0308 Cubism

Overview

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Cubism
Episode Information
Kanji	None
Rōmaji	None
Air date	December 12, 2019
Opening	Q-vism
Ending	Bullet
Episode Guide
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Cubism is the eighth and last episode of Psycho-Pass 3.

Synopsis

Mao Kisaragi admits to Kei Mikhail Ignatov that she was manipulated by Koichi Azusawa into facilitating the car crash with Hikaru Kira and his partner. Yayoi Kunizuka returns to interview Unit One to record a documentary about their team. The Criminal Investigation Department is informed of the intel gathered by the MFA who explains that Bifrost appears to consist of Congressmen who lead the organization, Inspectors who are their direct subordinates, and Foxes who are civilians manipulated into doing their bidding. Shinya Kogami theorizes that Bifrost fears being discovered by the Sibyl System and so they still seek the death of Karina Komiya. Foreign Affairs decides to deal with the Peacebreakers, a foreign terrorist group affiliated with Bifrost, while Arata Shindo protects Komiya and Ignatov hunts down Azusawa. Ignatov has issues with Shindo and the rest of the unit because of the delay in getting his wife, Maiko Maya Stronskaya, released from therapy. While trying to trap Azusawa, Ignatov encounters Shizuka Homura who asks Ignatov to protect him from Haruki Shirogane and Azusawa who plan to eliminate him. Homura offers to arrange Stronskaya's release in exchange for his help and Ignatov reluctantly agrees. However Kogami suspects that Ignatov hides something. Shindo arrests Azusawa's partner and computer expert, Chiyo Obata. Stronskaya is released from therapy and tries to mend the rift in Shindo and Ignatov's relationship. Meanwhile, Azusawa arranges for Kunizuka's car to be crushed by building materials dropped from a crane, leaving her survival uncertain.

Story

Kisaragi confesses her sins to Ignatov.

Episode 8 begins where Episode 7 left off, with Kisaragi about to make a confession of her sins to Ignatov. Asking what she means by sins, Kisaragi tells Ignatov of her involvement in the previous Inspectors’ accident. Taking a breath, Kisaragi explains her past where she was a competitive swimmer with a boyfriend. One day, she and her boyfriend got into a car accident, but the driver got off with a fine because of a Psycho-Pass technicality. Furious, the couple’s hue deteriorates and both Kisaragi and her boyfriend get institutionalized. During their stay, Kisaragi’s boyfriend passes away and Kisaragi is later chosen to become an Enforcer. In a flashback, Kisaragi reveals that one year ago, she had discovered that the driver who caused her accident had committed another one.

Story continued in:

Main article: 0308 Cubism/Story

Trivia

• Cubism is a 20th-century avant-garde art movement that revolutionized European painting and sculpture, and inspired related movements in music, literature and architecture. It involves using disjointed shapes to form a picture like a puzzle.

• Additionally, QBism (also pronounced "cubism") refers to "Quantum Bayesianism" an “interpretation of quantum mechanics” that gives meaning to the mathematical statements of quantum physics. According to QBism, quantum mechanics is “a tool anyone can use to evaluate, on the basis of one's past experience, one's probabilistic expectations for one's subsequent experience.” A quantum measurement is an action an agent takes on the world; a measurement outcome is the agent's resulting experience and therefore personal to the agent who performs the measurement action.

• Crackatook is a reference to the world's toughest nut in Hoffmann's, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. It is a nut used to cure Princess Pirlipat when she is transformed into a nutcracker by Madam Mouserinks, the Queen of Mice. Crackatook (Krakatuk), can only be cracked and handed to Pirlipat by a man who had never been shaved nor worn boots since birth, and who must, without opening his eyes, hand her the kernel and take seven steps backwards without stumbling. This turns out to be Drosselmeyer's nephew who is turned into Marie's nutcracker for failing the final task, but is rescued by Marie's love.

• Azusawa admittedly identifies himself with Drosselmeyer who is Marie's godfather from Hoffmann's The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, sharing many parallels with him. Like Drosselmeyer, Azusawa can be seen as a mysterious magician and tinkerer who is assigned by the king (Bifrost) to crack the world's toughest nut, Crackatook (Arata Shindo and the Public Safety Bureau). Azusawa is also adept with machines like Drosselmeyer who is a clock and toymaker. Both characters are mysterious, capable of directing and interpreting events, and both can either entertain or frighten people. Azusawa also views the world as one big machine with society and people as its cogs. Arata likewise also represents The Nutcracker as he is the only the one who can solve Azusawa's schemes.

• The Ichneumon in Obata's hacker name is a reference to a group of wasps that have considerable economic importance. While they are categorized as parasites because they feed off of other insects' fluids, this makes them somewhat beneficial to humans. Ichneumon also means "tracker" in Ancient Greek and can also refer to the Egyptian Mongoose which is considered to be the enemy of the dragon in medieval zoology.

• The opening song of Psycho-Pass 3 is titled Q-vism. It is pronounced as Cubism. It is mostly likely chosen as the song title to reference the finale of the season.

• Among the equipments of the PSB building is a swimming-pool. Note that when Shion Karanomori first met Akane Tsunemori, she suggested to her several actions that in Karanomori's opinion would improve the PSB. One of those was to add a swimming-pool at the CID. And 8 years later the Department now have one, even though we don't know if it's due to Tsunemori.

• Based on the displayed CCTV footage (file here), this episode concludes on January 26, 2121.
  
  

Quotes

"No matter how old it gets, maintenance can bring it back."
— Atsushi Shindo to a young Arata Shindo

"Doubt not God; test not God. Sibyl's justice and values are beyond consideration."
— Mika Shimotsuki to Yayoi Kunizuka

"Justice? It must be upheld. That's why I live without self-deception."
— Kei Mikhail Ignatov to Yayoi Kunizuka

"All of us here are hopelessly human. We can't control our anger and we say sorry if something goes wrong. Sibyl wouldn't approve, but it's a perk of this place."
— Tenma Todoroki to Yayoi Kunizuka

"Justice? I'm not sure. I mean, it's kind of a embarrassing word to say, but those who use it in earnest really shine."
— Tenma Todoroki to Yayoi Kunizuka

"Justice, huh? It's a word losers shout a lot. My dad died believing in that word."
— Kazumichi Irie to Yayoi Kunizuka

"Risking our lives to protect others. I've realized recently that that's what justice means for us."
— Mao Kisaragi to Yayoi Kunizuka

"Everything I know about justice, I learned in CID Unit One from Inspector Tsunemori."
— Sho Hinakawa to Yayoi Kunizuka

"I honestly don't know what justice means to me personally; but I can't control the truth."
— Arata Shindo to Yayoi Kunizuka