PATLABOR: THE MOBILE POLICE—The TV Series
Volume 1
©1990 Headgear/Emotion/TFC/NTV
©1998 Central Park Media
Released in North America by US Manga Corps
English Subtitled: USM 1682 $29.95
120 Minutes
Released: 7/7/98
(Volume 2 released: 9/1/98)

It's pretty common in anime for a "franchise" like TENCHI or SLAYERS to follow slightly different story-lines in its TV series, OVAs, and movies. Such franchises often result in conflicting chronologies, and PATLABOR is no exception. In fact, it is sometimes difficult to determine what goes where. After that first OVA run, the TV series started fresh with a new story-line; one that continued in the second OVA series. The movies are a bit harder to place, although they are usually placed in with the first series of OVAs in terms of chronology.
To make matters even more confusing, the US releases haven't followed the timing of the Japanese releases. The second OVA series was released before this TV series—even though the story-line of the Griffon's return in the OVA started in the TV series. And the release of the movies preceded the release of the first OVA series to which they are linked.
But these concerns over timelines are simply amusing. It's interesting to note that the PATLABOR universe has proven enjoyable to American audiences despite any (unnoticed) discrepancies in the story-lines. It's easy to see why.
PATLABOR's greatest strength has always been in the handling of its characters. I've heard people compare it to NYPD BLUE, and in a strange way the two shows share more than police officers in common. Ask a bunch of people who the main characters in these two shows are and you'll likely hear "Simone and Sipowicz" and "Noa" respectively. But both these shows revolve around all the characters and their interactions, sharing equal importance with the action surrounding their jobs. As NYPD BLUE is not just about catching criminals, nor is PATLABOR just about giant robots. But where NYPD BLUE is a dramatic show, PATLABOR TV is mostly comedy and action.
The action and at least part of the comedy of the show owe most of their effectiveness to excellent animation. Of course, the TV series is not as beautifully drawn as the movies, but it does better than many other TV shows. Action scenes are smooth and wild takes are done... tastefully. Short cuts like sliding stills are used effectively and not overdone. And, something that hasn't changed, Takada Akemi's character designs and Yutaka Izubuchi's mechanical designs are the other reasons to watch this show.
The stories are quite entertaining and often very funny, usually centering on one of the character's personalities or problems. Later, as the series evolves, the stories will deal more with industrial espionage, terrorists, and other more dramatic themes.
Most of the music for the show is appropriate to the mood, but largely unremarkable—though I'm rather fond of the opening theme.
In all, this is a terrific series. PATLABOR is a cornerstone of anime, and with its unique mix of realism and science fiction it appeals to a broad audience. Blending the wild takes and outrageous characters of comedic animation with the cool fighting mecha of action anime, it manages to bring us the best of both. You don't want to miss out on this.