Forum - View topicWatching order for Patlabor Media?
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TheFanCon
Posts: 48 |
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As the thread title states, does anyone know about the different Patlabor media out there, and also the way to watch them? Because there seems to be a lot of different media for it, from TV series to OVA's to movies.
Or, alternatively, if you ever came across the franchise, how did you initially navigate it? |
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Blood-
 Bargain Hunter Posts: 24221 |
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It's a good question. Personally, I'd follow the order laid out in the ANN Encyclopedia (while setting aside any live action versions):
- Patlabor The Mobile Police OVA - Patlabor The Mobile Police TV series - Patlabor The Mobile Police: New Files (OVA) - Patlabor: The Movie - Patlabor 2: The Movie - Patlabor XVIII. I own all these titles on DVD, but have only gotten around to watching the original OVA series and the first two movies. The only reason I've watched the movies out of order is that I had the chance to see them in a theatre which I didn't want to give up. It's a cool franchise and I definitely intend to finally watch the whole batch at some point in the not too distant future. [EDIT: Turned the paragraph into a list. -TK] |
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Nom De Plume De Fanboy
Exempt from Grammar Rules
Posts: 638 Location: inland US west, pretty rural |
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Just want to add my two bits. The OVA and the TV series are kinda separate continuities - they both have the same plot for ep 1, minor spoiler[ Noa's first adventure on her first day], but then are pretty episodic, until a story arc for the last few OVA eps. And then that plot is re-used in one of the movies. So there is not a real tight continuity between Patlabor stuff. It didn't matter to me, I really liked the show, OVA and TV eps alike.
Be advised, the movies have a very serious tone and aren't comedies at all. YMMV, but I found the change to be very jarring. And, in my humble opinion, the Patlabor XVIII movie is not very good and mostly boring. It is in no way the equal of the other two movies. I think most people do not think much of it. Skip it, even if it's only $3 at right stuf. |
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Alan45
Village Elder Posts: 10037 Location: Virginia |
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I would modify that a bit. According to the Blu-ray version there are two timelines. (These are printed on the box)
The first is: The Original OVA series Patlabor the movie WXIII: Patlabor 3 Patlabor 2 The second is: The TV series (47 episodes) The New Files OVA (16 episodes) Notes: The two timelines are not consistent with each other. Patlabor 3 involves our band of misfits only in the very last portion of the plot. The New Files were obviously intended to be more TV as they continue the plotting from the end of the TV series. The manga ran 22 volumes in Japan. Back in the days when everything was flipped Viz provided two slender volumes probably equivalent to one or one and a half of the Japanese volumes. (1997/1998) |
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TheFanCon
Posts: 48 |
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From what I can see, this doesn't appear to be the production order? |
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 24221 |
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It's not.
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Alan45
Village Elder Posts: 10037 Location: Virginia |
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If you are concerned with production order it is easy enough to get from the encyclopedia. Below are release dates. Your question was watch order which is not the same thing. The list Blood- provided would work well for watch order.
Patlabor the Mobile Police OVA 1 4/25/88 to 6/25/89 Patlabor: The Movie 7/15/89 Patlabor the Mobile Police (TV) 10/11/89 to 9/26/90 47 episodes. Note this is a remake and not a continuation of the OVA/Movie continuity Patlabor the Mobile Police: The New Files 11/22/90 to 4/3/93 16 episodes Note: this is a continuation of the TV series. Patlabor 2: The Movie 8/7/93 Note: Follows the OVA/Movie continuity. This is a definite end to the series. Patlabor WXIII movie 3 (Wasted 13) 12/10/01 Note: takes place in the OVA/Movie continuity some time prior to the second movie. The Patlabor people appear only briefly and have minimal to do with the plot. Basically a late cash grab. Mini Pato (Mobile Police Patlabor Minimum) 3 episodes 2002. Note usually bundled with the third movie. The Blu-ray set from Maiden Japan contains all of the above. |
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gsilver
Posts: 654 |
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The boxed set for the 3rd movie has some nifty extras, like the MiniPato comedy series, so I'd argue that it's worth it, even if the film itself isn't great. |
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Alan45
Village Elder Posts: 10037 Location: Virginia |
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My take is that if you go into the third movie expecting a reunion with the characters you have grown to like you will be disappointed as they only have brief screen time. If, however you are looking for a competent near time science fiction/horror movie it is not so bad.
@Blood- the third movie does feature really big boobs on one character. The Mini Pato is billed as minimal animation. They are not kidding, while fun the animation makes South Park look sophisticated. |
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 24221 |
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Which, of course, means the film must be awesome. 
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Nom De Plume De Fanboy
Exempt from Grammar Rules
Posts: 638 Location: inland US west, pretty rural |
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Now that I agree with 100%, the MiniPato stuff was funny enough to justify buying it for around $5 or $6. I was extra cheap and got it during a Christmas sale for a bit less. If anybody's wondering what we're talking about, it's paper cut-outs of the characters stuck on popsicle sticks in a kind of puppet show. But still funny. |
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vanfanel
 Posts: 1261 |
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Aside from their respective first episodes, there isn't really a whole lot of contradiction between those continuities. If I went from the TV series/New Files to the movies without the first OVA, the only question I'd have is why Kumagami doesn't at least get a mention in Patlabor 2.
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WatcherZer
Posts: 322 |
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Theres also a 2014 'The Next Generation: Patlabor' live action series along with a 2015 film, I enjoyed the first couple of episodes but haven't seen beyond that professionally subbed.
The live action series was produced (along with some episode directing and writing and the film being solely directed) by the same guy who directed all the TV/OVA's and the first two anime films. The Film is also a direct sequel to Patlabor 2. |
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