It was announced on January 20th that the new anime Mobile Mobile Police Patlabor Mobile Police Patlabor EZY, based on the popular Mobile Police Patlabor series, will consist of 3 chapters and 8 episodes, with the first chapter set to hit theaters on May 15th. Chapter 2 will be released on August 14th, and Chapter 3 in March 2027. Sumire Uesaka will play Kuga Towa, the pilot of Ingram Unit 1, and Kikunosuke Toya Toya will play Amatori Kippei, the commander of Ingram Unit 1.
The production of "Mobile Police Patlabor EZY" was announced in 2017, with a pilot film released in 2022. In September 2024, it was announced that the project would begin in 2026. The new series is set in Japan in the 2030s, a time of declining labor force and increasing automation through AI technology. Labors, once cutting-edge technology, have become an integral part of social infrastructure. Standalone labors piloted by humans are increasingly being replaced by autonomous robots, becoming obsolete. Even as times change, the Special Vehicle Section 2's job remains the same: to protect people and the city. The Second Platoon, along with the AV-98Plus Ingram, a tuned-up version of the outdated Type 98 AV Ingram, will use their wisdom and courage to confront new technology-based crimes.
Episodes 1 to 6 are self-contained anthologies, while episodes 7 and 8 are continuous stories. Chapter 1 will feature "The Trend is #SecondPlatoon," "Delusions in the Leisure Time," and "The Real Thing is the Best," Chapter 2 will feature "Wine and Bullets," "Asaki Yumemishi," and "Survival of Love," and Chapter 3 will feature "Toy Land: Part 1" and "Toy Land: Part 2."
The film will be directed by Yutaka Izubuchi, a member of the legendary creative group "HEADGEAR" that worked on "Mobile Police Patlabor" and who was in charge of mechanical design, with Kazunori Ito, also from "HEADGEAR," in charge of the script and series composition, and the animation will be produced by JCSTAFF.
Director Izubuchi commented, "I didn't originally intend to take on the role of director, but I'm having a lot of fun working on it. I wondered how 'Patlabor' would be received in this day and age, but with this film I went back to the basics and made each episode self-contained, aiming for 'Patlabor' to be a series of spin-off episodes rather than a mainstream one. I'm proud that the finished product will not disappoint everyone who feels that this approach is what makes 'Patlabor' so appealing."
Uesaka, who plays Kuga Towa, said, "I will be playing the role of Kuga Towa in 'Patlabor EZY'!! To be a member of Special Vehicles Section 2, and even pilot an Ingram as a Forward...I can't believe it! It's like a dream! I participated in the recording with a sense of excitement that got my blood pumping! Please look forward to the new generation of 'Patlabor' and Special Vehicles Section 2!"
Toya, who plays Amatori Kippei, commented, "I am very happy to be able to be involved in the world of 'Patlabor,' which has been loved by so many people for so long! Although times and people have changed, the atmosphere of the Second Platoon has not. I hope that you will enjoy the anime, sometimes laughing and sometimes feeling warm inside as you watch Towa, Kippei, and the other members of the Second Platoon. Please look forward to the screening!"
The visual depicts the protagonists of "Mobile Police Patlabor," Noa Izumi and Towa Kuga, and their respective partners, Ingrams, facing each other.
Set in a near future where walking work machines called Labors have become a practical tool, "Mobile Police Patlabor" depicts the exploits of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's Special Vehicle Unit 2 (Special Vehicle Unit 2) as they fight against Labor crimes, as well as the daily lives of Izumi Noa and other members of the unit. Masami Yuki's manga was serialized in the manga magazine Weekly Shonen Sunday (Shogakukan) from 1988 to 1994. An anime TV series aired from 1989 to 1990, and the animated feature film directed by Mamoru Oshii also gained popularity. A live-action version was also produced, which generated a lot of buzz.
◇Staff and cast (titles omitted)
Director: Izubuchi Yutaka▽Scriptwriter/Series Composition: Ito Kazunori▽Original Character Design: Yuki Masami▽Costume Design Cooperation: Takada Akemi▽Character Design/Chief Animation Director: Sato Takamitsu▽Direction: Kaiho Kozo▽Mechanical Design: Kanetake Ebikawa, Ihara Toshiaki▽Display Design: Sayama Yoshinori▽Art: Kikuchi Masanori, Akiyama Yuta▽Color Design: Ito Yukiko▽Director of Photography: Okochi Yoshio▽Editing: Sendo Maki (REAL-T)▽CG Director: Moriizumi Hitoshi▽CG Production: GAZEN, JCSTAFF CG Department ▽ Sound Director: Kazuhiro Wakabayashi ▽ Sound Effects: Kaori Yamada ▽ Sound Production: Magic Capsule ▽ Music: Kenji Kawai ▽ Executive Producer: Taro Maki ▽ Producer: Yuya Machida ▽ Animation Producer: Yuji Matsukura (JCSTAFF) ▽ Animation Production: JCSTAFF ▽ Produced by: GENCO ▽ Distribution: Shochiku ODS Business Office, Bandai Namco Filmworks ▽ Production: Mobile Police Patlabor EZY Production Committee
Towa Kuga: Sumire Uesaka ▽Kippei Amatori: Kikunosuke Toya
