Regardless of the subject matter being tackled in the individual stories, though, Patlabor‘s characters are always in the spotlight. Scenarios ranging from Labor-jacking to uncovering the existence of sea monsters are front and center throughout the 210 minute runtime, and are genuinely exciting due to the narrative diversity offered. Most of Patlabor OVA‘s episodes are one-off stories, chronicling the division’s formation on up through arcs that involve all sorts of crime-solving. While Noa Izumi is clearly the lead protagonist of the series, all of the characters play a role giving the show an ensemble cast feel. This particular division is comprised of a team of rookies that act as the show’s cast. In the OVA, there are seven episodes that revolve around the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Special Vehicle Section 2, Division 2. As a response to this matter, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police establish their own fleet of Patrol Labors (Patlabors, for short) to combat these crimes and effectively deal with incidents involving anything mech-related. Unfortunately, however, due to the increase in the civilian employment of them, Labor crime has become a real issue. But due to the rise in popularity of these machines, their use has essentially spread to various other sectors of society. Patlabor is set in the near future at a time when Robots, aptly called “Labors”, are employed in heavy construction work across the globe. Even still, that’s what gives the story and characters here such charm. The truth is, however, this is very much so a series rooted in both drama and comedy, almost in equal portions for certain episodes. To that end, the OVA series may catch some viewers off-guard: considering the seriousness of the three main films, and the fact that Mamoru Oshii of Ghost in the Shell fame is in the director’s chair, folks might expect the show to take on a somewhat brooding feel. Touted as such, because it is as such, Patlabor OVA is something akin to Law & Order, but with mechs and a dash of comedy tossed into the stew for good measure. But is it even possible for this 1988 classic to be relevant in terms of storytelling conventions and visual panache in the year 2013? Nevertheless, that hasn’t stopped Patlabor OVA from taking a swing at accomplishing the feat. It’s difficult for a 25 year old animated series to look on-par with recently released ones, what with simply lacking the aesthetic vivacity of such works being birthed in today’s high-definition industry.
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