released 02 nov 02 / last mod 01 jun 07 / greg goebel / public domain
* The PATLABOR anime TV series concerns the adventures of a Japanese police unit that operates giant robots, or "Patrol Labors", to fight crimes committed by other labors. While this might sound like a recipe for just another "SGRA (Stupid Giant Robots Anime)", PATLABOR actually focuses on the personalities of the Patrol Labor team, who, as their boss, the devious Captain Goto, puts it, are "a gang of losers".
Production qualities are towards the higher end of the range for TV anime series, as are the scripts, but it's the character studies that make PATLABOR shine: sweet but stubborn Noa Izumi, hotheaded Asuma Shinobara, and the loud, pigheaded, and obnoxious Officer Ota, among many others. This is not anything remarkable, however, and it certainly wouldn't make a believer out of anyone who wasn't an anime fan, but the series is always watchable and has its very good moments.