Panopticon

Symbolic representation of Bentham's concept.

The Panopticon (パノプティコン Panoputikon) is an abandoned, proposed replacement system for the Sibyl System to monitor the economic and traffic activities of the citizens in Japan.

Overview

This controversial system was proposed by the Ministry of Economy (経済省が keizai shou ga) as a public support system to replace the Sibyl System about 15 years prior to the events of Psycho-Pass 2 (i.e. circa 2099). By monitoring and recording citizens' economic and social activities, this system aims to prevent crimes and lead humans to an optimal way of life. But when its test phase began in the transportation field, a large number of problems occurred. The number of aviation accidents and other traffic accidents during this period jumped several tens of times compared to previous years, resulting in many casualties. As a result, that period later came to be known as the "Hell Season" (地獄の季節 jigoku no kisetsu) and this system was permanently shelved.

Conspiracy theories at the time imply that such a failure is no accident. After investigation, Kirito Kamui considers those theories to be true. According to him, this failure is the result of a protracted campaign that took place behind the scenes. Where backroom dealings amongst politicians and various unspecified parties hindered the efforts of the Ministry of Economy and attacked the Panopticon project's dedicated manpower and budget. All of this resulting in the catastrophic tally of the "Hell Season".

Specifications

By monitoring everything citizens do in an attempt to prevent crime, this system nearly mirrors the Sibyl System. However at this time, no details have been revealed about the technical specifications, the operation and the location of the Panopticon.

Etymology

The Panopticon is a design first developed by philosopher Jeremy Bentham, in which the Panopticon is meant to be deployed in an institutional facility as the master control over the inmates utilizing the least number of human guards. The design of the Panopticon is circular with a central guard tower that allows monitoring to be both effective and efficient. The genius of the design, as purported by Bentham, is that inmates never know whether or not they are being monitored, creating ambiguity, and the result is that inmates behave.

Nikkuu Airlines Flight 321

Nikkuu Airlines Flight 321 (日空航空321便 Nikkuu koukuu san hyaku ni juu ichi bin) is a plane that crashed during the Panopticon trials, a period known as the "Hell Season", "Season of Hell" or a "Season in Hell". It is one of the major plot points that initiates the events of Psycho-Pass 2.

On Friday, September 10, 2099, an YS-77 aircraft (a 205-seater plane, registration number is JA953AC), affiliated to Nikkuu Airlines Corporation Ltd, took off from Shin-Chitose Airport at 14:00 operating a special flight 321 of the same company (from Shin-Chitose Airport to Haneda Airport). It was originally expected to land at Haneda Airport at 15:30 and the flight had been continuing safely until the plane was flying over Utsunomiya. However, when it was approaching Kasumigaura, the system cancelled the usual landing route according to instrument flight rules (IFR). The regulations set was changed to visual flight rules (VFR) and the aircraft disappeared over the Tokyo Bay. A crash of a passenger airplane was reported by Nemotoyama Nature Observation Center of Tochigi Prefecture shortly after that, and, according to the identification carried out by Disaster Assistance Team of the Ministry of Defense and Rescue Team of Fire Department, the crash of Nikkuu Airlines Flight 321 in the vicinity of Mt. Kumataka and its serious damage were confirmed.

The total number of crew members and passengers aboard Flight 321 was 202; the number of fatalities due to the aviation accident was 201; the only survivor was Kirito Kamui (8 years old at that time). As for the details concerning the deceased passengers, among them there were a pilot, a copilot, five crew members, seven school teachers, a school nurse-teacher, two tour guides and one hundred eighty four elementary school students. It was a special flight for a school trip of Private Eiwa Academy, Elementary School Department; that explains a great number of students among the casualties. Those facts make the crash of Nikkuu Airlines Flight 321 the deadliest aviation accident that happened during the "Season in Hell". A problem with the airframe is listed as the cause of the crash.

Trivia

• The news first reported on Flight 321 crash without waiting for the facts and evidence. This led to the spreading of some incorrect or misleading information such as assuming that there were 205 passengers onboard because the plane is a 205-seater.
• Production discrepancies:
  • In the anime, Flight 321 is said to have crashed on May 2099, while it is on September 10, 2099 in the Profiling Book 2.
  • September 10, 2099 is a Thursday and not a Friday.