Customer Reviews

Patlabor 2 - The Movie (Limited Collector's Edition)

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The infant Bandai Visual USA, in its quest to outshine the existing Bandai Entertainment USA, has once again shown that it is willing to put far more effort into releasing quality titles in a quality package, just as with their release of "Patlabor 1: The Movie" last spring.

A word of warning to those reading the other reviews: any review dated before July of 2006 is refering to the old Manga Entertainment release of "Patlabor 2", which is a far inferior disc to this recent Bandai Visual rerelease.

The new release of this film treats it the way that Manga _should_ have treated this gem of the anime industry, with a much better translation of the dialogue, extras that consist of more than trailers for other products by the same company, and a complete storyboard (translated into English, even) for the film.

The new English translation for the dialogue alone makes this version worth buying, as it is obvious that the translators spent a lot more time massaging the languages to provide the characters with more passion and subtlety in their speech. This is critical in a thinking-man's film, which is the only type of film that Mamoru Oshii directs. The old Manga version of the film treated the language too lightly, and managed to leave out minor, yet important, parts of the language. The quality of the film still showed through the Manga bungling, but with this version the film truly shines.

The extras for this Limited Collector's Edition are, simply, wonderful. Just as with the LCE of "Patlabor 1" there is seperate Special Features disc including a making-of documentary, and two books. One of the books provides essays about the film and its meaning at the time it was released as well as essays and interviews dating from later times. These provide the reader with some perspective of what the film meant to Japanese audiences in 1993 when it was released, and how its meaning and significance is changing as time passes.

The other booklet is a complete translated storyboard for the film, which is intriguing because it shows how the film's shots were originally constructed, and the small notes in it can provide insight into specific details and elements required by the director (Mamoru Oshii) which on the surface seem insignificant, but which actually set much of the atmosphere and tone for the film.

Are these extras necessary to enjoy the film? No, they aren't. In fact, if you're just interested in watching the movie in which Mamoru Oshii crystalized his signature style (later to be repeated in "Ghost in the Shell" and "Innocence"), then I'd say get the standard release of this film by Bandai Visual (released in early July of '06). The extras would mostly be of interest to the hardcore "Patlabor" fans, or those curious about the process of creating animted films.

A final word of warning to long-time "Patlabor" watchers; with these Bandai Visual USA film releases, some long-running characters in the saga receive their fourth or fifth English-language voices; the Japanese voices remain constant, but the English ones switch (at least partially) with every new series, movie, or production company.

Smart, intruiging, and somewhat slow-paced (for a mecha anime), something you don't usually find in the genre. Patlabor 2 is a diamond in the rough. You forget it's an anime, and get caught up in the political thriller. Recommended for people 15 or older. The content is strictly PG, but since this movie is so intelligent and sometimes philosophical, it would put anyone younger than that to sleep. Highly recommended.

I was very excited to get this remastered version of Patlabor 2 from the Bandai Visual label. I've been a huge fan of the movie, and cherish my older Manga version DVD which is now out of print.

The Bandai release visuals lives up to everything it's advertised as: The picture quality has indeed been remastered and looks remarkable. If you plopped down the extra cash for the delux version, you're sure to get all kinds of extra goodies and bonuses. I bought the single disc "standard" version and there is almost no bonus material to speak of. But I knew that when I was buying it.

My problem with this edition of Patlabor 2 is in the sound mix. Yes, it's 5.1 as advertised, but here's the difference: The sound mix is the "Sound Renewal" mix which producer Kenji Kawaii and director Mamoru Oshii commissioned and oversaw in 1999. Songs that used to play at certain cues in the 2.0 stereo channel edition that I am used to from the Manga version no longer play. Most - if not all - of the music has been re-recorded with newer synths and sound strange and disorienting. There's also this weird hawk sound motif scattered throughout the movie which is just really odd and out of place? Essentially, the "Sound Renewal" mix is the audio equivalant of George Lucas' "Special Editions" Star Wars films. That is to say, Oshii and Kawaii went back and re-did a lot of the audio and soundtrack to "re-envision" the film. The pacing and mood has changed entirely. For someone like myself so accustomed to the original 2.0 mix, the "Renewal" version is so disorienting, it makes the movie unwatachable. And it's noticeable right from the very first scene. I sat and watched the movie for the 1st time waiting for the music to kick in and it never did. It took me about an hour into the movie to ask myself what the hell was going on, hit pause, and do do some research.

I wouldn't mind having the "Sound Renewal" 5.1 audio track on the disc if Bandai had also included either the original 2.0 track or remastered the non-"Renewal" audio track in 5.1. But they didn't. To compound the matter further for a Patlabor 2 purist (many of whom, if you're reading this, are interested in this remastered edition), Bandai makes no mention of "Sound Renewal" on the disc's packaging. BUT....all is not lost. Bandai Visual did indeed release a re-mastered video version with the original 2.0 audio track, but it is Region 2 and Region 3 only. And you'll have to research on your own whether or not English subtitles are included; I could not find an answer in regards to that.

This really feels like a missed opportunity on Bandai's part. I thought I was getting the definitive Ptlabor 2 disc with remastered video and sound but alas - I am so used to the original audio mix the film is unwatachable for an old fogey like me. If you're new to Patlabor 2, you're not predisposed like myself, and I wholly suggest picking the film up in its remastered splendor. But anyone else used to the old Manga/2.0 audio mix and soundtrack, you should at least know the deal with this disc's audio track. Whole songs are missing or have been replaced with others. And beware the hawk screech!

Though "Ghost in the Shell" got all the hype, I believe future critics will judge "Patlabor 2" as REAL masterpiece from Masamoru Oshii. Though there is a definite "Tom Clancy" feel to this political techno-thriller, the subtle symbolism that permeates the film (the falling snow, the often enigmatic presence of birds, and the opening scene at the jungle temple) point to much deeper, philosophical themes. Also, listen to the brilliant cadence of the dialouge...dramatic pauses, passionate tirades, and those moments of silence that speak volumes. Keiji Kawai's haunting and meditative soundtrack complements the often surreal and disturbingly plausible nature of the film. A must-see for any SERIOUS film buff. (If your idea of quality is lots of explosions and scantically clad women, you may want to skip "Patlabor 2.") Favorite scene: Irakawa's brutal deconstruction of the term "peace." Highly recommended.

When I saw the first Patlabor film I was captivated by it's story and loved the comical characters. Patlabor 2 is everyting the fisrt film was and more. Never befor have I seen such an elaborate story of lies, revenge and politcal espianoge pulled of so well. Directed by the same director of the first Patlabor film and the classic Ghost in the Shell. The animation is outstanding! The voice cast is excellent at making there characters come alive. The musical score is soothing yet haunting at the same time. The story occures three years after the events in Patlabor. A string a terrorist like events are occuring around Tokyo. Yet with each incident no causualties only fear and a growing conflict between the government and the military, with the Mobile police force caught in the middle. The only way to stop a civil war is for the Mobile Police Force to find the man responsible for these acts, ye the perpitrator is revield to be a former teacher and lover of the second in command of the Mobile Police Force. The best way to descibe this film would to combine the talents of Tom Clancy and Masamune Shirow into one film.

A suspenseful, thought-provoking, techno-thriller that just happens to be animated. Is that possible? Of course--Patlabor 2 is the proof. It is a giant-robot movie in appearance only--it scraps the machines and confronts bigger issues--Japan's security, the end of the Cold War, and the true nature of war and peace. Not much action, but that factor is no turn-off. The animation is nothing short of incredible, and the music and writing are brilliant. The whole package is way above average. Not for the short attention span crowd or the T&A crowd--this is a "thinking man's" animated film. Excellent job from Oshii-san and the Production IG crew. See it.

I rented Patlabor 2 at first because I was looking for Japanese anime with cool looking robots and lots of action. But this was not a typical robot flick. Something totally different. To put it simply, it's more of a Drama with Robots than anything else.

In the story, which is set couple of years from now, the robots, or "labors", are very much everyday tools. They are just like cars or helicopters that we see everyday. And the way people casually treat these labors in the film, further stresses the idea that they are just everyday tools, not super robots that transform and shoot laser beams. Because of such setting, I found myself following the storyline, as oppose to waiting for robot fight sequences.

And as the film went on, I was so memerized with the storyline that I wasn't even thinking about robots. The story felt like classic detective thriller in many ways. It even felt somewhat philosophical at times. What also helps this film create such experience is the music and cinematography.

The original score is very subtle yet quite hypnotic. I thought its melodramatic feeling goes well together with such intelligent story.

The cinematography (the way film was shot, or drawn in this case) is so much like a real film that it is amazing. There are few-minute sequences where they just show the scenery of streets of Japan with subtle music playing in the background, those are just breathtaking.

Because of these qualities, I think this is a movie that a more mature audience can appreciate, rather than younger kids. But if anyone wants to experience totally different film, especially an anime, this is it. I've constantly refered to this movie as "film" rather than cartoon or anime because that's what it felt like to me. A very intelligent film.

One more thing, Patlabor2 is directed by Mamoru Oshii and music by Kenji Kawai, who contributed same efforts on the film "Ghost in the Shell", another great Japanese anime known to many people.

I'm a huge fan of anime, have been for well over a decade now, and I like a lot of different stuff from the accepted, mainstream greats (Cowboy Bebop, Fullmetal Alchemist) to the strictly entertainment-only fodder (Seitokai no Ichizon, Inuyasha). However, there are very few titles that I would actually recommend to my non-anime fan friends that I wouldn't feel embarrassed about showing them.

This film is one of the few.

That's not to say that this film is more Americanized or more mainstream than other anime, because it's not. If anything this film is deeply invested in Japan's economy and culture, and it's not something mainstream audiences would cling to (read the 1-3 star reviews for evidence).

This film is a masterpiece, a serious film about serious topics by one of the greatest directors the medium has ever seen. Mamoru Oshii's sense of pacing and visual imagery is spot on and absolutely haunting (helped in no small part by the excellent musical score by Kenji Kawai).

However, this film will not be enjoyed by everyone. It is deliberately slow and contemplative with long stretches of philosophical dialogues and monologues. Anyone expecting an action packed political thriller will be disappointed. This is a political film that isn't necessarily about the twists and turns of the plot, but the political ideas presented. What can ultimately be taken away from the film will depend entirely on the viewer.

If you are an anime fan give Patlabor 2 a try. If you don't like it, then it just wasn't meant for you. Nevertheless, it should be recognized as a high-water mark of Japanese animation, and even if you don't enjoy it, you should be open-minded enough to respect the fact that it is trying to make a statement about the real world that inspired it. Something that very few films or TV series within the medium ever hope to even strive for.

This was an amazing movie. I am not a not of patlabor the tv series & after a couple, will not be keen to pursue it. But you don't have to be a fan of patlabor to enjoy, what I think is the BEST of the 3 patlabor movies.

Everyone said the first one was the best. I disagree. This is the best because the dialogue & ideas presented is so thought-provoking that it is still relevant today, like the first Matrix. And the action that occurs toward the end is amazing in terms of damage.

I am a fan of Mamoru Oshii's work & I think this is the best of his work. THe visual palette & detail is beyond compare. It was breath-taking to watch. I would just turn off the sound & play it on TV like a screensaver.

I highly recommend this movie, especially you like clever dialogue ala British tv Yes Minister & inferential/deductive reasoning.

Enjoy a great film

Patlabor 2 is, perhaps the most detailed, intelligent, visually astounding anime movie you may see. It has a fairly complex and realistic plotline involving political standoffs and military coups, but that shouldnt be percieved as a bad point - although action scenes are fairly thin on the ground it has an unbelievable sense of depth that few animes match. The excellent atmospheric artwork, characters and backdrops, coupled with Kenji Kawaii's superb score makes Patlabor 2 a sensory feast and an incredibly good film
If you dont have an open mind about anime as a serious medium, you may not like this at first, and dismiss it as dull, but after watching several times to understand the intricacies of the plot, you really appreciate it.
The Disc itself is average - not many extras, but the film is on there and thats all that matters, really.
I rarely give full marks, but i'll make an exception!
Cant wait for Oshii's next one - Jin Roh!