The Next Generation: Patlabor

The Next Generation: Patlabor (Japanese: THE NEXT GENERATION パトレイバー) is a Japanese science fiction live action series and part of the Patlabor franchise. It was produced by Tohokushinsha and distributed by Shochiku. It consists of a drama series and movie, both of which have not been released outside of Japan.

The Next Generation: Patlabor
THE NEXT GENERATION パトレイバー
Television drama
''THE NEXT GENERATION Patlabor (THE NEXT GENERATION パトレイバー)
Directed byMamoru Oshii, Takanori Tsujimoto, Hiroaki Yuasa, Kiyotaka Taguchi
Written byMamoru Oshii, Kei Yamamura
Music byKenji Kawai
StudioTohokushinsha
Original networkBS Digital, Star Channel
Original run March 8, 2014 (2014-03-08)[1] – January 10, 2015 (2015-01-10)
Episodes14
Live-action film
''THE NEXT GENERATION Patlabor: Shuto Kessen (THE NEXT GENERATION パトレイバー 首都決戦)
Directed byMamoru Oshii
Written byMamoru Oshii
Music byKenji Kawai
StudioTohokushinsha
ReleasedMay 1, 2015 (2015-05-01) (theatrical cut), October 10, 2015 (2015-10-10) (director's cut)
Runtime94 minutes (theatrical cut), 119 minutes (director's cut)

Media

Drama series

The drama series is divided into 14 "short story" episodes released to Blu-ray and DVD and exclusively aired on BS Digital and Star Channel airing from 2014 and 2015, with limited advanced theatrical screenings dividing the series into 7 "chapters", each comprising two episodes. The blu-ray and DVD releases also followed the theatrical screening format, with each disc containing two episodes and labelled with the same chapter number as the theatrical release. All blu-rays also had a limited advance release before the regular one at the theatres where they were screening, except for chapter 7 which only had the regular release. Broadacsts on online streaming services follow the theatrical and video release format, dividing the series into 7 chapters instead of the 14 episodes.

Movie

The movie THE NEXT GENERATION Patlabor: Shuto Kessen ("Showdown in the Capital City") (THE NEXT GENERATION パトレイバー 首都決戦) released in theatres on 1 May 2015. The director's cut version of the movie was released on 10 October 2015 alongside a limited blu-ray release only available at theatres where it was screening, before the regular release alongside the theatrical cut's blu-ray and DVD on 3 November 2015. The director's cut was not released on DVD.[2]

The movie's title is displayed as GRAY GHOST THE NEXT GENERATION -PATLABOR- in the director's cut, which is what Oshii regards to be the movie's "true title".[3] The movie also reuses some themes and ideas from Oshii's cancelled Lupin the Third film, namely the secret behind Haibara's identity, which he had previously wanted to use for Hoba in Patlabor: The Movie.[4][5] There are no significant changes in the Director's Cut, with the differences mostly being dialogue scenes being longer, and Oshii said that the theatrical cut was a shortened version made based on the director's cut due to producers wanting it to fit within 90 minutes.[6]

Novels

Four novels featuring new original stories set during the series penned by Yamamura and overseen by Oshii were published. A fifth novel based on the movie and written by Oshii and Yamamura together, THE NEXT GENERATION Patlabor: TOKYO WAR 2 Haiiro no Yuurei ("The Gray Ghost") (THE NEXT GENERATION パトレイバー TOKYO WAR 2 灰色の幽霊)[7] was also released. The title of the fifth novel is notable because it is shown to be a direct sequel to Oshii's 1994 novelization of Patlabor 2: The Movie, Kidou Keisatsu Patlabor TOKYO WAR (機動警察パトレイバー TOKYO WAR).[8][9]

Plot

The story takes place in the Patlabor world's version of 2013 Tokyo, taking place after the TV series and movies. The completion of the Babylon Project led to disuse of Labors, and Japan is in the midst of a recession. Labors falling into disuse mean there is also no place for the patrol labor squads, which have been shrunk to only one division.

Short story episodes

The series follows the new members of SV2 as they solve cases and get into trouble like their predecessors did.

No. Title Director Original release date
0"Eikou no Tokusha Nika"
(Japanese: 栄光の特車二課)		Kiyotaka TaguchiMarch 8, 2014 (2014-03-08)

SV2's oldest member, Shiba, reminisces on the history of the division.

While other episodes had advance theatrical screenings, episode 0 only was broadcast on television before the theatrical release. In the theatrical and video releases, it is part of "Chapter 1" alongside episode 1.
1"Sandaime Shutsugeki seyo!"
(Japanese: 三代目出動せよ！)		Mamoru OshiiApril 26, 2014 (2014-04-26)

The third generation of SV2 spends most of their days slacking off. One day, however, they receive a dispatch request for the first time in a long time, and their AV-98 Ingram goes up against a Kuratas. This is a partial remake of the first episode of the Early Days OVA, and one of the four episodes where Oshii was both director and screenwriter.

In the theatrical and video releases, it is part of "Chapter 1" alongside episode 0.
2"98-shiki Kidou seyo"
(Japanese: 98式再起動せよ)		Takanori TsujimotoMay 31, 2014 (2014-05-31)

SV2's ancient AV-98 Ingram has fallen out of disrepair, but the police headquarters demand that it fire its gun as a salute during the general inspection, and the maintenance crew has to rush to get it up to shape.

In the theatrical and video releases, it is part of "Chapter 2".
3"Tekken Akira"
(Japanese: 鉄拳アキラ)		Hiroaki YuasaMay 31, 2014 (2014-05-31)

Akira, who is a gamer, loses to a middle-aged man at Tekken who talks to her about the philosophy of winning. She trains for a rematch.

In the theatrical and video releases, it is part of "Chapter 2".
4"Norainu-tachi no Gogo"
(Japanese: 野良犬たちの午後)		Takanori TsujimotoJuly 12, 2014 (2014-07-12)

Akira goes to the convenience mart but ends up as a hostage when it is occupied by armed terrorists.

In the theatrical and video releases, it is part of "Chapter 3".
5"Daikaijuu Arawaru: Zenpen"
(Japanese: 大怪獣現わる 前編)		Mamoru OshiiJuly 12, 2014 (2014-07-12)

Surfers start to disappear in Atami, and rumours of a giant sea creature begin to surface. This is a partial remake of episode 3 of the Early Days OVA, and one of the four episodes where Oshii was both director and screenwriter.

In the theatrical and video releases, it is part of "Chapter 3".
6"Daikaijuu Arawaru: Kouhen"
(Japanese: 大怪獣現わる 後編)		Mamoru OshiiAugust 30, 2014 (2014-08-30)

A giant kaiju appears in Atami, and AV-98 SV2's Ingram goes up against it. This is a partial remake of episode 3 of the Early Days OVA, and is one of the four episodes where Oshii was both director and screenwriter.

In the theatrical and video releases, it is part of "Chapter 4".
7"Time Dokan"
(Japanese: タイムドカン)		Hiroaki YuasaAugust 30, 2014 (2014-08-30)

SV2 receives a phone call saying that they have set time bombs in SV2's building, just as Yamazaki's chicken coop explodes. They have to search for the remaining bombs before it is too late.

In the theatrical and video releases, it is part of "Chapter 4".
8"Enkyori Sogeki 2000"
(Japanese: 遠距離狙撃2000)		Takanori TsujimotoOctober 18, 2014 (2014-10-18)

An assassin known as the "Red Golgo" arrives in Japan to target Russian VIPs. He is in fact Kasha's teacher from her time in the FSB, and the two snipers face each other.

In the theatrical and video releases, it is part of "Chapter 5".
9"Crocodile Dungeon"
(Japanese: クロコダイル・ダンジョン)		Kiyotaka TaguchiOctober 18, 2014 (2014-10-18)

SV2 sees on the news that the white crocodile which once lived in the labyrinth beneath their building (now in a zoo) laid a giant pearl worth 2 billion yen. They unseal the labyrinth and head inside seeking treasure, but are attacked by a dinosaur. This episode a direct sequel to episode 38 of the anime TV series.

In the theatrical and video releases, it is part of "Chapter 5".
10"Bousou! Akai Labor"
(Japanese: 暴走! 赤いレイバー)		Kiyotaka TaguchiNovember 29, 2014 (2014-11-29)

Gotouda receives news that a military labor is being smuggled into Japan through Niigata, and he heads there with Yuuma to find a runaway terrorist. This episode is a partial remake of episode 9 of the anime TV series.

In the theatrical and video releases, it is part of "Chapter 6".
11"THE LONG GOODBYE"
(Japanese: THE LONG GOODBYE)		Hiroaki YuasaNovember 29, 2014 (2014-11-29)

Akira goes to a high school reunion and reunites with a man she once liked, but he has a hidden secret.

In the theatrical and video releases, it is part of "Chapter 6".
SP"Playback! Tokusha Nika Sonbou no Kiki"
(Japanese: プレイバック！ 特車二課 存亡の危機)		Takanori TsujimotoJanuary 10, 2015 (2015-01-10)

A recap of the series up to this point.

In the theatrical and video releases, it is part of "Chapter 7".
12"Ooinaru Isan"
(Japanese: 大いなる遺産)		Mamoru OshiiJanuary 10, 2015 (2015-01-10)

The police commander falls ill, and factions in the police department use the discussions around the handing down of the position to a new successor as a chance to move to disband SV2, and in order to prevent this, Gotouda seeks out the "great legacy" or "time bomb" which the previous captain Gotou supposedly left behind which is said to have the power to stop this. However, the trail leads him to the man who once plotted a coup against Japan itself, Yukihito Tsuge. This episode is a direct sequel to Patlabor 2: The Movie, and ends on a cliffhanger leading into Shuto Kessen. This is one of the four episodes where Oshii was both director and screenwriter.

In the theatrical and video releases, it is part of "Chapter 7".

Shuto Kessen

SV2 is in peril of being dismantled by police HQ, and Gotouda's investigations into the "great legacy" his predecessor left behind to prevent this lead him to Yukihito Tsuge. Shortly after his meeting with the man, a terrorist group inspired by Tsuge and composed of his followers uses a stolen experimental stealth gunship with optic camouflage, the AH-88J2 Kai "Gray Ghost", to conduct terrorist attacks on Tokyo, starting with destroying the Rainbow Bridge, re-enacting the events of Tsuge's coup. Seeking a way to stop the attacks, Gotouda seeks out the former captain of SV2 division 1, Shinobu Nagumo, to find out what she knows, while the other members of SV2 chase the terrorist group and public security's Kei Takahata investigates the mysterious pilot of the Gray Ghost, Rei Haibara.

Staff

Cast

Series and Movie

Movie Only

Production and development

The series, including the movie had a budget of ¥2.2 billion (US$20 million).[13]

Shuto Kessen grossed ¥193 million (US$1.8 million) in revenue, and the director's cut grossed ¥14 million (US$131,000). This does not include revenue from the drama series, which was not made public, or blu-ray and DVD sales.[14]

The series reuses some ideas and elements from Oshii's 2011 novel Bankuruwase: Keishi-chou Keibi-bu Tokushu Sharyou Ni-ka (番狂わせ　警視庁警備部特殊車輌二課)("Giant-Killers: Metropolitan Police Department Security Department Special Vehicles Section 2")[15] in which a similar new generation of SV2, some of whom have the same names as their TNG counterparts, have to stop a terrorist attack on a soccer match. While the names are identical, the characters themselves are significantly different, some being of different genders, and as such the novel is not directly related to The Next Generation. Characters from Bin Konno's Tokyo-wan Rinkai-shou Azumi-han series also have cameo appearances in this novel, as Oshii was inspired to write it due to how Konno's series first made references to SV2 and had a cameo appearance by Goto from Patlabor.[16] Konno later made a cameo appearance in Shuto Kessen as the superintendent general of the police.[17]

While Oshii was the chief director of the drama series, many individual episodes were directed by Takanori Tsujimoto, Hiroaki Yuasa, Kiyotaka Taguchi, younger directors who regard him as their mentor. Additionally, while Oshii wrote the screenplays for some episodes, the majority were handled by Kei Yamamura. The movie, however, was directed and written by Oshii alone.[18][19][20]

References
  1. https://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/1402/06/news127.html
  2. https://web.archive.org/web/20160305234536/https://patlabor-nextgeneration.com/
  3. 「THE NEXT GENERATION パトレイバー 首都決戦 ディレクターズカット特別版」 Blu-ray audio commentary
  4. 「インタビュー押井守 幻の押井ルパンは『虚構を盗む』はずだった」『THEルパン三世FILES ルパン三世全記録 〜増補改訂版〜』キネマ旬報社、1998年、p.36
  5. 『BSアニメ夜話Vol.03 機動警察パトレイバー』キネマ旬報社、2006年、p.75
  6. https://gigazine.net/news/20151002-tng-patlabor-mamoru-oshii-interview/
  7. ＴＨＥ　ＮＥＸＴ　ＧＥＮＥＲＡＴＩＯＮ　パトレイバー　TOKYO WAR ２　灰色の幽霊(KADOKAWA/角川書店)ISBN 4041032180
  8. 機動警察パトレイバー TOKYO WAR (前編) (富士見ファンタジア文庫)ISBN 4829125527, 機動警察パトレイバー TOKYO WAR (後編) (富士見ファンタジア文庫)ISBN 4829125683
  9. TOKYO WAR MOBILE POLICE PATLABOR(KADOKAWA/エンターブレイン)ISBN 4047297933
  10. "Official website" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2016-03-05.
  11. https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20150519-a309/
  12. THE NEXT GENERATION パトレイバー 首都決戦 blu-ray credits
  13. https://animeanime.jp/article/2014/04/23/18404.html
  14. 「キネマ旬報」2016年3月下旬号 70頁
  15. 番狂わせ　警視庁警備部特殊車輌二課(角川春樹事務所 )ISBN 4758411700
  16. 番狂わせ　警視庁警備部特殊車輌二課(角川春樹事務所 )ISBN 4758411700 afterword
  17. THE NEXT GENERATION パトレイバー 首都決戦 credits
  18. https://www.famitsu.com/news/201706/15135520.html "辻本貴則監督と辻本監督の“師”である押井守監督"
  19. https://tokushu.eiga-log.com/interview/9473.html
  20. http://edu.tca.ac.jp/mojitama/%E3%82%AF%E3%83%AC%E3%82%A2%E3%83%BC%E3%83%ACweb/07%20_2p.html
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