Patlabor - The Mobile Police The TV Series (Vol.1)

Amazon.com

In the not-too-distant future, heavy construction work is performed by giant robots called "Labors"; the robots also get involved in accidents and crimes, so the Tokyo police force needs "Patlabors" (an elision of "Patrol Labors") to keep them in check. Masami Yuuki's Mobile Police Patlabor began as a serial in the Shounen Sunday Comics and was adapted to a seven-part OVA in 1988. The subsequent 47-episode broadcast series proved so popular, additional OVAs and two features followed. The television program has a more upbeat tone than moody features, and despite a slower pace, it retains the freshness and good humor that won it so many fans. Although the heroine of the show is perky Noa Izumi, a young officer determined to succeed as a robot pilot, the stories focus on the interactions of the crew of oddballs who make up Special Vehicles Division 2. Noa's partners include the thoughtful Asuma Shinohara, no-nonsense New York police officer Clancy Kanuka, bigmouth Isao Ota, and understated Captain Goto. This ensemble playing suggests a sci-fi version of Hill Street Blues. Unlike their counterparts in other mecha series, the Patlabor pilots are not always seen as heroic. Captain Goto observes 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. Unrated; suitable for ages 8 and up; robot versus robot violence. This collection contains the first five episodes: 1. "Ingram Animated," 2. "Kanuka Appears," 3. "Speed Vehicles Department 2," 4. "Goto Demon Mountain!" 5. "Labor X-10, Out of Control!" --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

Patlabor-Lost.......2003-11-23

This is a series with an extremely good plot fair animations,and good sound. It is the perfect example of a good series that never caught on in the states.
It centers around a police force that uses robots or mobile suits (for you gundam folk)to upholod the law. The plot revolves around the funding of the station relations and of course the fights between villians.

Fantastic.......2001-10-12

It's difficult to say exactly why I rate this so high. I highly recommend Patlabor to anyone who likes giant robot movies, but even more so I recommend it to those who don't, those who think that all giant robot movies have to be the same. It's not true here. The labors take a back seat to the characters really giving them time to develop and grow on you. I can hardly wait for volume 2. Well worth it.

The Start of Something Good..........2001-08-20

If you have had a chance to see the Patlabor theatrical features, you should definitely check out the series in order to better understand what the fuss is all about. Patlabor didn't get the recognition it deserved in North American over other worthy series, because it was not very well promoted and badly represented as a "mecha-action" show. This couldn't be further from the truth of what this program had to offer. The movies, while technically brilliant, were more about the ideas and less about what made the show so popluar overseas, namely storytelling and character development. Shows such as Neon Genesis Evangelion and Dominion, even Love Hina can trace many of their thematic and character development roots back to this wonderful show where mecha takes a back seat to the world which Headgear (the creative group responsible for the show) creates. In a sense, it's real success was in part due to the believability which they lent to the whole giant robot genre by popluating it with regular people who happen to use large machines in everyday life. The basic premise is at the end of the 20th century, newer more efficient construction methods needed to be developed, and robots were employed to fulfill this role. As a result, the number of crimes committed using these robots, or "labors", resulted in the need to create a special detatchment of the police force to deal with labor related crime. This is the premise in which we are introduced to Tokyo's newest section of the Special Vehicles Department and their crew: a crazy mix of personalities. Once you watch the show, there is bound to be at least one character you recognize from your own life, or maybe even yourself. From the regular folks who inhabit the Patlabor environment, to the cops, the construction workers, the media and their pets, everything is included and as the show comes to a close, it forms a wonderful symmetry which is rare on television. The show is the perfect set-up for the more political and philosophical approach of the movies which has been criticized for being boring; but try the series, and you won't be dissapointed. As far as I'm concerned, Patlabor was the last show that had anything interesting to offer with giant robots, and was the final word in the genre.

One of the best TV shows of the 90's........2001-08-08

Ryushi2000.......2001-07-20

From Manga comes the TV series version of Patlabor:Mobile Police. This series shows the life of Noa Izumi, who is the main character, as well as one heck of a labor pilot in the year 1999. In this world, all the mechs are called "labors"(weird isn't it?) and these are used in many everyday roles such as construction vehicles, military weapons, and they are even in the police to stop "labor" crimes in cities. The first volume in the series is an introduction for the characters, and the funny introduction of Noa with her future labor, the Ingram. All in all, Patlabor is full of funny antics by the different characters, and is packed with enough action to make any anime fan proud. I also like it in the fact that you don't have to be a hardcore anime fan to understand the story. After just the first episode you'll get a very good idea of what is going on in the world of Patlabor.

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

Average customer rating:

Wonderful
Good 1980's anime that stands the test of time
Excellent content, but so-so DVD transfer
One of the very first series I followed while in Japan

Patlabor - The Mobile Police, The TV Series Boxed Set (Vols. 1-4)
Starring: Mîna Tominaga , Toshio Furukawa , Michihiro Ikemizu , Yô Inoue , and Issei Futamata
Director: Naoyuki Yoshinaga
Manufacturer: Us Manga Corps Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000844HV
Release Date: 2003-02-11

Amazon.com

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

Description

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.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful.......2005-10-19

I was surprised to find that I really enjoyed this anime. I've been trying to open myself up to watching anime that haven't been created recently and Patlabor was one of the older series I decided to watch. I did not expect the animation to be as solid and appealing as it turned out to be. I think it was the opening sequence that really sold me on the character designs. None of the designs are over the top, so you get a sense of a down to earth type of storyline. The opening and closing songs are catchy enough and actually quite enjoyable once you get used to them. If you are expecting flashy looking mecha designs and some kind of deep meaningful storyline you're going to be disappointed. Patlabor's main focus is on the character development and how the different personalities bounce off each other. Patlabor is what Dai-Guard tried to be but failed miserably. If you don't need philosophical ramblings, elaborate mecha battles and colorful character designs to feel entertained you will enjoy this show.

Good 1980's anime that stands the test of time.......2005-03-12

The Patlabor series, produced in the late 1980's, is a series about a division of the police force in what was then the future (the late 1990's - early 2000's) that used large mechs/robots (called "labors") to deal with crime involving other mechs. The division, however, is filled with all sorts of oddball characters. The main character is a very cheerful, very willful young policewoman named Noa who loves her mech. The other characters include an overzealous, gun-happy yet somewhat incompetent career policeman; a placid but overly tall policeman who grows tomatoes; a mild, hen-pecked husband who occassionally reveals an explosive temper; an incredibly serious, hard-driven policewoman; and a laid-back yet cunning and mysterious captain.

The series is generally comedy mixed with some mech battles and other action scenes. The first three episodes introduce all of the principle characters; subsequent episodes place the characters in various situations, including playing host to dignitaries, saving a whale, saving people from burning buildings, and investigating monster stories. Many of the episodes focus on humorous personal stories, such as an arraigned marriage or a team trip to go drink sake, that are sometimes more entertaining than the mech battles themselves. Other stories, however, can become more serious; for example, episodes 10 and 11 focus on a mysterious military mech called "Phantom" that black-market arms dealers decide to test in Tokyo.

Since the series is relatively old by anime standards, the animation is not as smooth or as stylized as many newer series. Nonetheless, the animation is still reasonably good. A few of the details in some of the storylines are out-of-date; for example, one story discusses a defector from the now-defunct Soviet Union, and another story refers to mechs made in "West Germany". Despite this, the anime series is still very entertaining.

The subtitled version of this series is fine. The dubbed version, however, sounds awful; the English-speaking voice actors are poorly matched to their characters, and some of the background music is altered.

So, in conclusion, this is a great series even for casual fans of Japanese animation. Everyone will find this series funny. However, people who watch anime dubbed rather than subtitled should not watch this version of the series!

Excellent content, but so-so DVD transfer.......2003-10-11

Patlabor is certainly one of the best series of its time. You'll find some great characters here, along with memorable episodes of both drama and comedy. Don't go into this expecting a lot of giant robot battles and explosions, though. Patlabor has a few of those, but this series is mostly about the people, not the robots. If you like character-driven anime, this is the series for you.

The first few episodes of this DVD set aren't quite the best Patlabor has to offer, but the series finds its feet very quickly, so much so that this set has some of the best of the 47 episode run of this series. The two-part plot of "Eve's Trap" and "Eve's Shudder" will please action fans, and "Ota's Afternoon of Puzzlement", "You Win!", and "Captain Goto is the Target" are some of the funniest episodes of Patlabor. The rest of the episodes on the disc are also great.

The DVD transfer is just about average, though. There aren't many obvious video or audio errors, but the menus are a bit lacking, and the extras are weak. The subtitles are also slightly off. They miss almost all of the onscreen text, making a few scenes hard to understand if you can't read Japanese. Unfortunately, this DVD version is also saddled with a terrible English dub. As if overacting and cheesy delivery weren't enough, most of the actors can't seem to properly pronounce the characters' names. A real shame, especially considering the sterling quality of the original Japanese voice acting. Be sure to watch this one with subtitles!

All in all, I give this DVD set 5 stars for content, and three for presentation. It's too bad that Central Park Media didn't spend more time on the production for these DVDs... but this set is still the best way by far to see this classic series, so don't hesitate to buy.

One of the very first series I followed while in Japan.......2003-03-06

I was a senior in high school when Patlabr debuted in 1989, and I really enjoyed it! So havng the boxed set for sale brings backs some great memories. The "Midnight Blue" edning theme song in particular rocks.

Amazon.com

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

Customer Reviews:

Finally, a quality release for a classic film.......2006-04-28

This is the way "Patlabor 1" _should_ have been treated in an English-language release. This film is the foundation of Mamoru Oshii's signature style, which would be perfected in "Patlabor 2" and then reach international attention with the later "Ghost in the Shell" and "Innocence" features.

The new translation of the dialogue offers far more detail than the old version from the late '90s by Manga Entertainment, Bandai Visual USA seems to have really wanted to make a mark with this first release for the new company, and they achieved this.

The film itself is a classic Oshii blend of philosophy and action, based upon the characters he helped introduce with the "Patlabor: The Original Series" OVA, but turning the focus of the show from the adventures of the Patlabor cast to an introspective look at where Tokyo (and humanity in general) was heading. Many elements were far ahead of their time; today threats of killer computer viruses are common; all of us deal with them in our email accounts, but in 1989 the internet was in its early public infancy, and the idea of someone creating a virus to spread death and destruction was a fantastic concept. The fact that humanity's inventions could so easily be taken from their pure helpful purposes and turned to nefarious ends was a relatively new idea, one which challenged the prevailing viewpoint that humanity would only be helped and assisted by its new technological creations.

This release sets a new standard for how high-profile titles should be released, and I hope that it is a precedent that will be followed commonly. The documentaries on the extra disc were a little underwhelming compared to the standards set by Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" or even the well-conceived and excuted making-of documenatries that came with Pioneer/Geneon's "WXIII: Patlabor 3" special edition release.

But the 184-page Patlabor Archives book is a treasure for those interested in how and why "Patlabor 1" turned out the way it did, detailing much of the history of the film, why it is so different in tone from the Patlabor OVAs and TV series, and the innovative ways that Oshii used to turn the city of Tokyo itself into one of the central characters of the film. I read the entire booklet before watching the new version of the film, and it changed the way I viewed the movie, made me far more conscious of the social commentary that is in fact one of the film's central themes.

The storyboard is another gem for those who are interested in the process of how an idea for a film is translated into a finished work, and even glancing through it made me more conscious of some of the finer details in the film, things which are so subtle that they may escape detection even after multiple viewings, but because they were specifically laid out in the storyboards were deliberately placed to enhance some aspects of the film.

Is this Limted Edition of the film necessary to enjoy the picture? No, it's not. Get the new version of the basic movie if all you're interested in is a great thinking-man's movie with a few heart-pounding action sequences thrown in for variety's sake (it _is_ a mecha anime on the surface, after all). The basic film of this Bandai Visual USA version is far superior to the old Manga Entertainment one; if you already own that, you might consider picking up this one, anyway, because this translation mentions an awful lot of details that were left out of Manga's version. But the Limited Edition's special features will probably only be of interest to the devoted anime and Patlabor fans, for its illumination of how the anime industry and Mamoru Oshii actually work.

The downside of this, for those who have been following Patlabor for a long time, is that this is the fourth complete English-language cast for the Patlabor characters, a result of four different companies having been responsible for releasing this over time (Manga Entertainment doing the original versions of the first two movies, US Manga Corps doing the OVAs and TV Series, and Pioneer/Geneon doing WXIII: Patlabor 3).

STRENGHT LIES IN ITS ORIGINAL COMPLEX STORY.......2005-10-10

I have a small collection of anime which is growing exponentially now, thanks in part to my renewed interest in the genre after viewing this film. What seperates this from many anime is it unique use of the Mecha of "Labors" in its plot, instead of just the same robot battle fair that we've all seen. The movie does not centure around action but around the actual story and the characters as they work together (and sometimes against each other) to solve the big mystery in time to stop the terrible threat to Tokyo and possibly the entire world.

For once an anime that is NOT an action film...completly.......2004-10-22

I need to start by saying I have not watched anything but the Patlabor Movies so I have no clue what the series is all about. I also need to say that I bought this film on the heels of watching Macross Plus, my favorite anime EVER, and was expecting an action mech film. Boy was I suprised.

The first time I watched this, I literally fast forwarded through most of it to get the the action. Imagine my dismay when I got there and there seemed to be NONE! I threw down the movie in disgust and left.

Weeks later my friend who got me into Anime saw it and asked to watch it. I told him I thought it was crap but why not. This time...I actually watched the movie and I was blown away with its deep story, amazing imagination and palpable theme of discovery and mystery. For plot line and story, look at the other reviews, I'm just here to give opinion.

Patlabor uses Labors, or mecha, not as show stealing engines of destruction but as obvious evolutions of police enforcement. As such, there is no flashy gundam style energy exchange or more deliberate destruction of the mechwarrior fame. But what you do get is a deep plot of industrial espionage, mysterious dissapearences and a suprisingly realistic look at what future law enforcement would actually look like, detective work too.

In the end, I realized that all anime need not be about amazing action. Patlabor has a pretty good action scene towards the end but that is not why I suggest this movie. I say watch this because it shows what anime can also bring to our DVD players. A well written, well studied movie that would probably crash at the box office because everyone expects it to shoot stuff.

PATLABOR 1 THE MOVIE ROOLZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2003-02-13

this is a smart mecha tronic movie
i like azuma shinohara and noah izumi
this is a brilliant movie,even though i did not see the series
they say the 'd' word a few times but this movie is so cool!

Proof Manga Entertainment just doesn't make the effort! Bad!.......2002-06-13

This is a typical hackjob by Manga Entertainment , they have the licensed dvd release but don't buy it b/c it is damaged goods before you the consumer even view it! There are two specific parts in the beginning and towards the climax of the film that are technically show OBVIOUS damage and carelessness on the part of inspection prior to dvd duplication.

FOr those of you who already own the dvd or are renting it, test these times on your dvd and you will understand why this reviewer is highly disappointed in Manga's poor job on dvd that should've been anything to the contrary.

@ 3:12 after the attack helicopter zooms in you will see a full screen of UGLY pixellation. This crap was NOT on the VHS release by Manga. They failed to catch it and fix it.

@ 1:08:40 after Asuma says "We're going to sink the Ark", you see the mechanics prepare SV2 Labors and the carriers for armored protection and adding aquatic gear to the carrier. Here you will notice a break in sound and freezing of the frame. This too was NOT on the VHS release. Once again Manga failed to check their masters BEFORE sending them to replication.

Does anyone else feel that this is utterly unacceptable for a professionally licensed product? If I wanted damage or an otherwise less than stellar product I should've just bought the VHS copy since it will degrade with viewing.

These flaws should NOT be on any dvd. I mean come on, a dvd should be flawless! Crap, any damage prior to mastering the dvd is unacceptable. I recommend anyone who has this dvd and tests for these defects, WRITE to Manga Entertainment, maybe if enough consumer demand it they will actually check their copy. But one thing that cannot be denied Patlabor Movie 1 DVD is a damaged product, do NOT buy it until it is fixed by Manga Entertainment.

Do not buy this dvd for Patlabor the Movie 1 UNTIL the people at Manga who hold the license, get off their duffs and FIX the technical problems! As previously stated there are two glitches which include a horrible full screen pixellation and a freeze frame and break in sound and play! This is unacceptable for any dvd, especially anime where every frame is noticable. THis is a excellent story made bad by technically fixable problems, but Manga failed to do so. IF you own this already test the areas and see for yourself!

Average customer rating:
Patlabor Mobile Police - The New Files (Vol. 1)
Starring: Patlabor-Mobile Police
Manufacturer: Us Manga Corps Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Patlabor - The Mobile Police: The TV Series, Vol. 10

ASIN: B0009H97LM
Release Date: 2005-07-12

Amazon.com

Masami Yuuki's Mobile Police Patlabor has remained popular since the manga was first animated in 1988. In the near future, huge robots called Labors perform heavy physical work; as the robots sometimes get involved in accidents and crimes, the Tokyo police need Patlabors (an elision of "Patrol Labors") to handle the problems. The New Files continues the adventures of Noa Izumi and misfits of Special Vehicles Division #2. Executives from the industrial giant Shaft have created Griffin, a prototype mecha with potential military uses. To demonstrate its capabilities, they stage a series of incidents in Tokyo that potential customers can witness from high-rise hotels. Division #2 has to tackle the powerful black mecha, despite budget shortages and legal restrictions on their activities. Fans of the earlier versions of Patlabor will enjoy seeing Izumi, Ota, Kanuka, and Goto back in action. (Rated 13 and older: robot vs. robot violence, brief nudity, tobacco use) --Charles Solomon

Description

Noa always dreamed of piloting a giant robot for the police. Now, that dream is a reality, and Noa is a member of an elite unit that specializes in solving robot crimes. When terror strikes in the form of the giant black robot, the Griffin, Noa and her team must ready their biggest guns to defeat this mechanical monster! Contains Episodes 1-4.

DVD:

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