PSYCHO-PASS: Sinners of the System Case.1 - Tsumi to Batsu: Mika Shimotsuki's redemption.

 

If you've followed this blog for some time, you'll likely know that I love PSYCHO-PASS. The first season is darn near perfection and whilst I believe that everything beyond that is unnecessary, I have still enjoyed the works past that to differing degrees. Having gone through the first two seasons and the first movie, it's time to take a look at Sinners of the System, starting with Case.1 - Tsumi to Batsu/Crime and Punishment. 

 Set in February 2117, Tsumi to Batsu begins with a speeding vehicle slamming beyond Enforcer Nobuchika Ginoza and Inspector Mika Shimotsuki and into a building. The driver turns out to be a lady by the name of Izumi Yasaka. Yasaka happens to be a psychological counsellor at the very mysterious isolation facility for latent criminals in Aomori prefecture known as 'Sanctuary'. Before the counsellor can be interrogated, she is immediately ordered to be repatriated, which naturally leads to suspicion. Investigating a lead in Tokyo about a man named Takeda, Inspector Akane Tsunemori dispatches Ginoza and Shimotsuki along with Enforcer Yayoi Kunizuka to investigate Sanctuary. Almost immediately, questions are raised regarding the true nature of the facility, leading to an inevitable clash with the staff. 

Okay, so I've got to address something. Seeing our main heroine kind of get side-lined was quite disappointing. Although, I do understand the reasoning. She does not want to do anything to draw vast amounts of attention and being accused of having gone rogue as her co-worker, Shinya Kogami had done back in the first season. That and the Tokyo investigation in which she works alongside Shion Karanomori are the justifications given. I also get the sense that having her at the facility would lead to the case being solved much swifter, leading to the writer having to pivot and focus on Shimotsuki and Ginoza instead. 

Having the first of the Sinners of the System take place in what turns out to be essentially a prison facility was a smart move as it is something different and allows for the plot to be much more character focused and driven whilst touching on the Sybil system stuff, but having it take much more of a back seat for a change. It is also fascinating how the prisoners of the facility all seem to have a low crime co-efficiency despite being forced to work long shifts in the mine. The reveal of them having had their minds altered is one that works quite well with the narrative. 

The biggest miracle that director Naoyoshi Shiotani and writer Ryo Yoshigami managed to pull off is having made Mika Shimotsuki be a much more likable character. You may recall in my blog post regarding the second season, just how much I couldn't bear her at all. It was like she sucked up all the enjoyment out of the series whenever she appeared on screen. Well, thankfully, she is much more pleasant to watch in Tsumi to Batsu. She actually treats those around, such as Enforcers Nobuchika Ginoza and Yayoi Kunizuka like human beings and not as dirt beneath her shoe. Throughout her interactions with Yasaka, she seems to change her stance on latent criminals. She comes to the understanding of seeing latent criminals having the potential of noble intentions such as protecting those that they love. She still views the Sybil system as infallible, but also recognises the evolution it must undertake. She is able to twist the system and contort it to fit her beliefs.  

Nobuchika Ginoza is as cool as ever, sharing good rapport with those around him which in this particular movie involves Shimotsuki. The seemingly odd pairing works well with them bouncing off of each other to great effect. Ginoza at this point in the franchise has settled into his demotion to Enforcer status and is much more carefree, making him a pleasant character to follow and making his father proud. It is Ginoza who faces off against the most interesting of the villains and does so in spectacular fashion. Who doesn't love a mech battle that develops into a beautiful fist fight? Okay, okay... Maybe I just love fist fights too much, but in my defence... This one features a one armed man taking on a larger, stronger opponent with all limbs intact. 

Speaking of the villains, as previously mentioned, only one truly stands out in Tsumi to Batsu and that is Rojion Matsuki. From the get-go, it is evident that the man is an absolute menace with his first interaction being him being a creep and trying to psyche out Ginoza. It is revealed that the unnerving heterochromatic latent criminal is very familiar with the ways of the Enforcers and Inspectors, harbouring a distain for them.

Sadly, the rest of the villains are quite forgettable, but serviceable enough. This could come down to the very tight run-time with not enough being allocated to developing them in a meaningful manner. They would rank at the bottom of all of the villains of the franchise.

Overall, I really quite enjoyed the first entry in the Sinners of the System series of movies. It's short, but sweet with some miracle work in the form of Mika Shimotsuki becoming a likable lead character, the plot is engaging enough and there's some great action, especially in the latter stages. I would recommend it to fans of the franchise, cyberpunk, sci-fi and anime in general. It's not on par with the first season, but that is a very high bar indeed.