The word “hero” brings to mind an image of a strong, muscled man with a deadly weapon, blazing through a field of fire and eliminating the bad guys. The concept of heroism in mainstream media is always that of a man of action, who can outwit the evildoers.
But all heroes do not wear capes. What we don’t see on the media are the silent heroes or, rather, heroines who help maintain the balance in society. Who battle against what’s wrong without disrupting life or expecting appreciation or applause. Detective Akane Tsunemori in Psycho Pass is one such heroine.
A brief synopsis for those who are not aware of the show: Psycho Pass is a Japanese anime set in a dystopian future where society is ruled by Sibyl, a computerised system that monitors and measures citizens’ Crime Coefficient — a numeric value that indicates a person’s probability of committing a crime. Within the Sybil system, emotions running high can condemn citizens to a life of isolation forever, make them lose their jobs and even their lives.
The story revolves around Tsunemori and Shinya Kogami, a detective who goes rogue while chasing a criminal mastermind (Shougo Makishima). Tsunemori, an ambitious police officer and Kogami’s superior, is one of the main characters of the show and is driven by the desire to fix society without resorting to evil. While Makishima is the antagonist in the first season, in reality, all three of the characters are fighting against the Sibyl system.
Makishima resorts to violence and bloodshed because he wants to punish a system that allows people to get away with heinous crimes just because Sibyl cannot measure their emotional intensity and classifies them as safe, him being one of those exceptions. Kogami wants to defy the system and punish Makishima personally because Sibyl refuses to classify the latter as a threat to society.
Tsunemori, on the other hand, understands the system’s loopholes and admits that it needs to be fixed. But unlike Kogami and Makishima, she believes in bringing about change from within. Hers is a quiet strength but she shows it when she must. She paralyzes Kogami on the first day of her job in order to save an innocent citizen who was deemed a criminal by Sibyl. She stands up to her superior when he belittles her.
The person who really puts her strength to the test, however, is Makishima. She has him at her disposal and yet she controls her desire for revenge in order to uphold the law. Her trauma is arguably greater than Kogami’s because she witnesses Makishima slitting her friend’s throat. To really rub it in, Makishima makes her feel guilty for failing to shoot him. Yet she chooses the system over her emotions and upholds the law despite suffering at the hands of it, not because she is fiercely loyal to Sybil, but because she realizes that trying to overthrow it will tear the society apart.
Sounds pretty lame right? Maybe it is, for those who prefer action over intention and strategy. The thing is, it is easier to act on your emotions than taking a moment to calm down and think of the consequences of those actions.
Like in many other anime shows that reduce strong, well-rounded female characters to nothing but an accomplice of the male lead, Tsunemori’s character is often overshadowed by Kogami’s. Thankfully though, she is not completely robbed of agency. Though a major chunk of her storyline is tied to Kogami as she tries to stop him from descending into darkness, her decisions are independent of him. She arrives at her own conclusions and finds her own answers.
‘Attaining a noble end’
Merriam Webster defines heroism as “conduct especially as exhibited in fulfilling a high purpose or attaining a noble end”. For many, the “conduct” would comprise adrenaline-pumping actions that lead to the defeat of the bad guys. But can the defeat of an individual or even a group drive away evil?
American psychologist and Stanford University professor Philip Zimbardo notes that “under certain conditions and social pressures, ordinary people can commit acts that would otherwise be unthinkable”. This point is made in the opening scene of Psycho Pass when a man, who is being chased by police because his Crime Coefficient exceeded the normal limit, kidnaps and brutally rapes a woman because he realizes that all hope of him leading a good life is lost.
To further highlight the impersonal and cold nature of Sybil, the victim is also judged as a potential criminal because her fear and trauma drove up her Crime Coefficient. This is where Tsunemori’s level-headedness comes in handy. When others on her team surrender to Sybil’s judgement, she decides to send the woman to a rehabilitation program instead of condemning her to death.
There is nothing loud or blatant about Tsunemori and yet she shines. Unlike conventional female lead characters, she doesn’t turn heads wherever she goes, men don’t line up to gain her favor and she does not have immense fame. What she has is a brilliant mind and remarkable self-control which enables her to stay rational and level-headed in the most difficult situations. Tsunemori becomes heroic when she finds the strength to identify and fight against injustice without bringing about an upheaval. Instead of going for the kill, she advocates for gradual change that comes from within and is, arguably, lasting.
Unlike Kogami, whose desire to kill Makishima stems from his desire for revenge, Tsuenemori understands that the rot in the society does not start or end with one person; that its roots are deeper than what meets the eye. Overthrowing or getting rid of a government or an individual will not put an end to evil as it is much more pervasive. Therefore, she stays in her place and does what she can to benefit people by using the system against it.
Another aspect of heroism is personal sacrifice. A conventional hero sacrifices their freedom, luxury and sometimes even their lives in their relentless pursuit of justice. Kogami’s pursuit for justice is understandable; admirable even because he is bent on getting rid of a source of evil. He gives up his career, social standing and freedom to chase Makishima and put a stop to his murder rampage.
In contrast, what does Tsunemori give up? She has a successful career, comfortable life, good friends — everything a person can ask for.
On a superficial level, she doesn’t really give up anything. But once we scratch that surface, her struggle becomes evident. She sacrifices her anger, desire for revenge, a life with Kogami and her mental peace. Despite knowing the truth about the Sybil system, she decides to stay and contribute to an ignorant and clueless society that will never even realize, let alone acknowledge her sacrifices and efforts to avert chaos. Holding back when one has every reason to lash out and to live with the guilt of not doing anything despite knowing the truth is tormenting. And it is hard to find any meaning when you are aware of the injustice being meted out by the people at the top.
Yet, Tsunemori’s heroism is not based on inaction. She has to stay vigilant and cover her tracks by playing by the book. She is also a smart negotiator — instead of giving in to fear or anger, she uses her abilities as leverage against the system.
This is not to suggest that conventional heroic actions are futile. Every society needs figures it can rally around. Personalities that can highlight injustice and encourage otherwise neutral (read ignorant) people to pick a side. They are a source of hope for the oppressed and a threat to the ruling elite rulers who prioritize their own interests over justice. But it is figures like Tsunemori who understand when the people are ready to be shaken awake. Until then, she must maintain balance and peace by enforcing the law and protecting people.
We have countless such heroes around us — police officials, soldiers, doctors, judges, journalists, teachers etc. — who work hard to improve lives while playing by the book. Who understand that our decline is a result of decades of collective effort and cannot be blamed on one institution or an individual. They push for reforms where they are needed instead of abandoning their place because the struggle to make lives better can be exhaustive.
They are the silent heroes who make our everyday lives better without creating chaos.
Both seasons of Psycho Pass are now streaming on Netflix.