Patlabor EZY Premiere Reveals Mamoru Oshii’s Unexpected Credit as Director Yutaka Izubuchi Reacts to “Unauthorized” Speculation

The completion premiere event for Mobile Police Patlabor EZY File 1, a brand new installment in the popular Mobile Police Patlabor series set to open in theaters on May 15, was held in Tokyo on the 23rd. Voice actors Sumire Uesaka, who plays Towa Kuga, Kikunosuke Toya as Kippei Amatori, Shigeru Chiba as Shigeo Shiba, and director Yutaka Izubuchi attended the event. During the stage greeting, it was revealed that Mamoru Oshii, who has long been associated with the series, appears in the end credits under an unexpected role.

During the talk session, the cast and director shared their thoughts on the series, its characters, and highlights of the new work. Director Izubuchi emphasized, “Please make sure to stay until the very end, including the ending.” Referring to the trailer storyboard entrusted to special effects director Shinji Higuchi, he joked, “When I saw it, I felt like I had seen it somewhere before,” prompting laughter from both the stage and the audience.

Izubuchi further explained that the trailer includes a homage to Oshii’s first live action film The Kerberos Saga, noting that Higuchi commented, “This was the only idea I could come up with.” When they asked Oshii for approval through an intermediary, saying, “Higuchi has done this, is the trailer okay?” Oshii reportedly replied, “If Shinji wants to do it, that is fine.”

“Trailer Approval” Credit Sparks Laughter

With Oshii’s approval secured, Izubuchi revealed that Oshii’s name appears toward the end of the credits under the unusual title “Trailer Approval.” He humorously described it as “an impossible job title,” drawing laughter. He also shared his intention to include all members of HEADGEAR, the original creative team consisting of Masami Yuki, Yutaka Izubuchi, Kazunori Ito, Akemi Takada, and Mamoru Oshii, in the ending credits as part of the project’s new beginning.

When asked whether Oshii had agreed to having his name listed in the credits, Izubuchi responded firmly, “I do not know!” This candid answer sparked further laughter. He added, “He might say ‘What are you doing?’ when he sees it, but since he gave approval, it would not be right not to include it.”

Story Overview and Release Schedule of Patlabor EZY

Mobile Police Patlabor EZY tells the story of the Second Division facing its greatest crisis. First announced in 2017, with a pilot film revealed in 2022, the project officially launched as the “2026 Project” in September 2024. The series features an omnibus format for Episodes 1 through 6, while Episodes 7 and 8 form a continuous storyline.

The release schedule is as follows:
File 1, consisting of Episodes 1 to 3, opens on May 15
File 2, Episodes 4 to 6, opens on August 14
File 3, Episodes 7 and 8, is scheduled for March 2027

This marks the first completely new installment in the series in ten years since Mobile Police Patlabor REBOOT in 2016.

The World of Patlabor

Set in Tokyo at the end of the 20th century, the original Patlabor series depicts a world where humanoid labor machines called Labors have spread across society. Alongside their rise, Labor related crimes increased, leading to the creation of the Special Vehicles Section 2 of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, commonly known as Patlabor.

In the 2030s setting of EZY, automation driven by AI has advanced, and piloted Labors are being replaced by autonomous robots, becoming outdated. However, the mission of Special Vehicles Section 2 remains unchanged. With the AV 98 Plus Ingram, the Second Division continues to confront new forms of technological crime with intelligence and courage.

Originally launched as an original video animation in April 1988, Mobile Police Patlabor has expanded into films, manga, and television anime, achieving widespread success. Even today, long after reality has surpassed its fictional timeline, the series continues to be beloved by fans worldwide. Mamoru Oshii also directed and wrote a live action adaptation of the franchise.

Source : ORICON NEWS