Patlabor the Mobile Police

1989TVFINISHED76% Score

Synopsis

In the future, advanced robotics has created heavy robots ("labors") for use in a variety of functions: construction, fire-fighting, military, and more. However, though the robots are only machines, their operators are also only human - and humans sometimes turn to crime. Since a heavy labor unit can be a dangerous weapon, the police of the future are set to fight fire with fire, using advanced patrol labor units, "patlabors". This is the story of the Second Special Vehicles Division, a motley crew of patlabor policemen and -women doing their best to fight crime and live a normal life.

(Source: Anime News Network)

EP 1

Second Unit, Move Out!

It's day one of the formation of the the second division of the Special Vehicles Unit 2 (SV2). Unfortunately the team seems to be a bunch of misfits. Noa, a girl that loves labors a little too much; Asuma, a cadet who doesn't want to be there; Ota, a gun maniac; Shinshi, a hen picked husband; and Hiromi, a gentle giant of a man. Leading this squad is Captain Gotoh, a man who seems rather laidback, but is quite a strategist and an excellent cop. Unfortunately their new Patrol Labors (or Patlabors) are stuck in traffic, and they are forced to do some weeding around the hangers. Soon they are dispatched to apprehend an armed terrorist Labor, but first they'll need to retrieve their Patlabors en route to the crime scene from the middle of a traffic jam. After a rather disastrous pick up, they head off to trap the Labor in Ueno park, but both Ota and Noa's Labors are attacked, losing a head and an arm off their Labors respectively. Asuma tells Noa to turn her rage back on the criminal.

EP 2

Longshot

The mayor of New York is coming to Tokyo to inspect the Babylon Project—a long-term landfill project to reclaim Tokyo Bay. All of the Tokyo Police force are assigned to protect the mayor including the SV2. To help them, the New York Police force has sent Kanuka Clancy, a Japanese-American woman who immediately causes suspicion amongst the SV2, and much interest amongst most of the male squad members. The SV2's mission is mainly for show, but they soon find themselves in the middle of a terrorist plot. Asuma discovers a fake Police Mobile Command Center filled with missiles. It is up to Asuma to defuse it, with Kanuka giving him instructions over the police radio, but he has only 10 minutes to do so, and no previous experience.

EP 3

The 450-Million-Year-Old Trap

A series of incidents occur in Tokyo Bay including a damaged undersea cable, and a car being pulled off a pier. Could this be the work of an actual sea monster? Detective Matsui of the Metropolitan Tokyo Police Department asks Captain Goto for help. Shige and Saksaki help pilot a remote control Labor, to search for what caused the incidents. The Labor is destroyed, and Shige is convinced that the monster exists. The SV2 are given orders to kill the monster; however, they discover something even more bizarre. Note: This episode pays homage to 1954 film, Godzilla, as well as other classic Kaiju films.

EP 4

The Tragedy of L

Division 2 are called upon to help with a hostage situation at a video shop, but Ota's temper gets the better of him, and he blows away half of the shop as well as stopping the criminals. Goto decides that his team need retraining and sends them back to the academy. They arrive but strangely there are no cadets there. The team decides to take a bath, but the water soon fills what looks like blood. They later discover that it is in fact paint from a paint bullet, which bizarrely scares the instructor. Later that night, Ota is haunted by a ghostly girl who only says "Don't Shoot", and the others see a Labor with a skeleton pilot that seems to be roaming the grounds. The next day, Noa and Asuma ditch their training to go to the local shop. There Asuma meets the shop owner, an old man he knew when he was a cadet training at the academy. The old man tells him that an accident occurred several months ago.

EP 5

The SV2's Longest Day (Part 1)

The Second Unit are on vacation. Most of the team have a place to go except Goto, who just seems to want to hang around the office with Shinobu, and Asuma who decides to go to his father's factory. He meets Jitsuyama, the manager of the factory, and family friend. He discovers that Shinohara Heavy Industries are building a prototype JGSDF Labor. Asuma is quite disgusted by this. Jitsuyama suggests that he should see his father more often, but Asuma says that he had already seen him today, and they already fought. He decides to visit Shinshi and later Kanuaka, but gets the feeling he is not wanted. The only option left is Noa, he calls only to discover that she lives in Hokkaido, and he will have to catch the train to get there. Meanwhile in Tokyo, a police road block stops a truck. One of the policemen become suspicious when they see a Labor under the truck's tarp. He asks to see the Labors' permit, but the truck runs the road block.

EP 6

The SV2's Longest Day (Part 2)

Division 2 have made a very temporary headquarters at the Shanghai restaurant. It is the second day of the siege, but the rebels have not made any demands yet. Kanuka, disguised as a delivery person from the Shanghai restaurant, asks the mechanics for help. Sakaki tells Kanuka that the police academy has a Patrol Labor prototype they could use. One of the mechanics says he overheard one of the rebels say that have a nuclear weapon. Kanuka returns to the restaurant and tells Goto the news. Meanwhile Shinobu has a video conference with the police chiefs. They tell her that the US military will be coming to end the coup before it becomes a civil war, and she should step down. She tells that she will not give into their bluff, and refuses to carry out their orders. The chiefs suspect Goto as he knew about the siege and he was friends with Kiyoteru Kai in college.

EP 7

Go North, SV2!

A truck at a petrol station is stolen, but when the attendant tells a passing policeman, the driver of the truck does not want the police chase after it. The police suspect something fishy is going on and arrest him. He is, in fact, a sympathizer for the terrorist group the Beach House. He stole the truck which was carrying a Labor from the Tokyo Labor show. The manufacturer, Shaft Enterprises Europe, is keeping tight-lipped about what exactly is in the truck. The SV2 attempt to capture the truck in front of a tunnel. The truck escapes with the help of the terrorist sympathizer in the Labor, who breaks through the trailer after not being able to get into contact with his friend in the truck. Later, the man who stole the truck drives off the highway only to discover that he is helping a terrorist sympathizer. The theft of the truck from the petrol station was just an opportunistic crime to get a ride home.

EP 8

Elusive Green

Several construction labor units at the site of a planned road have been destroyed. Noa, Asuma, and Hiromi are sent to investigate. Some are quick to blame a local legend for the mayhem.

EP 9

Red Labor Landing

Noa and Asuma are sent to investigate a terrorist who is going to steal a military labor of the Soviet Armed Forces.

EP 10

Eve's Trap

Kanuka's grandma from Hawaii visits Tokyo for Christmas. Then she suddenly disappears. The only clue to find her is "The Christmas of 50 years ago". When they try to find her, they are called off to duty.

EP 11

Eve's Terror

Kanuka's grandma is still missing. Shinshi and some guy is sent to go find her. Kanuka uses Ota's labor to help Noa in the mission.

EP 12

Ohta's One Troubled Afternoon

Ota is having an arranged marriage. Noa and the others help Ota out on his dates.

EP 13

Gently, Your Highness

A prince from a desert country joins Division 2 for a couple of days so he can establish a labor team in his homeland. A sniper is out to kill the prince, so Division 2 goes to stop him.

EP 14

You Win

Goto takes Division 2 out for drinks as a team building excercise.

EP 15

The Whale That Sang a Song

An endangered humpback whale enters the Tokyo Bay. The city and Division 2 try to get the whale to leave the bay and go back to the ocean.

EP 16

The Unit Crosses the Sea

Noa's hometown is having a snow festival and Division 2 is helping out. They also try to help out a boy named Satoru who hates labors.

EP 17

Target, Chief Goto

Goto starts to act very strangely lately. Also, there are a lot of random attacks coming at Goto. Could these attacks have anything to do why Goto is acting strangely?

EP 18

I Love Noa-Senpa

A famous entertainer named Kana is joining Division 2 for one week. Everybody is trying to teach Kana how to pilot a labor. A crime gang tries to kidnap Kana so they can get one of Division 2's ingrams. However, they accidently steal Noa. Now, they have to save Noa without having to give the gang one of their ingrams.

EP 19

Shadow in Geo-Front

A terrorist planted a bomb in Geo-City. Division 2 is tasked with disarming it. Kanuka and Noa are put on the mission.

EP 20

Movement in the Dark

Noa and Asuma get into a fight concerning Asuma's personal life. When Division 2 get's assigned a special mission, Asuma is sent to Hajioji to pick up Unit 3.

EP 21

Phantom Again

Asuma heads to Hajioji to recover Unit 3. In the meantime, Noa and Ota are having trouble keeping the enemy at bay.

EP 22

Labor and Flower

Noa's and Kanuka's labor skills attract the attention of a wealthy individual.

EP 23

Recap

Kanuka's Report

Kanuka is now leaving Division 2 and going back home to America. Asuma, Ota, and the others decide to throw her a farewell party. Noa is sent to spy on Kanuka. When the guys finish setting up the party, they come across Kanuka's reports on Division 2 and decide to read them.

EP 24

Farewell, Kanuka

Kanuka is heading back to America. However, there is a hijacker trying to hijack the plane Kanuka is riding on. How is Kanuka going to stop this, and without her gun?