Psycho Pass: The Movie

By: Robert Murphy

In the past Psycho Pass has merely been focusing it's stories inward as people have come out in opposition of the Sibyl system and all that it stands for, they've wanted to turn it up on it's head and make those who loyally follow it question what kind of world they are living in. Psycho Pass: The Movie however looks outward to the world outside the "peaceful" society that Japan has established for itself and tries to spread it's grand views to other lands. Naturally, it's people are not as accepting as those who have spent so long under the watchful eye of Sibyl and so Akane Tsunemori must travel to a land ravaged by civil war and a guerrilla force that is led by a former member of her team.

Thus far, the plot lines for both Psycho Pass and Psycho Pass 2 have been so engaging that I never found myself curious as to what the rest of the world was like outside of Japan's borders. While the story focuses merely on the shores somewhere in Asia's mainland there is a distinct impression that the world is dire need of stability and safety everywhere you go. Sibyl is willing to offer just that in this latest entry into the series but it appears to be going poorly as an unknown group of terrorists breaks into Japan in order to punish those who have unleashed this force on them. Akane and her team fortunately got wind of the attack before anything serious occurs but something even more disturbing comes about once the situation is investigated further. It would seem the  leader of these terrorists is Shinya Kogami and he has been preventing Sibyl and their sympathizers overseas from gaining control over the land. Determined to discovers the whole truth for herself, Akane sets out to find Kogami and have him reveal the whole story as well as determine what Sibyl is really planning. 

Immediately the situation seems bleak for Akane and this land as it's cities and people are battered from the constant fighting and unrest that has plagued the land. The only prosperous area is the technologically advance island city just off shore of the mainland where Sibyl and the areas leaders have settled and begun to implement the new order of things. The area looks just like Japan but there are some very disturbing sites when you look closely at the peaceful atmosphere. Many of the citizens inside are forced to wear collars that constantly check their psycho pass due to so many people having above average hues with war, violence and hate being overly common. 

These people sadly have become a servant class inside of the city where they are treated as lesser for just having a questionable hue. They must take separate buses, are only allowed to work menial jobs (if they get any at all) and are also immediately blamed in altercations if the other party is a none collar wearing person. What's even more disheartening is the simple fact that if any of these people's hues go too far above the already agreed upon new limit under Sibyl then they are killed instantly by the governments aggressive military police force. It is a tough pill to swallow and since Akane has no authority here she must look the other way in the hopes that she can eventually get to the bottom of what is happening here.

This is where the movie definitely shines however and it's with Akane front and center confronting yet another Sibyl debacle. After two series Akane has become something of a potent force against all of Sibyl's misdoings and it in turn actually values her input when critical moments arise. It's made her so much stronger than the scared little girl who first joined Kogami years ago on their first mission and so when the two of them come together again it is quite the interesting turn around. Akane is able to read Kogami and determine what he is feeling, knowing instantly that he did not intend to become leader of a resistance force. Kogami along side of her is also still rock solid as a character and his current situation leaves for some unflattering parallels to a man he once killed for being able to bring out fanatical devotion in people. This is because he has done just this with the rebels around him, not deliberately, but the people in the camp all look to him as some sort of savior to their cause and it worries him. 

While Akane and Kogami are at the forefront, the rest of the cast manage to garner some interesting screen time in the movie. Ginoza has changed drastically alongside of Akane by becoming more relaxed and open with what is going with himself personally and this includes revealing his needing to punch some sense into Kogami. It's not anything major for the story but it's a bit of light fun in another dark Psycho Pass entry. But by far the most interesting side characters to come out of all this was Akane's partner Mika who has taken a different path after discovering Sibyl's secret. She has essentially become the systems willing watch dog since then and her role as this is far more established here as she not only brutally tortures someone to get information but also she is constantly challenging and critical of Akane's methods. Mika praises Sybil here at the end when everything is revealed and played off as a massive success, it ultimately feels like a massive conflict between her an Akane will be coming in a possible new season.

That factor alone is the only thing wrong with the Psycho Pass: The Movie and that's the fact that it is less of an overall movie as it is a continuation of everything that came before. The story furthers many different plot lines and creates an overall solid new story to go along with all the new developments. So the fact that the story itself is not a beginning to end or stand alone event is not a bad thing to have here in any way. Adding on top of the excellent story pieces you have Akane and Kogami together once again and showing off just what type of characters they have become. As always too Sibyl is on constant source of intrigue for the story and seeing how it can effect the outside world is a terrifying thought. In the end, all the pieces come together and Psycho Pass: The Movie proves to be a stepping stone to greater things down the road. 

Good:

- Akane and Kogami together again

- Seeing Sybil being used on another society is both terrifying and interesting

- Side character development and stories that could lead to future plot lines

Bad:

- The "movie" is less stand alone and more of a continuation of everything we've seen so far

Scully Rating: 8.8 out of 10

Mobile Suit GUNDAM: Iron Blooded Orphans

Zach Goodier

It’s been a while since we had a solid Gundam series, but Iron Blooded Orphans (IBO) is the current story involving one of the oldest and greatest mecha franchises. Our story begins on Mars, where kids Mikazuki (Mika) and Orga, as they struggle to survive as kids are frequently used for labor, as well as expendable soldiers on the battlefields between mercenaries, corporations, as well as other groups. As their crew is hired to escort a young lady, Kudelia Aina Bernstein, to earth. Kudelia is an aristocrat who seeks Martian economic independence from earth. It is because of earth’s control that Mar’s economy has tanked, and the use of children as expendable labor/soldiers is just one of many results of this hardship. However, there are opposing interests, and one group in particular, Gjallarhorn, is determined to ensure she never succeeds. In the resulting conflict, Mika has to activate the power source for the company base, a Gundam, waiting to be awakened from centuries of slumber.

Peace has made the Gundams useless, so most have been re-purposed.

This story had me hooked right off the bat, it does a great job of showing you the desperation of life for these people, and how the children are starting out at rock-bottom. However, things start to change quickly as Gjallarhorn’s attack sends most of the bosses fleeing, leaving the kids to fend for themselves. It is then that the plot starts to roll forward, and the kids go from being little more than slaves to taking charge and facing a fearsome enemy. The desperation comes across well, and it helps show how tough of a journey this will be. The kids, who form a new group called Tekkadan, struggle to survive on their own, as they form alliances, and prepare for the long journey ahead to get Kudelia to earth.

The action is very well done, with battles feeling both large in scale, yet focused and personal as these characters fight it out. Mobile suits are great to look at, and mobile workers and other craft all have roles to play in the battles, so it never feels just about the mechs themselves, but the larger battle. Weapons range from the expected rifles and what-not, to axes, swords, and other melee weapons.

Orga ends up being the fearless leader, but he does face doubts and tough decisions that make this show feel more grown up than older series in the franchise.

Only a couple gundams have surfaced, being relics that have been salvaged or adapted for current service. Mika’s was powering his company’s base, while others have apparently being retrofitted with things like heavy armor. It does feel somewhat far-fetched to be using weapons that are centuries old in current combat, but I can move past it, since they have almost all be retrofitted and adapted for modern combat. It also makes sense that they are still relevant considering there haven’t been any real wars since they were in service, with most units being designed to be cheaper for mass-production, and not requiring much innovation to the old designs.

Action scenes aim for quality over quantity, which pays off big time.

The characters really do well, for the most part. Mika is a bit of a “blank-slate,” but that actually is his character, since he mostly seems to have shut off his own emotions with the hard life he’s led. Other characters are more lively, with Orga being a standout. He eventually takes charge of the group, and his boldness and confidence really set him apart, even as he doubts himself. All of the characters contribute to the group in some way, even if they struggle in doing it. It all makes the whole team seem interesting, without one person being the sole focus of all of our expectations.

These two are being set up as the main adversaries.

This is a great, gritty show for mecha fans, and a nice breath of fresh air for Gundam as a franchise. It feels deep, and shows more of the character’s struggles over just having mecha combat non-stop. That might turn some people off, but the end result for me was that the fights felt important, and the suspense was always palpable. This show is much more exciting than other recent Gundam entries for me, because it can keep that suspense rolling throughout. This show has a lot of promise, and if they can keep the pace up, this could go down as one of the great Gundam series of all time.

Good:

-Interesting and deep cast that keeps everyone feeling relevant to the story.

-Solid action that is filled with suspense.

-A tough setting where you truly feel the struggle to survive.

Bad:

-Mika might seem too bland for some viewers, but I do think there will be more on him later in the series.

-Nit-picking, but old (centuries old) Gundams being immensely superior to modern mobile suits can push the suspension of disbelief. I can roll with it, but it does seem questionable.

Scully Rating: 8.5 out of 10