The end of 2022 marked the 10th anniversary of thePsycho-Passfranchise and with it, one of Production I.G.’s mostmasterful sci-fi works sinceGhost in the Shell. Despite ups and downs, the franchise has continued strong, but fans who got into the show through Funimation’s dub were likely thinking they’d never get a dub release again until just recently.
On May 31st, the dub forPsycho-Pass: Sinners of the System, a trilogy of short films from 2019, hit Crunchyroll with surprisingly little official acknowledgment, leaving fans to spread the word themselves. This came half a month after the announcement that the 10th-anniversary film,Psycho-Pass: Providence, would be coming to theaters in the U.S., including a dub.
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Why The Wait?
Fans have waited for a new English release for about as long as Akane had to wait to see Kogami again, butwhy exactly did the dub stop getting made? For one thing, after the film from 2015, there was a considerable wait for a new entry in the franchise, and by the time there was something new, the rights had switched hands.
In 2019, Amazon acquired the rights to streamPsycho-Pass 3internationally, presumably acquiring the rights to the franchise as a whole, not that they ever streamed theSStrilogy. In the eyes of fans, this effectively killed the chances of a home video release, to say nothing of the dub, which Funimation produced in-house.
While not everyone will take the lack of a dub personally depending on preference, the fact that such a notable franchise has gone the latter half of its lifespan without a home video release is unfortunate. But afterSinners of the Systemhit Crunchyroll at the end of 2022, there’s a better chance of fans of the series getting what they want.
The Return of the Dub
Sinners of the Systemis a series of three “cases” from throughout the franchise timeline, focusing on individual characters, and fleshing out the world ofPsycho-Passa bit more. A lot has happened with these characters and the political landscape in the time since the first movie, so hearing the old cast back is quite nostalgic.
However, a dub - even a well-cast one - is nothing without a good director to helm it. Zach Bolton was the ADR director for all of Funimation’s dubs ofPsycho-Passand set a pretty high bar. Each ofSinners of the System’s cases has its own ADR director, which arguably fits considering how different these stories are.
Admittedly, there were times when the dialog suffered from not feeling natural or sounding a bit too clichéd, but this can be attributed to the original script as much as the dub. These films are good, but not quite on the level of Gen Urobuchi’s writing from Season 1 and the 2015 movie. For what it’s worth, these issues are somewhat mitigated by the returning cast’s familiarity with them.
Kate Oxley as Akane, Robert McCollum as Kogami, and Josh Grelle as Ginoza - just to name a few - are all iconic in these roles, but it’s the returning cast that melts the heart. It’s hard to know if certain actors will be able to make a comebackafter such a long hiatus, but hearing Jason Douglas as Masaoka again sends the viewer straight back to Season 1.
Even more crucially, Alex Organ returns to voice Shogo Makishima inCase 3. While he’s mostly just a phantom haunting Kogami at this point, no one else could give that character’s monologues the same weight. Organ took a break from voice acting for a time, but it’s a delight to hear them in more projects again.
Perhaps the most impressive performance, given the circumstances, is the elusive Mika Shimotsuki. Cherami Leigh might be one of the best voice actresses in the business these days, and much to her credit, she’s had quite a challenging character to work with inPsycho-Pass. Though her character was introduced in Season 1, Mika Shimotsuki didn’t truly become a prominent character until Season 2, and shewasn’t a very well-received character.
Given the switch-up in directors and writers trying to make sense of her characterization, she’s a difficult one to pin down, but Leigh embraces that chaos somewhat easily.Case 1is effectivelyherfilm and while she can still be a lot to deal with as a protagonist, there’s something about the gravel in her serious tone that makes her ideal for this complicated role.
The way she and Josh Grelle play off one another in the first film is like the two of them seeing who can portray a sultry noir detective better, and it’s fun to listen to. Part of the reasonPsycho-Pass’dub is preferred by some is thatit’s a collection of some of the best talent in the industry, just perhaps not the actors who first come to mind.
This trilogy goes to show Grelle’s versatility, especially, as the films show two completely different sides of Ginoza. Case 1 shows him to be a laid-back Enforcer who has grown a lot as a person, while Case 2 reminds fans of what an angry man he used to be. Josh Grelle’s ability to portray both extremes naturally speaks to the character’s journey and their commitment to the role.
What’s Next?
As stated previously, Crunchyroll has already announced thatPsycho-Pass: Providencewill be coming to theatersin July in sub and dub, so this is only the beginning. The only thing left to dub is Season 3, and its conclusive film, First Inspector, but those are still owned by Amazon until their contract runs out.
WhilePsycho-Passhas changed quite a bit,and not always for the better, it is pleasant to see the English cast return to a franchise they played a part in making such a success. With any luck, the whole franchise will be available in Japanese and English before long; truly one of the best gifts the fans could receive for the anniversary.
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