PSYCHO-PASS: Providence, described as the missing link in the popular franchise, is a surprising addition that managed not to feel like a side story. The movie follows the events that took place before the third season of PSYCHO-PASS TV anime and The First Inspector movie and explains questions that were left unanswered, mainly what happened with Atsushi Shindo and Kei Mikhail Ignatov’s brother, the CID Division 01 and how Akane Tsunemori ended up in prison.
The original cast that we came to love is back: Akane Tsunemori and Shinya Kogami reunite, but the reunion is not that smooth. Akane is struggling with the morality of the Sybil System while trying to solve a case she was given and navigating the complex cooperation with the Foreign Affairs Operations Department. She is struggling with Shinya’s return, and so are her colleagues who feel betrayed and angry.
Atsushi Shindo’s storyline is an interesting addition to the main cast. We get to learn more about the man who started Arata and Kei’s story and his motives. Homura, who is briefly introduced in the third season, also appears but as a mere background character. Bifrost as we know it only operates in the background. What’s interesting here is that the story explores Japanese operations in other countries while subtly explaining how Sybil still depends on humans.
Production I.G and the original PSYCHO-PASS anime staff, led by Naoyoshi Shiotani as the director, returned for Providence and it is obvious at first sight. The animation quality is superb, the fight scenes are smooth and the story did not feel like empty filler. It offered novel ideas and posed some interesting questions about the world ruled by the Sybil System – an area that was always a strong point of this franchise. The fact that Akane is once again the center only helps solidify the connection between the first season of the anime, which held the true spirit of the story, and this movie.
In terms of chronology, PSYCHO-PASS: Providence comes before the third season and you lose absolutely nothing by watching it in that order. This release order is certainly an interesting one and quite risky – many old-school fans did not like the new protagonists that this movie introduced in passing. It also means that this project was probably planned all along because even though its runtime is a little over two hours it would probably be less effective in TV anime format. This (not so) tiny detail is arguably great news for the fans of the franchise: Providence leaves the door open for more content that is hopefully coming in the future. When the ending is tied in with The First Inspector it is clear that Akane Tsunemori’s journey is not over yet. The clash between dystopian and utopian ideals is only now getting started.
Overall, PSYCHO-PASS: Providence is a must-watch for any fan of the franchise, not just because it’s an integral part of the main storyline but also because it manages to light the true spark again. Seeing the core team reunited (even temporarily) was great and I personally enjoyed seeing the bits of the overarching storyline that ties all of the installments so far together.
PSCYHO-PASS: Providence is coming to theaters on Friday, July 14 in North America with special advanced fan sneak peek showings on Tuesday, July 11 (English dubbed) and Thursday, July 13 (Japanese with English subtitles).
© PSYCHO-PASS Committee
Anime Corner received a screening copy of the movie in exchange for an honest review.
