User blog:Pat141elite/PE Proposal:Shogo Makishima

I know this has been a long time coming. Without further ado, this proposal focuses on Shogo Makishima from Psycho-Pass.

What is the work?
Psycho-Pass is a Japanese cyberpunk anime television series produced by Production I.G. It was co-directed by Naoyoshi Shiotani and Katsuyuki Motohiro and written by Gen Urobuchi (best known for Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Fate/Zero).

Psycho-Pass is set in a futuristic era in Japan where the Sibyl System, a powerful network of psychometric scanners, actively measures the biometrics of its citizens' minds and mentalities using a "cymatic scan" of the brain. The resulting assessment is called a Psycho-Pass. When the calculated likelihood of an individual committing a crime, measured by the Crime Coefficient index, exceeds an accepted threshold (100), he or she is pursued, apprehended, and either arrested or decomposed by the field officers of the Crime Investigation Department of the Public Safety Bureau. Elite officers known as Inspectors research and evaluate crime scenes and potential criminals with the assistance of Enforcers, who are themselves latent criminals. Both are equipped with personally activated, hand-held weapons called "Dominators" that only fire when aimed at suspects with higher-than-acceptable Crime Coefficients and then, only with the Sibyl System's choice of action. Inspectors and Enforcers work as a team, though Inspectors have jurisdiction to fire their Dominators on the Enforcers should they pose a danger to the public.

Who is the villain?
In the first season of the anime, Shogo Makishima is the main antagonist who is the archenemyn to Shinya Kogami. He is a mysterious criminal who is unable to be detected by the Sibyl System. His desire is for everyone to be free of Sibyl, as he claims that it's making the human race into mere "sheep.", though this proves to be not as well-intentioned as it sounds.

As a child, Shogo discovered that he could control his own Psycho-Pass at will, while no one else could. It is assumed that he had suffered alienation due to the that fact he was different and was, in a way, rejected by the System, which was very much like being rejected as a human being. The torment he suffered is said to be what compelled him to destroy the System.

Three years prior, Shogo met a teacher named Touma, who too, shared the gift of controlling one's own PP. It has been implied that Shogo assisted Touma in the killings that he committed, thus making him just as responsible for those deaths as Touma was.

What did he do?
Shogo is revealed to be the ring leader behind the killings of two people who own popular CommuFields. He asks Mido if he killed Shoko Sugawara, to which he replies that she wasn't fit to make a good Spooky Boogie. He however, says that he'll keep Spooky Boogie around so that she can continue to bring smiles to people's faces by eradicating the person behind her, leaving to trace. Shogo tells him that he'll make a better Spooky Boogie than Shoko, just as he made a better Talisman than Hayama. In the end, however, Shogo grows tired of Mido and communicates with him just moments before his demise, sumerising that he was just someone who could imitate others perfectly because he didn't have a personality of his own. He then leaves Mido to be killed by Ginoza, Kagari and Yayoi, who arrive moments later.

Shogo is seen with his newfound toy, Rikako Oryou. He asks her if she thinks Lavinia will be happy with being freed from her violent body. Rikako recites a line from Titus Andronicus. Shogo tells her that beautiful flowers eventually wither and fall, so then it's only natural for one to want to stop time while their still blooming in full glory. He walks up to her and asks her if she loved Lavinia like she was her own, would she say "Kill'd her, for whom my eyes have made me blind," as Titus did. Rikako replies by saying that that would be problem, because she still has more drawings to complete in the future.

Later, Shogo (who posed as a teacher in Rikako's school) is in the staff room, listening to Shinya's deduction of the case they are trying to solve. Shogo is amused because of Shinya's knowledge and is smiling to himself when a Assistant Principal comes in. She comes towards Shogo thinking that he was listening to music. While keeping the phone screen faced down, Shogo admits that he does. Suddenly, a frightened teacher rushes in and announces that the student's bodies have been found on the school grounds. Shogo reacts horrified, but as soon as everyone left the room, he sits back down and begins entering a pass code on the screen with an amused look on his face.

While Rikako is trying to escape from the MWPSB, Shogo tells her through the phone that he can no longer expect anymore growth from her, admitting that at first he thought she had a bright future. He recites lines from Titus Andronicus while Rikako is hunted and killed by one of his followers: Toyohisa Senguji. He grins in amusement as Choe Gu-sung joins him. He asks Shogo if it was okay to let her die, since he had really liked her. However, Shogo brushes it off and tells Choe that he's found a much more interesting toy.

Sometime after, Shogo has a conversation with Senguji and soon reveals to him that he has a new, more 'exquisite' prey for him. This 'prey' is soon revealed to be Shinya Kougami, a detective working at the MWPSB. Senguji later tells him that he noticed that anytime he said Shinya's name, Shogo would look quite amused. Shogo just grins at this.

Shogo soon obtains Funahara Yuki, and uses her as bait to lure Akane, knowing full-well that it would be Shinya who would take charge. With the 'fox' now part of the game, Shogo watches and communicates with Senguji as the two players are tested. Through much struggle, Shinya emerges victorious, but is badly wounded, enabling Shogo to kidnap Yuki right before his very eyes. Shogo tells Shinya that although he would really like to stay and chat, he is in too bad of a condition, and bids him farewell, saying that they will meet, 'another time'. Akane soon confronts Shogo on a higher ground, while pointing her Dominator at Shogo, only to realize that he cannot be affected by it. Shogo explains that his vital signs must be telling him that his actions are of someone who is 'sound and good'. While threatening to kill Yuki, Shogo encourages Akane to pick up Seguji's shotgun which he had thrown at her earlier, and kill him with her 'intent to kill'. However, Akane is unable to do so. Shogo, severely disappointed, mercilessly punishes Akane by slicing Yuki's throat. He walks calmly out of the building soon after, leaving Akane in shock.

A clear picture of Shogo is later obtained with the help of Akane, who willingly takes the risks and has it extracted from her memories. This image grants the MWPSB new leads on Shogo, which had not existed for three years. In response, Joshu notes that Shogo has finally been identified, and is now at the end of his rope. After a woman is killed in the middle of the street by a masked man, whose Psycho-Pass was abnormally low, Shinya correctly deduces that Shogo is behind this. Meanwhile, Shogo is reading a book when receives a video of the crime. He then calls Choe Gu-Sung, telling him that the worst is yet to come.

Later, at a car park, Shogo is speaking with 3 men who robbed an armoured van for him by using the special helmets that prevent someone's true PP from being shown. The men, however, stupidly decide to gang up on him. Shogo tells them that they as foolish as everyone else who is misled by Sibyl, causing the men to lash out in anger. However, Shogo makes quick work of them and kills one of them by driving a baseball bat through his mouth. Shogo then walks over to the vehicle, watching all the helmets inside, planning his next course of action.

Shogo is next seen being approached by Choe Gu-Sung, who serves him some food and a drink. Choe wonders what will happen from now on that there are riots tearing the town apart. Shogo comments that he likes that 'simple side of him' and he doesn't find himself as an 'avaricious person'. He says that he wishes for a world where everyday things are done in an everyday way. When Choe comments that they are like ordinary people committing crime in a town that is not ordinary, Shogo then refers to the town being like a parody of a book written by Philip K Dick, and suggests Choe to read 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep'. He also further says that a book is better than an e-book, because e-books lack character, and actual books can help with mental tuning. After this friendly conversation, the two proceed with the next phase of their plan.

Shogo and Choe are later seen on top of a roof, with men who are eager to see the world beyond the destruction Shogo is causing. Shogo then admits that if there is one, that is good, but if there isn't, he will accept it whatever. As the MWBSP scatter to deal with the riots, Choe drives Shogo and their helmet-wearers straight to the unprotected Nona Tower.

After having broken in, they realize that one police car is heading towards them, and Shogo correctly deducts that it is Kogami Shinya. With this, Shogo plans to lure Shinya to the top floor, while Choe goes to the bottom, where the core of Sibyl likely is.

Shogo then waits patiently upon a curvy staircase, as Shinya and Akane fight their way through to the top. When Akane is left injured, she orders Shinya to go first. After a brief struggle with another helmet man, Shinya emerges victorious, to which Shogo compliments him, due to his wounds. After a small conversation, Shinya strikes first, but is easily blocked. Other attacks are also easily countered. During such attacks, Shogo questions if Shinya doesn't want to know the truth of the Sibyl System, to which Shinya says it could wait.

The remainder of the fight continues in Shogo's favor, whose great agility enables him to eventually, land a deadly kick that cracks Shinya's skull. Unable to continue, the fight ends with Shogo as the winner. Shogo says that he is slightly disappointed, but thanks the Enforcer nonetheless for helping him forget his boredom. Before he is able to cut Shinya with his weapon, Akane appears from behind and bangs him at the back of the head, instantly knocking him unconscious. When Akane fails to take her revenge by killing him, Shogo is instead arrested.

Later, Shogo wakes up onboard a transport aircraft, and is greeted by Joshu Kasei. When he is given a book once burrowed by Touma, Shogo realizes that the person before him is Touma. 'Touma' then begins to reveal the truth about Sibyl System, showing its true form through Choe's phone, which recorded what its owner had discovered. Touma explains that people who bear irregular personalities and are unique amongst society - like Shogo and himself - are those most seeked to join in as a member of Sibyl, by discarding one's body, as well as their existence from the public, and becoming a mere brain.

As Touma continues to try and convince Shogo to join, he accidently reveals to the latter that they are in transit. As a result, Shogo retaliates by throwing the book at his face before he could fire the Dominator he had hidden under the desk. Shogo proceeds to break Touma's legs and throw him across the room. Despite Touma's continuous attemps to make Shogo accept the great chance of being at the top of everything, Shogo claims to love the game of 'life' from the bottom of his heart, before he smashes Touma's head and opens it up. Minutes later, does an explosion occurs and the aircraft begins to fall. Shogo is last seen standing by the opened door, and releases the book, letting it disappear into the distance. Shogo survives the crash and calls Shinya, telling the Enforcer that he was seen the true form of the Sibyl System, and warns him that it isn't something worth risking his life for before hanging up.

During Shinya's conversation with his teacher, Saiga, he was asked to tell him how he thought Shogo would join in on their conversation. An imagination of Shogo appears sitting with them, and speaks about 'Panopticon'. Shinya stated that he would go on to quote famous people, as he is a 'cynical man with a distorted sense of humor'. Shinya later theorizes that there had to be a critical point in Shogo's life that led to his current ambitions.

Through a website chatroom, both Shinya and his teacher manage to deduce what Shogo's next goal is, which seems to be taking out Japan's main food source, hyper-oats. By messing up the food production system, Japan would be forced to allow other countries to import food, and that would render the judging of Psycho-Pass meaningless. However, in order for this plan to work, Shogo would need an expert.

Shogo pays a visit to the retired doctor of agriculture, Kudama Nobuaki. They have a peaceful talk about how people no longer treasure the technology which had brought them an unlimited suppy of food. Shogo then gets up and walks along the bookshelves, explaining that he is interested in the Uka-no-Mitama defense virus's slipshod security system. He further says that even if it's a good virus, once able to change the target, it can become a devil who brings death. Shogo then proceeds to murder Kudama, and steal his eyeballs as well as all the fingers at the second joints in order to get pass the security system, which still uses biometric scan.

As Unit 1 discovers the body, as well as Shinya's message to them, Shogo arrives at his destination. He smiles as he walks through the fields to the abandoned factory. He uses Kudama's body parts to enter the building and begins the process of destroying the food industry.

However, his plan was soon foiled when Unit 1 had all power supply cut, thus stopping the virus from being created. Closing the book he had been reading, Shogo decides to take action rather than run away.

As Unit 1 split up in search of Shogo, with Shinya also present, Shogo sets up traps that, among them, manages to cause Ginoza to get trapped and have his arm crushed. Before Tomomi could free him, Shogo appears and fires nails from a gun at the older man, who, with the use of his metal arm, manages to deflect the nails and strike at the gun, causing it to stop working. Shogo then discards it, and resumes with using nunchucks which he professionally swings at Tomomi, but when the nunchucks wraps itself around Tomomi's weapon, Tomomi responds by swining Shogo around and grabbing him from behind, soon causing both of them to tumble and fall.

While struggling within the Enforcer's grasp, Shogo brings out a bomb and lights it. Tomomi questions if he plans to blow the two of them up, to which Shogo asks back saying, "You think I'd do a stupid thing like that?", thus alerting the Enforcer that his target was in fact, Ginoza. Despite the latter's demands for him to act as a detective, Tomomi sacrifices himself by releasing Shogo and grabbing the bomb, which explodes on him before he could throw it back.

Ginoza, out of despair, rips off his arm and rushes to his dying father, while Shogo recovers, but is unable to do the Inspector any harm when Shinya arrives, having nearly fired a bullet at his head, thus causing Shogo to immediately retreat.

Elsewhere, Shogo and Shinya soon share a conversation about loneliness, and how Shogo believes that "everyone is lonely". Shinya - thinking he was aiming at Shogo's head - fires a bullet at a reflection, enabling Shogo to appear from behind and forcibly knock the gun out of the former-Enforcer's hands. The two thus bring out their knives, with Shogo showing a very twisted grin.

The two clash, giving out their best efforts, and although Shogo manages to pin Shinya down and nearly kills him, through sheer willpower Shinya manages to block the weapon - surprising Shogo - and land a fatal cut wound along the side of Shogo's abdomen. The fight is then disrupted by a paralyzing bomb thrown by Akane, which Shogo manages to kick into the air and run off, leaving behind a trail of blood.

Akane and Shinya follow him to an area of many vans, and are nearly run over when they end up standing behind the one Shogo is occupying. Shogo drives off, with his wound still bleeding, and notices Akane holding onto the vehicle; he smiles. However, by using Shinya's revolver, Akane manages to shoot at the front tire and cause the vehicle to tumble and crash, knocking her off.

In her weakened state, she is approached by Shogo, who, after discarding his jacket, steps on Akane's head and points the gun and her, requesting that, "they stop insulting him already.". Unfortunately for Shogo, the gun is out of bullets, and Shogo is forced to quickly try and escape on foot. With Shinya pursuing him, and his blood stained hands leaving behind trails of blood, and exhausted Shogo soon stops running upon a hill, dropping to his knees and looking up at the sky, briefly extending his arms as he feels the breeze of the wind. Once the sun has set, Shogo calmly asks the newly-arrived Shinya if he would be able to find a replacement for him, to which Shinya says he would prefer not to.

Accepting defeat, Shogo smiles one last time before Shinya pulls the trigger, thus killing him.

Heinous Standards
Of the "criminals" undetected by the Sibyl System, while Kirito Kamui had a more justifiable intention of opposing the System and is willing to take brutal methods when he felt like it; Makishima on the other hand takes this to absolute extremes. That said, he has enough body count to prove it. He commits innumerable murders just to provide awareness for people to live like human beings; and depriving Japan of its food supply takes this up to eleven.

Mitigating Factors
Makishima's actions are hardly redeemable to begin with; despite his opposing view towards the Sibyl System, his actions make him less well-intentioned. The fact that he's able to get away with his crimes without being detected by the Sybil System doesn't help that he makes a point that good [read: the Sibyl System itself] and evil [read: the concept of Crime Coefficient] are useless concepts. Committing serial homicide as a means to oppose a totalitarian government is anything but justifiable, and Makishima's rap sheet speaks that humanity, as a whole, are just as monstrous as him.

Final Verdict
Easy yes.