However, it is as a result of this aforementioned scarcity that I try not to fall into futile flights of fancy and dream up video game adaptations of my favorite anime. Frankly, it also doesn’t help that even the popular anime I like don’t tend to get adapted (why have we still not gotten a new Fullmetal Alchemist game?). However, for what feels like the first time, I have been surprised, as we are finally getting another video game adaptation of the criminally underrated anime, and one of my personal favorites, Patlabor.
Patlabor: The Case Files Is Bringing Back The Legendary Mecha Anime
Image Courtesy of GOOD SMILE COMPANY
If you’ve not heard of Patlabor, don’t panic. It was a somewhat popular mecha manga from the late 80s that was the brainchild of manga writer Masami Yuki, which was later adapted into an OVA directed by Ghost in the Shell’s own Mamoru Oshii. It would get three films, a live-action TV series, the popular main anime series written by Oshii, and numerous other spin-offs, including video games. However, the last Patlabor video game was a 2005 PSP game, and the more recent TV content hasn’t been made as readily available outside of Japan as it once was.
The announcement of Patlabor: The Case Files is pretty significant as it marks a return to home consoles and a stab at reigniting the passion felt for the series. It isn’t as if Patlabor has died out, especially in Japan, but its prevalence in Western culture is all but non-existent at this point. On a personal note, I am immensely excited for the release of Patlabor: The Case Files, as the show has played a rather significant role in my life, offering me comfort and laughs during rather challenging times. Getting to spend time with the members of Section 2 and listening to some very 80s anime theme songs was a blast and an experience I’ll never forget.
The game itself appears to be a somewhat low-budget title that focuses on recreating popular battles and sequences from the original anime, while allowing players to take on the role of both the protagonists and their Labors, as well as those that they fight. It isn’t exactly the most unique premise for a video game adaptation of an anime, but after a 21-year wait, I’ll frankly take anything at this point. It is still refreshing to see a show like Patlabor get adaptations this long after its original release, and it gives me hope that other shows lost to time can be revived, too. Sure, I’m not convinced that Patlabor: The Case Files will be the greatest video game adaptation of an anime, but its existence means a lot to me and marks a hopeful trend of keeping underappreciated anime relevant.
Patlabor: The Case Files Is Missing A Key Aspect Of The Show
Image Courtesy of GOOD SMILE COMPANY
As grateful as I am that we’re getting a new adaptation of Patlabor at all, I do have a few concerns. Crucially, the game seems to only be adapting the impressive battle sequences from the original TV series as opposed to the plethora of cozy episodes spent following the members of Section 2 and their often humorous antics. The greatest parts of the show, especially the original OVA, are the quiet, character-driven moments that both serve to deliver a slice-of-life narrative and help make the tense action sequences feel significantly more high-stakes and impactful.
While the initial trailers for Patlabor: The Case Files do showcase the inside of Section 2’s iconic hangar, it doesn’t appear like we’ll be able to do much inside of it. It seems like a minor complaint, especially as the movies and later adaptations deliver a more action-focused mecha experience compared to the calmer earlier OVA, but it nevertheless feels like an integral component missing from an otherwise incredible-looking adaptation. This is not to say that The Case Files will be bad as a result of failing to adapt Noa Izumi’s toothache from the A Miserable Day episode. However, it would be nice to see those types of quirky interactions that defined much of the early characterization of Section 2.
It also remains to be seen how GOOD SMILE COMPANY, the folks best known for creating the Nendoroid and Figma lines of figures, handles video game publishing duties. It isn’t exactly its first time creating an anime video game, but it is still fairly new at this. The same can be said about developer Chime Corporation, whose only other credits are the fairly compelling Made in Abyss: Binary Star Falling into Darkness and the visual novel-heavy Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- The Prophecy of the Throne. Still, despite the relatively cheap look of Patlabor: The Case Files, the lack of its cozy slice-of-life aspects, and the fresh faces behind the game, I have faith that it will turn out to be at least a decent recreation of some of my favorite battles from the anime, and, sometimes, that’s all you need.
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