Fans of sci-fi anime may want to give something Psycho-Pass an attempt, especially for its view of a dystopian universe. Set in the near Japan of the future, Psycho-Pass takes viewers into a society “managed” by the so-called Sibyl System. Series protagonist Akane Tsunemori is drawn into a conspiracy after she is assigned to the Criminal Investigation Division of the Public Safety Bureau, where she and her colleagues must stop people with incredibly high crime coefficients, or propensity to crime, as determined by the Sibyl -system.
With fans finally learning the more sinister origins and intentions of the Sibyl system by the end of Season 1, the show evolves from a typical police proceeding into a sci-fi thriller worthy of praise. While the Sibyl system is known for controlling the emotional states of society and assigning them to favored careers, there are more qualities to this puzzling system than what players realize. Warning, because there are spoilers ahead!
8 The etymology is a clue
Fans who still haven’t watched the first season in full may have some idea of the true nature of the Sibyl system based on the etymology itself. Fans of Greek mythology would remember Sibyl as the Cumaean Sibyl, or a prophet with incredible oracle powers.
In her story, Sibyl wanted to become immortal. And as Apolo grants her wish, it becomes clear that she forgot to wish for eternal youth. In turn, Sibyl withered to become small enough to fit in a pot that adults had picked up and hung from a tree. Her story ends when children mock her by asking “What do you wish?”, to which Sibyl replies, “I just want to die.” This etymology is further reinforced in the anime, firstly when Masaoka Tomomi refers to the system as “an oracle” during Akane Tsunemori’s first mission, and when Joshu Kasei tells Makishima Shogo that he feels “like a prophet straight out of a myth”.
7 A long development cycle
Something as comprehensive as the Sibyl system certainly wasn’t built overnight, but it’s interesting to note that the system actually had quite a long development cycle before being fully implemented. According to the anime’s “Official Profiling Book”, the Sibyl system was initially developed between 2030 and 2049 as a supercomputer capable of making cymatic scans to improve the efficiency of the work fitness exam of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. to assist.
However, with the development of the Sibyl system that paved the way for the Psycho-Pass, the system was eventually re-used to be able to detect criminal coefficients as well. Between 2090 and 2100, a more “improved” version of the Sibyl system was handed over to authorities.
6 The Curious Case of Membership
One of the most interesting parts of the Sibyl system is membership – or rather, the qualifications one must meet in order to become a member. Fans already know that there are about 247 known members of the system, but the membership criteria seem extremely tailored to maximize the efficiency of the system.
At its core, membership in the Sibyl system requires meeting three specific qualifications. First, one must have a personality that is “different” from the rest of society’s conventional standards. Second, one must be criminally asymptomatic and undetectable by the Sibyl system. Finally, a potential member must be able to make objective decisions without being driven by empathy or sympathy.
5 The numbers look ominous
It is during the confrontation with the Sibyl system under the NONA tower that the terrifying truth is revealed. The Sibyl system is in fact not a supercomputer. Rather, it is a network of hundreds of brains connected by wires that collectively decide on various matters in Japan.
The anime states that there are about 247 known members. However, visual counts from the Sibyl system show that there are about 2,601 brain slots in total. This means that the Sibyl system is perfectly capable of functioning with less than 250 brains, but can accept more than 2,000 members if desired.
4 Bodies are optional
When a person joins the Sibyl System, the brain is removed from the body and instead stored in the system for maximum use. It is for this reason that 240 of the 247 known members of the SIbyl system can work non-stop to evaluate the criminal coefficients of citizens across the country.
However, it has also been revealed that members of the Sibyl system may be able to acquire bodies if they wish. While not necessarily a “human” body, several members of the Sibyl system have shown the ability to acquire android bodies when it is necessary to move physically.
3 Career control is a secondary function
Another interesting aspect of the role of the Sibyl system in society is its capacity for task assignment and career control of citizens in Japan. After graduation, high school students take a “Sibyl Exam” which determines one’s placement regarding further education, specialization sectors and most suitable career paths.
Japan, in turn, is no longer a democracy due to the degree of control the Sibyl system has over the fate of its citizens. After all, Sibyl System is also able to determine who would be members of the Japanese cabinet and who could lead the country. In turn, these people become mere figureheads under the heel of the Sibyl system.
2 The absence of foreigners
As fans of Psycho-Pass may note upon closer inspection that the anime does not feature foreigners in the series. This is not out of malicious intent, but rather a choice of the Sibyl system. Upon activation, Sibyl System immediately restricted the travel of anyone going in and out of Japan, particularly affecting foreign policy.
At its core, this would immediately help the Sibyl system manage a smaller population, as multiple people entering and leaving the country would become too much of a burden on the system. Likewise, diplomatic conflicts could be avoided outright as the Sibyl system should not deal with the possibility of foreigners with high criminal coefficients.
1 Almost had competition from the Panopticon
Interestingly enough, the Sibyl system was not the only management system proposed to the Japanese government in the earliest stages of its development. In the lore of the anime, the Ministry of Economy even proposed something called the “Panopticon” which is mainly designed to monitor the traffic and economic activities of Japanese citizens.
This is based on Jeremy Bentham’s real-life Panopticon prison concept, where a tower-shaped guardhouse was the central structure of a cylindrical prison that discouraged criminals from misbehaving as they were constantly watched. While the deep parts of this system were not revealed in the series, the concept itself is said to have received widespread criticism for failing shortly after implementation.
Psycho-Pass first aired in 2012, with its recent film first inspector broadcast on March 27, 2020.
0 Comments