Cinematic Point Of View

There is no era of anime I love more than the 1980s. I love the hand-drawn finesse and detail. The smoothness. Something about the explosions and lights and character design back then. It’s beautiful.

A few months ago I started trying to go through the Patlabor films and TV series. I had never seen any before but run across so many clips over the years and felt really drawn to it. It’s not a show that was available in the US when I was growing up. Heck, it seems like it’s still not available over here really. I had to order individual DVDs of most everything.

So let’s talk about Patlabor – The Mobile Police: The TV series.

Patlabor – The Mobile Police: The TV series is a 47-episode anime series set in a near-future Japan where mechs called “Labors” are commonly used for industrial work, like a super charged forklift, and law enforcement purposes. The show follows the Special Vehicles Section 2, a small but scrappy police unit that handles Labor-related crimes.

I’m trying to watch the franchise in production order and, so far, this is my absolute favorite incarnation of Patlabor.

Why I Like It

There is a lot I like about this series. That characters for starters.

Noa Izumi – She’s the main character in a way. Full of energy and excitement and passion for her job as a Labor pilot. She LOVES Labors, especially her own she calls Alphonse.

Asuma Shinohara – He’s Noa’s teammate and the loose cannon of sorts. The son of a Labor manufacturer, he’s smart and sarcastic but actually does care about everyone. You’d think he was spoiled but he’s not.

Kiichi Goto – He’s the super chill and cool-headed Captain. Very laid back but he’s always got a plan that’s boiling under the surface and cares deeply for his team.

Kanuka Clancy – She’s transfer from the NYPD and a smooth customer. Confident and capable. Very skilled and very disciplined. She puts on a hard defensive shell but she’s soft on the inside.

Isao Ota – He’s the hotheaded gun crazy comedy relief. Always ready to fight. Blows up at the slightest thing. Insecure but very capable at his job. Like everyone on the team, he’s got a big heart.

Hiromi Yamazaki – He’s the classic gentle giant. Big, quiet, and kind. Loves to work on his vegetable garden and enjoys his job. Another great character that’s easy to like.

Mikiyasu Shinshi – He’s the family man and computer expert. Generally very polite and quiet but can easily explode. Devoted to his wife who is very, very demanding and seemingly watching from a distance. They are typical co-dependent couple.

I love all these characters that make up the core team. There are plenty of interesting folks that come and go and mix things up, but over 47 episodes but these are the rocks. They feel like partners, siblings, parents or cousins. It’s a great little family they form.

I love how laid back the show is. Episode plots can range from removing a humpback whale from Tokyo Bay to disarming terrorist bombs to even encountering ghosts in a mansion. Most episodes are very slice-of-life.

Even the action scenes aren’t very actiony. Situations are usually resolved in unremarkable ways. I would imagine that’s not everyone’s cup of tea but for me this year, it’s been the perfect speed of anime.

I love the opening theme song and animation too. It gets stuck in my head. I like it so much I had to track down a CD copy on Ebay.

While some of the episodes do explore themes of corporate corruption and the dangers of automation, Patlabor isn’t really trying to hammer home any grand message. It’s generally just got a sweet, simple, upbeat vibe that leaves you feeling good. Do your best. Be nice. Work together.

These are ordinary people doing a regular job, a thankless job, that they don’t really feel qualified for sometimes. This feels like real life to me.

And speaking of real, you have the Labors themselves. The show treats mechas like the tools they are and would likely be used by a company, criminal, or government organization.

There are plenty of giant robot action shows out there. While there is some mecha action, generally speaking, this isn’t that show.

So if you really enjoy realistic mecha, light-hearted character-driven stories, with a mix of action and humor, Patlabor – The Mobile Police: The TV series is a hidden gem worth tracking down and watching!