Shougo Makishima

First, his talent was killed by science and technology. And then, his soul was killed by society.

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Psycho-pass

Season 1

Episode 7

I think the only time people really have value is when they act according to their own will.

— I'll go ahead and download it.
— Why don't you buy paper books? E-books lack character.
— Is that right?
— Books aren't just something you read. They're like a form of meditation.
— Meditation?
— Sometimes, when I'm not feeling well, I read books but I don't really absorb them. When that happens, it makes me think about what could be getting in the way. There are also books that I can absorb even when I'm feeling down. Sometimes I wonder why. It could be like mental conditioning. I think it's all about the stimulation your brain receives when you turn the pages. The feeling of flipping them over, one by one.

— What would you say is the most cunning animal? One that's at no risk of extinction no matter how many are hunted and killed?
— That'd be humans.

Everyone is alone. Everyone is empty. People no longer have any need of others. You can always find a substitute for any talent. Any relationship can be replaced. That's the world I grew tired of. And yet, for some reason... I can't even imagine someone else besides you killing me. Say, what do you think, Kougami? After all this is done, will you be able to find a replacement for me?

Beautiful flowers, too, eventually wither and fall. That’s the fate of all living beings. And if so, the desire to preserve something in a state of greatest flourishing is quite understandable.

I want to bear witness to the splendor of man's soul. I want to find out once and for all whether it is truly something worth admiring. However, when humans base their lives around Sybil's Oracle, without ever considering what they really want, do they really hold any value?

— Why? I thought you'd be able to understand... the joy of omnipotence and the pleasure of governing the world...
— Like God, you mean? That might be pleasurable in its own way, but unfortunately I'm not into being an umpire or a referee. I can't genuinely enjoy the game unless I'm part of it. And I love this game that people call "life" from the bottom of my heart. That's why I'd like to continue to participate in it as a player, forever and ever.

Is it really a "system"? Or more like a huge prison? The Panopticon... A facility that allows you to observe everyone at once. Sibyl is its worst possible form. You can control the maximum number of prisoners with the minimum number of guards.

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