anime.mikomi.org - Kidou Keisatsu Patlabor (1990)

Title:	Kidou Keisatsu Patlabor (1990) Patlabor New OVA Series Patlabor: The New Files
Overall:	Rent
Keywords:	1992, Acquired Taste, Action Comedy, Mecha, OVA, Sci-Fi, Sequel
Notables:	Animation - HEADGEAR CHIBA Shigeru FURUKAWA Toshio IKEMIZU Michihiro OBAYASHI Ryunosuke OSHII Mamoru SAKAKIBARA Yoshiko TOMINAGA Miina
In the late 20th century, tremendous advances in robotics led to the development of the "Labor". Replacing slower, less versatile industrial equipment, the Labor was also capable of inflicting mass destruction. Virtually unstoppable by conventional police units, the labor quickly became the weapon of choice for terrorists, criminals, and seriously disturbed sociopaths. To fight these criminals, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department established the "Special Vehicles, Section 2," comprised of specially designed Patrol Labors--"Patlabors". [OVA, 1990-92, 16 episodes, 30 min; this is the second of two Patlabor OVA series, copyrighted in Japan in 1992 and in the US in 1996; see also: Kido Keisatsu Patoreba, Kidou Keisatsu Patlabor Gekijouban, Kidou Keisatsu Patlabor (TV), Kidou Keisatsu Patlabor 2 the Movie, WXIII Kidou Keisatsu Patlabor (2002 Movie), MiniPato (2002 Movie)]

Overall	Reviewer

Rent 4	Stretch	#
Kidou Keisatsu Patlabor (1990) After a break of around two years the highly popular Patlabor TV series was revived as an OVA series. The story picks up right where it left off. The awesome and mysterious Labor known as the "Griffon" is back. Though defeated in the exciting final episode of the TV series, it wasn't clear whether it had been completely destroyed, and the bad guys were still at large (did Captain Goto LET them go?). A rematch is in order. Though different artwork on the VHS boxes initially had me suspecting that this series might not live up to the standards of it's predecessor, the animation has actually improved a little. Also, I think the writing has gotten slightly better. Don't miss the episode in which the men of SVD2 try to track down a terrorist bomber in a bath house--possibly my new favorite of all Patlabor episodes! Another winner involves Captains Goto and Nagumo (the female leader of the 1st Patlabor section) getting caught in a storm and forced to spend the night together in a hotel suite designed for honeymooners. Goto has got to be my favorite charachter of the various Patlabor series, with his totally laid back yet sometimes mischievious personality. Anyway, everything seems virtually identical to the TV version. In fact, I suspect that more than one website has simply added the respective numbers of episodes together and consider both the TV and OVA series to be the same show. In short, more of the stuff Patlabor fans have come to love, and with the quality ratcheted up a notch. Those with the "acquired taste" for this highly unusual Mecha genre must Buy the New Files, whereas the average viewer ought to Rent (but it would be better to wait until you've seen the TV series). P.S.: Seldom does an anime series change it's OP/ED sequences more often than Patlabor: The New Files. I've identified at least five combinations from this 16 episode series! Last updated Saturday, March 20 2004. Created Friday, January 16 2004.

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