Patlabor

Mobile Police Patlabor
Manga volume 1 cover, featuring Noa Izumi
機動警察パトレイバー
(Kidō Keisatsu Patoreibā)
GenreAction, police comedy,[1] science fiction[2]
Created byHeadgear
Manga
Written byMasami Yuki
Published byShogakukan
English publisher
ImprintShōnen Sunday Comics
MagazineWeekly Shōnen Sunday
DemographicShōnen
Original runMarch 23, 1988May 11, 1994
Volumes22
Original video animation
The Early Days
Directed byMamoru Oshii
Written byKazunori Ito
Music byKenji Kawai
StudioStudio Deen
Licensed by
Released April 25, 1988 June 25, 1989
Episodes7 (List of episodes)
Light novel
Written byMichiko Yokote
Published byFujimi Shobō
ImprintFujimi Fantasia Bunko
DemographicMale
Original runOctober 1990October 1993
Volumes5
Light novel
Tokyo War
Written byMamoru Oshii
Published byFujimi Shobō
ImprintFujimi Fantasia Bunko
DemographicMale
Original runApril 1994May 1994
Volumes2
Original video animation
Patlabor Minimum
Directed byKenji Kamiyama
Written byMamoru Oshii
Music byKenji Kawai
StudioProduction I.G
Licensed by
ReleasedMarch 30, 2002
Runtime
  • 14 minutes (#1)
  • 12 minutes (#2)
  • 12 minutes (#3)
Original net animation
Patlabor Reboot
Directed byYasuhiro Yoshiura
Written byYasuhiro Yoshiura, Kazunori Ito
Music byKenji Kawai
Studio
ReleasedOctober 15, 2016
Runtime7 minutes
Movie timeline
TV timeline

Mobile Police Patlabor (Japanese: 機動警察パトレイバー, Hepburn: Kidō Keisatsu Patoreibā), also known as Patlabor (a portmanteau of "patrol" and "labor"),[3] is a Japanese science fiction media franchise created by Headgear, a group consisting of manga artist Masami Yūki, director Mamoru Oshii, screenwriter Kazunori Itō, mecha designer Yutaka Izubuchi, and character designer Akemi Takada.

The popular franchise includes a manga, a TV series, two OVA series, three feature-length movies, two light novel series, and a short film compilation, named Minipato (ミニパト) because of its super deformed (chibi) drawing style.[4] The series has been adapted into video games and licensed products from OST to toys. Patlabor is known for using mecha – designed by Yutaka Izubuchi – not just for police or military purposes, but also for industrial and municipal jobs.

The series is one of the earlier examples of what is called a "media mix" in Japan, where there is no one source material: Multiple forms of media (in Patlabor's case the anime and manga) are worked on at the same time independently of each other.[4]

  1. ^ "Maiden Japan Licenses Patlabor OVAs!". Anime News Network. January 15, 2013. Retrieved January 12, 2020. Maiden Japan today announced its acquisition of the classic police action-comedy Patlabor.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Patlabor Day was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ ""The Next Generation PATLABOR" Life-size AV-98 Ingram Deck-up Arena Event on October 24".
  4. ^ a b "About Patlabor | 機動警察パトレイバー公式サイト". July 17, 2020.