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Patlabor: Early Days backdrop
Patlabor: Early Days logo
1988·Animation·7 episodes
7.9
★
In the future, rapidly advancing technology gives birth to giant robots known as "Labors," so named for their usefulness in heavy industry. However, this also gives rise to "Labor crimes," resulting the the need for a new branch of law enforcement equipped with and dedicated to the policing of Labors. When Izumi Noa, a female police officer, becomes the newest recruit of Special Vehicles Division 2, she and her top of the line "Patrol Labor" (or "Patlabor") Alphonse are swept into a series of adventures featuring crazed construction workers, eco-terrorists, and sea monsters.
Created by Taro Maki
police
mecha
anime
real robot
IMDB
IMDB
N/A

Seasons

Season 1
Season 1
7 episodes · 1988

Cast

Mina Tominaga
Mina Tominaga
Noa Izumi (voice)
Ryusuke Ohbayashi
Ryusuke Ohbayashi
Kiichi Gotou (voice)
Michihiro Ikemizu
Michihiro Ikemizu
Isao Oota (voice)
Osamu Saka
Osamu Saka
Seitarou Sakaki (voice)
Toshio Furukawa
Toshio Furukawa
Asuma Shinohara (voice)
Issei Futamata
Issei Futamata
Mikiyasu Shinshi (voice)

Crew

Kenji Kawai
Kenji Kawai
Original Music Composer
Hiromasa Ogura
Hiromasa Ogura
Art Direction
Akemi Takada
Akemi Takada
Character Designer

Popular Reviews

15 reviews
Fishboy
Fishboy
7.0★ · 06/09/26
Patlabor: Early Days
more of a cop show that happens to have mechs instead of a mecha that happens to be about cops
more of a cop show that happens to have mechs instead of a mecha that happens to be about cops
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Rebel Notorious
Rebel NotoriousPRO
9.0★ · 05/18/25
Patlabor: Early Days
A slice of life police procedural with the occasional sprinkling of mech action.

You get it all, political thrillers, ghost stories, highway pursuits and a kaiju wreaking havoc in Tokyo Bay.
A slice of life police procedural with the occasional sprinkling of mech action.

You get it all, political thrillers, ghost stories, highway pursuits and a kaiju wreaking havoc in Tokyo Bay.
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alobi
alobi
7.0★ · 12/21/24
Patlabor: Early Days
was good
was good
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Danny Reguinho
Danny Reguinho
9.0★ · 01/07/24
Patlabor: Early Days
Amazing. Could've ended one episode sooner, but what we did get was an OVA so incredibly in the pocket that I can foresee rewatching this many many times. I've loved all of Oshii's films that I've seen thus far, but I've never seen this side of his work and the amount of flat out insanely good vibes and fun scifi riffs intermixed with that haunting style he is known for sporadically in between made for a truly delightful viewing experience. I've had this on the list for a while and am very happy to dive in! I hear the films are a lot more serious and grim, I hope not by too much because the insane tone that this OVA has is just right!
Amazing. Could've ended one episode sooner, but what we did get was an OVA so incredibly in the pocket that I can foresee rewatching this many many times. I've loved all of Oshii's films that I've seen thus far, but I've never seen this side of his work and the amount of flat out insanely good vibes and fun scifi riffs intermixed with that haunting style he is known for sporadically in between made for a truly delightful viewing experience. I've had this on the list for a while and am very happy to dive in! I hear the films are a lot more serious and grim, I hope not by too much because the insane tone that this OVA has is just right!
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Danny Reguinho
Danny Reguinho
9.0★ · 01/07/24
Patlabor: Early Days
Amazing. Could've ended one episode sooner, but what we did get was an OVA so incredibly in the pocket that I can foresee rewatching this many many times. I've loved all of Oshii's films that I've seen thus far, but I've never seen this side of his work and the amount of flat out insanely good vibes and fun scifi riffs intermixed with that haunting style he is known for sporadically in between made for a truly delightful viewing experience. I've had this on the list for a while and am very happy to dive in! I hear the films are a lot more serious and grim, I hope not by too much because the insane tone that this OVA has is just right!
Amazing. Could've ended one episode sooner, but what we did get was an OVA so incredibly in the pocket that I can foresee rewatching this many many times. I've loved all of Oshii's films that I've seen thus far, but I've never seen this side of his work and the amount of flat out insanely good vibes and fun scifi riffs intermixed with that haunting style he is known for sporadically in between made for a truly delightful viewing experience. I've had this on the list for a while and am very happy to dive in! I hear the films are a lot more serious and grim, I hope not by too much because the insane tone that this OVA has is just right!
Favorite
Comment