1979-1990 Anime Primer
Patlabor: The Movie (1989)
In the early 90s, a series of ecological catastrophes have changed the face of Japan. Giant man-operated robots called Labors were created to assist in the major reconstruction needed to repair the country’s crumbling infrastructure. Chief among these efforts is the government-backed Babylon Project, which aims to demolish decaying suburbs to make room for sturdier man-made islands in the Tokyo Bay. But beginning with the ominous suicide of a lead programmer on the project, the city is plagued by spontaneous and dangerous Labor malfunctions. With the help of the MPD, the motley crew of Special Vehicles Section 2 traces the source of the chaos down to a line of malignant code; but will they be able to disable it in time to prevent a disaster of biblical proportions? “Come, let us go down to confuse their language so they will not understand each other…”
Patlabor: The Movie is the first of two theatrical features to be made based on the popular multimedia franchise. Mamoru Oshii (Angel’s Egg, Ghost in the Shell) reprises his role as director and his influence is obvious both in the film’s glut of religious references and its skillful blend of action, intrigue, character drama and comedy. Fluidly animated and pleasing to the ear (thanks to a soundtrack by long-time Oshii collaborator Kenji Kawai), Patlabor: The Movie is Oshii’s most polished 80s work, hearkening back to his previous films while hinting at elements that would define those to come.
