Division 1 is investigating a series of deaths that have taken place at a drone factory. With the intelligence gathered so far, the Enforcers believe this could be a murder case that is being covered up. However, due to the factory’s relative inaccessibility, the investigation will require some unconventional trickery to get down to the bottom of it.
“Rearing Conventions” takes place almost entirely in the drone factory. This gives the episode a general feeling of isolation, aligning well with what it must feel like to be one of the factory’s employees. When even the Enforcers agree that the factory workplace must be a lonesome living hell, that is a problem. Factory workers live in the building and manufacture drones day in and day out, with zero connections to the outside world (not even any Internet or ethernet). Overworked with no life outside the factory, they have created an environment where everyone is at each other’s throats, which lends to a terrifying “dog eat dog” undercurrent that makes the place socially unhealthy. The isolated atmosphere present throughout this setting absolutely sells this vibe very effectively.
The factory’s toxic environment is underlined by the personalities of the villain of the week and the manager of the factory. The villain of the week, Yuji Kanehara, is completely insane when in freakout mode. He is exemplary of how a person with a high Crime Coefficient is expected to act, and why the Sybil System is relied upon to apprehend latent criminals. At the same time, there is a tragic undertone to his behavior, as he is the bottom of the factory’s social ladder and always gets bullied by his coworkers. This gives him a justification that suggests there might be more to a person’s insanity than a simple number and label. The head manager, Chief Goda, is not exactly a villain, per se; but he’s still a jerk. Sure, he’s got a cheerful and kindly demeanor, which he presents around the members of Division 1. However, he shows neglect for his factory’s working conditions, laughing off the bullying as mere “teasing.” As Kogami points out, one could argue that these deaths, which are actually murders, are really the result of Goda’s neglect for the mental health of his staff (whether or not he assures Division 1 otherwise).
Whereas some American police procedurals often devote their 40-minute episodic runtimes to various ongoing subplots in addition to the crime of the week, “Rearing Conventions” devotes its 20-minute runtime to the case alone. There is not a lot of action—but that’s okay because it relies more on the mystery, which is smartly laid out in a way that will keep the audience hooked and guessing the whole time. Each and every piece of information the characters gather is vital to piecing together the puzzle, and not a single moment goes wasted. Much of it is devoted to the characters guessing how the alleged murders could possibly play out in an isolated and protected environment like this one, with Akane and the other members of Division 1 offering differing viewpoints on how to solve such an unconventional case.
Though Akane is getting the hang of her job as an inspector, she is still a young girl struggling to learn about the world around her in her adulthood. For example, her naivete is on full display when she innocently asks about the beef between Masaoka and Inspector Ginoza. Even in the face of such a dire case she does her best to maintain her core values. Many moral questions continue to be raised from her disagreements with the Enforcers’ methods, even after they tell her they know what they’re doing. After all, both Akane and the Enforcers have each been proven to have a point before—with Akane’s point of view validated in the previous episode, “Those Capable”, and the Enforcers having their point supported in this one.
However, this is really Shinya Kogami’s episode, as we get to learn more about his personality and method of enforcement. His method involves using morally questionable actions to put an alleged latent criminal to the test. Although this guy lends to some very risky behavior that could easily backfire, he seems to have had enough experience with this before, given the confidence he shows when executing his plan. This method isn’t that much different from the methods used by Jack Bauer in 24—like him, Kogami enacts whatever force he deems necessary to get the job done. This sheds more light on how Kogami could have such a high Crime Coefficient, but exactly why is still left unanswered. It’s a good way to leave a character’s personality open for future potential growth going forward in the series.
“Rearing Conventions” establishes Psycho-Pass in its early form. With Akane having settled in, this is the first time where the Enforcers—especially Kogami—get to show what they’re truly made of. Showing all of Division 1 working on a routine case as it goes according to plan establishes their efficiency as MWPSB agents. “Rearing Conventions” is one of the most important episodes of the first season, because this is the episode that solidifies exactly who the main characters are before the season-long conflict and narrative truly puts them all to the test.
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