The Next Generation Patlabor: Tokyo War (2015) [Film Review]

The Next Generation Patlabor: Tokyo War; or, Oshii Strikes Back

It's a tradition of SV2. Is it OK with you, as the second generation Captain?

     We've made it this far. I consider the tradition as a blessing.

Four months after the release of the drama, Mamoru Oshii concluded his live-action Patlabor project with the premiere of The Next Generation Patlabor: Tokyo War in Japanese cinemas on the 1st of May, 2015. It is the final chapter of the new SV2’s story arc while also explaining the aftermath of the events from Patlabor 2: The Movie (1993). Is it a worthy live-action adaptation? Let’s find out.

Release Info

Directed by: Mamoru Oshii Starring: Erina Mano, Toshio Kakei, Reiko Takashima, Yoshiko Sakakibara

Language: Japanese Original Title: THE NEXT GENERATION パトレイバー　首都決戦 Runtime: 94 min

 

Synopsis

13 years after Yukihito Tsuge’s attempted coup d’état, the followers of his ideals try to recreate the state of nationwide unrest with the bombing of the Rainbow Bridge in Tokyo. Captain of the SV2, Keiji Gotoda (Toshio Kakei) is recruited by Kei Takahata (Reiko Takashima) from Public Security to help her find and arrest the terrorists. In the meantime, Captain Nagumo Shinobu (Yoshiko Sakakibara) returns from the UN’s mission in the Middle East and informs Gotoda what really happened to her and Goto after the apprehension of Tsuge. In order to stop the chaos, Gotoda opposes his incompetent superiors and sends the SV2 team on the search for a highly advanced military helicopter known as the Grey Ghost.

 

Shoot for Tomorrow!

Upon its original release, the movie did less than well at the box office, becoming the least grossing live-action Japanese production of 2015. Nevertheless, apart from the standard home video release, the producers pushed hard for a Director’s Cut edition in order to reimburse the income loss. However, Mamoru Oshii claims that he was the one lobbying for the Director’s Cut because he was denied of this privilege for theatres. Regardless of who is right in this conflict, one thing which is certain is that the movie is not for everyone.

 

In comparison with the drama, much of the light-hearted tone and comedy was significantly toned down. Right from the opening scene, Oshii replicates the dead-serious atmosphere from Patlabor 2: The Movie. In fact, The Next Generation Patlabor: Tokyo War is not just a follow-up but also a remake of that classic anime feature. Did you like such sequences as Wyvern interception, assault on the Yokohama Bay Bridge, Shinobu’s demotion, Goto’s pondering about peace, the destruction of SV2 base, or exploding Tokyo MPD? Well, you’re in luck because Tokyo War re-enacts those scenes nearly frame by frame.

 

If you expect an original story with mecha action, then you may be disappointed. I, on the other hand, was quite satisfied. In spite of Oshii’s standard philosophical interjections, I enjoyed the film for what it was and what it tried to achieve. It serves as a poetic echoing of the second anime movie. While reiterating Oshii’s views from the anime on the current political state of Japan, it also gets across the message about doing the right thing. The “time bomb” in the story are Tsuge’s followers and it is up to Gotoda and his team to stop them, so that they could prove to themselves that they truly are SV2 police officers.

 

Apart from nostalgic referencing, I also liked the fact that the character of Captain Nagumo Shinobu was brought back. We can’t see her face but she speaks in her original voice from the anime, provided by the legendary Yoshiko Sakakibara. In addition, I also enjoyed the presence of Reiko Takashima who this time had more stuff to than in the drama. Her character felt as the substitute for Shinobu and she had a great chemistry with Toshio Kakei playing Gotoda. Other cast members from the drama (I’m looking at you Erina Mano, Seiji Fukushi, and Rina Ohta) also did extremely well.

 

Recommendations

If you like the drama and love the second anime film, then The Next Generation Patlabor: Tokyo War is the movie for you. I appreciate the amount of sweat which Oshii put into this, but I don't approve his constant espionage-thriller take on the series. Nevertheless, I honestly would love to see the sequel (though it’s unlikely). This film proves that Patlabor can exist outside of the anime realm and that there’s still lots of cinematic potential for this franchise. Maybe somebody else will take over and come up with new live action films in the future? I can only hope. In the meantime, I will be revisiting this flick every once in a while.

Overall score: 7/10