Commentary:"Mobile Police Patlabor" New Anime "EZY" Finally Unveiled, Returning to the "Patlabor-ness" Roots

A screening of the first episode of "Mobile Police Patlabor EZY," a new anime adaptation of the popular "Mobile Police Patlabor" franchise, titled "The Trend is #SecondPlatoon," was held at Musashino Public Hall (Musashino City, Tokyo) on February 14th, and has become a hot topic. The production of the new series, "EZY," was announced in 2017, and the pilot film was released in 2022. Nearly nine years after the announcement, the first episode has finally been unveiled.

◇A sense of deja vu in a good way

The new work will be directed by Izubuchi Yutaka, a member of the legendary creative group "HEADGEAR" who worked on "Patlabor" and was in charge of mechanical design, with Ito Kazunori, also from "HEADGEAR", in charge of the script and series composition. JCSTAFF will produce the anime. It will consist of 3 chapters and 8 episodes, with Chapter 1 to be released in theaters on May 15th, Chapter 2 on August 14th, and Chapter 3 in March 2027. Episodes 1 to 6 will be in an anthology format with each episode being self-contained, while episodes 7 and 8 will be a continuous story.

Various series and works of "Patlabor" have been produced, with detailed settings and stories that differ like parallel worlds. "EZY" is said to be in the same vein as the TV anime "ON TELEVISION" that aired from 1989 to 1990 and the OVA (original video animation) "NEW OVA" that was released from 1990 to 1992.

Regarding "EZY," JCSTAFF producer Matsukura Yuji said, "It has a very 'Patlabor-like' development that feels familiar in a good way, and the atmosphere remains unchanged." Izubuchi said, "This time we went back to our roots and approached it from the same perspective as Early Days."

"Early Days" is an early OVA consisting of seven episodes that aired from April 1988 to June 1989. Episodes 1 to 4 are self-contained anthologies, depicting a variety of stories, including comedy, horror, and sharp social drama, depicting the daily lives and incidents of the Second Special Vehicle Unit. Episodes 5 and 6, a two-part episode titled "Second Unit's Longest Day," are a masterpiece that is said to have been the basis for the second animated feature film, "Mobile Police Patlabor 2: The Movie," released in 1993.

It has been announced that episodes 1 to 6 of "EZY" will be an anthology format with each episode being a self-contained story, while episodes 7 and 8 will be a continuous story, suggesting that the series may be following the "traditional style" established by "Early Days."

◇The unique "Karuizawa for Two" is not unique at all!

The screening, held on February 14th, was divided into two parts, and in the second part, which the journalist covered, episode 1 of "EZY" was screened, as well as episode 12 of "NEW OVA," "Two Karuizawas." Izubuchi chose "Two Karuizawas," explaining that he chose it because "I love it" and "It's packed with all the good things that are unique to Patlabor."

This is a unique episode centered around a dialogue between 2nd Platoon Commander Goto Kiichi and 1st Platoon Commander Nagumo Shinobu. Goto and Nagumo, who are visiting Karuizawa for executive training, leave early to avoid the thank-you party and socializing with higher-ups, but Nagumo sprains his ankle on the stairs. Furthermore, a super-typhoon is about to hit the area, and the two end up spending the night together in a love hotel, but morning comes without them being able to go inside.

"Patlabor" is sometimes categorized as a "robot anime," but robots do not appear in "Two Karuizawas." I wrote that it is an "unusual episode," but it is not uncommon for "Patlabor" to have episodes that do not depict the exploits of robots. This can also be said to be "Patlabor-like."

"EZY" is set in Japan in the 2030s, a time when the working population is declining and automation through AI technology is on the rise. Izubuchi revealed his thoughts on "EZY," saying, "I tried to go back to my roots. I want to create a one-shot feel that is 'Patlabor-like.' When I thought about what Patlabor should be, I went back to my roots and made fun the main focus. In the past, I was conscious of the setting being about 10 years in the future, and I'm conscious of depicting the new work as being about 10 years in the future as well. The characters that appeared in the past have aged. I'm trying to make sure I don't disappoint you."

The first episode of "EZY" has finally been released, but there are still many things we don't know. What kind of "Patlabor-ness" will "EZY," which claims to be a "return to its roots," present to audiences in the Reiwa era? (Anima Mitsuru/MANTANWEB)