Kidou Keisatsu Patlabor 2 the Movie

Both GitS and Patlabor 2 are Mamoru Oshii films. Both have a slow, thoughtful tone and very cleverly crafted plot, with less action than your average sci-fi, but neither falls at all short once it does kick off the action. 

Kenji Kamiyama's mentor and the man most responsible for 'Ghost in the Shell' as we know it, Mamoru Oshii, was asked for his ideas when season two of 'Stand Alone Complex' was first being conceived. The end result was essentially a remake - with edits - of another of Oshii's movies: Patlabor 2. Both Patlabor 2 and SAC2 share an equal parts interesting and gripping premise: an attempt is made to orchestrate a Japanese civil war by a third party for their own interests, and as the crisis escalates, the core cast of main characters from both series find themselves as the only ones aware the situation is being manipulated by a puppet master. In Patlabor the civil war is between the Japanese military and police; in SAC2 it's between the Japanese and three million Asian refugees (following fictional World Wars III & IV) given a Japanese island as their refuge.  read more 

both worked on by Mamoru Oshii both slow, understated political dramas both mix action and thoughtful aspects 

Both are slow paced, conspiracy themed and well grounded Mecha anime that raises question about war and one's role in it. 

Both takes place in the not too distant future and both have a story that makes you actually believe that such a future is not too far fetched. Both have a solid story that makes you think about the world the characters live right now and how you can relate to the world now. 

This series is a dystopian science fiction story that explores themes of identity, free will, and the nature of humanity. It features a complex and thought-provoking story with well-developed characters, similar to Patlabor 2. 

Like "Macross Plus Movie Edition," "Patlabor 2: The Movie" delves into political intrigue and the relationship between humans and machines. 

I think Fang of the Sun Dougram and the Patlabor franchise are the most realistic mecha shows ever made. They show a very realistic use of mecha, and a realistic mecha design, very humans characters, and a focus on political aspects. Patlabor 2 is the most similar to Dougram thanks to the serious tone, more politics than usually in the franchise, and the war themes.  

This series explores themes of identity and reality in a similar way to Patlabor 2, but in a more abstract and surreal manner. It follows a young girl named Lain who becomes obsessed with the Wired, a virtual world that is interconnected with reality. 

Both feature a group of police officers who try to unravel an invisible conspiracy that threatens Tokyo. Taiho Shichau takes a goofy approach, while Patlabor is much more grounded and contemplative. 

Two stories that engage with the idea of "the spectacle," and the violence that both fuels and is hidden by capitalism and progress. 

Two classic examples of 90s war/political/military anime - with a rarity for the 90s - an actually decent English dub! If you loved the plotting and scheming of The Silent Service combined with a super-serious military style, Patlabor 2 is well worth checking out too. 

both have a political story about war and peace 

Both Patlabor 2 and Gasaraki are quite tonally and thematically similar. Both are realistically grounded mecha shows that explore notions surrounding the integration of mecha into the JSDF. In addition, both shows portray mecha combat fairly realistically and plausibly. Plot-wise, the two depict frightening actualisations of martial law and nationalist groups that seek to restructure and re-establish political and social power throughout Japan. Both, enveloped in a dense, socio-political climate of civil unrest and political quagmire. Those who enjoy tales of domestic terrorism, grandiose ideology, political thriller or giant robots, in general, will surely find one of these two shows refreshing and intellectually stimulating.