Akane Tsunemori

Lore & Background

Akane Tsunemori was conceptualized by Production I.G staff to be the most relatable character in the series, acting as an audience surrogate who would critique the setting and the ideological conflict between the protagonist Shinya Kogami and the antagonist Shogo Makishima. One of the staff's objectives for the series was also to chart Akane's transformation into a heroine. Writer Gen Urobuchi said that when he created Kogami and Tsunemori, he tried to balance their traits. Writer Tow Ubukata, who supervised the second anime series, called Kogami a 'wild' character, the Japanese characters for his last name referring to his traits of loneliness and strength. The duo was further stated to resemble the lead characters from the Japanese police comedy-drama Bayside Shakedown, Sumire Onda and Shunsaku Aoshima. Akane is introduced in Psycho-Pass as an innocent rookie who matures through her experiences. During episode 10 of the series, one of Akane's best friends, Yuki Funahara, is murdered in front of her by Makishima. Urobuchi originally wanted the anime staff to show Akane's emotional reaction to the murder by having her throw up, but this did not make it to the final cut. Gen Urobuchi said that while creating Kogami and Akane, he tried to balance their traits but felt that Akane ended up becoming one of his strongest characters because of her development in the first television series when she clashed with Makishima and her ideals.

In Their Own Story

Because the first Psycho-Pass series focused primarily on the clash between Kogami and Makishima, the second television series introduced an antagonist who acted as Akane's nemesis now that the plot centered around her. Psycho-Pass: The Movie characterized her as even more assertive and self-sufficient. Much attention is focused on Akane as Kogami is not present in contrast to the first series where the duo balanced each other's personalities. The creators were inspired by films like Apocalypse Now and Saving Private Ryan, to tell a story about Akane searching a war zone for the renegade Kogami. The non-romantic dynamic between the two characters appealed to the creators because of the deep trust they have for each other. For Providence, Shiotani specifically wanted Akane Tsunemori to be the film's protagonist while Shinya Kogami would remain as her partner in a sense of a buddy cop. The center of the story was the strong relationship between Akane and Kogami. While Fukami found the idea of a romance these two as romantic, he aimed to go further. Instead, they act more like comrades, fighting the same enemy. Fukami was always conscious of the relationship and distance between the two when writing the script. Ubukuta found the idea of a romance could be troublesome to the narrative as it would affect more their personalities. Ubukata said Tsunemori is artless as she does not possess a peculiar way of thinking about things and doesn't lose the courage to say things that ought to be a given as though they are a given. This change led to similarities with Kogami. Shiotani wanted to rebuild Akane's and Kogami's relationship returns even if they belonged to a different organisation. The scenes in which the two of them appear together came together naturally. He reflected that Kogami is frank about his voice without paying attention about how he is received while Akane is more straightforward. Shiotani wanted strong scenes about their relationship shaped by the entire franchise. Nevertheless, he considers Akane mindful. Saiga's death scene was one of the hardest to animate, most notably the expression Akane performs upon seeing him. Saiga's voice actor was worried about the impact the character would live in the protagonist.

Reader's Guide

Akane Tsunemori is the 20-year-old main female protagonist of Psycho-Pass. She joins Division One of the Public Safety Bureau's Criminal Investigation Division as a rookie Inspector. She is initially uncomfortable with apprehending or executing people based on their potential criminal behavior. On her first assignment, Akane stuns Enforcer Shinya Kogami and prevents the execution of a kidnap and assault victim whose Crime Coefficient had spiked. Wanting the series to be 'anti-moe', the production team avoided showing Akane removing her clothes, and instead featured scenes where Kogami would remove his. Akane's physical appearance was designed by manga artist Akira Amano. Due to her and Kogami being the lead characters, Kyoji Asano felt like he could care about them. Director Naoyoshi Shiotani shared similar feelings, stating he wanted Akane's traits to balance with Kogami's as they are the main duo of Psycho-Pass. He further stated that one of her original characteristics was her 'masculine' traits despite her gender. Since the character's creation, Shiotani had thoughts about what would her role be in the future, most notably regarding her imprisonment in Psycho-Pass 3. While Akira Amano conceived her looks, Kyoji Asano handled the anime design. Asano emphasized the major contrasts between them when illustrating Kogami and Akane; Kogami wields a weapon freely with one hand, and Akane wields it with both hands indicating that she is less highly trained. In adapting Amano's design under Shiotani's direction for the 2015 anime, animator Naoyuki Onda drew multiple outfits that Tsunemori wears such in order to make her fashionable in her civilian life. However, Onda expressed difficulties in designing others looks for the character something which made him ask for help for other designers working in the movie.

Did You Know?

• Akane Tsunemori is voiced in Japanese by Kana Hanazawa and by Kate Oxley in the English dubs.
• Writer Gen Urobuchi stated that when creating the duo of Akane and Kogami, their traits were balanced to make them striking, but in retrospect, Urobuchi believes Akane became one of the strongest characters he ever created.
• The duo of Akane and Kogami was stated to resemble the lead characters from the Japanese police comedy-drama Bayside Shakedown, Sumire Onda and Shunsaku Aoshima.
• Wanting the series to be 'anti-moe', the production team avoided showing Akane removing her clothes, and instead featured scenes where Kogami would remove his.
• Akane's physical appearance was designed by manga artist Akira Amano.

Career Beginnings and Role

Akane Tsunemori is a protagonist of the anime series Psycho-Pass. She is introduced as a novice Inspector assigned to Division One of the Public Safety Bureau's Criminal Investigation Division. Over the course of the series, Akane examines the social and ethical underpinnings of the Sibyl System's governance of Japan and her own idealistic values. Akane is noted for her remarkable psychological fortitude, which keeps her Psycho-Pass score consistently low in the face of extraordinary challenges. In addition to the anime series, Akane appears as the protagonist of the continuation film Psycho-Pass: The Movie (2015), and the manga and novel adaptations of the series.

Team Dynamics and Early Conflicts

Akane is introduced in Psycho-Pass as an innocent rookie who matures through her experiences. During episode 11 of the series, one of Akane's best friends is murdered in front of her by Makishima. Urobuchi originally wanted the anime staff to show Akane's emotional reaction to the murder by having her throw up, but this did not make it to the final cut. Gen Urobuchi said that while creating Kogami and Akane, he tried to balance their traits but felt that Akane ended up becoming one of his strongest characters because of her development in the first television series when she clashed with Makishima and her ideals. Because the first Psycho-Pass series focused primarily on the clash between Kogami and Makishima, the second television series introduced an antagonist who acted as Akane's nemesis now that the plot centered around her. Psycho-Pass: The Movie characterized her as even more assertive and self-sufficient. Much attention is focused on Akane as Kogami is not present in contrast to the first series where the duo balanced each other's personalities.

The Makishima Arc and Moral Choices

Akane is introduced in Psycho-Pass as an innocent rookie who matures through her experiences. During episode 11 of the series, one of Akane's best friends is murdered in front of her by Makishima. Urobuchi originally wanted the anime staff to show Akane's emotional reaction to the murder by having her throw up, but this did not make it to the final cut. Gen Urobuchi said that while creating Kogami and Akane, he tried to balance their traits but felt that Akane ended up becoming one of his strongest characters because of her development in the first television series when she clashed with Makishima and her ideals.

Series Longevity and Cultural Impact

Critical reception to Akane in early episodes was mixed as the media felt she was too weak due to her inexperience in the force. However, her character arc in the first anime and her stronger portrayal starting from there to her role in the sequels and the film earned major praise. Her dynamic with Kogami was also well received by the audience.