1993 ‘機動警察パトレイバー 2 the Movie’ Directed by Mamoru Oshii
A Japanese police unit who use giant anthropomorphic robots (called Labors) is caught up in a political struggle between the civilian authorities and the military when a terrorist act is blamed on an Air Force jet. With the aid of a government agent, the team gets close to a terrorist leader to stop things from going out of control when after the military is impelled to impose martial law.
Kazuchika Kise Sachiko Kobayashi Sachiyo Hirade Hisahiko Komiya Junko Nishimura Miho Tomioka Takashi Sasaki
Patlabor Movie II, Kidou Keisatsu Patlabor 2, Patlabor 2, Patlabor 2 The Movie
Stunning, beautiful work of art. It seemed as if this sequel is a completely different film compared to the first one. Mamoru Oshii's fascination for cityscapes and his ability to capture them with immense elegance is in full view here, blurry like a mirage as if extracted out of a dream, to quote Rust from True Detective:
"(…)like someone's memory of a place and the memory's fading.."
The more meditative moments really stood out a lot. The action was light and I've come to prefer it that way after getting used to the first movie. The final confronation was like something out of a boss fight in a Souls game -- setting, mood and all. Bloodborne, maybe, when we go against Gehrman but this time with birds instead of flowers, a view of the city that Oshii treasured so much in place of a burning mansion. Poetic, melancholic, and again, so beautiful.
Patlabor 2 captures such a real portrayal of domestic terror attacks. Something like the blowing up of a bridge that you wouldn't even think about in something like Transformers where everything gets destroyed in mindless action, yet here it holds so much weight. Instances like this is what makes the tone of this better than almost every other film out there. A film so dense demands a rewatch soon. Oshii is without a doubt the god of anime right behind Anno.
patlabor 1: who are you?
patlabor 2: i'm you but stronger in every possible way
really tho, oshii is a fucking genius. if you watch the original seven episode OVA series and then the first two patlabor films, you'll see such a remarkably transparent genre reconstruction; so transparent it's as palpable as the different art styles across the series. this film is also perhaps the best political thriller ever made, and perhaps equal to oshii's other philosophical affairs: his ghost in the shell films and angel's egg. i truly believe this may be a perfect film.
"Do you suppose that I come to bring peace to the World? No, not peace, but division. From now on, a family of five will be divided, three against two and two against three. Fathers will be against their sons, and sons against their fathers. Mothers will be against their daughters, and daughters against their mothers..."
One of the best (at least, the best I've ever seen) political thrillers of all time, animated or live action. A true classic that will leave you thinking long after about the state of society and our governments. Don't let the giant robots fool you, this is serious stuff sporting an Oscar worthy screenplay.
Patlabor 2 is a fascinating political thriller & techo-noir film that would perfectly fit within a Tom Clancy novel and one of Production I.G.’s best feature films.
The film takes place 3 years after the events of the first Patlabor film; terrorists attack Yokohama bay bridge which sets off a series of escalating events that puts the city of Tokyo in grave danger and threatens to destroy the political structures that have been built up in Japan since it’s defeat during the Second World War and send the country into chaos. The members of Special Vehicles section 2 is caught up amongst these events and must find out who is responsible in order to ward off disaster.
Patlabor 2 is a…
Takes Patlabor in an even more serious direction, turning it into a more political thriller. Engaging throughout despite that, but lacks the Labor action of previous entries in the Patlabor franchise.
92
What an interesting trajectory for this franchise.
The original OVA series of seven episodes struck a tone that oscillated between wacky comedy, lighthearted character moments, and political intrigue. The film that followed dove even deeper into the socioeconomic state of Japan and spent a lot of its runtime devoted to a labyrinthine investigation of a possible conspiracy. Characters that were primary players in the original incarnation spent a lot more time on the fringes, as Asuma and Captain Goto moved towards the forefront. It ended up circling back to Izumi in the end, but at its core it really operated as a startling departure from its predecessor.
Which brings us to Patlabor 2, where Oshii’s infatuation with far deeper…
O que era bom, ficou melhor. Mas não vou mentir que precisarei reassistir para melhor absorver as milhares linhas de diálogo que esse filme não se envergonha de ter.
The sequel expands and fixes all of the problems I had with the first while somehow making everything more gorgeous. This is it right here folks.
This is to Patlabor what Liz and the Blue Bird was to Hibike! Euphonium. "Cute, bubbly main character-chan? Sorry, she's having an identity crisis and is too depressed to come to the phone right now. Giant robot action? No, we're all about IDEAS now. Humor? What do you think this is, some kind of ridiculous '80s mech anime?"
If the first movie dragged the OVAs from the silly to the serious, this one upgrades Patlabor from the serious to the sublime - no longer a thrilling display of character antics and mech fighting, but a slow-burning and contemplative political introspection. Patlabor 2 is an aged-up, shockingly mature and realistic (if grim) take on the characters of Patlabor, who previously retained…
Equally haunting and boring, but in times of world crisis this is the film I watch to remind myself 'eh, we probably deserve it'. The first-world is a haunted palace and the architecture is screaming at us.
There's a lot in this.
Those moments where people find out about a potential threat, and are finding out new info in a very short amount of time, while the clock is ticking down; and the tension is mainly built in command rooms, phone calls, radar screens, and radio transmissions, is incredible.
Characterisation is pretty good too. Goto and Namuro are two great characters on their own, as well as a double act. The scene in the Security Bureau's office where they both tell the chief's that they've had enough of them is funny, as well as making me swell with anti-authoritarian lust.
But there are also bits where swathes of military terms, history, and philosophy are all dumped on…
A totally different film from the first. More nuanced and philosophical; with beautiful animation and sound design to boot.
Tobias Andersen 7,787 films
Rules: Generate a number (from 1 to x) via: www.random.org
See how many number of films there are in the…
drfentanes 323 films
Well since I don't think there is a comprehensive list of anime films in letterboxd and I love them so…
Jack Moulton 1,066 films
It's simple: Post your #1 ever (no runners-up or ties please) in the comments and I'll add it or I'll…
