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Mobile Police Patlabor
機動警察パトレイバー (Kidō Keisatsu Patoreibā)
Demographic	Shōnen
Genre	Comedy, Drama, Thriller, Mecha, Police, Science Fiction
Manga
Author	Masami Yūki
Publisher	Shogakukan
Other publishers: Kabuto Viz Communications (Dropped) Star Comics
Serialized in	Shōnen Sunday
Original run	1988 – 1994
Volumes	22
OVA: Patlabor the Original Series
Director	Mamoru Oshii
Studio	Studio Deen
Episodes	7
Released	1988-04-25 - 1989-06-25
Movie: Patlabor the Movie
Director	Mamoru Oshii
Studio	Studio Deen
Released	1989-07-15
Runtime	100 minutes
TV anime: Mobile Police Patlabor
Director	Naoyuki Yoshinaga
Studio	Sunrise
Network	TF1 Etc...TV Magic Kids Italia 7 and Italia Teen Television Fox Kids Brazil RPN-9 ImaginAsian TV and Anime Selects
Original run	1989-10-11 – 1990-09-26
Episodes	47
Light novel
Author	Kazunori Itǒ (1) Michiko Yokote (2-5)
Publisher	Fujimi Shobō
Published	October 1990 – October 1993
Volumes	5
OVA: P Series
Director	Mamoru Oshii
Studio	Studio Deen
Episodes	16
Released	1990-11-22 - 1992-04-23
Movie: Patlabor 2 the Movie
Director	Mamoru Oshii
Studio	Production I.G.
Released	1993-08-27
Runtime	113 minutes
Light novel: Tokyo War
Author	Mamoru Oshii
Publisher	Fujimi Shobō
Published	April – May 1994
Volumes	2
Movie: WXIII: Patlabor the Movie 3
Director	Takuji Endo, Fumihiko Takayama
Studio	Triangle Staff → Madhouse
Released	2002-03-30
Runtime	102 minutes
Movie: Mobile Police Patlabor Minimum
Director	Mamoru Oshii
Studio	Production I.G
Released	2002-03-30
Runtime	14 minutes (#1) 12 minutes (#2) 12 minutes (#3)

Patlabor (a portmanteau of "patrol" and "labor") refers to Mobile Police Patlabor (機動警察パトレイバー, Kidō Keisatsu patoreibā^?), a manga franchise created by Headgear, a group consisting of director Mamoru Oshii, writer Kazunori Ito, mecha designer Yutaka Izubuchi, character designer Akemi Takada, and manga artist Masami Yūki. The manga received the 36th Shogakukan Manga Award for shōnen in 1990.^[1]

The popular franchise included a manga, a TV series, two OVA series, three feature length movies, and a short film compilation, named Minipato (ミニパト, Minipato^?) because of its super-deformed drawing style. The series has been adapted into video games and licensed products from OST to toys. Patlabor is known for using mecha - designed by Yutaka Izubuchi - not just for police or military purposes, but also for industrial and municipal jobs.

Contents 1 Storyline 2 Characters 3 Release history 4 List of Productions 4.1 Mobile Police Patlabor (1988-1989, OVA, 7 episodes) 4.2 Patlabor the Movie (1989) 4.3 Patlabor: The TV Series/Mobile Police Patlabor (1989-1990, TV, 47 episodes) 4.4 Mobile Police Patlabor P-Series (1990-1992, OVA, 16 episodes) 4.5 Patlabor 2 the Movie (1993) 4.6 WXIII: Patlabor the Movie 3 (Wasted 13) (2001) 4.7 Mobile Police Patlabor Minimum: Minipato (2002, 3 short films) 5 List of Labors 6 Licensing 7 References 8 External links

The story takes place in what was, at the time of release, the near future of 1998-2002. Robots called "Labors" are employed in heavy construction work. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police has its own arsenal of Patlabors to combat crimes and deal with accidents involving Labors. The story arcs usually revolve around Tokyo Metropolitan Police Special Vehicle Section 2, Division 2. Noa Izumi is the main protagonist of the series, but all of Division 2 play roles.

The feature films follow separate continuities, referred to as the "movie timeline" and the "TV timeline." The different OVA series follow either the movie or TV timelines.

Main article: List of characters in Patlabor

Mobile Police Patlabor began in 1988 as a 6 episode OVA series, along with a serial written and drawn by Masami Yuki in Shogakukan's Shonen Sunday Comics to help promote the OVA. The OVA was later translated into English by VIZ Media. A 7th OVA episode was added afterwards to help promote the first Patlabor movie in 1989. Soon after the first movie was released, a 47 episode TV series directed by Naoyuki Yoshinaga was released. The storyline from the TV series was completed in a 16 episode OVA which began after the TV series finished. This OVA ended in April of 1992, and a second movie was released in August of 1993. Work on another OVA was started in 1994, and this OVA evolved into the third movie, which was released in 2002. During the same time, "Mini-Pato" was released in theaters, playing before the third movie.

The first two Patlabor movies are directed by Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell) and produced by the venerable development house Production I.G (Ghost in the Shell, Blood: The Last Vampire) with music from Kenji Kawai (Ghost in the Shell). The movies are more serious than the other productions, which are generally comedic.

With the exception of episodes 5 and 6, this is a comedy series with some action and drama mixed in. This starts the movie timeline.

Main article: Patlabor: The Movie

The plot follows a string of incidents involving labors going berserk. The reasoning for it is unknown and it's up the team from SV.2 to figure it out. This film continues the movie timeline.

Main article: Patlabor: The TV Series

The TV series features an alternate telling of how Section 2 was formed. Most of the series is comedy, but it still features quite a bit of action and drama. The main story arc involves the Griffon Labor. This begins the TV timeline.

This series is also referred to as OVA 2. Most of the episodes are placed in various points throughout the TV timeline. There are several episodes in the OVA series that takes place after the end of the TV series, including the conclusion to the Griffon storyline.

Main article: Patlabor: The Movie 2

Terrorists attack Tokyo and it's up to the Patlabor Special Vehicles 2nd Division to stop them. This movie has similar premise to episodes 5 and 6 of the original OVA. This movie has a very philosophical and political edge to it, and continues the movie timeline.

Main article: WXIII: Patlabor the Movie 3

A monster has been feeding on Tokyo Bay. Two detectives are on the case. This is a side story to Patlabor, and takes place in the movie timeline, between the other two movies. It is based on a part of the manga and has a similar premise to a story in the original OVA series. WXIII's actual release date is 2001, as it premiered in a film festival that year. However, public release was made the following year to coincide with the release of Minipato.

Minipato consists of three parts, each part 13 minutes in length. It is an adjunct to the Patlabor anime series. Along with Patlabor WXIII, it is the last hurrah of the universe. Minipato was screened in Japanese cinemas before the start of Patlabor WXIII in such a way that, to see the complete series, you had to see WXIII three times.

The animation style uses a combination of paper puppets and CGI, with a claymation sequence in the first episode. It is a comedic look at Patlabor with intentional parodies of it and other mecha anime. Featured in each episode is a dog with a resemblance to Mamoru Oshii.

Police Labors:

• MPL-96 Asuka (Shinohara Heavy Industries)
• MPL-97S Python (Shinohara Heavy Industries)
• AV-98 Ingram (Shinohara Heavy Industries)
  • AVS-98-I Ingram (Shinohara Heavy Industries) Ingram economy model
  • AVS-98-II Ingram (Shinohara Heavy Industries) Ingram Mark II mass production prototype
• AV-98T Dolphin/Doafun (Shinohara Heavy Industries, Training Labor for AV-98 Ingram operators)
• AV-X0 Zero (Shinohara Heavy Industries, Prototype, designated AVR-0 in the Manga)
  • AV-0 Zero Peacemaker (Shinohara Heavy Industries, Descendent of AV-X0)
• AV-02 Clash Buster (Shinohara Heavy Industries)
• AV-02T Lehrer (Shinohara Heavy Industries, Training Labor for AV-02 Clash Buster operators)

Military Labors:

• AL-97B Samson (Hishii Industries)
• ARL-99 Helldiver (Shinohara Heavy Industries) Japan Ground Self Defense Force Paradrop Labor(parachute-deployed)
• HAL X-10 (JGSDF prototype, four legged, Tank Labor, Manufactured by Shinohara Heavy Industries and Hishii Industries)
• RADHA (UN Military Labor, six legged)
• AL-97S Improved "Hannibal" (Hishii Industries)
• Type-7 "Brocken" (Shaft Industries Europe, West Germany Military Labor)
• M5 Abraham (Shaft Industries USA)
• Type-R13EX "Phantom" (Shaft Industries Japan, Test Type Military Labor)
• Type-J9 'Griffon' (Shaft Industries Japan, Experimental Military Labor)
• Attack Labor L00 Doshka (Kronstadt Tank Works / Leningrad Science Academy, Russian four legged military Labor [Also called X-99 Ivan])

Fire and Rescue Labors:

• CRL-98 Pyro-Buster (Hishii Industries)
• ARV-99 Rescue Labor (Shinohara Heavy Industries)

Civilian (Industrial) Labors:

• ASUKA-SSL96 Taisyo (Shinohara Heavy Industries)
• HL-96 Tyrant 2000 (Hishii Industries)
• HL-97 Bulldog (Hishii Industries)
• TFV-97 EX "Crabman Hi-Leg" (Shinohara Heavy Industries, four legged)
• HL-98 Hercules H-21 (Hishii Industries)
• ML-98 Celkee/Selkie H-10 (Hishii Industries)
• ASV-99 Boxer (Shinohara Heavy Industries)
• HL-99 Rex 2500 (Hishii Industries)
• SOV-9900S SeaView

Other Labors:

• SRX-70 Saturn (Shaft Industries)
• Ghamborgini (Italian speed model, parody of Lamborghini)
• Seadog

All of the Patlabor productions have been released in the United States in some form, except for most of the manga. All the movies have been translated into English and are available in stores in Region 1, 2 & 4 DVD format. Both the entire TV series, and the 2 OVAs are available on DVD in Region 1.

The TV series and OVAs were released in the U.S. by Central Park Media. The first two movies were released by Manga Entertainment, but later remastered and re-released in 2006 by Bandai Visual. The third movie (along with "Mini-Pato") was released by Geneon Entertainment (formerly Pioneer). Twelve sections of the manga have been translated and published by Viz Communications as single issues and in two trade paperbacks, but later dropped the manga before completing it.

Mini-Pato is available on DVD in regions 1, 2, and 4 in the Limited Edition Patlabor WXIII DVD packages.

In 2006, Bandai Visual's Honneamise label re-released the first two movies on DVD in North America with extensive bonus features, and Beez entertainment handled distribution in the UK. Madman has the distribution rights for the movies in Australia and New Zealand.

• Patlabor (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
• Mecha profiles at MAHQ
• Patlabor technical site