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+++
title = "Patlabor 2: The Movie (1993)"
author = ["Michał Sapka"]
date = 2024-04-26T22:08:00+02:00
categories = ["brainrot"]
draft = false
weight = 3002
primary_menu = "brain-rot-patlabor"
abstract = "My review of a masterpiece"
[menu]
[menu.brain-rot-patlabor]
weight = 3002
identifier = "patlabor-2-the-movie-1993"
+++
Ok, this one is a difficult movie to write about.
For a _gajin_ it may come as a visually beautiful, but very convoluted movie.
But deep inside, it's deeply rooted in Japan's history and one needs to understand a few facts before truly appreciating it.
So, before talking about the movie, allow me to take a brief jump into history territory.
{{< rating 5 "patlabor-2-movie.jpg" >}}
Cover
{{< /rating >}}
After loosing World War II, Japan was under the USA's occupation.
Their new constitution has a very important "Article 9" under which Japan was allowed to have defense military force, but it was to be never deployed on foreign soil.
After few changes, the defense force became Japanese Self-Defense Force, the _JSDF_.
Decades pass and the population kind of forgot about the WWII.
Mind you, Nagasaki and Hiroshima lives in their mindset, but war becomes something that was in the past.
In June 1992, the National Diet passed a UN Peacekeeping Cooperation Law which permitted the JSDF to participate in UN medicalonal Diet passed a UN Peacekeeping Cooperation Law which permitted the JSDF to participate in UN medical, refugee repatriation, logistical support, infrastructural reconstruction, election-monitoring, and policing operations under strictly limited conditions[^fn:1].
Amongst part of Japanese population it was seen as a dangerous precedence.
JSDF was, in fact, deployed on foreign soil.
Both creators of _Patlbor_, Mamoru Oshii and Kazunori Itō were vocal opponents of this decision.
_Patlabor 2: The Movie_ should be seen as their open letter.
So, knowing this I have to say: _Patlabor 2: The Movie_ is amongst the greatest movies I've ever seen.
I always say that for me, SciFi for SciFi sake is boring; it can elevate by using the setting as a mean to tell a human story.
I also like SciFi movies that are not action-fests.
And for both of those measures _Patlabor 2: The Movie_ **excels** all expectations.
It is also a huge step-up fromr _Patlabor: The Movie_.
While that had huge potential, but came out lacking in both, substance and form, the _2_ is a gigantic step.
It's only 4 years between release dates, but I am floored.
Ok, back to the movie itself.
It's 2002, 3 years after the events of _Patlabor: The Movie_.
Yokohama Bay Bridge is destroyed by a missile shot from a variation of F-16 Fighter.
JASDF (Japan Air Self-Defense Force) is blamed for the attack, and a result JSDF is ready to deploy forces all over Tokyo.
One thing to get straight of the way: there's not much of Patlabors here to be seen.
I think there are more shots of fighters and tanks, than it is of the mechs.
This _not_ a mecha anime even though it is set in a mecha world.
It's also not an action movie, as most of the scenes is two/three people talking.
_P2TM_ requires significant attention, as it's all about those dialogues.
The message is more said than shown.
The presentation may be not to your liking.
Anime is mostly known for imaginative fight scenes and fan service.
This not that kind of movie.
It's slow and methodical.
But there are action scenes, and they are glorious.
_PTM_ was looking great; _P2TM_ sets incredible standards that are often unmatched even today.
I found it interesting, as the first portion of the movie uses very small color palette - everything is overblown, like in full sun, or light by fluorescent lamp.
People look more like cyborgs than living things.
Then, when authors start conveying their message, it all changes - the palette broadens and characters even get some tam.
Subtle and effective.
The city look incredible, the machines look amazing and characters no longer have perspective problems (like they had in _PTM_).
Overall, the presentation is perfect, but unfortunately the style here seems mostly abandoned.
It's _distinctly_ Oshii and _Production IG_.
We've even got quite a few scenes that are directly quotes in _Ghost in the Shell_.
And there's even a Basset!
We will this dog in a lot his future movies.
The only nitpick I can find when it comes to the visual aspect is that in a few scenes the snow looks bad.
That's all.
The music is great.
It's not _Ghost in the Shell_ but Kenji Kawaii is a master of his craft.
The only negative I can find is the main villain.
He is absent from most of his movies and his motivations are hidden until the very last few scenes.
His work is ever-present, but he is not here.
Which is fitting.
Oshii said that the "evil" character here is himself.
Everything the villain say is what the director thinks.
It's much better handled than in _PTM_.
There the motivations were never developed, but seemed to be the point.
In this movie his motivations are clear by the end, but they are not what it's about.
What we see (the militia, the ineffectiveness of civil overseers) is what authors convey.
This mecha-anime is a very strong anti-war manifest.
It dares to put a mirror in front of our faces.
Everything we have is because of some war, yet we do everything in our power to never think about it.
Now, I live in Poland and the war seem more real that it was for my entire lifetime, but we still pretend that it's impossible.
_Patlabor 2: The Movie_ is a masterpiece.
Oshii is one of the most brilliant directors in history, and this movie is one of his magnum opuses[^fn:2].
It's not only something **every** fan of anime should watch but everyone who enjoys cinematography.
It's smart, beautiful and haunting.
I fail to find a real flaw.
[^fn:1]: Source: [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Self-Defense_Forces#Peacekeeping)
[^fn:2]: How many directors have achiever greatness on a few occasions?
Oshii certainly did!
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