Patlabor - OVA (1988)

“A war was waiting for us in Tokyo.”

I'm working on my definitive Top 100 Anime of All Time, so l'm combing back through some titles that l've missed over the years - the Patlabor OVA series has been incredible, and will most likely make the cut.

It was directed by Mamoru Oshii - the director behind Ghost in the Shell. The OVA has two sequel movies, the second of which was essentially a predecessor to Ghost in the Shell, both tonally and thematically. The OVA itself, though, is a light hearted adventure of beat cops who pilot Patlabors - a specialized police unit of mechs designed to counter mech related crimes in a world where everyday jobs are performed by these mechs, called "Labors".

Despite it being lighthearted, before Oshii's more apparent pessimistic views of the world took over, Patlabor still does a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to criticizing the police force in Japan, pointing out the inadequacies in the chain of command, and even people's obsession with weaponry.

With Oshii as the director and storyboard artist as well, every frame is just as intricately shot, animated, and lit as his future works, showcasing just how much of an animation mad man he truly is.

My Current MAL Ranking: 8/10

Top 100 Contender: Yes

Top 100 Ranking (Temporary): 35/100