIRST INSPECTOR" will be produced as the final part of the third season, and will conclude the story of Shindou Arata and Kei Mikhail Ignatov. This work depicts the truth they reach and the new challenges that come with it.

cast

The cast of "PSYCHO-PASS 3" continues to include the same voice actors who have been active throughout the series, with Kaji Yuki playing the role of Shindou Arata and Nakamura Yuichi playing the role of Kei Mikhail Ignatov. Other cast members include Sakurai Takahiro as Hinakawa Sho, Otsuka Akio as Nijuuroki Tenma, Suwabe Junichi as Irie Kazuto, Nazuka Kaori as Kisaragi Mao, Sawashiro Miyuki as Karanomori Shion, Sakura Ayane as Shimotsuki Mika, Hanazawa Kana as Tsunemori Akane, Seki Tomokazu as Kougami Shinya, Nojima Kenji as Ginoza Nobuchika, Tochi Hiroki as Sugou Teppei, Honda Takako as Hanashiro Frederica, Miyano Mamoru as Homura Shizuka, Naka Hiroshi as Daigin Haruki, Horiuchi Kenyuu as Azusawa Kouichi, Yahagi Sayuri as Obata Chiya and Itou Shizuka as Rokugitsuka Yayoi.

Main Staff

The director is Naoyoshi Shioya, the series composition is Tou Ubukata, and the script is by Makoto Fukami and Tou Ubukata. The original character design is by Akira Amano, the character design is by Naoyuki Onda, the color design is by Makiko Suzuki, the art director is Shuichi Kusamori, the 3D directors are Kazuya Oya and Sigma Morimoto, the director of photography is Sakiko Murai, the cinematography visual effects are Eiji Arai, the editor is Yoshinori Murakami, and the music is by Yugo Kanno. Animation is handled by Production IG.

Main Characters

Shindo Arata is a 24-year-old special A-class mentalist and a supervisor in the First Division of the Public Safety Bureau's Criminal Affairs Department. He has a high level of empathy and can cross the mental border and become the person he is tracking. However, if he dives too deep into the Mental Trace, there is a risk that he will not be able to return to his true self, so Kei is his mental rope partner and is responsible for pulling him up. He has a bright and easygoing personality, and is a positive person who is not afraid of anyone. Due to a past incident, he is also characterized by the fact that he can only sleep soundly in his father's car. He became a supervisor to find out the truth about his father's death.

Kei Mikhail Ignatov is a 24-year-old inspector in the First Division of the Public Security Bureau's Criminal Affairs Department, a second-generation Russian immigrant. He grew up in a conflict zone overseas and received military training. He is a former soldier with excellent fighting, shooting, and analytical skills. He has a strong sense of justice and a serious personality, but he also gets hot-headed when it comes to family matters. He and his childhood friend, Sho, are each other's mental rope partners, and he cares about Sho's tendency to do reckless things. In order to find out the truth about a certain unsolved case, he and Sho chose to become inspectors together. He is married, and his wife is Maiko Stronskaya, also a Russian immigrant.

Hinakawa Sho is a 25-year-old enforcer in the First Division of the Public Safety Bureau's Criminal Affairs Department. He is the oldest member of the Division, but he is an introverted person who is not good at socializing, and he is often picked on by Tenma and Irie. After suffering from depression, he became addicted to drugs and worked as a drug buyer, but became a latent criminal after a customer lost his life. He is also a former holo designer, and he uses his knowledge and skills to contribute to investigations.

Tenma Nijurogi is a 55-year-old enforcer in the First Division of the Public Safety Bureau's Criminal Affairs Department. He has a rough personality and is the type of fighter who will fight back if hit. Having grown up in an upper-class political family, he has come to seek brute force instead. After being designated a potential criminal, he was cut off from his family and is now estranged from them. He acts as a leader among the other enforcers and behaves as if he is testing the inspectors he is assigned to.

Kazuto Irie is an enforcer of the First Division of the Public Safety Bureau's Criminal Affairs Department, and is 33 years old. He was born in a slum (abandoned area) and grew up in the lowest level where even cymatic scanning does not exist. Therefore, he is familiar with the slum residents and the movements of the underworld. He treats people with a familiar and malicious frivolity, but he also has a kind side and is like an older brother. He often teases Kisaragi, but she doesn't pay him any attention.

Mao Kisaragi is a 26-year-old enforcer of the First Division of the Public Safety Bureau's Criminal Affairs Department. A former swimming athlete, she has a cool personality that doesn't get along with the other enforcers. Although she performs her duties appropriately, she generally takes a cool stance. She doesn't have high expectations of her superiors, the inspectors, but she is confused by the unconventional behavior of Sho and Kei.

Karanomori Shion is a 35-year-old analyst at the Public Security Bureau's Comprehensive Analysis Division. She supports the investigative activities of the Criminal Affairs Division's First Section in terms of information gathering and analysis. She makes full use of forensic drones and highly functional small drones (commonly known as pillbugs), and sometimes engages in illegal hacking. Like an enforcer, she is also a potential criminal.

Mika Shimotsuki is 24 years old and is the Chief of the Criminal Investigation Division and Chief Inspector of the Public Safety Bureau. Due to the suitability assessment of the Sibila System, she joined the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's Public Safety Bureau at the youngest age. As an inspector of the Criminal Investigation Division's First Section, she has been involved in the investigation of many difficult cases, but she is currently in charge of the Criminal Investigation Division and has drawn a line from the field. Although she has a hard time dealing with the unrestrained new inspectors, Arata and Kei, she supports their actions from behind the scenes. However, she seems unable to let go of her mental medication.

Akane Tsunemori is a former inspector of the First Division of the Public Safety Bureau's Criminal Affairs Department, 28 years old. She stuck to the justice she believed in and led the First Division through many harsh cases. Due to a certain incident, she is currently in custody.

Shinya Kogami is a 36-year-old special investigator in the Action Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Overseas Coordination Bureau. He was formerly an enforcer in the First Division of the Criminal Affairs Division of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's Public Safety Bureau, but fled overseas and lived a nomadic life as a mercenary before returning to Japan. He boasts high combat skills and a strong physique, and also has the intelligence and sense of justice of a former detective.

Nobuki Ginoza is a 36-year-old special investigator in the Action Division of the Overseas Coordination Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was formerly an executive officer in the First Division of the Criminal Affairs Division of the Public Safety Bureau of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, and supported the First Division with his calm judgment, observational skills, and tolerance. He is currently working under Frederica Hanashiro, and is mainly investigating cases related to overseas matters.

Teppei Sugo is a 30-year-old special investigator in the Action Division of the Overseas Coordination Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He is a former enforcement officer of the First Division of the Criminal Affairs Division of the Public Safety Bureau of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, and has an honest and serious personality. He transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is pursuing cases related to international crimes with Ginoza and others.

Frederica Hanashiro is 36 years old and is the head of the Action Division of the Overseas Coordination Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Foreseeing the movement towards opening up the country, she established a new unit within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She heads the Action Division as a team to combat high-risk international crimes.

Homura Shizuka is a Bifrost congressman, 32 years old. He is always calm and collected, and his thoughts are hidden behind a gentle smile, making it impossible to see what he is thinking. The only thing that soothes him is his beloved dog.

Yohei Daigin is a congressman of Bifrost, 77 years old. He is a cunning gentleman who schemes and enjoys brain games. He enjoys the reaction of the new member, Shizuka.

Hirokazu Azusazawa is 46 years old and is the planner of the incident involving the fox. He is an elusive, nihilistic neutral person with various titles. He sets up one trap after another for the First Division, which is closing in on the case.

Obata Chiya is a 23-year-old collaborator of Azusazawa. She is an excellent cracker who supports the incidents engineered by Azusazawa. She does her job properly and quickly, but she is always foul-mouthed and swears at Azusazawa.

Yayoi Rokuitsuka is a freelance journalist, 30 years old. She was a former enforcer of the First Division of the Criminal Affairs Department of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's Public Safety Bureau, but was reintegrated into society after undergoing psychopathic reform and is currently working as an investigative consultant with the Public Safety Bureau.

subtitle

The subtitles for each episode are as follows:

• Episode.1 / "The Call of Laelaps"
• Episode.2 / "Sacrifice of Teumessus"
• Episode.3/"Hercules and the Sirens"
• Episode.4 / "Agamemnon's Burnt Offering"
• Episode 5: "The Burnt Offering of Agamemnon"
• Episode 6/"Caesar's Gold Coins"
• Episode.7/"Don't take God's name in vain"
• Episode.8/"Cubism"

Theme songs and music

The opening theme is "Q-vism" by Who-ya Extended, and the ending theme is "bullet" by Cö shu Nie. These songs are important elements that enhance the atmosphere of the story.

Ratings and Recommendations

"PSYCHO-PASS 3" is a work that further deepens the issue of surveillance society that has been depicted throughout the series, and questions the nature of humanity and justice. The characters of Shindou Arata and Kei Mikhail Ignatov provide new perspectives, deeply moving and thought-provoking viewers. In particular, the setting of mental traces and mental rope partners is a new attraction for the series.

The high quality production by the stellar cast and crew is also not to be missed. Production IG's meticulous animation and Yugo Kanno's music further enhance the worldview of the story. Although it is a short series of only eight episodes, it features a dense story development and deep themes, making it a highly recommended work not only for fans of the Psycho-Pass series, but also for first-time viewers.

In addition, in "PSYCHO-PASS Psycho-Pass 3 FIRST INSPECTOR," the story of Shindou Arata and Kei Mikhail Ignatov comes to an end, and new developments await. By watching this final episode as well, you will gain a deeper understanding of the entire series and be even more moved.

"PSYCHO-PASS 3," which questions the future of a surveillance society and the true nature of humanity, sends an important message to those of us living in modern society. Please take the opportunity to think about your own values ​​and justice through this work.