Dec 30, 2019
Oh boy Psycho Pass is back! This season was an absolute joy overall but I didn't have this view at the beginning.
This review will mainly be about perspective. How a series like Psycho Pass 3 grows overtime in quality from starting episodes to finish. SPOILERS for the season will also be given below so I can flesh out my analysis.
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A DISAPPOINTING BEGINNING?
Coming into this third season, I consider season 1 to be a masterpiece and I do not dislike season 2 compared overall to the fandom.
However, I struggled to get invested into these few characters at the start and their actions. Arata Shindou felt like
...
a second rate version of Tsunemori. Same with Kei Ignatov for Ginoza. The new four main investigators and enforcers - Arata, Kei, Irie and Todoroki were really just like Production IG wanted to have this image like the original four character from season 1. Even though Irie was not really similar to Kougami and the same with Todoroki for Masaoka. Arata's desire to not kill anyone even terrorists was very forced and unbelievable. This occurred multiple times and it was an aspect of the character that was not appealing. Although predictable that his father was one of the antagonists, the story of his father was intriguing and the aftermath for Arata to deal with psychologically was interesting too.
Kei's character although I did not personally find him interesting, his actions were questionable - constantly getting angry at Arata that it was Arata's fault that his wife was put in danger by Heaven's Leap and sent to psychological care for Hue stability. To find out that Kei would help the enemy escape to ensure his wife would be able to leave the psychological facility was shocking in this action scene! And I really hope Kougami is able to have the last laugh with Kei in the next season! This was an example of characterisation which really grew overtime through multiple episodes.
When we finally saw Kougami appear in episode 2 it was also a bit anticlimactic. There was no real suspense when he appeared with the camera angles of the animation, just mainly he's here and he's working with foreign investigative service now! The election and Bifrost introduction was average. It was fine to watch even a little bit mystifying but we just needed to know more about these characters and factions later on in the season.
THE START GROWS ON THE FINISH
Here is where my praises in this season really start - around episode 4 and 5. I really liked the idea of this inner political faction, Bifrost trying to challenge to eventually overthrow Sibyl. And even the faction numbers and inner turmoil between party members within the organisation. Although not a new concept to the series to try and overthrow Sibyl, it was intriguing for an organistion to try and develop another way to evaluate a person's mental state, with this religious group Heaven's Leap but I wished it was further explained and given more scene time in the season. Azusawa slowly grew into a sly interesting and important antagonist in this season and for the future of the series. He was very cunning at times in his tactics against Sibyl and even in his political decisions with Bifrost.
The foreign group with Ginoza and Kougami appear here and there in discussions with Sibyl and action scenes with villain. However, we still do not know most of their motives, same with Tsunemori as well. I really just want the full backstory relating to how Ginoza and Kougami joined this group. Particularly as to why Ginoza left as an enforcer and what led Kougami to join this faction.
I really enjoyed Shimotsuki in this season. She is still a cunning, sneaky Inspector but I feel she had much more of a sense of humour and very understanding to decisions made by Arata and Kei even though she might not have agreed that it was the right course of action.
The ending with Yayoi after the credits of the final episode though! That was shocking and a little upsetting but a great cliff hanging for the continuation of this story!
This was a really solid anime season of Psycho Pass. A season which really grew in quality overtime. I am inclined to give this season a strong 7/10. Close to an 8/10 but doesn't quite get there because of the slow and average scenes throughout the first half. Although it grows on the second half, it is still a flaw in my opinion as to why the score is a tad lower. If I could give 7.5/10 on MAL I would be more inclined to! Thank you for reading my review.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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