Patlabor

Patlabor WXIII - The Movie (Ultimate Edition 3-Disc Set)

Despite its title, this theatrical feature has little to do with the mecha adventures and ensemble comedy of the popular broadcast series Mobile Police Patlabor. Inspector Shin'ichiro Hata of the Tokyo Police is assigned to investigate an unexplained series of violent and grisly deaths. Instead of the rogue mecha the Patlabor team fight, the killer is a weird, amphibious monster, the product of yet another biotech experiment gone wrong. Hata meets the beautiful scientist who created the monster--using cells from the cancer that killed her daughter. The familiar characters Noa Izumi, Isao Ota, and Captain Goto appear in brief cameos when they dispatch the mutant monster in a half-ruined stadium. Director Fumihiko Takayama tries to emulate the look and tone of Hiroyuki Okiura's Jin-Roh, but fails to generate the ominous tension that distinguished The Wolf Brigade. (Rated R: violence, grotesque imagery, profanity, tobacco use) --Charles Solomon

Patlabor 2 - The Movie

Labors are giant construction robots piloted by humans, and the Patlabor team is a mobile police force whose job is to protect the population from people who might hijack or sabotage these powerful tools. Though events of the first movie called Labor technology into question, the needs of big business outweighed the concerns of citizens, and eventually they came back into common use. The military had also begun to adopt and adapt the technology, amidst some controversy. The story picks up with a terrorist attack on a Tokyo city bridge. The suspects include Americans who want to destabilize the Japanese government, corrupt forces within the Japanese government who want to increase military spending, and Tsuge, the genius of labor technology who was misused by the government three years prior. The animation is gorgeous, particularly the cityscapes and long shots, but that's not surprising coming from director Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell). Sparkling animation would mean very little without a good story or good characters, which Patlabor 2 has in spades. At the core of the story is a quiet dialogue about the nature of peace in post-WWII Japan--how the peace has been unjust because they've ignored poverty-stricken countries in times of prosperity. Then it's back to unraveling the conspiracy and the requisite action-packed ending. These Patlabor movies are excellent, and not just for fans of anime. --Andy Spletzer

The neglected masterpiece of internationally-acclaimed director Mamoru Oshii and one of the finest Anime films ever made Patlabor 2 is completely remastered for this DVD edition. This disc features enhanced visuals together with new Dolby 5.1 surround sound for both English and Japanese. Additional ancillary materials included on the DVD were not available at press time.Set three years after the first film Patlabor 2 draws police commanders Ki'ichi Gotoh and Shinobu Nagumo into the hunt for Tsuge a rogue officer of the Japan Self-Defense Force connected with an escalating wave of terrorist attacks. But the investigation into the plot is guarded by secrets both personal and political as the awakening fear of terror in Tokyo is slowly answered by the dream-like fade of democracy into martial law. Ominous beautiful suspenseful and poetic Patlabor 2 deserves the term visionary in every sense of the word.Tokyo rush hour: the dead of winter. A terror strike from the air shatters the Bay Bridge. When news footage shows an unidentified F-16 fighter jet in the vicinity the investigation takes a darker turn as the cops of the Second Unit begin to trace the outlines of the shadowy military and political coalition behind the incident. But the conspiracy itself is out of control and what began as a gesture is becoming a game where the peace the freedom and the very lives of the people of Tokyo are at stake!Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: FOREIGN/LATIN Rating: NR UPC: 858604001035 Manufacturer No: BUDH0103DVD

Patlabor - The Mobile Police The Original Series Collection

Patlabor: The Movie

From critically-acclaimed director Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell) At the dawn of the millennium in Tokyo advanced robotic vehicles called Labors are heavily relied upon to build fortifications to project Japan from global rising sea levels. A maverick team from the Metropolitan Police led by Noa Izumi and Azuma Shinohara uncover a devilish scheme to infect Tokyo's 8000 Labors with the BABEL virus. As a powerful typhoon approaches Tokyo and the apocalyptic vision of a dead man begins the team must locate and destroy the source of the virus the giant Babylon Project Tower in the heart of Tokyo Bay before 8000 Labors go berserk! System Requirements:Running Time 100 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: FOREIGN/LATIN Rating: NR UPC: 858604001011 Manufacturer No: BUDH0101DVD

This stylish science fiction detective story bears the stamp of director Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell). "Labors" are gigantic robots used for everything from construction work to law enforcement, but a massive land reclamation project in Tokyo Bay is threatened by robots going on unexplained rampages.

Patlabor cops Noah Izumi and Azuma Shinohara are called in to investigate, and soon find themselves trying to decipher the apocalyptic visions of E. Hoba, who wrote the operating system for the Labor robots and then committed suicide. Hoba introduced a virus into the software that could affect robots all over world and cause unparalleled destruction. In abandoned slum apartments and high-tech construction sites, he left clues about what he was doing--and why. But are Noah, Azuma, and their friends clever enough to second-guess a genius? And will their superior officers accept their conclusions?

The first Patlabor feature has a darker tone and look than the previous OVA series. Oshii assumes the viewer already knows the characters, and doesn't bother introducing them. But this powerful tale of the dangers of over-reliance on technology is far superior to ordinary mecha features. The recent attacks of powerful computer viruses give the story an added relevance. (Unrated; suitable for ages 10 and older: occasional profanity and robot vs. robot violence.) --Charles Solomon

Patlabor the Mobile Police: The New Files DVD Collection

Patlabor WXIII - The Movie

Despite its title, this theatrical feature has little to do with the mecha adventures and ensemble comedy of the popular broadcast series Mobile Police Patlabor. Inspector Shin'ichiro Hata of the Tokyo Police is assigned to investigate an unexplained series of violent and grisly deaths. Instead of the rogue mecha the Patlabor team fight, the killer is a weird, amphibious monster, the product of yet another biotech experiment gone wrong. Hata meets the beautiful scientist who created the monster--using cells from the cancer that killed her daughter. The familiar characters Noa Izumi, Isao Ota, and Captain Goto appear in brief cameos when they dispatch the mutant monster in a half-ruined stadium. Director Fumihiko Takayama tries to emulate the look and tone of Hiroyuki Okiura's Jin-Roh, but fails to generate the ominous tension that distinguished The Wolf Brigade. (Rated R: violence, grotesque imagery, profanity, tobacco use) --Charles Solomon

Patlabor 2

Labors are giant construction robots piloted by humans, and the Patlabor team is a mobile police force whose job is to protect the population from people who might hijack or sabotage these powerful tools. Though events of the first movie called Labor technology into question, the needs of big business outweighed the concerns of citizens, and eventually they came back into common use. The military had also begun to adopt and adapt the technology, amidst some controversy. The story picks up with a terrorist attack on a Tokyo city bridge. The suspects include Americans who want to destabilize the Japanese government, corrupt forces within the Japanese government who want to increase military spending, and Tsuge, the genius of labor technology who was misused by the government three years prior. The animation is gorgeous, particularly the cityscapes and long shots, but that's not surprising coming from director Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell). Sparkling animation would mean very little without a good story or good characters, which Patlabor 2 has in spades. At the core of the story is a quiet dialogue about the nature of peace in post-WWII Japan--how the peace has been unjust because they've ignored poverty-stricken countries in times of prosperity. Then it's back to unraveling the conspiracy and the requisite action-packed ending. These Patlabor movies are excellent, and not just for fans of anime. --Andy Spletzer

Patlabor - The Movie (Limited Edition)

This stylish science fiction detective story bears the stamp of Mamoru Oshii, who would later direct Ghost in the Shell. Labors are gigantic robots used for everything from construction work to law enforcement, but a massive land-reclamation project in Tokyo Bay is threatened by robots going on unexplained rampages. Patlabor cops Noah Izumi and Azuma Shinohara are called in to investigate, and soon find themselves trying to decipher the apocalyptic visions of E. Hoba, who wrote the operating system for the Labor robots, then committed suicide. Hoba introduced a virus into the software that could affect robots all over world and cause unparalleled destruction. In abandoned slum apartments and high-tech construction sites, he left clues about what he was doing--and why. But are Noah, Azuma, and their friends clever enough to second-guess a genius? And will their superiors accept their conclusions? The first Patlabor feature has a darker tone than the previous OVA series, which Oshii also directed. A powerful tale of the dangers of overreliance on technology, Patlabor is far superior to ordinary mecha features.

The two books and two discs in the Limited Edition offer a model for this kind of package. The "extras" disc contains an interview with Masami Yuuki, who created the original manga, and various making-of features, including the rerecording of the film with the original cast nine years after its premiere--to take advantage of Dolby Digital technology. Oshii's storyboards have been reprinted and translated, including the dialogue and director's notes on the animation, character expressions, and camera movements. A second book presents interviews with Oshii and other artists, as well as character sketches. Of particular interest are the reference photographs of older sections of Tokyo (already slated for destruction in the late 1980s) that the artists used to make the city a presence in the film. (Rated 10 and older: occasional profanity and robot vs. robot violence.) --Charles Solomon

From critically-acclaimed director Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell) At the dawn of the millennium in Tokyo advanced robotic vehicles called Labors are heavily relied upon to build fortifications to project Japan from global rising sea levels. A maverick team from the Metropolitan Police led by Noa Izumi and Azuma Shinohara uncover a devilish scheme to infect Tokyo's 8000 Labors with the BABEL virus. As a powerful typhoon approaches Tokyo and the apocalyptic vision of a dead man begins the team must locate and destroy the source of the virus the giant Babylon Project Tower in the heart of Tokyo Bay before 8000 Labors go berserk!The Special Limited Edition is a numbered collector's edition with only 10000 created! Boasting cover art especially illustrated for this release by Yutaka Izubuchi (creator and director of Rahxephon) and includes a 2-DVD set and 2 books never before available!Disc 1:The full-length animated Patlabor The MovieJapanese and English languages with optional English subtitles (with new English translation and dubbing)Newly remastered anamorphic transfer (first US release)New authentic 5.1 channel sound (first US release)Japanese trailers and television commercialsDisc 2:"The Making of Patlabor The Movie" (Japanese language with English subtitles)Book 1: Archives (184 pages 4 color and black & white in English): * Exposition and criticism of the film (character story background artwork etc.) * Interviews with director Mamoru Oshii screenwriter Kazunori Ito mecha designer Yutaka Izubuchi character designer Akemi Takada and music composer Kenji Kawai * Key animation drawing samples with explanatory notes * And more!Book 2: Storyboard by Mamoru Oshii (300 pages with English translations) System Requirements:Running Time 100 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: FOREIGN/LATIN UPC: 858604001004 Manufacturer No: BUDH0100DVD

Patlabor - The Mobile Police, The TV Series Boxed Set (Vols. 1-4)

Masami Yuuki's serial manga Mobile Police Patlabor was set in a not-too-distant future when heavy physical work is performed by giant robots called Labors. As the robots also get involved in accidents and crimes, the Tokyo police force needs Patlabors ("Patrol Labors" elided) to handle them. The 47-episode broadcast series (actually the follow-up to a 7-part OVA) retains its freshness and good humor. Determined to succeed as a robot pilot, perky Noa Izumi joins the crew of oddballs who make up Special Vehicles Division 2: thoughtful Asuma Shinohara, no-nonsense New York Police officer Clancy Kanuka, loud-mouth Isao Ota, and understated Captain Goto. Less heroic than Gundam pilots but more serious than the Dai-Guard crew, these misfits interact in ways that suggest a comic version of Hill Street Blues.

Their assignments range from rescuing a government minister and saving an ancient tree to thwarting terrorists and guarding a winter carnival. Captain Goto observes dryly that the robots "have been called everything from jokes to money pits to piles of useless waste." But when a military experiment runs amok or a mutant monster gets loose in a forest, Division 2 is there to save the day--even if others get the credit for their work. The 18 episodes in this collection offer the combination of mecha adventure and ensemble comedy that have made Patlabor such a popular franchise. (Rated 3 and older, but more appropriate for ages 8 and older; minor violence, alcohol and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon

The adventure begins! In the not-too-distant future, girl-next-door Noa Izumi begins her job as a pilot for the police force's famous giant robots. Within days, she's faced with a pack of crazy crewmates and the adventure of a lifetime! Boxed set contains the first four volumes of this groundbreaking series.

Patlabor - The Mobile Police, The TV Series Boxed Set (Vols. 5-8)

The adventure begins! In the not-too-distant future, girl-next-door Noa Izumi begins her job as a pilot for the police force's famous giant robots. Within days, she's faced with a pack of crazy crewmates and the adventure of a lifetime! Boxed set contains the first four volumes of this groundbreaking series.