GearsBlog

To round off my Patlabor experience I watched Patlabor 3 the Movie: WXIII (2001). The WXIII in the title is short for Wasted 13 – more on that below. The movie was great and I recommend it to science-fiction fans but with a warning. This movie is not a standard Patlabor story. It’s a side story and there’s almost no mecha action. Like Orguss 02, Patlabor 3 the Movie takes place in the same setting as the title but focuses on different characters and a different storyline than usual. The characters of Special Vehicles Section 2 are only seen very briefly and don’t figure prominently into the plot. Read more…

I had a great time watching the second Patlabor movie (1993).  Although it bogged down in the middle and risked boring the audience it was a good movie overall and I would recommend it to mecha fans. Read more…

I watched the Patlabor Movie (1989) last night and thoroughly enjoyed it.  If you’ve seen any Patlabor then you shouldn’t miss this movie.  The story centers around a plot by a mad programmer who wants to stop Tokyo’s development by creating a hidden flaw in a new operating system for labors.  Once a certain low frequency sound is made by the wind a hidden program takes control of the labors and sends them on a rampage.  Learning about the plot just before a hurricane with the right wind speed comes to Tokyo, Special Vehicles Section 2 springs into action to try to prevent a tragedy. Read more…

The AV-98 Ingram Unit 1 "Alphonse" is back!

Patlabor’s second OAV series started in November 1990 and ran for 16 half hour episodes.  Really, the second OAV series is a continuation of the TV series.  It makes Patlabor 63 episodes instead of 47.  I really enjoyed the second OAV series and highly recommend it but only to those who have already seen the TV series. Read more…

I’ve just finished the 47 episodes of the Patlabor TV Series. Patlabor ran from October 1989 to September 1990. Patlabor is a truly great TV show and I highly recommend it to all mecha and science-fiction fans. I wrote about Patlabor’s basic premise not long ago so there’s no need to go over it again. After watching the entire run of Special Vehicles Division 2′s adventures protecting Tokyo my enthusiasm for the show hasn’t diminished at all. Read more…

After seeing Transformers 2 this week it’s clear that computer graphics special effects have come a long way. The giant robots we see battling on the big screen look very convincing. At this point only the top-flight Hollywood studios can produce effects of this caliber but I think it will only be a few years before many more studios will reach that point. The speculation regarding tomorrow’s movies runs rampant within me. Read more…

We should all do our part to contribute to the next generation. Donating to libraries, volunteering at schools, raising children with proper manners and values – and perhaps most important of all, introducing anime. Last week I began watching Gatchaman with my two sons, ages six and four. It’s been exciting for all of us. Read more…

Not long ago I was able to watch the first Patlabor OAV series subtitled. It first came out in April 1988. I’m now starting to watch through the Patlabor TV series. I’ve been looking at Patlabor art books ever since I was a teenager so getting a chance to watch the anime was a big deal for me. Read more…

The 2004 edition of the Super Robot Encyclopedia is the 3rd edition and continues improving an excellent product. This is one book every mecha fan should have on his shelf. The book is 296 pages and covers mecha in Japanese anime - television, movies and OAVs – from the beginning to 2004. Although 5 years out of date you can’t afford to pass up this book. Read more…

The mighty Go Lion

It’s been hard to find time for anime or blogging lately but I managed to finish the 52 episodes of Go Lion from 1981. Although it isn’t the best that 80′s anime has to offer I did enjoy it. I would only recommend it to people who I know enjoy super robot shows of the late 70′s and early 80′s. But if that’s your thing then don’t miss Go Lion. Read more…