10 Great Anime For People Who Hate Anime

Don't let its silly name fool you - Psycho-Pass is an absolute masterpiece.

This cyberpunk series takes place in a dystopian future, where cops and criminals must work together under the watchful eye of the Sybil system, an authoritarian A.I. designed to protect society from itself.

Psycho-Pass is the kind of series that is more than the sum of its parts. It's clear inspirations, such as Minority Report or 1984, are on display at all times. However, it manages to stand on its own apart from them through its worldbuilding and characters, primarily its villain.

Series villain Shogo Makishima is easily one of the best science fiction villains of all time. Much of his greatness comes from his character functions as a foil for both the protagonists and Sibyl itself. For some background information, Sibyl is essentially Big Brother, constantly monitoring all of Japan's citizens psychological status and locking away, or even killing, anyone it deems a threat. In this future, society has all but surrendered its freedom for perceived security. Makishima however, despite clearly being a total monster, sees right through its disguise and will do whatever it takes to unmask it.

Makishima's relationship with co-protagonist Kogami is the beating heart of the narrative. One being an agent of the system, the other an agent against it. Their conflicting ideals are representative of the series' larger ideas, making for a complex story even the staunches detractors of anime can appreciate.