PSYCHO-PASS: Providence

Spoilers
Psycho-Pass: Providence

A review of the best film of the year, following Moroboshi and Conan Movie 26. This film is "Psycho-Pass: Providence," which was released this year to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the series. Written by Tow Ubukata and Makoto Fukami, it continues to expand the world and present a new artistic approach in its story, events, and developments. The story of this latest Psycho-Pass film begins with an important researcher named Dr. Milicia presenting an idea about the negative repercussions of the Sibyl System on the future of global society and Japan itself. For this reason, she is invited to a general meeting of the Peacekeepers to present her report on the system's future. However, before she can reach her destination, she is assassinated by a group from a secret organization connected to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; she is beheaded, and an attempt is made to steal her research, but it is not found. This point ultimately becomes the central plot of the story, so I will not discuss it further. In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs begins an investigation in cooperation with the Public Safety Bureau's unit, led by Akane Tsunemori, to recover Dr. Milicia's research.

Relationships:

The Relationship Between Akane and Kogami:
The film's events emphasize the relationship between Akane and Kogami, and the ice that exists between them gradually melts throughout the film, leading to a change in the goals of both characters for their future. When Akane spoke with Kogami, she was likely trying to understand his fundamental motives for the crimes he committed. In the end, he told her, "I don't regret anything I believed was right." Akane thought to herself, "I wish you would just apologize, and everything would be over." Because of his actions, Kogami is no longer part of Akane's special unit, and the Sibyl System has classified him as a dangerous latent criminal, meaning the system cannot read him as a public safety enforcer.

The Relationship Between Saiga-sensei and Akane:
This is one of the most beautiful relationships in the Psycho-Pass story from the very beginning. The support and efforts Saiga has given for Akane's sake are countless, helping her to change the world's ideals from a static, unchanging system for determining fate and moral value to one that is politically and socially coordinated with the current Sibyl System. We can say it had the most beautiful ending when he offered a piece of advice to Akane, saying, "The justice of this world is strange, but you continue to pursue true justice."

The Relationship Between Nobuchika Ginoza and Kogami:
Throughout the story, they are certainly one of the best-coordinated duos, using their physical abilities against the evils of society. However, the film focuses on the point of conflict between the two characters after the second season, when Kogami becomes a secret operative for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This eliminates his position within Akane's unit, and Kogami commits a series of anti-fate crimes using military weapons without the use of a Dominator or the judgment of the Sibyl System. This creates conflict between the two, especially for Ginoza, who has difficulty accepting anything that goes against the team's interests. In the end, we saw their relationship strengthen in several situations, with secondary issues set aside, and Kogami was granted his freedom by the Sibyl System with Akane's help.

The Message of Shindo-sensei, Arata Shindo's Father:

Throughout Season 3, Arata's father was one of the most complex cases whose answers we were desperate to find, spending sleepless nights analyzing and investigating to find out who he was. In the end, it was revealed that he was one of the five greatest political figures and developers of Japan and the Sibyl System. Shindo's role in the series was very complicated, as he was playing both sides without his political connections and powerful interests being clear. In the end, he turned out to be the most honest person, but he was no longer a loyal father.

The Message of Kai Mikhailov Ignatov, Brother of Kei Mikhail Ignatov:

A new character who delivered a magnificent conclusion, he presented three themes. The first was as an agent of the special operations unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under the inquiry of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the command of Shindo-sensei. The second was a scientific message about the danger of mind control via smart brain chips, something Elon Musk is currently developing in our own world. The third was a message of brotherhood between Kai and Kei, which was not extensively developed but brought an end to the conflict between the opposing faction and their country.

How Was the Art and Animation?

The film was undoubtedly very successful in blending CGI and traditional animation, providing a realistic and lively sense of movement and a new capability, as is always expected from the studio Production I.G. Due to the film's success, it received a 9/10 review on Rotten Tomatoes, marking it as a highly successful science fiction anime. In particular, the design of the weapons and the air and ground forces created a new atmosphere for the series, as they had not been present in the anime before. This marks the beginning of a better future for the stories. An important point I would like to mention is that the hand-to-hand combat was presented beautifully; in terms of movement, the logic of a person's strength and ability was not broken. The movements were not given excessive speed, which I liked.

In Conclusion...

There is still much more I want to discuss because I haven't delved into all the points, the story, the content, or the plot twists. I believe this would require several posts to explain fully. A review this long and energy-intensive that aims to do justice to every participating character certainly takes time. If you enjoy political, psychological, and science fiction anime, give yourself the chance to watch Psycho-Pass. It is a world worthy of deep contemplation.