Mamoru Oshii Says “Patlabor Is Slice of Life” as Yutaka Izubuchi Agrees and Masami Yuki Jokes “It Has Too Many Flaws to Be a Robot Anime”

Director Yutaka Izubuchi and the creative team behind Mobile Police Patlabor EZY agreed with a surprising comment from legendary filmmaker Mamoru Oshii during the opening day stage greeting for Mobile Police Patlabor EZY File 1 held in Tokyo on May 15.

The event featured director Yutaka Izubuchi, original character creator Masami Yuki, series composer and screenwriter Kazunori Ito, and ending theme artist Mariko Nagai.

“Patlabor Is Slice of Life”

Because the event took place after the screening, the discussion included numerous spoilers and lighthearted behind the scenes stories, drawing laughter from the audience throughout the talk.

When Mariko Nagai, who has long been a fan of Yuki and Ito, appeared on stage, the staff revealed that during the project’s early planning stages, they had already discussed wanting Nagai involved if the series were ever adapted in live action form.

Later in the event, the conversation shifted to the anime’s opening sequence. Izubuchi explained that the staff intentionally emphasized the everyday side of the Patlabor world.

“I deliberately wanted everyone to look like they were just wearing casual clothes. I think portraying the daily life of Patlabor is part of what makes the series special, so I tried to emphasize that aspect.”

Mamoru Oshii’s Unexpected Comment

MC Hidetaka Tenjin, who also created the opening illustrations for the anime, revealed that he had recently met with Mamoru Oshii.

Tenjin explained that Oshii is currently working on another robot related project, though he joked that he could not reveal the details.

According to Tenjin, Oshii suddenly said:
“This is actually my first time doing a robot series!”

Izubuchi reacted with a knowing smile and replied:
“That probably means Oshii himself never considered Patlabor a robot anime.”

Tenjin then shared Oshii’s even more surprising explanation.

“When I told him, ‘But I’m working on Patlabor right now,’ Oshii replied, ‘Oh, Patlabor is slice of life.’”

Izubuchi immediately agreed, saying:
“He’s not entirely wrong.”

Kazunori Ito followed by adding:
“I never wrote it thinking it was a robot series either.”

Masami Yuki then joked:
“If you think of it as a robot anime, it has too many flaws.”

Izubuchi concluded the discussion by confidently declaring:
“That’s why it’s different from Gundam!”

About Mobile Police Patlabor EZY

Mobile Police Patlabor EZY tells the story of a major crisis facing the newly formed Second Unit.

The anime project was first announced in 2017, with a pilot film shown at an event in 2022. In September 2024, the franchise officially launched its “2026 Project.”

Episodes 1 through 6 will follow a standalone omnibus format, while Episodes 7 and 8 will form a connected story arc.

Patlabor’s World in the 2030s

The story is set in Japan during the 2030s, where humanoid industrial machines known as Labors have become outdated due to advances in AI powered autonomous robots.

Even as society changes, the mission of Special Vehicles Section 2 remains the same. Together with the new “AV 98Plus Ingram,” the Second Unit confronts emerging technology related crimes through courage and ingenuity.

Following File 1 covering Episodes 1 through 3, File 2 covering Episodes 4 through 6 is scheduled for release on August 14. File 3, which includes Episodes 7 and 8, is planned for March 2027.

This marks the franchise’s first completely new anime project since Mobile Police Patlabor REBOOT released in 2016.

About the Patlabor Franchise

Mobile Police Patlabor originally debuted as an OVA series in April 1988. Set in Tokyo at the end of the 20th century, the story depicts a world where police robots bearing the cherry blossom emblem of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department patrol city streets.

The series follows officers from Special Vehicles Section 2 as they pilot humanoid robots known as Ingrams to combat crime.

The franchise became a hit through OVAs, theatrical anime films, manga, and television anime. Even after the real world surpassed the series’ original timeline, Patlabor has remained beloved by fans worldwide. Director Mamoru Oshii also adapted the series into live action films.

The event additionally featured a video appearance by Mori Calliope. Illustrator Hidetaka Tenjin, who worked on the opening illustrations, served as MC.

Source : ORICON NEWS