Psycho-Pass Providence

Last updated
Psycho-Pass Providence
Psychopassprovidence.jpg
Directed by
Screenplay by
Story byTow Ubukata
Produced by
  • Akitoshi Mori
  • Masaya Saitou
  • Fumi Morihiro
Starring
CinematographyEiji Arai
Edited byYoshinori Murakami
Music by Yugo Kanno
Production
company
Distributed by Toho Animation
Release date
  • May 12, 2023 (2023-05-12)
Running time
120 minutes
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese
Box office$640,825 [1] [2]

Psycho-Pass Providence is a 2023 anime cyberpunk crime film in the Psycho-Pass franchise. It was produced by Production I.G and directed by Naoyoshi Shiotani. It serves as a prequel to the third season of Psycho-Pass and the follow-up film Psycho-Pass 3: First Inspector.

Contents

Plot

In January 2118, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs vessel guarding Professor Milicia Stronskaya is attacked by the Peacebreakers, a paramilitary group. One of the operatives, Kai, murders Stronskaya while searching for her research – the Stronskaya papers – before being intercepted by Shinya Kogami, a special investigator for Foreign Affairs's Suppressing Action Department (SAD). Kogami is attacked by a brainwashed SAD agent and fails to stop the Peacebreakers.

In Tokyo, Inspector Akane Tsunemori fights against the proposed dissolution of Japan's Ministry of Justice in light of the Sibyl System's attempts to expand overseas. Both Tsunemori and Atsushi Shindo, chief of the Immigration Bureau, receive word about the Peacebreaker incident and travel to the wrecked vessel. MWPSB Chief Josui Kasei orders Tsunemori to leave the investigation to the SAD, led by agent Frederica Hanashiro and SAD Director Yabuki. Enforcer Sho Hinakawa determines that Stronskaya sent a last-minute message to PSB analyst and Tsunemori's mentor, Joji Saiga.

Saiga tells Tsunemori that Stronskaya's message directed him to a PO box in Dejima. Chief Kasei creates a joint task force with the PSB and SAD to retrieve the Stronskaya papers before the Peacebreakers. Hanashiro tells Tsunemori's team that the Peacebreakers are a Foreign Affairs black-ops unit gone rogue. They are led by Tonami, a fanatical devotee of an unseen "god" he calls The General.

Kogami reunites with Tsunemori and Ginoza, despite heated tensions. Saiga encourages Kogami to apologize to Tsunemori for the illegal actions that led to his exile from Japan, while warning him not resist his violent nature. Kogami makes a half-hearted apology, and Tsunemori warns him that she will arrest him if he breaks the law again.

At the PO box, the team finds a decoy package, and Tsunemori and Kogami realize the operation is a ploy to lure the Peacebreakers out of hiding. The Peacebreakers attack, displaying impossibly low Crime Coefficients, superhuman endurance, and the ability to brainwash SAD agents. Director Yabuki is captured and Saiga is thrown off a ledge to his death. Kai overcomes Kogami after a lengthy skirmish. Instead of killing Kogami, Kai provides subtle clues leading to the Peacebreakers' headquarters and departs.

Kogami and Ginoza go to the Peacebreakers base to rescue Yabuki. They confront Kai, who reveals himself as undercover SAD agent Akira Vasily Ignatov, and returns to Tokyo with them. Akira debriefs Kogami about "the Divider", a cybernetic implant that allows the Peacebreakers to maintain low Crime Coefficients and take control of other SAD agents' implants. Akira reveals he has the Papers and that Professor Stronskaya organized her death to maintain Akira's cover. He explains that Stronskaya's research is the model for a Conflict Coefficient which would allow Sibyl to control warfare and foreign relations. Immediately after the debriefing, Tonami remotely takes control of Yabuki and Akira and attempts to escape, but encounters Shindo. Akira fights off Tonami's control, asks Shindo to look after his brother Kei, and allows Shindo to kill him.

Shindo gives the Papers to the Sibyl System in return for keeping his criminally asymptomatic son, Arata, from being integrated into the system. On the day of Kei's wedding to Maiko, Shindo gives a speech about justice before leaving the reception to commit suicide. Arata later confronts Tsunemori about his father's actions and she encourages him to search for the truth.

Kasei shuts down the investigation, as Sibyl has agreed to give the Peacebreakers the Papers and their own sovereign state on an island in northern Japan in return for them supporting Sibyl's global expansion. Unwilling to let them escape justice, Tsunemori teams up with Kogami, Ginoza, and Hanashiro to raid the Peacebreakers' island. Shimotsuki leads a support team against a Peacebreaker satellite.

Tsunemori goes off alone to face Tonami and the General, which turns out to be a medical AI offshoot of the Sibyl System. Tsunemori is badly injured but uses her Dominator to connect Sibyl to the General, destroying the rogue AI. Tonami prepares to execute Tsunemori, but Kogami arrives and shoots him, leaving Tsunemori distraught.

With the case officially closed, Tsunemori transfers Ginoza and Sugo to the SAD while the Sibyl System promotes her to a senior role within the Ministry of Welfare. Disillusioned, Tsunemori sends a letter to Kogami, revealing her intentions to challenge Sibyl's control of the justice system. At her inauguration ceremony, Tsunemori shoots Chief Kasei while maintaining a low Crime Coefficient, which should be impossible under Sibyl. She is taken into custody and Kogami resolves to free her.

Cast

CharactersJapanese [3] English [4]
Akane Tsunemori Kana Hanazawa Kate Oxley
Shinya Kogami Tomokazu Seki Robert McCollum
Nobuchika Ginoza Kenji Nojima Jessie James Grelle
Yayoi Kunizuka Shizuka Itō Lindsay Seidel
Shion Karanomori Miyuki Sawashiro Lydia Mackay
Mika Shimotsuki Ayane Sakura Cherami Leigh
Sho Hinakawa Takahiro Sakurai Z. Charles Bolton
Teppei Sugo Hiroki Tōchi Mike McFarland
Frederica Hanashiro Takako Honda Erin Kelly Noble
Jouji Saiga Kazuhiro Yamaji Michael Federico
Dominator Noriko Hidaka Stephanie Young

Production

Naoyoshi Shiotani aimed to make a film that could easily be seen in cinemas. Despite the three year gap between Providence and First Inspector, Shiotani was pleased with the positive feedback from the fans. The film was influenced by social distancing time and wanted to give a subtle way of giving the viewers awareness towards it. In making the film, the team went to Aso in Kyushu and Hokkaido. There was a major focus in fight scenes which were given to voice actors early during the recording of the movie. They tried avoid comical shots and maintain the serious appeal the franchise is known for. Some main animators had been working in the franchise since the first season. Shinya Kogami's characterization was set up since the third Sinners of the System movie with the character searching for another chance at life after his revenge story from the first arc. Meanwhile, Akane Tsunemori was written to also be taken seriously due to her age; According to the director, Tsunemori does not have a special trait when compared with the rest of the protagonists but stands out due to how she accepts the Sybil System. [5]

In January 2023, it was announced the film would premiere on May 12, 2023, featuring the return of writers Makoto Fukami and Tow Ubukata. [3] The theme song "Alexithymia Spare" by Ling Tosite Sigure, while the ending theme song "Tōjisha" (当事者, The One Concerned) by Egoist. [6]

Release

The film was first revealed in August 2022 as part of a celebration of the Psycho-Pass anime series reaching its 10th anniversary with Naoyoshi Shiotani returning to direct at Production I.G, and TOHO is distributing. The 10th anniversary was promoted by Tomokazu Seki, voice of one of the leads, Shinya Kogami. The radio program was also used again with Kenji Nojima, voice of Nobuchika Ginoza, serving as host. Multiple other promotional events were made across 2022. [7]

Crunchyroll licensed the film globally and released it in U.S. theaters on July 14, in the United Kingdom and Ireland on August 2, in France on August 25 and Germany on August 29. [8] [9] [10] [11] Crunchyroll made the film available to stream worldwide, excluding Japan, on December 14, 2023. [12]

Reception

The film holds a 90% score in Rotten Tomatoes. [13] Anime News Network enjoyed how the plot develops Akane Tsunemori and manages to explain every mystery from the third television series at the same time. However, they did not find the major antagonist to be as appealing as previous characters. [14] Despite praising the world scenario and visuals, The Medium felt the film lack thought provoking ideas to engage the viewer. [15] Espinof enjoyed the themes portrayed in the movie as well as Kogami and Akane's characterization but found the film lacked accessibility to be properly understood. [16] Similarly, Cinepremiere praised the themes addressed in the movie but felt returning fans would enjoy it more than new audiences. [17]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryRecipientResultRef.
2024 8th Crunchyroll Anime Awards Best FilmPsycho-Pass ProvidenceNominated [18]

Related Research Articles

Jessie James Grelle (, GREE-lee; is an American voice actor and ADR script writer in English language dubs of Japanese anime. They are known for voicing numerous main characters in the harem genre. Major roles include Armin Arlert in Attack on Titan, Itsuki Takeuchi in Initial D, Fumikage Tokoyami in My Hero Academia, Byakuya Togami in Danganronpa, Teruhiko Yukimura in Classroom of the Elite, Nobuchika Ginoza in Psycho-Pass, Glenn Radars in Akashic Records of Bastard Magic Instructor, Kenichi Shirahama in Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple, Mao Sadou / Demon King Satan in The Devil Is a Part-Timer! and Yuri Katsuki in Yuri on Ice!!!. Grelle has voiced lead characters Zen Wisteria in Snow White with the Red Hair, Kyohei Takano in The Wallflower, Komatsu in Toriko, Akihisa Yoshii in Baka and Test, Koichi Hayase in Linebarrels of Iron, Kazuya Aoi in Freezing, Tasuku Yamane in Trickster, Yuki "Yukiteru" Amano in The Future Diary, Atsushi Hatake in Big Windup!, Shido Itsuka in the Date A Live series, Futaro Uesugi in The Quintessential Quintuplets, Masamune in Masamune-kun's Revenge, Yamato Naoe in Majikoi!, Touya in In Another World With My Smartphone, Ichika Orimura in Infinite Stratos, and Issei Hyodo in High School DxD: BorN and the 4th season, titled Hero. In video games, they have voiced Ludger Kresnik in Tales of Xillia 2, Phog from Xenoblade Chronicles X and Xbalanque from Smite.

<i>Psycho-Pass</i> Japanese cyberpunk anime television series

Psycho-Pass is a Japanese cyberpunk psychological thriller anime television series produced by Production I.G. It was co-directed by Naoyoshi Shiotani and Katsuyuki Motohiro and written by Gen Urobuchi, with character designs by Akira Amano and featuring music by Yugo Kanno. The series aired on Fuji TV's Noitamina programming block between October 2012 and March 2013. Set in a dystopia of Sibyl System's governance of Japan, the plot follows the young woman Akane Tsunemori. She is introduced as a novice Inspector assigned to Division One of the Public Safety Bureau's Criminal Investigation Division, in charge of solving crimes with latent criminals, Enforcers.

<i>Psycho-Pass</i> season 1 Season of television series

Psycho-Pass is a Japanese anime television series produced by Production I.G, directed by Naoyoshi Shiotani and Katsuyuki Motohiro, and written by Gen Urobuchi. It is set in the near future, when it is possible to instantaneously measure a person's "Psycho-Pass": their mental state, personality, and the probability that they will commit a crime. The series follows Akane Tsunemori, a new member of Unit One of the Public Safety Bureau's Criminal Investigation Division, and her involvement in the crimes her group investigates.

Akane Tsunemori is a protagonist of the anime series Psycho-Pass. She is introduced as a novice Inspector assigned to Division One of the Public Safety Bureau's Criminal Investigation Division. Over the course of the series, Akane examines the social and ethical underpinnings of the Sibyl System's governance of Japan and her own idealistic values. Akane is noted for her remarkable psychological fortitude, which keeps her Psycho-Pass score consistently low in the face of extraordinary challenges. In addition to the anime series, Akane appears as the protagonist of the continuation film Psycho-Pass: The Movie (2015), and the manga and novel adaptations of the series.

Shinya Kogami is the protagonist introduced in the 2012 anime series Psycho-Pass. A police officer in a cyberpunk dystopia, Kogami becomes obsessed with murdering Shogo Makishima, a criminal mastermind responsible for the death of one of Kogami's former allies. The character has also appeared in manga and novel adaptations of the series, a prequel manga series, a stage play and the films Psycho-Pass: The Movie (2015) and Psycho-Pass: Sinners of the System Case.3 On the Other Side of Love and Hate (2019), which focuses on Kogami's life after the events of the first anime season. He reappears in the third television season, Psycho-Pass 3, as a supporting character. Additional novels and manga explore Kogami's work as an Inspector years before the start of the television series.

Shogo Makishima is a fictional character who was introduced as the main antagonist in Production I.G's anime series Psycho-Pass. Makishima is responsible for several crimes, and the main cast, the Public Safety Bureau officers, are in search of him. He advocates the destruction of the futuristic society created by the Sybil System, in which people are treated according to their stress level rather than free will; Instead Makishima values past societies where people used to express themselves more. In his quest to destroy the Sibyl System, Makishima stands against multiple detectives, most notably the protagonist, detective Shinya Kogami, to whom he also relates due to both sharing the same hatred for the current oppressed society. Makishima appears in most of the series' print adaptations, and makes cameo appearances in the films Psycho-Pass: The Movie (2015) and Psycho-Pass: Sinners of the System (2019).

<i>Psycho-Pass 2</i> Season of television series

Psycho-Pass 2 is a 2014 anime television series by Tatsunoko Production that serves as a direct sequel and de facto second season to the 2012 anime television series Psycho-Pass. It was directed by Naoyoshi Shiotani and Kiyotaka Suzuki, and supervised by Katsuyuki Motohiro and Gen Urobuchi. The series is written by Tow Ubukata, featuring scripts by Ubukata and Jun Kumagai. Character designs are by Akira Amano and adapted by Kyoji Asano. The series takes place in an authoritarian future, where omnipresent public sensors continuously scan the Psycho-Pass of every citizen in range. The sensors measure mental state, personality, and the probability that the citizen will commit crimes, alerting authorities when someone exceeds accepted norms. The story once again follows the Public Safety Bureau's Criminal Investigation Division, led by Inspector Akane Tsunemori, as they are caught up in another mysterious case. Psycho-Pass 2 aired on Fuji TV's Noitamina programming block between October and December 2014.

<i>Psycho-Pass: The Movie</i> 2015 anime film directed by Katsuyuki Motohiro

Psycho-Pass: The Movie is a 2015 Japanese anime science fiction crime film that was produced by Production I.G. It features the voices of Kana Hanazawa, Tomokazu Seki, Hiroshi Kamiya, Ayane Sakura, Kenji Nojima, and Shizuka Itō. Set in a dystopia, The film focuses on inspector Akane Tsunemori, the Public Safety Bureau's Criminal Investigation Division Inspector, who finds a picture of Shinya Kogami who left Japan in the television series Psycho-Pass. As Kogami has trained criminals, the inspector travels to the Southeast Asia Union (SEAUn) to investigate and arrest him. Psycho-Pass: The Movie premiered in Japan on January 9, 2015.

<i>Psycho-Pass: Sinners of the System</i> Production I.G film trilogy

Psycho-Pass: Sinners of the System, also shortened to Psycho-Pass SS, is a trilogy of Japanese anime films based on characters who appear in the Psycho-Pass television series. The trilogy was first announced in 2018 and the films were released by Production I.G in Japan in early 2019 full under direction of Naoyoshi Shiotani. The films stars the talents of Ayane Sakura, Hiroki Touchi, Kana Hanazawa, Kenji Nojima, Kinryū Arimoto, Tomokazu Seki among others.

<i>Psycho-Pass 3</i> Season of television series

Psycho-Pass 3 is a 2019 anime television series that serves as a direct sequel to the 2014 anime television series Psycho-Pass 2 and the de facto third season of the Psycho-Pass anime series. It aired in Japan's Fuji TV's Noitamina from October 24 to December 12, 2019. It was first revealed in March 2019. Besides featuring characters from previous series, Psycho-Pass and Psycho-Pass 2, the anime focuses on new characters including Yūki Kaji's Arata Shindo and Yūichi Nakamura's Kei Mikhail Ignatov with Akira Amano having conceived their designs. Naoyoshi Shiotani returns to direct the series at Production I.G. Set in a dystopian future where society is overseen by technology known as the Sibyl System, the story focuses on Shindo and Ignatov, two policemen.

<i>Psycho-Pass 3: First Inspector</i> 2020 anime crime film

Psycho-Pass 3: First Inspector is a 2020 anime science fiction crime film produced by Production I.G and directed by Naoyoshi Shiotani. The film acts as sequel to the 2019 anime Psycho-Pass 3, the third season of Psycho-Pass series. It stars the talents of Yuuki Kaji, Yūichi Nakamura, Mamoru Miyano, Kenyu Horiuchi, among others. Set in a dystopia known as the Sybil System, the film explores the Inspectors Kei Mikhail Ignatov, Arata Shindo, among others who clash with the terrorist group Bifrost in a clash to take Tokyo governor Karina Komiya. The film released to theatres in Japan on March 27, 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arata Shindo</span> Fictional character

Arata Shindo is a protagonist from Production I.G's 2019 anime television series Psycho-Pass 3. Shindo is a new Inspector working for Division 1 alongside his best friend, Kei Mikhail Ignatov. Shindo and Ignatov are in charge of their Enforcers who assist and protect them. Shindo often analyzes the situations he finds himself in using his mentalist skills known as a Mental Trace. Throughout the series, Shindo's team learns of a criminal organization called Bifrost. As the series explores varied encounters, Bifrost's influence becomes apparent with the outcome of Shindo's and Ignatov's investigation resolved in the 2020 anime film, Psycho-Pass 3 First Inspector, which was released for a theater run in Japan, followed by streaming release world-wide, in March, 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naoyoshi Shiotani</span>

Naoyoshi Shiotani is a Japanese director who was worked into multiple works from the studio Production I.G. He is famous for directing all Psycho-Pass works. He was voted the third director in Newtype's anime awards.

Mika Shimotsuki is a fictional character, introduced in the anime Psycho-Pass by Production I.G. A minor character in the 2012 series, Shimotsuki's role has gained importance in the sequels, in which she becomes an inspector working in Unit One, an organization fighting crimes in a future where people live according to the will of the Sybl System. She has returned in following media, most notably as a protagonist in the first film of the Psycho-Pass: Sinners of the System trilogy. By Psycho-Pass 3, Shimotsuki has become the leader of Unit One, looking after the new cast. She is voiced by Ayane Sakura.

Makoto Fukami is a Japanese manga artist, novelist, and screenwriter. He started writing manga in 1999 and since has had multiple of his series adapted into other media. In addition to manga, he also did screenwriting for Psycho-Pass and its first film Psycho-Pass: The Movie in 2012 and 2015 respectively, both of which have been well received.

<i>Kanshikan Tsunemori Akane</i> Japanese manga series

Kanshikan Tsunemori Akane is a Japanese manga series by Hikaru Miyoshi, based on the Psycho-Pass anime series. It was serialized in Shueisha's shōnen manga magazine Jump Square from November 2012 to May 2013, and later on the magazine's official website from June 2013 to December 2014.

<i>Psycho-Pass: Inspector Shinya Kogami</i> Japanese manga series

Psycho-Pass: Inspector Shinya Kogami is a Japanese manga series written by Midori Gotou and illustrated by Natsuo Sai. The manga is a prequel to Production I.G's 2012 Psycho-Pass anime series, focusing on the younger days of Shinya Kogami, an Inspector working for Public Safety Bureau's Criminal Investigation Division in contrast to his darker characterization from the television series where he is recognized by the Sybil System as a latent criminal.

References

  1. "Gekijôban Psycho-Pass Providence - Financial Information". The Numbers . Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  2. "Psycho-Pass Providence". Box Office Mojo . IMDb . Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Psycho-Pass Providence 10th Anniversary Film Unveils Returning Staff & Cast, May 12 Debut". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2023-01-13. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  4. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (June 22, 2023). "Crunchyroll Streams English Dub Trailer for Psycho-Pass Providence Anime Film". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 22, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  5. "Psycho-Pass 10th Anniversary Chronicle". Newtype. Kadokawa Shoten. 2023. pp. 134–141.
  6. "Psycho-Pass Providence 10th Anniversary Film's Teaser Reveals Theme Song". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2023-02-19. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  7. "Psycho-Pass Anime Launches 10th Anniversary With New Film". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2022-08-26. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  8. Grobar, Matt (May 16, 2023). "Sony Pushes 'Harold And The Purple Crayon' And 'They Listen' To 2024, Sets Dates For 'My Ex-Friend's Wedding,' 'Horrorscope' And 'Psycho-Pass: Providence'". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on May 17, 2023. Retrieved May 17, 2023. Crunchyroll's next film in its sci-fi action thriller franchise Psycho-Pass will bow in limited release on July 14
  9. Luster, Joseph (May 17, 2023). "Crunchyroll to Bring PSYCHO-PASS: Providence Anime Film to Theaters This Summer". Crunchyroll . Archived from the original on May 20, 2023. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  10. "PSYCHO-PASS : Providence - Bande-annonce VOSTFR". YouTube . Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  11. "PSYCHO-PASS: Providence im Kino". Crunchyroll Shop. Archived from the original on 2023-08-22. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  12. Cardine, Kyle (December 15, 2023). "Watch the PSYCHO-PASS: Providence Movie Now Available on Crunchyroll". Crunchyroll . Archived from the original on 2023-12-17. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  13. "Psycho-Pass: Providence". RottenTomatoes. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  14. "Psycho-Pass: Providence". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  15. "Psycho-Pass Providence". Anime News Network. May 31, 2023. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  16. "'Psycho-Pass: Providence' explora lo mejor de la serie de ciencia ficción con un festival de fanservice ideal para los que echaban de menos el anime". Espinof. 17 August 2023. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  17. "Psycho-Pass: Providencia – Crítica de la película". Cinepreimere. 29 September 2023. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  18. Hazra, Adriana (March 2, 2024). "All the Winners of the Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2024". Anime News Network . Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.