Kidou Keisatsu Patlabor

I really like the idea of this show in theory. A great looking, character driven cop dramedy with mechs. The main problem seems to be that the series was rather short on time to execute the ideas the staff had in mind.

The first two episodes are basically just setting the tone and introducing you to the characters. A couple of the other episodes end right at what should be the climactic moment (one of these episodes, the 450 million year old trap, which is about a kaiju of all things, and represents a sudden but intriguing shift in scope and tone for the show, ... actually acknowledges how anti-climactic the ending is. The other one is episode 6, the 2nd episode of SV2's Longest Day, which is all the more disappointing because of the 2 episode buildup).

Episodes 4 and 7 are pretty charming, self contained stories that exemplify everything good about the show. Since we know the characters by now, we get right into the story, and each of these has its unique little twist on what would otherwise be a pretty straightforward narrative. They're just clever enough to hold your attention, and we get to enjoy experiencing them through the vibrant (though somewhat underexplored) characters, and with some great visuals and direction.

Episode 4 is also one of the best looking episodes. I love the overhead shot of the bath filled with "blood," and the intense use of color to create different moods throughout the episode; perhaps most notably when Shinohara is breaking down the details of the tragedy that happened at the training grounds a couple years prior for the rest of the gang, all drenched in stark amber light and bold black shadows. I also love how the whole cast is in frame for this scene, but none of the members are looking at each other as he delivers the story in somber tones.

Then there's the scene in episode 5 wherein Shinohara is sitting on the bridge, listless, alone, thinking about giving Noa a call, and we see only the trails of the red and white lights of the cars passing by underneath. I really enjoyed that whole lonely subplot of Shinohara going from place to place, spending a bit of time with some of the other members of SV2, humbled at finding they've all got their own families to spend time with on the holidays, while he hasn't really got one. Perhaps he realizes he could be a little warmer and more vulnerable with his coworkers, open up a bit more.

Just as he settles in at Noa's place, where it was rather obvious he would end up eventually despite their clashing personalities, they've gotta hit the road for Tokyo, where a rebel military faction has just tipped its hand and seized control of the city. It's great, but it doesn't leave much time to resolve the story in the next episode, which ends on that bizarre, cheesy freezeframe of the bad guy's face basically the same moment SV2 bust in to stop him.

Despite a few highlights, the series is mostly a bunch of setup that goes nowhere. You don't really get to spend enough time with the characters, who seem like a decent bunch, but they're not quite charming enough that you don't notice what shitty cops most of them make. The stories tend to end too quickly or in a none-too-satisfying fashion. There's not much more to say. There are plenty of good pieces on the board, but somehow the show fails to do much with what it's got. At least it looked great doing it.

Mecha as a genre is generally not considered to be grounded or realistic, mostly due to most mecha anime being influenced by imaginative sci-fi and the kaiju genre. Patlabor is an exception to this norm, an extremely grounded anime where the robots, named Labors, are not fighting in some epic war but serving in plenty of tasks to the general public.

In this OVA, the spotlight in set onto the formation of the SV2 Unit, a small patrolling unit entrusted with preventing and stopping any malicious or irregular use of the Labor units. The setting is clearly inspired by Japan during the 80s, rampant bureaucracy ... and rapid technological advancements leaving space for inefficiency and corruption. The SV2 team is formed by a mismatch of younger and inexperienced personnel and seasoned yet jaded veterans, facing the challenge of using the unfamiliar Patrol Labors (or Patlabors) to fulfill their rather unpredictable duties. Noa Izumi, a rookie fascinated by Labors, is tasked with most of the piloting of the Patlabor and is arguably the protagonist of this OVA.

The first few episodes are spent introducing Noa and her SV2 coworkers, having them deal with threats of local terrorism and investigation. Humor is always present during these first episodes, cartoony expressions and witty conversations are used to establish the group´s dynamics and sets a slightly lighthearted tone for the majority of the series. Even though these episodes serve their purpose of building character dynamics, the excessive use of humor somehow overshadows the worldbuilding and critique of bureaucratic organizations, feeling more like satire than a series of its own.

After properly introducing the SV2 Unit, the anime takes a much serious tone and deals with stronger threats and themes such as insurrection and internal covers up. The political commentary is very present in these episodes being deeply intertwined with the plot developments. The group finally acts like a serious unit during these arcs, facing an important conspiracy and unveiling the truth behind it.

In the animation department, the OVA has detailed 80s style animation, having varied and expressive character designs. The Labors and other mechanical vehicles are well animated, the titular Patlabor itself having a very distinct and appealing mechanical design with fluid human-like movements. Even though not many action scenes are present in the series, the action animation is very dynamic and visually engaging. Tokyo and other locations are accurately represented with rich backgrounds and detailed street signs, a visual feast for fans of the late Showa era aesthetics.

In general, this Patlabor OVA is a decent introduction to the Patlabor franchise. The early introduction episodes can feel like a drag even for a short series but later episodes are good enough to make up for it, especially for fans of political intrigue. I can only recommend this series to fans looking for something grounded and realistic with political commentary, this anime is more akin to a police drama than to a regular war setting mecha.

I actually quite like the bait-and-switch idea of setting up the mecha thing and instead doing a lighthearted slice of life comedy instead, but I feel like the OVA doesn't really have the runtime to do the idea justice. I think to get that stuff to work you need to have a lot of space for characters to develop and play off of each other in a bunch of different scenarios and pairings. There just isn't enough time here to do that, but it does make me think the anime could well be pretty decent actually, as long as you go into it knowing what ... you're getting.

Kidou Keisatsu Patlabor is definately a compitent anime , and it does things good , but it scarcely excells at any of them . Nothing here is really noteworthy because it either feels like you have seen those things done before , or they feel really underwhelming in the execution .
The main idea for the story sounds really intriguing . A world where mecha are so common in everyday life , that crime specifically centered around these mecha called Labors naturally occurs , so a police force to combat those crimes with Labors of their own is formed . However there is little labor ... crime for a show centered around it .
The first episode was a pretty straight forward introduction to this world and the characters . The second episode did not feaature any particularly exciting labor scene but it was okay . The third episode was a straight up Godzilla reference -which is entirely played for laughs- and it ends very anticlimactically , a very weird tonal shift for the show , and this early too ! The fourth episode I actually really liked for the message it tried to push and it really fit the show . Episodes 5 and 6 are a two parter that is everything i wanted from this show and it delivers ... up until it doesn't , because it ends so abruptly with no closure at all , leaving me dissapointed . The final episode is just okay .
The characters have good foundations , but i honestly cannot tell a single noteworthy thing about them , and besides Noa , i cannot remember any other name ... Pity , because throughout this short show you can see that they make a fun bunch and you just want to spend more time with them .
The art is very good even for its time . The labors are sleek and stylish , and i love that kind of mecha design . The animation tends to lean a bit on the static side of things , but most of the time and where there is action or intense character reactions happening , it is really fluid and stylish . It has that 80s anime edge that i am all in for .
The soundtrack is really rocking and i admire it for that . I wouldn't necessarily say it is memorable , however when you hear it you just can't help but bop your head . The oppening theme is okay , not the kind of music I would listen to , but not bad .
Overall , I would say that this anime , unfortunately is just wasted potential , and believe me , I say it with sadness , because I can see something working here , and I really want to cherish it , but i just can't . I hear there is a trilogy of movies that follow this OVA , so I hope I like those a lot more ...