Introduction

Coming from the OVA, I felt conflicted about Patlabor. Its introductory episodes were fine in their own rights, but felt disjointed as some heavily relied on comedy and the others had the perfect balance. The final three are the best examples of the latter, sporting gorgeous directing, music, and character work focused around a political narrative that wove the comedy straight into the character interactions instead of using slapstick. This perfect blend is thankfully continued in the amazing sequel to the OVA, “Patlabor: The Movie.”

Patlabor: The Movie is held together by an intense, suspenseful narrative, deep thematic values and the tools it learned from the original. It’s a movie that uses the world and characters to their fullest extent to create a mystery that doesn’t ask you to solve it, but rather understand it.

Yes, Patlabor: The Movie asks you to understand humanity and the pace of its progression when introduced to the god of the modern world.

Progression

The world of Patlabor is rapidly progressing, attempting to assert control over the literal world with Project Babylon. With this large-scale project underway to artificially dominate nature, the world demanded efficiency to match its ingenuity, giving birth to Labors–the mechas in this series. As I introduce the world in this manner, there should be a visible hierarchy. If nature and the world is being altered by machines. How do we treat someone with complete mastery over these very machines?

Before we answer that, let’s further discuss this progression. The movie excels in using imagery to display the effects of Tokyo’s rapid progression in response to Project Babylon.

From the movie’s very beginning, we’re shown a new layer of war: a concept virtually integral to humans. Alongside the human soldiers, giant mechanical combatants crash into a forest and begin firing. Their enemy: another machine, one with a distinctly inhuman shape as if showing how combat itself is progressing to the point where man deploys monsters.

Continuing this is the introduction of the Type Zero Patlabor– a sleek, cold upgrade to the Type 98. It abandons the softer look of the 98 in favor of a thinner, sharper design that Noa describes as “evil.” Complementing the physical technological upgrade is the HOS, an updated operating system proven to increase efficiency by 30% and the element most integral to the plot.

Acknowledging this progression, means we must acknowledge that it means to leave things behind. Seemingly massive stretches of Tokyo are abandoned and forgotten, brought about by the focused expansion of Babylon. Legendary mechanics are being left behind by ever-evolving technology.

While this idea exists in other characters, it’s most exemplary in the movie’s main antagonist Eiichi Hoba.

The Modern God

Eiichi Hoba is a god. In a world that relies on the Labors, the unparalleled genius with direct control over them can’t be anything else. His suicide was the moment he shed his mortal coil, and began his deification.

Hoba is a character we never directly interact with, yet his past and the actions are thoroughly explored. His motive is never really explicitly stated either, leaving the viewers to piece together their own idea of him. It’s a sort of meta-mystification of the character. Because he’s a character with no real past, having erased it himself and the only paths he left behind were a trip through a decaying city and religious metaphors, elevating his actions beyond human.

Focusing on those religious metaphors, shows us a layer of his self-perception. He considers himself god, supported by his acceptance of his nickname Jehova– the god of the Old Testament. His plan relies on the Ark and he hints at Babel. Eiichi Hoba is going to enact his judgment on humanity.

This is where you can create two Hobas: the God who propels technological progression or one who punishes it. And, it depends on how you understand the trail he left behind.

The exploration of his former homes show the direct result of progression, so for his trail to lead people to it does it mean he wants to expose man for their hubris and abandon or does he want to demonstrate how he will lead man into a new world?

Yet, the constant is that he’s someone who supposedly progressed to the next stage. Hoba’s final calling card is the 666 attached to a crow. It’s the number he’s identified with: that of the devil. Progression in his manner is an evil.

Which leads us to Noa, the preserver of the status quo.

The Extended Metaphor

There’s a very discernible irony in the fact that a character named “Noa” destroys the Ark in the middle of the typhoon. It’s a flip on the biblical story in which Noah boarded the Ark to escape God’s flood. This time, we have someone taking a stand against the punishing action of a god.

A key point of focus is that Noa both destroys the Ark and finishes off the Type Zero– the epitome of progress– through the use of her own body rather than the 98 (not to say the 98 wasn’t integral, @Horipple’s review excellently showcases the meaning of the climactic battle between the 98 and Zero).

It’s the direct human participation that is able to challenge the absent god and his empty machines. It’s the efforts of the SV 2 that protect the world we have, instead of one we could have.

Shinohara and Noa demonstrate personal growth almost in-parallel to Tokyo’s technological growth. But, they don’t need to leave anything behind. Shinohara maintains his human touch and connections while being pushed by an indomitable will. Noa trusts the Alphonse that’s supported her all this time and places her faith in Shinohara. She’s someone with deep attachment to life and the world, reusing the name “Alphonse” for the things that she loves. These are the two who stand in direct contrast to Hoba.

They’re “superheroes.”

Let’s kill god. Or, suggest that god is dead. A very nietzschean principle. SV 2 hosts the superman: those who are able to cultivate their experiences and become their own personal god. Instead of forcibly becoming the god of the modern world, the SV 2 reach their peaks as people. A group of people bonded together by their duty defeated the lone egotist.

Cautionary Tale

Understanding Hoda as god as the SV 2 as supermen helps us to understand his motives and their development to complement it. But, there’s still the risk of progress presented to us: that along the course of our evolution we’ll see that our greatest enemy is what we created.

Conclusion

Elaborating on my thoughts from the introduction, this section is more-so on the score. Patlabor: The Movie is amazing. It’s an experience that met the hype. The animation is fluid, the artstyle is charming, and the direction is cut above. Whether it’s to display the despairing emptiness of a location, the dramatic action and tension of a situation, or the emotion in a character’s conversation, the movie excels in its presentation.

What works the best is how this movie controls its tone and utilizes its cast while still being Patlabor. Because this movie is funny when it wants to be, and it's perfectly appropriate. But, it’s also strong emotionally and a serious drama. Placing the focus on select members of the cast worked in support of this, as those were the characters who could function in this type of setting. Ota, for example, shines best in comedic settings while Gotou is amazing in calmer, more subtle stories.

The narrative is tight and contemplative for the viewer, and the world is inherently interesting (if you care for the political and social nuance presented in the OVA). The villain poses questions and introduces themes that are effectively tackled and paralleled throughout the film. The characters are strong and likable. And it all comes together for a great experience.

Overall, 9.5 out of 10. Would watch it again.