Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- lb:patlabor [2025-09-04 09:32:11] – [Division 2 - Captain Gotō] ninjasr
+++ lb:patlabor [2025-11-17 19:36:53] (current) – [Kidou Keisatsu Patlabor 2 (1993)] ninjasr
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 Ever since I read the manga, Patlabor proudly stands as one of my personal favorites.
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+[[lb:patlabor:gotou]] • [[lb:patlabor:kanuka]] • [[lb:patlabor:kumagami]]\\
 [[lb:patlabor:vocal]]
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   * The building the SV2 is located in is claimed to be a former factory. The company that initially used it went bankrupt, and the building was sold to the police for the SV2. This is only mentioned in the manga and no other continuity. However, no other continuity mentions anything about the building. Because no other continuities contradict this information, it can be assumed to be canon in all continuities.
 The result of this approach is that what I write about characters/worldbuilding will be different from what fan wikis online write, since they have a (dare I say, inferior?) approach to canon.\\
-For more about this, I recommend reading [[playground:canon|this article]]. If it exists.
+For more about this, I recommend reading [[playground:story:canon|this article]]. If it exists.
 ==== Terminology ====
 This explains a number of terms that are unique to the Patlabor series.
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 This film takes place a few years after the first one and portrays the Division 2 cast having moved on from the SV2, now working in different jobs. The first major mistake! and one that would negatively affect the rest of the film continuity. Here though, as a standalone, it's alright.\\
 Shinohara and Izumi are portrayed as working for Shinohara Heavy Industries: Izumi as a test pilot. Ota still works in the police, but now helps train new recruits for Patlabor piloting. Shinshi works in a bureaucratic position in the police. Yamazaki, Goto, Nagumo all still work for the SV2. Kanuka left permanently. Shigeo is now the head mechanic.\\
-The motivations of the antagonist are poorly presented to the audience, making it difficult to figure out what the hell he's trying to do. It took me a re-watch and a lot of thinking to figure it out. My initial thinking was that he was aiming to <wrap spoiler>place Japan in the same position he ended up in: essentially, behind enemy lines, no permission to retreat and no help coming</wrap>. I'd guess the audience would naturally gravitate towards this conclusion, considering the opening scene. However, the reality is <wrap spoiler>that his goal was to create a ‘state of illusion’</wrap>. More specifically <wrap spoiler>the antagonist probably got PTSD or something similar from the situation depicted in the opening scene. The evidence in favor of this is what he says later in the movie: when he came back to Japan, it felt ‘unreal’ to him, which is a symptom of PTSD. He decided then that he wanted Japan to experience the same thing, which is why he does what he does in the movie.</wrap>\\
+The motivations of the antagonist are poorly presented to the audience, making it difficult to figure out what the hell he's trying to do. It took me a re-watch and a lot of thinking to figure it out. My initial thinking was that he was aiming to <wrap spoiler>place Japan in the same position he ended up in: essentially, behind enemy lines, no permission to retreat and no help coming</wrap>. I'd guess the audience would naturally gravitate towards this conclusion, considering the opening scene. However, the reality is <span wrap_spoiler>that his goal was to create a “state of illusion”</span>. More specifically <wrap spoiler>the antagonist probably got PTSD or something similar from the situation depicted in the opening scene. The evidence in favor of this is what he says later in the movie: when he came back to Japan, it felt ‘unreal’ to him, which is a symptom of PTSD. He decided then that he wanted Japan to experience the same thing, which is why he does what he does in the movie.</wrap>\\
 Now, the film isn't intentionally constructed to make it difficult to figure this out...it's just constructed poorly. All the needed information is in the film (I mean, I was able to figure it out), but what makes it difficult to figure out is that the audience gets zero hints as to this motivation until it's revealed. If the film had included a scene of him in Japan, shortly after he returned, that would have been enough. He doesn't even need to speak, because the film is capable of depicting <wrap spoiler>the state of illusion, considering that they did it perfectly when they showed the JSDF in Tokyo</wrap>. The audience would then be able to connect this scene of him in Japan with the scene of the <wrap spoiler>soldiers in Tokyo</wrap>.\\
 I don't think there are any serious storytelling issues outside of this failure to communicate properly and the film is well-constructed. If it weren't for that, the film would have a solid story.\\
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 === Division 2 ===
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-[[lb:patlabor:Gotō]]
+[[lb:patlabor:gotou]] • [[lb:patlabor:kanuka]] • [[lb:patlabor:kumagami]]
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-=== Division 2 - Sergeant Kumagami Takeo ===
-Kumagami is at times sarcastic, as is evident from the ‘reports’ she writes in a few of the episodes. This is different from Kanuka's report, which is more matter-of-fact or angry in tone.\\
-There is some ambiguity regarding her relationship with Utsumi((:fn:>Who is, spoiler, the main villain of the manga and, to a certain extent, the TV anime.)). I wouldn't be able to say anything definitively regarding it but, honestly, she probably wouldn't be able to either. That said, something was made somewhat clear...although she's a bit confused about her feelings, she definitely doesn't like him. One piece of indirect evidence in favor of this is what she said to Izumi: ‘I haven't found the right man.’((:fn:>Not an exact quote, but she states this in the manga. I'll find what chapter/volume specifically later.))\\
-This at least indicates that she doesn't think of Utsumi as being the right man. I'm probably just pointing out the obvious here.\\
-Another point of interest regarding her: she starts as Unit 2's backup (in the manga), but eventually replaces Shinohara as Unit 1's. This is particularly odd as they never switch back...even after the manga ends, it's implied (partially) that she remains Unit 1's backup. I find this odd and interesting because I've never seen a change like this remain permanent in anime/manga. Even in the Patlabor TV anime, Shinshi is Ota's backup for a single episode.
-=== Kanuka Clancy ===
-I read somewhere - I'll have to find it again, damn - that one of the creators felt that Kanuka was ‘too perfect’ as a character. At the time, I had only seen the original OVA...but I did agree with this. Now that I've gone through a majority of the franchise, I've come to agree with this even more.\\
-I'll note that there isn't anything really wrong with having a character with few flaws, it's just hard to make it interesting. Kanuka seems to be an example of such a poorly-handled character.\\
-The manga comes in as the superior version again, presenting her in the best possible way. There she's presented as a cool character from abroad. Kanuka's minimal presence in the manga also helps.
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-I realized recently that I did not really elaborate on what I meant by her being poorly-handled. Depending on my mood, I may or may not do that soon.
 ==== Shinohara Heavy Industries ====
 A newcomer to the labor production field, but one that has managed to dominate a chunk of the marketplace. Particularly notable for exclusively supplying the police with labors((:fn:>As far as I know. While other companies have attempted to supply labors to the police, only Shinohara has gotten the contracts. Although the TV continuity has a different company providing labors for Division 1, they're eventually replaced by Shinohara.)). They also supply labors to civilians and the military, although other companies obviously fill-in as well.