WXIII: Patlabor The Movie 3; or, The Mystery of the
Amphibian Monster
Mr. Kusumi, isn't it better for us to contact Special
Vehicle Unit 2? They have a whole bunch of Labor experts.
WXIII: Patlabor The Movie 3 is the final theatrical instalment
in the Patlabor trilogy initiated by Mamoru Oshii in 1989. This movie was
directed by Takuji Endo and written by Miki Tori on the basis of a part of the
manga. It serves as a side story that chronologically takes place in between
the first and the second film.
Release Info
Directed by: Takuji Endo Voice actors: Hiroaki Hirata, Katsuhiko Watabiki, Ryusuke Obayashi, Miina Tominaga
Language: Japanese Runtime: 100 min
Original Title: WXIII 機動警察パトレイバー Weisuteddo Sātīn Kidō Keisatsu Patoreibā
Synopsis
Shinchiro Hata and Takeshi Kusumi are police detectives
working on the case involving mysterious attacks on Labours near Tokyo Bay. As
the officers begin to dig deeper, with the assistance of MPD’s Special Vehicles
2 Unit, they discover that the attacks are connected with some sort of a
biological weapon devised for military purposes…
More Mechas, Please!
WXIII: Patlabor The Movie 3 was released 9 years after
Mamoru Oshii’s closure of Patlabor’s cinematic timeline and the film certainly
seems detached from its source material. First of all, the protagonists of the
franchise, members of the Special Vehicles Section 2, are barely present in
this story. When Hata asks Kusumi if they should consult SV2 with regard to
their investigation, the question is never answered. When the detectives
accidentally encounter Izumi and Shinohara a few scenes later, they just leave
immediately. As a result, it feels that the film refuses to be a true Patlabor
story. It forcefully acknowledges the presence of SV2 only in the third act, as
if underlining the fact that it is a spin-off tale happening in the Patlabor universe.
Such a drastic measure results in a movie split between two
pathways, without any identity whatsoever. On the one hand, it’s a well-made
Sci-Fi/Kaiju thriller. On the other hand, it is a Patlabor follow-up that feels
ashamed of being just that. If the makers had made some clear decisions during
the pre-production process, the movie would have greatly benefited from that.
In terms of advantages, the whole premise of an unknown
monster wreaking havoc in Tokyo Bay is very effective. There are certain action
sequences which definitely grabbed my attention. The animation itself is very
nice and it certainly manages to mimic that unique Oshii style of hopeless stillness.
In addition, the music score by Kenji Kawai is top notch as always, even though
the movie does not have any distinct theme.
That being said, I would love to see SV2 cracking the
monster case rather than two random detectives on the run. The switch of the
leading characters is so unsettling that I felt at one point as if I was
watching Lethal Weapon vs. The Thing crossover. Yet, to give this storyline
justice, it would be best to call it Patlabor vs. Biollante, because the main
monster, its origins, and the way it was handled, seems very much inspired by the
Kaiju classic from 1989, Godzilla vs. Biollante.
Recommendations
All things considered, WXIII: Patlabor The Movie 3 is a good
story which would have been better if it functioned outside of the Patlabor
realm. If you are a huge fan of the series, then check it out as a trivia. Just
do not let your expectations go through the roof. I am hoping that someday
Patlabor will return to its glory days and we will get to see the SV2 team and
Alphonse once more.
Overall score: 6/10
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