Psycho Pass Re-Edit Ep: 8 [ Your Life Unlived ]

This episode opens with complete anarchy as the helmet users begin to attack all over. Panic spreads over the net and people are going insane. As the helmet individuals attack, even citizens without helmets fight back and hurt others. The panic that ensues is exactly what Shogo Makishima wants. The MWPSB is in havoc.

Civilians are turning into criminals as individuals give out the helmets. Even more chaos erupts as rumors spread that citizens can murder in order to defend themselves, and the city begins to descend into chaos. This seems to be exactly what Makishima wanted, but he doesn’t seem to be around. . .he and Choe Gu-Sung have a different objective.

The MWPSB have to rally their resources in order to maintain the threat, all while Makishima seems content to watch it and discuss books with Choe Gu-Sung. The reference here is to the book ‘Do Androids Dream of Electronic Sheep’ and as a minor literary buff here, I would like to mention that this is an overtly interesting comparison. The decay in the world of DADES is quite distinct, but Makishima himself might consider the world he lives in to be in a different sort of decay, one without the obtuse imagery.

Akane, Kagari and Kogami manage to detain a decent number of fighting citizens, but Kogami realizes something strange. Upon a single report, it seems there is someone targeting the Ministry of Welfare. The three of them go to investigate once they realize it is Makishima’s doing, but Choe Go-Sung and Makishima’s motivations are quite daunting…they intend to find the truth behind the Sybil system.

Kagari’s backstory becomes a momentary focus in this episode. A distinct emphasis is put on the fact that he has been labeled a Latent Criminal since he was five years old. His parents felt remorse and pain at this and he spent most of his life not knowing what a life was. Even now, he didn’t love the people he was supposed to protect. He simply wanted. . .something. But even the notion of admitting fear in this situation seems too much for him. In a very. . .odd way we can see his reluctance. He gives an uncharacteristic, frightful, ugly grin to Akane and Kogami. It’s very clear…he is terrified of what he’s doing and what he’ll have to do. But what choice does he have? This is the only life he has ever lived, and it’s one where his life might become forfeit.

Makishima and Choe Go-Sung split up to force them to confront them separately. Makishima correctly assumes  Kogami will come after him by doing so, and leaves the important work to Choe Go-Sung. Kagari goes after Choe and Akane and Kogami chase down Makishima. Since the people with them are wearing helmets they can’t be judged by the dominators, but Kogami takes a helmet for Akane so her reading can’t be taken. He doesn’t factor in Makishima’s psycho pass, but the point ends up being the same. After being injured and taking down a few guys separately, Kogami goes to face Makishima on his own. What ensues is probably the best fight scene in all of Psycho Pass, sans maybe the rematch a few episodes later.

While this is going on, Kagari and Choe Go-Sung manage to speak for awhile. Kagari explains that while he thinks Sybil is a terrible system and wants it to be destroyed, what Makishima is doing is awful too. He’s killing and causing pain without remorse for his own selfish ends, and they all deserve to die for each person they’ve killed. Kagari knows he too would be judged by those terms, but can’t help but hate Sybil and Makishima’s cause equally.

Meanwhile, Kogami loses to Makishima. Despite his seeming fixation of Kogami, he does not hesitate to pull out his blade and move to kill him. I think this is an important point for Makishima as it really establishes he has no awkward feelings for Kogami or views this as a psychopathic meaning of affection. Makishima is genuine, he wants to challenge and kill Kogami to the best of his ability. Lucky that useless helmet worked out for Akane, as she uses it to clobber Makishima while he’s not expecting it. Despite Kogami’s pleas and her own memory of Yuki’s death, she can’t bring herself to kill him.

Kagari’s results are not as fortunate. . .as he finds Choe Go-sung, he sees the truth of the Sybil System. He watches in horror and confusion as Choe films it. . .only for the sound of a dominator to go off behind them. Chief Kasei aims at Choe Go-Sung and shoots, but not fast enough for him to also hit her with a bullet. Kagari turns to her to see if she’s alright…only to see her body is made of metal. Kagari stares in horror as the cyborg body changes the dominator from stun to decay, and fires. His last words are simply, “Oh come on. . . this sucks.” He smiles as Chief Kasei shoots him.

Oki