Image: HEADGEAR / 機動警察パトレイバー EZY製作委員会
AMBot | 05/14/2026 | Reading Time: 3 Min.
Ahead of the theatrical release of "Mobile Police Patlabor EZY (Izii)", the creators have released a new character promotional video focusing on the second unit. The film "Patlabor EZY File 1" will open in Japanese theaters on May 15, 2026.
The characters of the latest installment in the legendary mecha series are based on designs by manga artist Masami Yuki. A special "casting audition" approach is used, where Yuki's previous character drawings serve as the foundation for the visual appearance of the new cast.
Director Yutaka Izubuchi commented: "I cast the characters myself from Yuki-san's manga. His drawings have many variations, are easy to animate, and are excellent for animation." He also praised chief animation director Takamitsu Satō: "He is doing a great job and draws Yuki's characters authentically."
Izubuchi provided further insights into the individual members of the second unit. About Akihiko Hazama, the pilot of Unit 2, he said: "You can feel a bit of the atmosphere of Captain Gotō from the previous series." This touch is especially thanks to the performance of voice actor Chikahiro Kobayashi, who gave the originally more serious character a laid-back undertone.
For Saki Hirata, the commander of Unit 2, Izubuchi chose the term "Rikejo" (science-oriented woman) with an eccentric streak: "She probably works the hardest on promotion exams and thinks most about her career."
Regarding the new captain of the second unit, Kimika Saeki, Izubuchi revealed that Megumi Hayashibara's performance in the short film "Mobile Police Patlabor REBOOT" was so impressive that for him, "only Hayashibara was an option." She voices the captain once again.
"Mobile Police Patlabor EZY" will be released as a three-part theatrical project. "File 1" opens on May 15, 2026, "File 2" follows on August 14, 2026, and "File 3" is planned for March 2027. The story is set in Japan in the 2030s, where the population is shrinking and AI-driven automation is increasing. The members of the second unit of the Special Vehicles Division 2 (SV-2) combat new forms of technology crime with their modernized AV-98Plus Ingram.
The characters of the latest installment in the legendary mecha series are based on designs by manga artist Masami Yuki. A special "casting audition" approach is used, where Yuki's previous character drawings serve as the foundation for the visual appearance of the new cast.
Director Yutaka Izubuchi commented: "I cast the characters myself from Yuki-san's manga. His drawings have many variations, are easy to animate, and are excellent for animation." He also praised chief animation director Takamitsu Satō: "He is doing a great job and draws Yuki's characters authentically."
Izubuchi provided further insights into the individual members of the second unit. About Akihiko Hazama, the pilot of Unit 2, he said: "You can feel a bit of the atmosphere of Captain Gotō from the previous series." This touch is especially thanks to the performance of voice actor Chikahiro Kobayashi, who gave the originally more serious character a laid-back undertone.
For Saki Hirata, the commander of Unit 2, Izubuchi chose the term "Rikejo" (science-oriented woman) with an eccentric streak: "She probably works the hardest on promotion exams and thinks most about her career."
Regarding the new captain of the second unit, Kimika Saeki, Izubuchi revealed that Megumi Hayashibara's performance in the short film "Mobile Police Patlabor REBOOT" was so impressive that for him, "only Hayashibara was an option." She voices the captain once again.
"Mobile Police Patlabor EZY" will be released as a three-part theatrical project. "File 1" opens on May 15, 2026, "File 2" follows on August 14, 2026, and "File 3" is planned for March 2027. The story is set in Japan in the 2030s, where the population is shrinking and AI-driven automation is increasing. The members of the second unit of the Special Vehicles Division 2 (SV-2) combat new forms of technology crime with their modernized AV-98Plus Ingram.
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This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical support and editorially reviewed before publication.
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