Patlabor 2: The Movie (1993)

Action, Animation, Drama /
7.5/10
84% – Audience

Patlabor 2: The Movie Storyline

A Japanese police unit who use giant anthropomorphic robots (called Labors) is caught up in a political struggle between the civilian authorities and the military when a terrorist act is blamed on an Air Force jet. With the aid of a government agent, the team gets close to a terrorist leader to stop things from going out of control when after the military is impelled to impose martial law.

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Patlabor 2: The Movie Movie Reviews

Strong, quiet characterisation… Excellent!

Director Mamoru Oshii gets it right the second time round. His penchant for deep philosophical stories is executed with the right touch of pathos and aided greatly by the superior quality of animation and more “mature” character designs.

Followers of the TV and OAV series would know that the chief of Section 2, Goto harbours a crush for chief Nagano of Section 1. However, being the stoic man that Goto is, he could never openly admit his affection for her.

The plot focuses on Nagano’s past as a brilliant student of labor tatics – and her relationship with her much older mentor.Their affair was doomed as he was a married man. The political fallout caused her high-flying career to to come to a halt and ended up with her posted to the “lowly” Special Vehicle Section 1.Her mentor took charge of a UN labor peacekeeping force which got slaughtered in the jungles due to inept commands from his superiors. He returned to Japan a changed man.

The story is a vastly superior adaptation of “SV2’s Longest Day”, one of the outstanding episodes in the first OAV series. The film is filled with poignant scenes and quiet, surreal sequences in the heart of the city that are a prequel of sorts to Oshii’s masterpeice Ghost in the Shell. Like I said, fans of the series will especially appreciate Goto’s dilemma in the closing scene.

Superior sequel to 1989’s “Patlabor: The Movie”

I have an odd history with the “Patlabor” series of Japanese Anime’ OVAs, TV shows, comics, and feature-length Anime’ films.

I saw “Patlabor: The Movie” (1989) when it was first released in a limited edition DVD set back in 2006. I had the good fortune of watching the movie over the Fourth of July weekend that year, and I must say that I remember thoroughly enjoying the picture for what it was: a detective story mixed with a strong science fiction backdrop laced with all sorts of thematic material about technology’s ascension over human beings (there is little doubt, in my mind, that the story was inspired by “Blade Runner”).

But I’ve only seen the movie once, unfortunately, which was just that one time. Now over the Christmas break 2012, I have the fortune of watching the film’s sequel, “Patlabor 2: The Movie.” If you remember, the series is set over what at that time was the future (1998-2002). The story involved large robots (called “Labors”) that were used for both construction work and law enforcement duties; the series focused mostly on the law enforcement Labors, which are called “Patrol Labors” (“Patlabors”).

Mamoru Oshii (most famous for the 1995 sci-fi cyber-thriller “Ghost in the Shell”) returns for the directorial duties of the sequel (as does Kazunori Ito on the screenplay, who also worked on the script for “Ghost”), which is set three years after “Patlabor: The Movie.” The film shifts the focus of the story from Noa Izumi and Asuma Shinohara, the plucky heroine and hero of the first movie, to Kiichi Gotoh, the understated yet calculating commander of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s 2nd Special Vehicles Section (SV2), Division #2. He and his immediate superior Commander Shinobu Nagumo attempt to investigate a series of terrorist incidents that they believe are the work of a disgruntled ex-Japanese Self-Defense Forces officer named Yukihito Tsuge. His main goal appears to be revenge for a failed United Nations Labor operation in Southeast Asia three years earlier in 1999.

“Patlabor 2: The Movie” is a very plot-heavy film with a strong political subtext meant to raise questions about Japan’s place in world affairs in the late 20th century/early 21st century. Make no mistake, this is a politically-charged Anime’ film, one that may be lost on non-Japanese audiences that addresses Japan’s role as a (forcibly) pacifist society as a result of its defeat in World War II. According to Carl Gustav Horn in the booklet for the DVD of “Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade” (1998), Tsuge’s campaign of domestic terrorism is meant to force Japan to face up to its largest “political contradiction”: Its forced rejection of war (as a result of Article 9 of the 1947 Japanese Constitution – which was written by the Allies, not the Japanese people themselves) and the fact that Japan must rely on the United States for its primary defense (as a result of the U.S.-Japan Mutual Defense Treaty of 1954). Tsuge’s plan, in effect, almost brings Japan to the brink of war. It is a troubling question, but a thoughtful one of what Japan should do to defend itself – without violating its commitment to peace (or at least within the confines of stiff Article 9 regulations).

“Patlabor 2: The Movie” is a great film, one that may not be as action-packed as the first movie, but it’s a more thoughtful picture than the first movie.

10/10

A bold and powerfully made sequel.

It’s 2002, 3 years after the events in Patlabor 1. The collapse of the United Nations Labor team in South East Asia began the build-up to form a deadly terrorist plan that threatens to send shock waves throughout Japan’s military. A fighter jet crashed into a bridge as a first sign of disaster. With evidence of an impending military takeover, the scattered members of the original Second Division must gather to defend Tokyo against any possible danger or an outbreaking war.

This is known to be the most political Patlabor anime ever made. The topics discussed in it make it feel like your watching a live action film. As well as long monologuing scenes that can be a snore. But the characters, story, and labor robots are all there.

Unlike the other Patlabor anime. This one focuses on Captain Goto, Shinobu, & Detective Matsui throughout the movie. And it’s very meaningful in war, terrorism, and politics.

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