Patlabor EZY Anime’s Video Highlights SV2 Members
First of three film releases premieres on Friday.
New video released
Bandai Namco Filmworks streamed a fresh promotional video for the Patlabor EZY anime on Thursday. The clip showcases the series’ main cast – the members of Special Vehicles Division 2 (SV2).
Release format
The anime will span eight episodes and will debut theatrically as three films:
- File 1 – premieres 15 May (episodes 1‑3)
- File 2 – premieres 14 August (episodes 4‑6)
- File 3 – premieres March 2027 (episodes 7‑8) – a two‑part story
Story premise
Set in the 2030s, Japan now faces a severe labor shortage and widespread AI automation. “Labors” – piloted mecha once used for manual work – have become everyday tools and are increasingly replaced by autonomous robots. SV‑2 continues its mission to police Labor‑related crimes, now equipped with upgraded SV‑98 Ingrams.
Known cast members
- Sumire Uesaka as Towa Kuga – 22‑year‑old pilot of Ingram‑01
- Kikunosuke Toya as Kippei Atori – 23‑year‑old commander of Ingram‑01
- Ami Koshimizu as Saki Hirata – 25‑year‑old commander of Ingram‑02 (Aichi native)
- Chikahiro Kobayashi as Akihiko Hazama – 29‑year‑old pilot of Ingram‑02 (Fukuoka native)
- Setsuji Satō as Yūta Yanai – 25‑year‑old carrier driver for Ingram‑01 (Kanagawa)
- Yume Matsumura as Hachikuma Yuzuki – 24‑year‑old carrier driver for Ingram‑02 (Gifu)
- Megumi Hayashibara as Kimika Saeki – 34‑year‑old SV2 captain
Veteran voice actor Shigeru Chiba returns as Shigeo Shiba, a role he has voiced since the original series debuted nearly 40 years ago.
Mecha details
The AV‑98 Plus Ingram is a modernized version of the classic AV‑98. Although some officers jokingly call it an “old piece of junk,” the “Ingram Plus” features a reinforced frame, enhanced mechanical capabilities, and upgraded software. Pilots wear helmets with augmented‑reality HUDs that display vital data, supplementing the cockpit’s heads‑up display.
Key staff
- Director: Yutaka Izubuchi (mechanical designer of the original Patlabor) – also directing the video
- Script: Kazunori Itō (writer of Patlabor the Mobile Police)
- Character design: Masami Yuuki (original Patlabor creator)
- Chief animation director & character designer: Takamitsu Satō (known for Lostorage incited WIXOSS)
- Music: Kenji Kawai (composer for the original Patlabor)
- Producer: Tarō Maki (GENCO) – veteran of Patlabor the Mobile Police, Nodame Cantabile, Millennium Actress
- CG: GAZEN and J.C. Staff CG Department
Additional crew
Line director Kōzō Kaihō, display designer Yoshinori Sayama, color key artist Yukiko Itō, compositing director of photography Yoshio Ōkouchi, editor Maki Sendo (REAL‑T), sound director Kazuhiro Wakabayashi, and many others contribute to the production.
Design & mechanical work
- Costume design: Akemi Takada (original Patlabor character designer)
- Mechanical designers: Kanetake Ebikawa (Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury) and Toshiaki Ihara (Evangelion 3.0+1.0: Thrice Upon a Time)
- Art direction: Masanori Kikuchi and Yūta Akiyama
- CG director: Yoshinori Moriizumi (Pokémon movies)
Music themes
The opening “Reimei Compass” (Daybreak Compass) is performed by Mori Calliope. The ending “Baton” is sung by Mariko Nagai.
Franchise background
GENCO first announced the Patlabor EZY project at the MIFA film market during the 2017 Annecy International Animation Festival. A pilot video debuted in August 2022 alongside a one‑week 35th‑anniversary revival screening of Patlabor: The Movie. The original concept – police officers piloting “Patlabors” – was created by HEADGEAR, a team that included director Mamoru Oshii, writer Kazunori Itō, mecha designer Yutaka Izubuchi, character designer Akemi Takada, and manga creator Masami Yuuki.
The Patlabor franchise has generated two OVAs, a TV series, and three films, with the last theatrical entry, Patlabor WXIII, released in 2002. A short “Mobile Police Patlabor Reboot” aired in 2016‑2017 as part of the Japan Animator Expo, and a live‑action project titled “The Next Generation –Patlabor–” ran in 2014.
Sources: Bandai Namco Filmworks YouTube channel; Comic Natalie.
