WXIII: Patlabor the Movie 3 (2002)

Directors:

Takuji Endo
Fumihiko Takayama

Writers:

Miki Tori (writer)
Masami Yûki (story)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Animation | Action | Crime

Tagline:

It's coming from Tokyo Bay.

Plot:

Two police detectives and SV2 investigate a series of mysterious acts of deadly destruction occuring in and around Tokyo Bay. |

Plot Keywords:

Police Detective | Detective | Police | Anime | Robot

Cast

Katsuhiko Watabiki	...	Senior Detective Takeshi Kusumi (voice)
Hiroaki Hirata	...	Detective Shinichiro Hata (voice)
Atsuko Tanaka	...	Saeko Misaki (voice)
Ryûnosuke Ôbayashi	...	Kiichi Gotoh (voice)
Mîna Tominaga	...	Noa Izumi (voice)
Toshio Furukawa	...	Asuma Shinohara (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Cansino	...	Asuma Shinohara / Kishida / Lab Researcher / Officer Mimura (voice: English version)
Shigeru Chiba	...	Shigeo Shiba (voice)
Richard Epcar	...	Isao Ota, Director, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Michael Forest	...	Takeshi Kusumi (voice: English version) (as Alfred Thor)
Issei Futamata	...	Mikiyasu Shinshi (voice)
Daisuke Gôri	...	Hiromi Yamazaki (voice)
Michihiro Ikemizu	...	Isao Ohta (voice)
Yô Inoue	...	Kanuka Clancy (voice)
Steve Kramer	...	Boat Captain, Detective, Labor Technician, Security Guard, Police Officer, Yoshitake Misaki, Engineer, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Julie Maddalena	...	Hitomi Misaki (voice: English version)
Jake Martin	...	Police Captain (voice: English version)
Tomomichi Nishimura	...	Detective Matsui (voice)
Daran Norris	...	Kiichi Goto (voice: English version) (as Bob Thomas)
Shinji Ogawa	...	Fukushima (voice)
Tony Oliver	...	Baseball Player, Rude Boyfriend, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Simon Prescott	...	Toshiro Kurisu, Fisherman (voice: English version) (as Simon Isaacson)
Derek Stephen Prince	...	Shizuo Miyanomori, Police Officer (voice: English version) (as David Umansky)
Michelle Ruff	...	Noa Izumi, Student, Computer System, Reporter, Translator, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Yoshiko Sakakibara	...	Shinobu Nagumo (voice)
Osamu Saka	...	Seitaro Sakaki (voice)
Ellyn Stern	...	Sign Language Interpreter, Stage Actress, Disbatch Operator, Kieko Misaki (voice: English version)
Kirk Thornton	...	Col. Goro Ishihara, Labor Technician, Additional Voices (voice: English version) (as Ron Allen)
Kari Wahlgren	...	Saeko Misaki (voice: English version) (as Kay Jensen)
Dave Wittenberg	...	Shinichiro Hata (voice: English version) (as Dave Lelyveld)

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

102 min | Singapore:100 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Singapore:PG | USA:R | Australia:M

Company:

Bandai Digital Entertainment

Trivia:

Though it was the most recent "Patlabor" film to be released, this takes place between _Kidô keisatsu patorebâ: The Movie (1990)_ and Kidô keisatsu patorebâ: The Movie 2 (1993).

A different twist for the Patlabor series.

In the year 2000, one year after the Babylon incident. A mysterious creature has been spotted in the Tokyo Bay destroying fishing ships and patrol boats. Two detectives are on the case, and try to gather up clues on the mystery. As it later turns out, they're dealing with a biochemical monster that can only exist by being made by a human. And their yet to find out who's responsible for it's existence before it destroys Tokyo.

Unlike the previous Patlabor anime. This one revolves on 2 characters who aren't part of Special Vechiles Division 2. But it does take place in the same universe. Only we don't see too many Labors at all. And every one we know from Patlabor are only in 1/4 of the movie. With the exception of Captain Gota being the only original character having the most screen time. While everyone else is a minor character in this movie.

Making it not look like a Patlabor movie at all. Despite it directed by someone other than Mastu Ohjii and newer animation. This is consider to be the weakest in the Patlabor series. Not saying it's bad at all. Just the director failed in giving it the same spirit as the other movies and TV shows.

It's more of a Monster anime flick than a Mecha anime flick.

If it was directed by Ohjii, then we'd see it as the same level as the previous movies. That and it's more of an in-between movie than a sequel cause it takes place between the first 2.

Overrall Patlabor WXIII does succeed in having believable characters, actions, drama, and locations. If your a fan of the franchise, you might not find this one to be satisfying.