Fans of sci-fi anime may want to give Psycho-Pass a try, especially for its take on a dystopian universe. Set in near-future Japan, Psycho-Pass takes viewers in a society “managed” by the so-called Sibyl System. Series protagonist Akane Tsunemori gets dragged in a conspiracy after being assigned to the Public Safety Bureau’s Criminal Investigation Division, where she and her colleagues need to stop people with incredibly high Criminal Coefficients, or propensity to do crime, as determined by the Sibyl System.
With fans eventually learning of the Sibyl System’s more sinister origins and intentions by the end of Season 1, the show evolves from a typical police procedural to a sci-fi thriller deserving of the praise. While the Sibyl System is known for managing society’s emotional states and assigning them to preferred careers, there are more qualities of this enigmatic system than what players realize. Warning, as there are spoilers ahead!
8 The Etymology Is A Clue
Fans who still haven’t watched the fullest extent of the first season may have an inkling on 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 oracular powers.
In her story, Sibyl wanted to become immortal. And while Apolo grants her wish, it’s made apparent that she forgot to wish for eternal youth. In turn, Sibyl withered away to become tiny enough to fit into a jar, which adults had picked up and hung from a tree. Her story ends when children mock her by asking “What do you wish for?”, with Sibyl answering, “I only wish to die.” This etymology is further reinforced in the anime, firstly when Masaoka Tomomi calls the System as “an oracle” during Akane Tsunemori’s first mission, and when Joshu Kasei tells Makishima Shogo that he feels “like a prophet right out of a myth.”
7 A Lengthy Development Cycle
Something as encompassing as the Sibyl System surely wasn’t built overnight, but it’s interesting to note that the system actually had a rather lengthy development cycle before its full implementation. According to the anime’s “Official Profiling Book,” the Sibyl System was initially developed between 2030 and 2049 as a supercomputer capable of creating cymatic scans to help the efficiency of the Employment Aptitude Exam of the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare.
However, with the Sibyl System’s development paving the way for the Psycho-Pass, the system was eventually repurposed into being able to detect Criminal Coefficients as well. Between 2090 and 2100, a more “improved” version of the Sibyl System was turned over to the authorities.
6 The Curious Case Of Membership
One of the most interesting parts of the Sibyl System is its membership - or rather, the qualifications one should meet in order to become a member. Fans already know that there are around 247 known members of the system, but its membership criteria seem extremely tailored to maximize the efficiency of the system on the get-go.
At its core, membership within 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. Secondly, one must be criminally asymptomatic and undetectable by the Sibyl System. Lastly, a potential member must be able to create objective decisions without being driven by empathy or sympathy.
5 The Numbers Seem Ominous
It’s during the confrontation with the Sibyl System beneath the NONA Tower that the terrifying truth is revealed. The Sibyl System is not, in fact, a supercomputer. Rather, it is a network of hundred of brains interconnected by wires and deciding as a collective regarding various matters in Japan.
The anime declares that there are around 247 known members. However, visual counts of the Sibyl System’s reveal shows that there are around 2,601 slots for brains in total. This means the Sibyl System is perfectly capable of functioning with less than 250 brains, but may accept more than 2,000 more members should it desire.
4 Bodies Are Optional
When one becomes a member of the SibylSystem, one’s brain is removed from the body and instead stored within the system for maximum use. It’s for this reason that 240 out of the 247 known members of the SIbyl System are able to work non-stop evaluating the Criminal Coefficients of citizens around the country.
However, it’s also revealed that members of the Sibyl System may be able to acquire bodies should they desire. Although not necessarily “human” body, various Sibyl System members have demonstrated capabilities of acquiring android bodies should there be a need to move around physically.
3 Career Control Is A Secondary Function
Another interesting aspect of the Sibyl System’s role in society is its capability of job assignment and career control of citizens in Japan. After graduation, high school graduates take a “Sibyl Exam” that determines one’s placement with regards to further education, industries of specialization, and most suited career paths.
In turn, Japan is no longer a democracy due to the level of control the Sibyl System has over the fates of its citizens. After all, Sibyl System is also capable of determining who members of the Japanese Cabinet would be, 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 notice after close inspection, the anime doesn’t feature foreigners in the series. This isn’t out of any malicious intent, but rather a choice of the Sibyl System. Upon its activation, Sibyl System immediately restricted travel of everyone going in and out of Japan, especially affecting its foreign policy.
At its core, this would immediately help the Sibyl System manage a smaller populace since multiple people entering and exiting the country becomes excess load to the System. Likewise, diplomatic conflicts could be avoided outright since the Sibyl System wouldn’t have to deal with the possibility of foreigners with high criminal coefficients.
1 Almost Had Competition Through The Panopticon
Interestingly enough, the Sibyl System wasn’t the only management system proposed to the Japanese government during the earliest stages of its development. In fact, in the anime’s lore, the Ministry of Economy proposed something called the “Panopticon” primarily designed to monitor the traffic and economic activities of Japanese citizens.
This is based on the real-life Panopticon prison concept by Jeremy Bentham, where a guard house in the form of a tower was the central structure of a cylindrical prison which discouraged criminals from misbehaving due to being constantly watched. Although the in-depth parts of this system wasn’t revealed in the series, it’s said that the concept itself met widespread criticism that it failed soon after implementation.
Psycho-Pass first aired in 2012, with its recent film First Inspector airing on March 27, 2020.