Patlabor 1

The Movie

Review by Matthew Anderson

Movie

Company: Manga Entertainment

Running Time: 100 minutes

Region: 1

Rated: PG-13 for action and violence

EXTERNAL EXAM

By 1999, giant robots called Labors were being used for construction and military applications all over the world. The Tokyo Police Department created their own labor force, Special Vehicle Division 2, to combat rogue labors. SVD 2 has been very busy as of late. Labor crimes have been on the increase. It seems to be tied to the installation of a new operating system called H.O.S.

Conducting his own investigation, Captain Goto of SVD 2 quickly learns that the chief programmer of H.O.S. , E. Hoba, had a plan that will bring Tokyo to it's knees.

Now, the members of SVD 2 have very little time before thousands of rogue Labors decimate the city.

DVD VISION TEST

VIDEO: Decent, better than the video release. The colors are clearer and the image sharper although, there are some light moments. There is some light artifacing on images with a solid color. While there is film grain and specks, these are from the source material. Some cleaning up would have been nice.

AUDIO: Well done for both the English 5.1 and the Japanese Dolby 2.0 track. The English track has a fuller sound, but the Japanese language track is louder in volume. On both versions, the sound is crisp and rich, full of surround sound during the action elements.

EDITS: The Japanese titles on the open and close have been changed to English credits. No edits to the movie has been made.

EXTRAS: A collection of Manga trailers. Not really extras.

WIDESCREEN REVIEW

STORY: This is a mystery, plain and simple. Despite the futuristic setting, Kazunori Itoh's script could actually happen. It's a cautionary tale about the ever expanding abilities of man, and why ignoring the past can lead to your destruction. Those who are expecting some of the hijinks of the OVA may be a little disappointed.

ACTING: It's a toss up between the two. Both casts are excellent, although the Japanese cast is just a notch or two better. The Japanese actors have been with these characters for a while, so they are familiar with how the characters behave.

FAN SERVICE: The return of the popular Kanuka Clancy, as well as some of the references to the OVA's make up the fan service. There is absolutely no nudity of panties in Patlabor.

FINAL EXAM

I love a good mystery. I love Patlabor, in all its forms (OVA, TV, movie). So, when you combine the two, and have them directed by the Mamoru Oshii, you have one of the best movies ever made.

Patlabor was created in 1988 by manga writer Masami Yuuki. Joining with Director Mamoru Oshii, Maison Ikkoku writer Kazunori Itoh, Char's Counter attack mecha designer Yukata Izubuchi, and Akemi Takeda as character designer, they formed Headgear. With this anime-all star team, they created a series that appealed to everyone. Realistic mecha designs, human drama, and strong directing all helped make Patlabor and instant classic. The movie is the culmination of all their efforts.

Part of Patlabor's appeal is how close the world of tomorrow (or the past as it is now 2003) is so close to the world of today. With the exception of the Babylon Project and Labors, the Tokyo we see is pretty much exactly the Tokyo of today. You will find giant skyscrapers next to dilapidated old buildings, next to shrines, next to parks. People still use kerosene heat, grow a garden where ever they can, and they get rid of anything they don't need. As they say, the closer a movie is to the real world, the more you can identify with it.

I was quite impressed with Kazunori Itoh's knowledge of Western religion, and how he uses it. I also love his sense of irony, that an "act of God" could not only destroy Tokyo, but save it as well. He also understands the Japanese psyche, and how the conflict between ignoring their past, and plunging headlong into the future can cause a theological dichotomy.

The script also makes you wonder what would happen if someone who made a computer virus, capable of infecting everything it touches, and could bring about the destruction of a city. With the recent rash of worm programs, it's a little bit chilling.

With any great story, you need great animation, and Patlabor delivers. With the work of Studio Deen, the motion is fluid, the level of detail is superb, and the style is all Mamoru Oshii. The Labor combat scenes are quite realistic, and will leave you gasping for breath.

While I enjoy the acting of the English cast, some economy with the ADR script would have been nice. It seemed like someone was constantly talking, generating a "wall of sound" that got on my nerves. While "localizing" of the dubs usually doesn't bother me, it did with this movie. At times it made the lines seem out of the place, and thus the reading was a little stilted.

Patlabor The Movie is truly a modern classic, made by a team on top of their game. With it's great animation, memorable characters, and though-provoking ideas, this is one that needs to be on your anime shelf.

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