Patlabor EZY Brings Back Isao Ota, Director Izubuchi Explains Decision
The new anime project "Mobile Police Patlabor EZY" has brought back the popular character Isao Ota, voiced by Chikao Ohtsuka, who made a surprise appearance at a stage greeting in Tokyo on May 16. Director Yutaka Izubuchi explained the decision, saying he wanted to bring the character out "in a delicious way." Ota is a veteran member of the former Special Vehicles Section 2 from the original OVA series. The stage greeting also featured cast members Sumire Uesaka, Kikunosuke Toya, and Chikahiro Kobayashi. Separately, a new one-shot manga by original creator Masami Yuki, titled "Patlabor 2026," was published in Weekly Spirits on May 18, marking the first new manga in the franchise in 32 years. The anime project consists of eight episodes split into three theatrical chapters. "File 1" opened on May 15, "File 2" is scheduled for August 14, and "File 3" for March 2027. The project has also received recommendation comments from 14 figures including Hideaki Anno, Sumito Owara, and Kenji Kawai.