OVA
Description
Azuma Shimohara is a central character in the Mobile Police Patlabor series, including the Patlabor the Mobile Police: The New Files OVA. His name is sometimes romanized as Asuma Shinohara. He serves as a police officer in the Special Vehicle Section 2, Division 2 (SV2), holding the rank of Patrol Officer. Within the unit, he is specifically assigned as the backup officer and commander for the AV-98 Ingram unit 1, acting as the field commander and support for its pilot, Noa Izumi.
Born in Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture, Shimohara is the son of the president of Shinohara Heavy Industries, the corporation that developed the Ingram and is a major manufacturer of Labors. Despite his privileged background as the heir to a powerful corporation, he chose a career as a local police officer. His stated reason for this decision is that he was tricked by his father, but the underlying cause is a long-standing and severe conflict with his father, largely stemming from the death of his older brother, which Shimohara believes was a suicide. This family history has created deep-seated resentment and a desire to escape the shadow of his family name, leading him to forge his own path.
Personality-wise, Shimohara is characterized by a cynical, sarcastic demeanor and a sharp tongue. He often comes across as a sour and critical individual who is not afraid to speak his mind, even to his superiors. This can make him seem aloof or difficult to get along with, and he frequently clashes with hot-headed colleagues like Isao Ota. However, this exterior masks a more caring and thoughtful nature. He is particularly attentive to his partner, Noa Izumi, showing her genuine kindness and support, even if his attempts at care sometimes backfire. Beneath his cynical surface, he is also a passionate person who can become completely absorbed in a single objective, demonstrating a stubborn and intense focus when motivated.
Shimohara's primary motivation is to establish his own identity separate from his powerful family. His role in the story is largely defined by his partnership with Noa Izumi. While she is the intuitive and skilled pilot who is strong on hardware, he is the rational and knowledgeable tactician who excels with software and strategic thinking. Their contrasting skills make them an effective team. His deep understanding of Labor technology, both mechanical and computational, is a direct result of his upbringing. He can converse easily with mechanics and engineers, and he often uses his connections at his family's company to obtain information or resources for SV2, despite his difficult relationship with his father.
Key relationships define his character. His partnership with Noa Izumi is the most significant, evolving into a close, mutually dependent bond that is often hinted to be romantic. He is shown to care for her deeply and frequently invites her on dates. His relationship with his father is a source of continuous internal conflict, a point of tension that other SV2 members generally avoid discussing. He has a much warmer, almost familial relationship with Jitsuyama, a factory manager at Shinohara Heavy Industries, whom he affectionately calls gramps. He also frequently argues with the trigger-happy Isao Ota, though this friction is born more from clashing personalities than genuine animosity.
In Patlabor the Mobile Police: The New Files, Shimohara's development continues to be anchored to his family issues, with his brother's suicide being explicitly explored as a key factor in his estrangement from his father. This OVA series shows him further reconciling his identity and his future, caught between his family legacy and his chosen life in SV2.
Regarding notable abilities, Shimohara is not a Labor pilot but serves as the commander. His greatest asset is his sharp intellect and extensive knowledge of Labor systems, from hardware to software. He is highly skilled with computers and is often the one to analyze data or devise tactical plans during operations. He is also a surprisingly capable gambler, a skill that is occasionally hinted at. While his ability to take decisive action is sometimes questioned, he proves himself resourceful and capable of doing what is necessary when the situation demands it.
Born in Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture, Shimohara is the son of the president of Shinohara Heavy Industries, the corporation that developed the Ingram and is a major manufacturer of Labors. Despite his privileged background as the heir to a powerful corporation, he chose a career as a local police officer. His stated reason for this decision is that he was tricked by his father, but the underlying cause is a long-standing and severe conflict with his father, largely stemming from the death of his older brother, which Shimohara believes was a suicide. This family history has created deep-seated resentment and a desire to escape the shadow of his family name, leading him to forge his own path.
Personality-wise, Shimohara is characterized by a cynical, sarcastic demeanor and a sharp tongue. He often comes across as a sour and critical individual who is not afraid to speak his mind, even to his superiors. This can make him seem aloof or difficult to get along with, and he frequently clashes with hot-headed colleagues like Isao Ota. However, this exterior masks a more caring and thoughtful nature. He is particularly attentive to his partner, Noa Izumi, showing her genuine kindness and support, even if his attempts at care sometimes backfire. Beneath his cynical surface, he is also a passionate person who can become completely absorbed in a single objective, demonstrating a stubborn and intense focus when motivated.
Shimohara's primary motivation is to establish his own identity separate from his powerful family. His role in the story is largely defined by his partnership with Noa Izumi. While she is the intuitive and skilled pilot who is strong on hardware, he is the rational and knowledgeable tactician who excels with software and strategic thinking. Their contrasting skills make them an effective team. His deep understanding of Labor technology, both mechanical and computational, is a direct result of his upbringing. He can converse easily with mechanics and engineers, and he often uses his connections at his family's company to obtain information or resources for SV2, despite his difficult relationship with his father.
Key relationships define his character. His partnership with Noa Izumi is the most significant, evolving into a close, mutually dependent bond that is often hinted to be romantic. He is shown to care for her deeply and frequently invites her on dates. His relationship with his father is a source of continuous internal conflict, a point of tension that other SV2 members generally avoid discussing. He has a much warmer, almost familial relationship with Jitsuyama, a factory manager at Shinohara Heavy Industries, whom he affectionately calls gramps. He also frequently argues with the trigger-happy Isao Ota, though this friction is born more from clashing personalities than genuine animosity.
In Patlabor the Mobile Police: The New Files, Shimohara's development continues to be anchored to his family issues, with his brother's suicide being explicitly explored as a key factor in his estrangement from his father. This OVA series shows him further reconciling his identity and his future, caught between his family legacy and his chosen life in SV2.
Regarding notable abilities, Shimohara is not a Labor pilot but serves as the commander. His greatest asset is his sharp intellect and extensive knowledge of Labor systems, from hardware to software. He is highly skilled with computers and is often the one to analyze data or devise tactical plans during operations. He is also a surprisingly capable gambler, a skill that is occasionally hinted at. While his ability to take decisive action is sometimes questioned, he proves himself resourceful and capable of doing what is necessary when the situation demands it.