I have a small collection of anime which is growing exponentially now, thanks in part to my renewed interest in the genre after viewing this film. What separates this from many anime is its unique use of the Mecha or "Labors" in its plot, instead of just the same robot battle fair that we've all seen. The movie does not center around action but around the actual story and the characters as they work together (and sometimes against each other) to solve the big mystery in time to stop a terrible threat to Tokyo and possibly the entire world. Great film. I am going to buy the second one this week; I hear it is even better.
24 Reviews
Patlabor's first cinema.
emasterslake28 September 2007
It's the year 1999, the world we live in has Labors(human operated robot carriers) used for construction and giving mankind an easier living style. After The suicide of a mysterious man from the massive constructing Babylon Project a computer virus was created to infect the Labors. And make them cause havoc on their own free will. Which leads to Section 2 of the Patlabor team in investigating this incident. Before the Tokyo district faces it's destruction.
I first saw this movie back in 2005, and it imminently got me into the franchise. Which I had no idea it existed before. Compared to the popular TV series. This movie has all the characters we all recognized and know. Only the theme to this movie is more serious than the theme of the TV show. In other words more seriousness and less comedy.
But that didn't change the plot a bit. As the movie does have some great and believable moments in it, that make you forget it's animated. Plus it's directed by Masumo Oshii who was one of the dudes who made this franchise possible. And really knows how to make it the way it should.
If you like a unique Sci-Fi anime or interested in seeing something new. Patlabor the Movie has been highly recommended by various websites. It's enjoyable even if you don't know the series.
I first saw this movie back in 2005, and it imminently got me into the franchise. Which I had no idea it existed before. Compared to the popular TV series. This movie has all the characters we all recognized and know. Only the theme to this movie is more serious than the theme of the TV show. In other words more seriousness and less comedy.
But that didn't change the plot a bit. As the movie does have some great and believable moments in it, that make you forget it's animated. Plus it's directed by Masumo Oshii who was one of the dudes who made this franchise possible. And really knows how to make it the way it should.
If you like a unique Sci-Fi anime or interested in seeing something new. Patlabor the Movie has been highly recommended by various websites. It's enjoyable even if you don't know the series.
Solid franchise anime.
El_Farmerino_Esq22 June 2009
It's worth noting before I begin that this was my first encounter with the Patlabor series - I went in knowing nothing of the characters or overall plot of the series. I mention it because, though it posed absolutely no problems for my understanding of the piece, it does relate to the one criticism I have.
Positive things first, though, of which there are many. Most impressive, as with much of Ishii's work, is the scenery. From the highly industrialised city streets to the run-down shacks mastermind Hoba made his homes, each location is fantastically rendered and informs the mood of the piece easily as much as any of the characters. Not that Patlabor - The Movie is really lacking there, though; Both Asuma and Gotoh make for brilliantly likable protagonists, while aforementioned and never-seen villain Hoba is a more than worthy foil. The plot moves along at the right kind of pace - brisk enough to keep the viewer interested, but relaxed enough to allow one to savour the rich atmosphere of the world Ishii creates.
If there's a problem, then, it stems simply from the fact that this is what it is; a spin-off movie which is only part of an ongoing series. As such, and great as the characters may be, there is very little in terms of development - next to none, in fact. Yes, this is an expected and necessary result of the movie's very nature (it can't do anything that's really going to significantly affect the plot line of the series); still, it dulls the impact of an otherwise excellent film. Of course, there may be (and I expect there are) many nuances of dialogue, story etc. that are lost on a viewer with no prior knowledge of the series and perhaps viewing the film in context would provide a more rounded experience. Regardless, as a stand-alone film, it's less involving than it could be.
Despite this minor quibble, though, Patlabor - The Movie is a great introduction to a series I plan to familiarise myself with further in the future.
Positive things first, though, of which there are many. Most impressive, as with much of Ishii's work, is the scenery. From the highly industrialised city streets to the run-down shacks mastermind Hoba made his homes, each location is fantastically rendered and informs the mood of the piece easily as much as any of the characters. Not that Patlabor - The Movie is really lacking there, though; Both Asuma and Gotoh make for brilliantly likable protagonists, while aforementioned and never-seen villain Hoba is a more than worthy foil. The plot moves along at the right kind of pace - brisk enough to keep the viewer interested, but relaxed enough to allow one to savour the rich atmosphere of the world Ishii creates.
If there's a problem, then, it stems simply from the fact that this is what it is; a spin-off movie which is only part of an ongoing series. As such, and great as the characters may be, there is very little in terms of development - next to none, in fact. Yes, this is an expected and necessary result of the movie's very nature (it can't do anything that's really going to significantly affect the plot line of the series); still, it dulls the impact of an otherwise excellent film. Of course, there may be (and I expect there are) many nuances of dialogue, story etc. that are lost on a viewer with no prior knowledge of the series and perhaps viewing the film in context would provide a more rounded experience. Regardless, as a stand-alone film, it's less involving than it could be.
Despite this minor quibble, though, Patlabor - The Movie is a great introduction to a series I plan to familiarise myself with further in the future.
Anime for adult viewers
AMIO-PatricioMunoz21 November 2003
It's for an adult audience. A younger audience may appreciate the few 'labor' fighting sequences, but the Patlabor movies generally do not center on the robots, but on the detective work of its crew.
Truthfully, I'm a little disappointed because I rented these movies hoping that they would focus more on the robots. I was looking for action and fast paced animation with cool angles and a good back-story. Instead I found a movie that focuses on the crew members instead. The robots ARE the back-story. For the most part, I can live with that.
I did enjoy the first Patlabor movie more than the second one. The 'labors' played a bigger role in this movie and thusly there was a good balance between them and the crew members. In Patlabor 2 the robots were showcased very briefly.
All I can think of is one thing: If the creators are not going to focus on the robots, then why mention them in the title? Why mention them at all? One could re-write the second movie to completely eliminate the 'labor' robots and the story would still hold with barely a scratch.
If you are planning to watch any of the Patlabor movies then remember that it is not an action/anime movie about 'labor' robots and their crew. Rather, it can best be described as a futuristic detective story that happen to be in a time where 'labor' robots are around and in use. It will involve your attention.
It's not an ideal movie for those interested in getting into Anime films. I'd only recommend Patlabor to an older, anime-experienced, audience.
Interesting Note: On the DVD, read the subtitles and then watch the English version (or visa-versa). In many cases you will find scenes where the characters are talking about a completely different topic. It's quite fascinating.
Truthfully, I'm a little disappointed because I rented these movies hoping that they would focus more on the robots. I was looking for action and fast paced animation with cool angles and a good back-story. Instead I found a movie that focuses on the crew members instead. The robots ARE the back-story. For the most part, I can live with that.
I did enjoy the first Patlabor movie more than the second one. The 'labors' played a bigger role in this movie and thusly there was a good balance between them and the crew members. In Patlabor 2 the robots were showcased very briefly.
All I can think of is one thing: If the creators are not going to focus on the robots, then why mention them in the title? Why mention them at all? One could re-write the second movie to completely eliminate the 'labor' robots and the story would still hold with barely a scratch.
If you are planning to watch any of the Patlabor movies then remember that it is not an action/anime movie about 'labor' robots and their crew. Rather, it can best be described as a futuristic detective story that happen to be in a time where 'labor' robots are around and in use. It will involve your attention.
It's not an ideal movie for those interested in getting into Anime films. I'd only recommend Patlabor to an older, anime-experienced, audience.
Interesting Note: On the DVD, read the subtitles and then watch the English version (or visa-versa). In many cases you will find scenes where the characters are talking about a completely different topic. It's quite fascinating.
Artsy-action mix with undeveloped plot.
heath-jeffrey3 August 2016
A simple plot that even then wasn't fully developed.
The main antagonist is nothing but a name - neither physically present nor any hint of any motive or rationale. There's one minor twist in the plot but it's revealed too early on to register as anything particularly special; and isn't really believable in the context either.
The characters are similarly simple and undeveloped. All you really get is a bit of goofiness and an overdone grump. There were family elements, differences in opinion, unique relationships, etc, that could've been exploited to good effect but were left empty.
So what drives the movie? An odd mix of: a) Typical anime action. Nothing new - just robots and robot suits bashing on each other. b) Art-house style trying-to-be-philosophical long pauses and random quotes.
Might be intriguing if you like both of the latter. But don't watch it for either the story or the human element.
The main antagonist is nothing but a name - neither physically present nor any hint of any motive or rationale. There's one minor twist in the plot but it's revealed too early on to register as anything particularly special; and isn't really believable in the context either.
The characters are similarly simple and undeveloped. All you really get is a bit of goofiness and an overdone grump. There were family elements, differences in opinion, unique relationships, etc, that could've been exploited to good effect but were left empty.
So what drives the movie? An odd mix of: a) Typical anime action. Nothing new - just robots and robot suits bashing on each other. b) Art-house style trying-to-be-philosophical long pauses and random quotes.
Might be intriguing if you like both of the latter. But don't watch it for either the story or the human element.
Intelligent but very dry
emaan30 August 1999
Much as I love Patlabor the OAV and TV series, I found this film too be too slow moving at times and all too serious. The quality of animation was slightly above the OAV's and the character designs also kept closely to the OAV (as opposed to the more mature look in P2).
As I understood the plot, a mysterious hacker introduced a virus into the operating system (called H.O.S. or Hyper Operating System) for ALL labors in Japan. This virus could cause unmanned units to go beserk, and is activated by a unique ultra-sound frequency created at random by the gusty winds that blow across the Tokyo skyline.
Tied in to all this is the newly completed tower of the Babylon Project to reclaim land in the Tokyo bay. Apparently the tower is a giant tuning fork which could give the doomsday signal when a great storm hits the bay.
All this sounds intriguing, but it takes way too long for the plot to advance to a coherent stage. There is hardly any action save for the last 20 minutes or so. Most of all, I missed the great dialogue and humour in the video and TV series.
As I understood the plot, a mysterious hacker introduced a virus into the operating system (called H.O.S. or Hyper Operating System) for ALL labors in Japan. This virus could cause unmanned units to go beserk, and is activated by a unique ultra-sound frequency created at random by the gusty winds that blow across the Tokyo skyline.
Tied in to all this is the newly completed tower of the Babylon Project to reclaim land in the Tokyo bay. Apparently the tower is a giant tuning fork which could give the doomsday signal when a great storm hits the bay.
All this sounds intriguing, but it takes way too long for the plot to advance to a coherent stage. There is hardly any action save for the last 20 minutes or so. Most of all, I missed the great dialogue and humour in the video and TV series.
not bad, but not too good
GreyFox3723 February 2001
i am a huge fan of mecha, but this particular movie was, well, boring mostly. the story is a good one, but it lacks the action and character to back it up. most of the action is at the end of the movie, along with a little in the beginning. the animation, however, is very well-drawn and the subtitled voice acting is some of the best next to gasaraki (subtitled rules, regardless). anyway, even though mamoru oshii directed this, it fell short of being something that is impacting, though others say different. its your call.
Smashing stuff - an excellent mixture of brawn and brains.
vkn8 May 2002
The main complaint from those who dislike Patlabor; the movie is that it's too slow and dull. Not to act like the brighter-than-thou intello snob here, but this never even remotely bothered me. Maybe it's because there are enough riveting action scenes to counterbalance the slower ones, or because a lot of the non-action scenes are spent on a believeable build-up to make the finale all the more poignant, while throwing in genuinely interesting issues and fleshing out the likeable characters in a very entertaining way. Or maybe it's because I saw Patlabor 2 first, which makes this first film seem lightning quick in comparison. All the same, I really don't see what there is to complain about. Patlabor takes the time needed to establish a coherent storyline, and the viewer is amply rewarded by a big and very thrilling dose of action in the end, made all the more involving by the intricate prior build-up that we've been following. Even after several viewings, I find myself fully satisfied at the film's end, and perhaps even intellectually stimulated, without this demanding excessive efforts on my behalf. True, this is at times a talky and rather philosophical film, but nothing that the average viewer should find impossible to sit through (that is, unless I'm being too optimistic in my views on general human intelligence and the world really is overrun by bovine straight jocks who's attention cannot last two minutes without massive explosions on-screen).
Mamoru Oshii's direction style has a reputation of being very slow and broody. From what I've seen of his work, this is quite true. So far, Patlabor is the movie where this style worked best for me, as everything fitted together very nicely, delivering an excellently balanced combo of entertainment and mental fodder (other films by him show his personal touch more clearly but are less 'easily accessible').
That is far from the only praiseworthy point in Patlabor, however. Animation and artwork are pleasingly solid overall, ascending to excellent levels when the intricately crafted scenes with the mecha come into play. Kudos to the music as well, which does it's thing very nicely. The fast pieces for the action scenes are especially good for the way they're so full of energy. It also does a very good job of establishing the Patlabor universe for the non-initiated viewer. This movie is but one gear in the works of a much larger franchise; Patlabor has spawned several TV and video series over the years, but the viewer is adequately told who is who and where they are to be able to follow the movie without prior experience.
The clever bit about the Patlabor universe is it's a down-to-earth, credible view of what the world might look like if there was such a thing as giant robots. The robots are not overly fanciful, nor are they even the defining factor in everyone's life. Despite Noah's attachment to her Labor which she named Alphonse, the robots serve as little more than bigger, stronger versions of everyday vehicles and machines, with not one infantile giant laser weapon in sight (that said, their design is very cool, including enough striking elements in their otherwise workmanlike and realistic appearance to be very noteworthy). It's still the little people that make the most difference and are the real stars in the Patlabor world. Top marks for originality, there.
The same thing goes for the film's plot: after the suicide of a certain Eiichiro Hoba, an increased number of incidents involving Labors gone berserk begins to spread over Japan. Our heroes are a somewhat whacky squad of anti Labor-crime officers (the 'mobile police', who operate with their Patrol Labors, or Patlabors) who gradually unravel the entire plot behind this wave of labor malfunctions, and the true disaster that this is building up to - a disaster of such magnitude that it may well signal doomsday if the one building that will trigger it off isn't destroyed by hand and by Labor in the little time that is left. There's far more to the story than just that - there are the likeable hi-jinks of the heroes along the way, as well as the more broody look at Hoba's motivations that get exposed by a private eye, packed with deep reflections and religious symbolism (a so-called 'Babylon Project' to build a new district for Tokyo over the water plays a large part in the film, to name but one example).
It probably -is- more of a thinking man's giant robot anime in the end. But this should be noted as great praise, rather than a complaint from those too stupid to appreciate it. Everything is well-crafted, involving and enjoyable enough to make for a very impressive film that can be recommended to everyone except complete numbskulls. I'd almost go so far as to claim that anyone who doesn't realise the great qualities of this film must be out of his mind, but that would be just petty personal vengeance on my behalf. You see, with the way this film is so excellent, stylish and highly likeable overall, I'm afraid I've rather fallen in love with it. Well worth checking out, at any rate.
Mamoru Oshii's direction style has a reputation of being very slow and broody. From what I've seen of his work, this is quite true. So far, Patlabor is the movie where this style worked best for me, as everything fitted together very nicely, delivering an excellently balanced combo of entertainment and mental fodder (other films by him show his personal touch more clearly but are less 'easily accessible').
That is far from the only praiseworthy point in Patlabor, however. Animation and artwork are pleasingly solid overall, ascending to excellent levels when the intricately crafted scenes with the mecha come into play. Kudos to the music as well, which does it's thing very nicely. The fast pieces for the action scenes are especially good for the way they're so full of energy. It also does a very good job of establishing the Patlabor universe for the non-initiated viewer. This movie is but one gear in the works of a much larger franchise; Patlabor has spawned several TV and video series over the years, but the viewer is adequately told who is who and where they are to be able to follow the movie without prior experience.
The clever bit about the Patlabor universe is it's a down-to-earth, credible view of what the world might look like if there was such a thing as giant robots. The robots are not overly fanciful, nor are they even the defining factor in everyone's life. Despite Noah's attachment to her Labor which she named Alphonse, the robots serve as little more than bigger, stronger versions of everyday vehicles and machines, with not one infantile giant laser weapon in sight (that said, their design is very cool, including enough striking elements in their otherwise workmanlike and realistic appearance to be very noteworthy). It's still the little people that make the most difference and are the real stars in the Patlabor world. Top marks for originality, there.
The same thing goes for the film's plot: after the suicide of a certain Eiichiro Hoba, an increased number of incidents involving Labors gone berserk begins to spread over Japan. Our heroes are a somewhat whacky squad of anti Labor-crime officers (the 'mobile police', who operate with their Patrol Labors, or Patlabors) who gradually unravel the entire plot behind this wave of labor malfunctions, and the true disaster that this is building up to - a disaster of such magnitude that it may well signal doomsday if the one building that will trigger it off isn't destroyed by hand and by Labor in the little time that is left. There's far more to the story than just that - there are the likeable hi-jinks of the heroes along the way, as well as the more broody look at Hoba's motivations that get exposed by a private eye, packed with deep reflections and religious symbolism (a so-called 'Babylon Project' to build a new district for Tokyo over the water plays a large part in the film, to name but one example).
It probably -is- more of a thinking man's giant robot anime in the end. But this should be noted as great praise, rather than a complaint from those too stupid to appreciate it. Everything is well-crafted, involving and enjoyable enough to make for a very impressive film that can be recommended to everyone except complete numbskulls. I'd almost go so far as to claim that anyone who doesn't realise the great qualities of this film must be out of his mind, but that would be just petty personal vengeance on my behalf. You see, with the way this film is so excellent, stylish and highly likeable overall, I'm afraid I've rather fallen in love with it. Well worth checking out, at any rate.
A landmark piece for a genius director
aci_J23 May 2018
Director Mamoru Oshii is best known for his 1995 sci-fi landmark piece Ghost in the Shell, and less so for his meditative 1985 arthouse piece Angel's Egg, but Mobile Police Patlabor: The Movie remains as an interesting touchstone for the development of the genius director.
Based on the manga and OVA series of the same name, the film takes place in Japan in the near future, where giant robots or 'Patlabors' have revolutionised industry. In the wake of global warming and overpopulation, the Japanese government begins the 'Babylon Project,' which will reclaim thousands of acres of land from the Tokyo seafront by utilising the power of the Patlabors, which are hundreds of times more efficient than human workers. Yet, a series of worrying incidents where Patlabors go berserk and cause great destruction sets Asuma of the 'Mobile Police' - a section of the metropolitan police that utilises the Patlabors to fight crime - on the case, and the mystery he plunges into has far more dangerous consequences than he ever imagined.
The rich world building and level of detail in the film that would later play a major part in the appeal of Ghost in the Shell is evident here, even in this early part of Oshii's career. Each line of dialogue is utilised efficiently to discuss geo-politics, bureaucracy and engineering in this fictional future. The level of detail put into the design of the Patlabor's themselves by Yutaka Izubuchi also helps further reinforce this realistic yet relatable tone.
Although the film doesn't do a great job getting new viewers of the series up to speed, leaving several blind spots such as the sudden appearance of Kanuka Clancy in the third act, it does a good job of introducing us to the characters of Asuma and Nao, who's chemistry in turns drives the soul of the film, alongside the richly detailed fictional landscape. Asuma's work on solving the mystery is also far from perfect, sometimes overloading viewers with exposition instead of explanation, but for the most part he's an engaging point of focus for the viewer, mainly thanks to Toshio Furukawa's excellent voice work.
In terms of Oshii's later career, a lot of his tendencies can be traced back to this formative work. Namely, his eye for detail and preference for dialogue instead of action. Plus, his visual direction is as excellent as you'd expect, giving us striking compositions and engaging framing. Yet, this is at the same time the least Oshii-esque film in his career, since it comes across as less of an Oshii film, like with Ghost in the Shell and Angel's Egg, and more of a Oshii-directed Patlabor film.
Even so, whether you're an Oshii newbie or an Oshii expert, a Patlabor newbie or a Patlabor expert, there's definitely something for you here. And who doesn't want to see giant robots duking it out, anyway?
Based on the manga and OVA series of the same name, the film takes place in Japan in the near future, where giant robots or 'Patlabors' have revolutionised industry. In the wake of global warming and overpopulation, the Japanese government begins the 'Babylon Project,' which will reclaim thousands of acres of land from the Tokyo seafront by utilising the power of the Patlabors, which are hundreds of times more efficient than human workers. Yet, a series of worrying incidents where Patlabors go berserk and cause great destruction sets Asuma of the 'Mobile Police' - a section of the metropolitan police that utilises the Patlabors to fight crime - on the case, and the mystery he plunges into has far more dangerous consequences than he ever imagined.
The rich world building and level of detail in the film that would later play a major part in the appeal of Ghost in the Shell is evident here, even in this early part of Oshii's career. Each line of dialogue is utilised efficiently to discuss geo-politics, bureaucracy and engineering in this fictional future. The level of detail put into the design of the Patlabor's themselves by Yutaka Izubuchi also helps further reinforce this realistic yet relatable tone.
Although the film doesn't do a great job getting new viewers of the series up to speed, leaving several blind spots such as the sudden appearance of Kanuka Clancy in the third act, it does a good job of introducing us to the characters of Asuma and Nao, who's chemistry in turns drives the soul of the film, alongside the richly detailed fictional landscape. Asuma's work on solving the mystery is also far from perfect, sometimes overloading viewers with exposition instead of explanation, but for the most part he's an engaging point of focus for the viewer, mainly thanks to Toshio Furukawa's excellent voice work.
In terms of Oshii's later career, a lot of his tendencies can be traced back to this formative work. Namely, his eye for detail and preference for dialogue instead of action. Plus, his visual direction is as excellent as you'd expect, giving us striking compositions and engaging framing. Yet, this is at the same time the least Oshii-esque film in his career, since it comes across as less of an Oshii film, like with Ghost in the Shell and Angel's Egg, and more of a Oshii-directed Patlabor film.
Even so, whether you're an Oshii newbie or an Oshii expert, a Patlabor newbie or a Patlabor expert, there's definitely something for you here. And who doesn't want to see giant robots duking it out, anyway?
Anime spectacular
plonkman14 August 2006
While I was only about 12 when I first saw this movie, I think it is fair to say that I initially enjoyed the ending scenes (aboard the Ark)due to the labour action- and because of this, I wasn't quite as keen on the second one.
It's a film that hits on many levels- younger audiences will enjoy it for the robots, while more mature viewers will become wrapped up in the cunning, socio-political plot with more twists and turns then a labour wiring diagram.
Make of it what you will, everyone will see something differet but either way, its 100 minutes well spent.
It's a film that hits on many levels- younger audiences will enjoy it for the robots, while more mature viewers will become wrapped up in the cunning, socio-political plot with more twists and turns then a labour wiring diagram.
Make of it what you will, everyone will see something differet but either way, its 100 minutes well spent.
Not quite there yet
KaZenPhi3 December 2020
You could get mecha anime cheaper by the dozen back then, but I found Patlabor did enough to distinguish itself from its contemporaries with a slightly more humorous tone, character focus and interesting storyline that it deserves to be watched more.
This is an early effort by author/director Mamoru Oshii who only a few years later would finally strike gold with the all-time classic Ghost in the Shell. Here he already portrays a lot strengths as a director but also that he still had some growing to do. Patlabor the movie is full of tropes of late 80s early 90s anime, which I view fondly having grown up with them, but even decades later they are used creatively enough that they shouldn't diminish anyone's enjoyment here. In fact the visual style is one of the movie's greatest assets, as the wonderfully hand-painted backgrounds blend in well with the mecha action in the foreground. There are some striking images that remind you why anime was starting to take over the West at that time. Whether it's anime, sci-fi or videogames of this era, the japanese graphic artists were really several years ahead of the pack.
On the story level there's also a lot more detective work and character development being shown than in other japanime of the time. Admittedly this could have used some trimming as the middle drags on quite a bit. At about ten minutes shorter Patlabor would move a lot brisker and more smoothly. It is thus not quite the classic it could have been. Still, it was interesting to see early forays into philosophical and technological elements of Ishii's stories he would later expand and improve upon. Can't wait to watch the second one.
This is an early effort by author/director Mamoru Oshii who only a few years later would finally strike gold with the all-time classic Ghost in the Shell. Here he already portrays a lot strengths as a director but also that he still had some growing to do. Patlabor the movie is full of tropes of late 80s early 90s anime, which I view fondly having grown up with them, but even decades later they are used creatively enough that they shouldn't diminish anyone's enjoyment here. In fact the visual style is one of the movie's greatest assets, as the wonderfully hand-painted backgrounds blend in well with the mecha action in the foreground. There are some striking images that remind you why anime was starting to take over the West at that time. Whether it's anime, sci-fi or videogames of this era, the japanese graphic artists were really several years ahead of the pack.
On the story level there's also a lot more detective work and character development being shown than in other japanime of the time. Admittedly this could have used some trimming as the middle drags on quite a bit. At about ten minutes shorter Patlabor would move a lot brisker and more smoothly. It is thus not quite the classic it could have been. Still, it was interesting to see early forays into philosophical and technological elements of Ishii's stories he would later expand and improve upon. Can't wait to watch the second one.
Great Sci-Fi/Detective fiction!
Sonahf18 June 2002
I was fortunate enough to come across this video early in my exploration of Japanese animation. It was also the first video where I began to take notice of the greatly different pacing that the Japanese have in terms of plot & character developement. This is a story about a scientist that commits suicide after creating a virus that will eventually cause giant robots known as Labors to malfunction and lay waste about them. (Labors are manned, humanoid machines used in heavy lifting, construction and peacekeeping (domestic & military) tasks.) The action is split between the policemen who struggle to contain the destruction as the first infected Labors begin to malfunction and a pair of detectives who painstakingly retrace the dead doctors last steps before his suicide. If you're looking for something to cut your anime teeth on that's not too outlandish.. I highly recommend this video!
The Lack of Patlabor is Ignorance
jacobdiamse4 December 2015
Warning: Spoilers
The movie Patlabor: The Mobile Police is an animated film about a world where robotic machines have been invented to help ease the work load in the labor department and as well used for policing. Soon into the movie you'll learn that the robots start to act on their own and cause destruction in their paths. This brings in the case of "who" is responsible for this and "why" this is happening in the first place, which helps bring in the backbone and understanding of the main problem in and of itself.
Now you're probably wondering why I gave this movie such a low rating right? Compared to great anime series such as Death Note and Code Geass (although these are TV series) which also has the same investigation-type story to it, Patlabor comes nowhere close. What these other two anime's do so well and what Patlabor lacks is the bringing in of the "why" and "how", leaving necessary hints throughout the films, which gives a mind-blown/adrenaline rush when everything that's happened and happening finally clicks. Death Note does a fantastic job at explaining on the go of the intentions and plans being put forward, and if information is left out, it will explain it soon after on why things happened the way they did. Code Geass does very well with explaining the mysterious power behind it and how it works exactly. Sadly these key elements are nowhere to be found in Patlabor.
A typical "robot malfunction" story just done in a different way, which in some aspects actually reminded me of the I Robot film starring Will Smith. However the issue in which I soon came to realize is the drastic lack in given information and explanation for situations that arose. One simple example of this is the dry story of the villain (Hosha)--and I say dry because they really don't give you any information on him--in which you find out he's the one who started the malfunctions. But if you think they'll give a background story you'll be disappointed, neither are his motives explained when it comes to "why" he planted viruses in the machines. You'll understand quite vaguely that (spoiler alert) the reason behind the robots defections are due to a program the creator (Hosha) pre-installed. Kind of like a virus that goes off when activated by a specific situation, with this a certain wind velocity did the trick (which also wasn't explained).
Looking from this perspective you might be disappointed, or it might just be me. But going from this angle while watching this film you might now notice the overall lacking of information given, and this is just one scenario. This movie however just doesn't do a good job in bringing explanations into play, which help push the story along.
Besides the fact that there are sequels to this, there still needs to be an understandable plot and story without the help of its sequels. But alas there isn't, and because of this Patlabor: The Mobile Police shouldn't be on one of your top lists of anime films to see, there's so many animated series/movies out there that has a lot more in store for you than this.
Now you're probably wondering why I gave this movie such a low rating right? Compared to great anime series such as Death Note and Code Geass (although these are TV series) which also has the same investigation-type story to it, Patlabor comes nowhere close. What these other two anime's do so well and what Patlabor lacks is the bringing in of the "why" and "how", leaving necessary hints throughout the films, which gives a mind-blown/adrenaline rush when everything that's happened and happening finally clicks. Death Note does a fantastic job at explaining on the go of the intentions and plans being put forward, and if information is left out, it will explain it soon after on why things happened the way they did. Code Geass does very well with explaining the mysterious power behind it and how it works exactly. Sadly these key elements are nowhere to be found in Patlabor.
A typical "robot malfunction" story just done in a different way, which in some aspects actually reminded me of the I Robot film starring Will Smith. However the issue in which I soon came to realize is the drastic lack in given information and explanation for situations that arose. One simple example of this is the dry story of the villain (Hosha)--and I say dry because they really don't give you any information on him--in which you find out he's the one who started the malfunctions. But if you think they'll give a background story you'll be disappointed, neither are his motives explained when it comes to "why" he planted viruses in the machines. You'll understand quite vaguely that (spoiler alert) the reason behind the robots defections are due to a program the creator (Hosha) pre-installed. Kind of like a virus that goes off when activated by a specific situation, with this a certain wind velocity did the trick (which also wasn't explained).
Looking from this perspective you might be disappointed, or it might just be me. But going from this angle while watching this film you might now notice the overall lacking of information given, and this is just one scenario. This movie however just doesn't do a good job in bringing explanations into play, which help push the story along.
Besides the fact that there are sequels to this, there still needs to be an understandable plot and story without the help of its sequels. But alas there isn't, and because of this Patlabor: The Mobile Police shouldn't be on one of your top lists of anime films to see, there's so many animated series/movies out there that has a lot more in store for you than this.
An inventive movie set in an alternate future...
prowl-78 October 2006
This movie is widely considered a masterpiece. The story is set in an alternate history where by the late 90's Japan is using large robots called "laborers" in the Military, but also in municipal functions like construction, and especially, the Police.
Something is causing laborers in Japan to go berserk and reject human control, sending them on a rampage. It's up to the people of Special Vehicles Section 2 to discover the cause before it's too late! Some may be disappointed by the fact that the laborers for which the title gets it's name aren't featured in every single scene: this film is not about constant fighting and action, though the action scenes that do exist are very well done and fascinating. Because this is more of a crime/mystery movie instead of hardcore action, people with different tastes may not enjoy it as much.
This was the first anime movie I ever saw and it got me hooked with it's completely original story and lovable characters and robots! Certainly an animation masterpiece!
Something is causing laborers in Japan to go berserk and reject human control, sending them on a rampage. It's up to the people of Special Vehicles Section 2 to discover the cause before it's too late! Some may be disappointed by the fact that the laborers for which the title gets it's name aren't featured in every single scene: this film is not about constant fighting and action, though the action scenes that do exist are very well done and fascinating. Because this is more of a crime/mystery movie instead of hardcore action, people with different tastes may not enjoy it as much.
This was the first anime movie I ever saw and it got me hooked with it's completely original story and lovable characters and robots! Certainly an animation masterpiece!
incredible animated movie
Yonhap S11 September 1999
Japanese animation has become very popular in the past few years. Somehow, it also gained the notoriety for "extreme" sex and violence, though it's a misconception that all Japanese animation is about that. Yet, animation in general is viewed as a kids only fare.
I recommend anyone to watch Patlabor: the movie. It has a very mature storyline. When I mean mature, I meant well-thought out story that can leave you thinking.
In the future, giant industrial utility robots called labors are used throughout Japan. Those in the law enforcement department use labors called Patlabors (patrol labors). Lately, there are reports of labors running amuck on its own. From this point we follow the heroes in a detective like story.
There are no nudity, violence is pretty tame compared to your half-hour dose of Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers (a series also a byproduct of Japan, I know but I'm not here to discuss my distaste for the Rangers) TV show. What we have is a straight-forward mystery as the story unravels what is going on. It also explores about man and technology and how it's like the Tower of Babel in biblical literature.
The movie is based on the tv show and comic. I only got to see a few episodes of the show. The movie, like the show, do not have the robots dominating the story, thus focusing more on the human characters. Watching the movie, I almost feel like I'm watching a PG/PG-13 live-action movie. Akira and Ghost in the Shell also have a deep story in them, it's not as involving perhaps they were covered so much cinematic effects (and sex and violence?). Patlabor blew me away in that it successfully simply told an honest-to-goodness story without being covered in so much effects.
The verdict: 5 of 5 stars.
I recommend anyone to watch Patlabor: the movie. It has a very mature storyline. When I mean mature, I meant well-thought out story that can leave you thinking.
In the future, giant industrial utility robots called labors are used throughout Japan. Those in the law enforcement department use labors called Patlabors (patrol labors). Lately, there are reports of labors running amuck on its own. From this point we follow the heroes in a detective like story.
There are no nudity, violence is pretty tame compared to your half-hour dose of Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers (a series also a byproduct of Japan, I know but I'm not here to discuss my distaste for the Rangers) TV show. What we have is a straight-forward mystery as the story unravels what is going on. It also explores about man and technology and how it's like the Tower of Babel in biblical literature.
The movie is based on the tv show and comic. I only got to see a few episodes of the show. The movie, like the show, do not have the robots dominating the story, thus focusing more on the human characters. Watching the movie, I almost feel like I'm watching a PG/PG-13 live-action movie. Akira and Ghost in the Shell also have a deep story in them, it's not as involving perhaps they were covered so much cinematic effects (and sex and violence?). Patlabor blew me away in that it successfully simply told an honest-to-goodness story without being covered in so much effects.
The verdict: 5 of 5 stars.
An intelligent manga movie that makes you wish the TV series was shown in Britain
marktreut3 December 1999
Isaac Asimov meets Akira in this detective-oriented science-fiction Japanese Manga film. Set in the near-future, Tokyo is undergoing a huge re-development program: old suburbs are being demolished and man-made islands are being constructed in Tokyo Bay. Most of the work is being done by giant man-operated robots called Labors. Labors are prone to go out of control and cause chaos, so units of the Police force have been set up to deal with them. These units, divided into squadrons, also use giant robots to tackle the out-of-control Labors. Asuma Shinohara is a sergeant in Second Squadron, who discovers that the crazy behaviour of the Labors is due to a bug in their operating system which was deliberately put in by Eiichi Hoba, the OS programmer. Hoba has since committed suicide confidant that his plan to destroy Tokyo will take effect...
Patlabor is typical Manga with plenty of action and violence, but also a good deal of appeal and characters. These range from Asuma, quick-tempered and insubordinate, but a good detective; Captain Goto, the quietly manipulative commanding officer; and Officer Noa Izumi, Asuma's long-suffering, child-like colleague-cum-girlfriend, who ultimately saves the day.
Patlabor is typical Manga with plenty of action and violence, but also a good deal of appeal and characters. These range from Asuma, quick-tempered and insubordinate, but a good detective; Captain Goto, the quietly manipulative commanding officer; and Officer Noa Izumi, Asuma's long-suffering, child-like colleague-cum-girlfriend, who ultimately saves the day.
Lethal BORE...
Sigmund23 October 1999
Here is what happens: the movie starts with 10 mins of nice action scenes; the movie ends with 30 mins of very nice fighting scenes; in between, there are 60 mins of deadly boring static uninterrupted dialogues that will make you wonder what the hell the director wanted to demonstrate with this! I usually appreciate static scenes, but this is way too much!
My suggestion: see the start, then skip forward, then see the end. Or get something else.
My suggestion: see the start, then skip forward, then see the end. Or get something else.
Great movie
kendotec-13 March 2009
I started watching this not expecting too much. I was very pleased when the story turned out to be very tense and the characters quite believable. It was at all time a very entertaining movie, the score consisting of various types of acoustical underlay blended in harmonically with the visual art.
Even though the animations look a little aged, they still did not disappoint me. I liked the high degree of details that was put into almost everything. I was surprised several times of the awesomeness, for instance when the rescue-team reaches the arc that lays in the dark. The atmosphere of that particular scene reminded me strongly of "Alien" which is also a very good movie I might add).
There were some humorous parts as well that nicely rounded the mood of an otherwise sinister animemovie which I have to consider one of the best ones I've seen.
I recommend it to everyone who in the slightest likes anime 9/10
Even though the animations look a little aged, they still did not disappoint me. I liked the high degree of details that was put into almost everything. I was surprised several times of the awesomeness, for instance when the rescue-team reaches the arc that lays in the dark. The atmosphere of that particular scene reminded me strongly of "Alien" which is also a very good movie I might add).
There were some humorous parts as well that nicely rounded the mood of an otherwise sinister animemovie which I have to consider one of the best ones I've seen.
I recommend it to everyone who in the slightest likes anime 9/10
"Patlabor: The Movie" (1989) review...
dee.reid6 August 2014
(I saw this one first back in the summer of 2006.)
It must be said that widely acclaimed Japanese animation (Anime') director Mamoru Oshii is one of the most distinguished personalities in all of Anime'. His most famous work - and my personal favorite film of his - is 1995's "Ghost in the Shell" (which gained added popularity in the United States and around the rest of the world for its apparent influence on "The Matrix" and its sequels).
Before "Ghost in the Shell," though, he was probably most famous for his work on the "Patlabor" series of films, which were adapted from a popular Manga (Japanese comic) and TV series - both of which Ishii himself co-created (based on original concepts by Yuuki Masami), alongside longtime collaborator Kazunori Ito and several others. The first in the series was 1989's "Patlabor: The Movie." While a little confusing at times, I got through it with little difficulty. The story itself is engaging, but I actually save my best praises for this film's darker, superior, politically-charged and mature 1993 sequel, "Patlabor 2: The Movie."
"Patlabor: The Movie" is set in Japan in the late '90s (the then-future), where mankind is aided in everyday tasks (like construction work) by "Labors," giant robots that are operated by specially trained humans. They are also used extensively in military and law enforcement duties; the series focuses mostly on the "Patrol Labors" ("Patlabors") that are being used by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police force.
The plot gets moving when the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's 2nd Special Vehicles Section (SV2) begins investigating a series of incidents where Labors of differing size and operations begin malfunctioning all across the city. The young SV2 operative Asuma Shinohara, alongside female SV2 pilot and close associate Noa Izumi, suspects that a new operating system (OS) that had recently been installed to over 80% of the labors in the city, is what is causing the malfunctions. The OS was written and designed by Eiichiro Hoba - who committed suicide just five days before the story begins - with the intention that all Labors installed with the program deliberately malfunction if a series of specific conditions are met (like high winds generating low-frequency sound-waves all across the city, for example). The now-deceased Hoba had become obsessed with the Babylon Project - a series of man-made islands in the Tokyo Bay area, and its nerve center the Ark (Hoba's fixation was on the obvious biblical allusions to the Ark, as in Noah's Ark) - and specifically targeted the Labors involved in its construction.
"Patlabor: The Movie" is quite an early achievement from Mamoru Oshii and shows many of his trademark filmmaking signatures that would become more apparent over the course of his career. The numerous biblical references; the deep, involving plot and colorful, multi-dimensional cast of characters; the moody, atmospheric score by frequent collaborator Kenji Kawai; and philosophical musings about technology run amok in the then-future all appear here. It's an astounding piece of animation, though as I stated earlier, it's not as good as its darker, more mature and plot-heavy sequel "Patlabor 2: The Movie."
8/10
It must be said that widely acclaimed Japanese animation (Anime') director Mamoru Oshii is one of the most distinguished personalities in all of Anime'. His most famous work - and my personal favorite film of his - is 1995's "Ghost in the Shell" (which gained added popularity in the United States and around the rest of the world for its apparent influence on "The Matrix" and its sequels).
Before "Ghost in the Shell," though, he was probably most famous for his work on the "Patlabor" series of films, which were adapted from a popular Manga (Japanese comic) and TV series - both of which Ishii himself co-created (based on original concepts by Yuuki Masami), alongside longtime collaborator Kazunori Ito and several others. The first in the series was 1989's "Patlabor: The Movie." While a little confusing at times, I got through it with little difficulty. The story itself is engaging, but I actually save my best praises for this film's darker, superior, politically-charged and mature 1993 sequel, "Patlabor 2: The Movie."
"Patlabor: The Movie" is set in Japan in the late '90s (the then-future), where mankind is aided in everyday tasks (like construction work) by "Labors," giant robots that are operated by specially trained humans. They are also used extensively in military and law enforcement duties; the series focuses mostly on the "Patrol Labors" ("Patlabors") that are being used by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police force.
The plot gets moving when the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's 2nd Special Vehicles Section (SV2) begins investigating a series of incidents where Labors of differing size and operations begin malfunctioning all across the city. The young SV2 operative Asuma Shinohara, alongside female SV2 pilot and close associate Noa Izumi, suspects that a new operating system (OS) that had recently been installed to over 80% of the labors in the city, is what is causing the malfunctions. The OS was written and designed by Eiichiro Hoba - who committed suicide just five days before the story begins - with the intention that all Labors installed with the program deliberately malfunction if a series of specific conditions are met (like high winds generating low-frequency sound-waves all across the city, for example). The now-deceased Hoba had become obsessed with the Babylon Project - a series of man-made islands in the Tokyo Bay area, and its nerve center the Ark (Hoba's fixation was on the obvious biblical allusions to the Ark, as in Noah's Ark) - and specifically targeted the Labors involved in its construction.
"Patlabor: The Movie" is quite an early achievement from Mamoru Oshii and shows many of his trademark filmmaking signatures that would become more apparent over the course of his career. The numerous biblical references; the deep, involving plot and colorful, multi-dimensional cast of characters; the moody, atmospheric score by frequent collaborator Kenji Kawai; and philosophical musings about technology run amok in the then-future all appear here. It's an astounding piece of animation, though as I stated earlier, it's not as good as its darker, more mature and plot-heavy sequel "Patlabor 2: The Movie."
8/10
Typical Mamoru Oshii crap, nothing special here
TooKakkoiiforYou_3213 April 2021
If you want a convoluted storyline and a continuous bashing of christianity over your head until you convert under the skin of a technically excellent animation, give it a go. This is the last time I give this director any interest from my part. NOT RECOMMENDED.
And if you really you dig religious-themed mechas, check out Ideon by Tomino, at least it less pretentious and FAR less over-your-head than the usual standard of this director (Ghost in The Shell I'm looking at you too).
And if you really you dig religious-themed mechas, check out Ideon by Tomino, at least it less pretentious and FAR less over-your-head than the usual standard of this director (Ghost in The Shell I'm looking at you too).
Just not my kind of thing.
Jeremy_Urquhart4 March 2024
I didn't think Patlabor was disappointing from a technical perspective, but boy did I find it boring. I wasn't really able to latch onto anything when it came to the characters, narrative, or even themes. It kind of meandered along and had what was, on paper, an interesting premise which. But to me, that premise didn't feel very well-explored. What I was left with was some good animation and an overall satisfying aesthetic (I don't think any anime movies from the 1980s look bad, or at least I haven't seen any that do), but much of this was dry and not very engaging. It's hard to call it bad exactly, and it's even harder - obviously - to call it terrible, but I don't really see the appeal here, beyond how Patlabor looks and sounds.
Crazy Robots!
bt26tvr927 June 1999
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