Patlabor is in a coordinated revival: the Patlabor EZY theatrical project is mid-rollout, a new game is set for summer 2026, and a wave of model kits, figures, and merchandise is releasing through 2026 and into 2027.
Patlabor is in the middle of a broad revival. The theatrical project Mobile Police Patlabor EZY, first announced in 2017, began its rollout on May 15, 2026, with File 1 opening at #8 in the Japanese box office. The project consists of eight episodes split across three films: File 1 contains the first two episodes, File 2 follows on August 14 with episodes four through six, and File 3 arrives in March 2027 with the final two episodes as a two-part story. The story is set in the 2030s, where Labors are increasingly replaced by autonomous robots, and follows a new cast in the Special Vehicles Division 2 piloting the upgraded AV-98Plus Ingram Plus.
The creative team is largely the original one. Yutaka Izubuchi directs at J.C.Staff, his first directorial role in the franchise, with Kazunori Ito writing the script and Kenji Kawai composing. Masami Yuki, the original manga artist, returned to the franchise with a one-shot in May 2026, his first Patlabor manga since 1994, and a second one-shot is scheduled for August. The team has said the high bar set by the original series made the project seem impossible, but a sense of mission drove them forward. The new generation of characters was created by shifting roles from the original cast rather than copying them directly.
Merchandise and tie-ins are extensive. Bandai Spirits released an RG 1/48 Ingram Plus kit, Threezero is producing multiple Robo-Dou figures including heavy repaint versions of Ingram Units 2 and 3 and a Griffon Aqua Unit, and Kotobukiya is reissuing its D-Style Zero model. A Patlabor x Zoids collaboration continues with a third kit, the Fang Griffin. Good Smile Company's Patlabor the Case Files game launches this summer on PS5 and PC via Steam, with three original Headgear members supervising mechanics, script, and character animation. A month-long Enhancement Month campaign in July 2026 ties the theatrical release to daily TV anime streams, an AR photo contest, and a pop-up shop.
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A stage greeting for Mobile Police Patlabor EZY File 2 was held August 15 at Shinjuku Piccadilly. Director Deuchi Yu and cast members discussed the film, with Ise Mariya making her first stage appearance as Terada Kurumi. The event also announced a new staff talk and visitor gifts.
Bandai Namco Filmworks will release the Blu-ray for Mobile Police Patlabor EZY File 2 on August 21, 2026, exclusively at A-on STORE and Premium Bandai. The disc includes the 72-minute film, a soundtrack CD, trailers, and a storage box with new illustrations by Masami Yuuki and Akemi Takada.
Good Smile Company and developer Chime Corporation announced a September 17 release date for Patlabor the Case Files, a 3D action game based on the Patlabor franchise. The game launches on PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store, with support for five languages and international pre-orders. It features over 20 Labors and multiple missions from hero and adversary perspectives.
To mark the theatrical release of "Mobile Police Patlabor EZY File 2" on August 14, 2026, the franchise has launched a pair of food-related collaborations. The "Mobile Police Patlabor EZY Shanghai Tei Chinese-style Curry" recreates the recipe left by Hayao Sakimiya, the former owner of Shanghai Tei, a restaurant that appears in the film. Developed with Tadashi Iwamoto, chairman of the Japan Western Food Association, the 180g curry retails for 864 yen and uses ingredients common in Chinese cuisine such as pork, bamboo shoots, sweet bean sauce, oyster sauce, and shiitake mushrooms. Buyers who purchase it together with the simultaneously released Nosan Nika Rice 1kg will receive a card featuring an illustration by Masami Yuuki. Separately, the standing soba chain Nadai Fuji Soba is running its annual collaboration with the series from August 10 to August 24 at eight stores, including the newly added Sangenjaya location. The collaboration features special visuals and tapestries based on the Korokke Soba menu item, and select stores will display Patlabor figures in sample cases.
The Patlabor EZY anime project announced on August 10, 2026, that its third compilation film, "File 3," will open in Japanese theaters on March 5, 2027. The announcement came with a teaser trailer, a new visual, and details on two new cast members and a new mecha. Kaori Nazuka voices Kaoru Mitarai, the pilot of the new AV-17 Sentinel unit, and Taku Yashiro voices Takuya Niiro, the unit's commander. The AV-17 Sentinel has been in service with the First Special Vehicles Division since 2017 and features rear entry for pilot boarding, high mobility, and a riot shield compatible with the Ingram. The Blu-ray Disc for "File 3" will ship on March 12. The film contains the seventh and eighth episodes of the eight-episode anime, telling a two-part story. "File 1" opened on May 15, and "File 2" opens on August 14. The story is set in the 2030s, where AI-driven autonomous robots are replacing piloted Labors, and SV-2 continues its crime-prevention duties with upgraded AV-98Plus Ingram units. Yutaka Izubuchi directs at J.C. Staff, with Kazunori Ito writing the script.
Bandai Namco Filmworks will stream the anime Mobile Police Patlabor REBOOT on its official YouTube channel for 24 hours starting at 9 PM on August 11. The short film, directed by Yasuhiro Yoshiura and produced by Studio Khara, will also be available on U-NEXT from noon on August 14.
Good Smile Company announced on August 10 that the 3D action game Mobile Police Patlabor the Case Files will launch on September 17 for PS5 and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. The game lets players relive iconic scenes from the Patlabor franchise from two perspectives: main missions played as the Special Vehicles Division 2, and another side missions played as the opposing side. More than 20 Labors appear, including the Ingram, Griffon, and Type Zero. A simulator mode offers shooting training and one-on-one Labor battles. The original Headgear team supervises the project, with Yutaka Izubuchi handling mechanical supervision, Kazunori Ito handling script supervision, and Akemi Takada handling character design supervision. Developer Chime Co., Ltd. previously worked on Made in Abyss: Binary Star Falling into Darkness. The PS5 download version costs 4,400 yen, with a 10 percent discount for PS Plus members until release. The game supports Japanese, English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Korean. A second web commercial narrated by Mina Tominaga, who voices Noa Izumi, is now live, following the first CM narrated by Toshio Furukawa.
The official Patlabor X account posted the trailer from the end credits of Mobile Police Patlabor EZY File 1 that carried the credit "trailer approval: Mamoru Oshii." The trailer closely follows the preview for Oshii's 1991 film Kerberos: The Cerberus of Hell, and was planted by storyboard artist Shinji Higuchi.
Bandai Spirits announced a ROBOT魂 action figure of the Ingram Plus (AV-98Plus) Unit 2 from the new anime Patlabor EZY. Preorders open August 3, 2026, with a January 2027 release. The figure includes weapons, hands, an alternate head, and a newly sculpted Type 17 command vehicle.
Dengeki Hobby Web ranked its Wonder Festival 2026 Summer breaking news reports by reposts, tallying 43 posts with 50 or more RPs as of July 27, 2026. Colored samples of 'Super Kaguya-hime!' figures led the list, with first reveals of 'Gundam SEED FREEDOM' and 'Patlabor' items drawing attention.
Pia Corporation released Mobile Police Patlabor: Shibashigeo Pia on August 5 to commemorate Mobile Police Patlabor EZY. The book focuses on Shibashigeo, with interviews with voice actor Shigeru Chiba and director Yutaka Izubuchi, plus a new cover by Akemi Takada. It includes bonuses like an A3 poster and postcards.
On August 7, 2026, the production committee for Mobile Police Patlabor: EZY revealed new scene cuts and the first-week theater gift for File 2, which opens August 14. The gift is a set of mecha stickers based on design sheets, featuring the head detail of the Ingram Plus, the popular Labors Zero and Hell Diver, and the logo for Tomoros that appeared in the teaser shown after File 1's end credits. The scene cuts show protagonist Kuga Towa in various expressions and the daily life of the Second Special Vehicles Division. File 2 comprises episodes 4 through 6, titled "Wine and Bullets," "Asaki Yumemishi," and "Koi no Survival." The series is a completely new animation with eight episodes across three chapters, directed by Yutaka Izubuchi, with series composition by Kazunori Ito and character designs by Masami Yuuki. Animation production is by J.C.STAFF, with distribution by Shochiku ODS and Bandai Namco Filmworks. A pop-up shop commemorating the release is also running at Shinjuku Marui Annex from August 7 to 16.
Threezero is releasing heavy repaint versions of the Ingram Unit 2 and Unit 3 figures from its Robo-Dou line, based on the anime series Patlabor: The Mobile Police. Both figures are now available for pre-order on Amazon.co.jp, priced at 36,300 yen each, with a scheduled release date of December 31, 2026. The figures are 1/35 scale, stand about 23 cm tall, and are made of ABS, PVC, POM, and zinc alloy, with cloth covers on the joints. They feature nearly 50 points of articulation thanks to a zinc die-cast frame. Each figure includes a pilot figure: Unit 2 comes with Isao Ota, and Unit 3 comes with Shinobu Nagumo. The cockpit canopy opens, and the seat can be raised so the pilot's head appears at the neck. Both figures have LED lights in the shoulder patrol lamps that flash alternately in red and yellow, requiring four AG1 button cells (sold separately). Accessories include a hand revolver cannon, a stun stick in extended and retracted forms, a riot gun, a shield for the left forearm, and an action stand.
Weekly Big Comic Spirits announced that Masami Yuki will publish a second new Patlabor one-shot story in the magazine's next issue on August 17. The issue will also include a joint interview between Yuki and producer Nobuyuki Sakuma, a collaborative manga with Yuhiro Tsujitsugu, and a manga panel sticker bonus.
Discotek Media announced a large slate of Blu-ray releases at its Otakon panel on Saturday, including Digimon Frontier, Lupin III: Part II, Toradora!, Pani Poni Dash!, Outlanders, Samurai Pizza Cats, The Big O, Argento Soma, Tales of the Abyss, Infinite Ryvius, Memories, Patlabor TV and movies, Penguindrum, Lupin III: Zenigata and the 2 Lupins, and Digimon Movies Collection 3. The releases are planned for later this year.
Bandai Namco Filmworks announced a month-long promotional campaign for the Mobile Police Patlabor series, starting July 17. Highlights include a YouTube special with voice actors from the original and new series, daily releases of the TV anime, an AR photo contest, a stage greeting, a collaboration with Nadai Fuji Soba, a POPUP shop, and a re-release of the 2016 REBOOT on YouTube and U-NEXT. The campaign culminates with the theatrical release of Mobile Police Patlabor EZY File 2 on August 14.
Takara Tomy has opened pre-orders for the third Mobile Police Patlabor and Zoids collaboration model kit, the Fang Griffin, on Amazon Japan. The kit is a new mold of a Fang Tiger with griffin-like wings, designed by Hideaki Tenjin and supervised by Patlabor's Yutaka Izubuchi, with world-building by Kazunori Ito. It features motorized movement and can convert to a Black Fang Tiger. Release is February 27, 2027, at 6,634 yen.
Pia Co., Ltd. will release "Mobile Police Patlabor Shiba Shigeo Pia" on August 5, 2026, a dedicated fan magazine for the character from the new theatrical anime "Mobile Police Patlabor EZY." The A4, 96-page all-color volume includes an exclusive cover illustration by Akemi Takada, bonus postcards, an A3 poster of famous scenes and quotes, and interviews with voice actor Shigeru Chiba and director Yutaka Izubuchi. To mark the release, the previously out-of-print "Izumi Noa Pia" and "Goto Kiichi Pia" will return as e-books.
Good Smile Company released the third trailer for Patlabor the Case Files, a 3D action game from developer Chime Corporation. The trailer highlights three primary modes: Main Mission, Another Side Mission, and Simulator Mode. The game launches this summer for PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam, with support for Japanese, English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Korean languages.
Threezero has announced a new Robo-Dou action figure of the Griffon from Patlabor, this time equipped with a newly sculpted Aqua Unit. The 1/35 scale figure features a zinc alloy die-cast frame with 60 points of articulation, cloth covers with weathering, and metallic paint on round details. Pre-orders open July 2, 2026, with shipment scheduled for Q1 2027 at 25,490 yen.
Anime News Network's weekly roundup lists the anime and manga titles shipping in North America from June 28 to July 4, 2026. Highlights include the Blu-ray release of Dr. Stone: Science Future Part 1, the Patlabor OVA on Blu-ray, and print debuts for Geniearth and Al the Adventurer: That Magic Shouldn't Work! The column will pause the week of July 7-13 and return in mid-July.
Good Smile Company has started accepting a second wave of orders for the special edition of the upcoming 3D action game "Patlabor the Case Files," scheduled for release in summer 2026 on PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam. The special edition, priced at 11,220 yen, includes a limited plastic model kit of the Griffon in an exclusive color, the "MODEROID Griffon the Case Files Color Ver." As a first-print bonus, buyers also receive an original soundtrack CD with 30 tracks, including the opening theme "the Case Files" composed by Kenji Kawai. The special edition is available exclusively through the Good Smile Company official shop and is made to order, with limited quantities. Alongside the order announcement, the company released a third promotional video that introduces three game modes: Main Mission, Another Side Mission, and Simulator Mode. The video also shows fully voiced story segments featuring characters from the Special Vehicles Division 2nd Platoon for the first time. The game will be exhibited at Anime Expo 2026 in Los Angeles from July 2 to July 5, where the third PV will be screened.
A retrospective screening and talk event for Mobile Police Patlabor EZY File 1 will be held on July 26, 2026, at United Cinemas Toyosu. Director Yutaka Izubuchi, screenwriter Kazunori Ito, and storyboard artist Shinji Higuchi will appear. Attendees receive a printed booklet of the 130-page Episode 3 storyboard.
Genco Inc. announced on June 24 that a pop-up shop commemorating the release of the novel 'Sushi-ya no Goto' will run from June 25 to July 5 at Calendarum on the second floor of Shinjuku Marui Annex in Tokyo. The novel, written by series composition and scriptwriter Kazunori Ito and published by Bungeishunju, depicts former Special Vehicles Section 2nd Division 2nd Platoon Captain Kiichi Goto running a small sushi restaurant in Atami 30 years after the events of the original series, with visits from former squad members. The pop-up shop sells goods featuring the cover illustration by manga author Masami Yuki, including clear files, tenugui hand towels, acrylic stands, and keychains. It also carries the novel itself, a special feature magazine, and some theatrical merchandise from the ongoing 'Mobile Police Patlabor EZY FILE1' project. No advance reservation is required, but numbered tickets may be distributed on weekends due to expected congestion. Weekday hours are 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM, with weekend hours starting earlier. The novel is priced at 1,980 yen for the print edition and 1,900 yen for the digital edition, spanning 272 pages.
Hasegawa announced its September 2026 lineup via its official X account and website, featuring plastic model kits, resin figure kits, and other products. Highlights include a 'You're Under Arrest!' Suzuki GSX-R750 White Bike Version, a 'Patlabor' Noa Izumi resin figure, and a reissue of the VR-747 Temjin from 'Cyber Troopers Virtual-On' for the series' 30th anniversary.
To celebrate the theatrical run of Mobile Police Patlabor EZY, the Filmarks Culture Wear collaboration T-shirt from the 2025 revival screenings of Patlabor: The Movie and Patlabor 2: The Movie is being re-released. The shirt features the map footage from a key scene in the first film, with English text based on the movie poster copy. It now comes in XXL and is available for made-to-order purchase through the Filmarks Store from June 19 to July 9.
Kotobukiya is re-releasing its D-Style plastic model kit of the AV-X0 Zero from Mobile Police Patlabor: The Movie. The deformed, non-scale model stands about 100mm tall, includes a stun stick and shield, and can swap parts to replicate the unit's runaway-state head. It is priced at 3,520 yen and ships in January 2027.
Good Smile Company has opened pre-orders for the BRICKROID Type 99 Labor Carrier from Mobile Police Patlabor. The 11 cm figure features a deck-up gimmick and rotating wheels, and can store the separately sold Ingram Unit 1 and 2 figures. Pre-orders are available at Rakuten Books for 3,600 yen.
Bandai Spirits has announced the RG 1/48 scale plastic model kit of the AV-98Plus (Ingram Plus) from the film "Mobile Police Patlabor EZY." The kit is scheduled for release on June 6, 2026, priced at 6,050 yen including tax. The Ingram Plus is an upgraded version of the Type 98 AV Ingram that first entered service in 1998. In the film, set in the 2030s, the unit has been repeatedly overhauled over nearly 40 years, leading some police officers to mock it as a "junker." The RG kit includes gimmicks such as an opening and raising cockpit hatch, a revolver cannon stored in the legs that can be drawn out, and a stun stick that can be pulled from the shield. It also features an internal frame, real metallic gloss injection for silver parts, a deployable chest floodlight, and a pilot figure. The package illustration was revealed on June 3, drawing positive social media reactions about the box art and the mecha's profile. Some fans expressed hope for a future kit of the Type Zero from the same film.
Director Yutaka Izubuchi, scriptwriter Kazunori Ito, and original character designer Masami Yuuki discuss the creation of 'Mobile Police Patlabor EZY.' The team says the high bar set by the original series made them think the project was impossible, but a sense of mission drove them forward. The new generation of characters was created by shifting roles from the original cast rather than directly copying them.
Bandai Spirits Hobby Division has released new product images of the RG 1/48 AV-98Plus (Ingram Plus) plastic model kit from Mobile Police Patlabor EZY. The kit features an internal frame for wide articulation, metallic gloss injection on silver parts, a deployable chest searchlight, a stun stick that stores in the shield, and detailed cockpit hatches with a lift mechanism. The legs include a revolver cannon drawer gimmick and deployable spare ammunition. It is scheduled for release on June 6, 2026, priced at 6,050 yen.
Mecha Smile Impact 2026, a livestream scheduled for June 3, 2026, had its setlist and several product reveals announced early. The early reveals include a Patlabor entry in the BRICKROID series, a MODEROID Mini Gattai Henshin Getter Dragon from Getter Robo G, and a combining toy called THE Gattai for Red Geist from The Legend of the Brave Da-Garn.
Yutaka Izubuchi, mechanical designer and HEADGEAR member, directed a Patlabor title for the first time with the theatrical film Mobile Police Patlabor EZY. In an interview, he discussed the series' 38-year history, the meaning of the title, and the ending theme by Mariko Nagai.
The third-week visitor gift for Mobile Police Patlabor EZY File 1 is a B6-size Ingram Plus Deck-Up Card that can be cut out and stood up. A talk event called Bucchan's Room Part 2 has also been announced, with guests including scriptwriter Kazunori Ito and original character designer Masami Yuuki.
The Patlabor EZY 'File 1' film opened at #8 in the Japanese box office, while the live-action Shōjiki Fudōsan film debuted at #4. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie returned to #1 in its fourth weekend, and Detective Conan: Highway no Datenshi held at #3 in its sixth weekend.
Good Smile Company and Chime Corporation announced that Patlabor the Case Files, a 3D action game, will launch this summer for PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam. A second promotional video was released, and three original Headgear members are supervising mechanics, script, and character animation.
Bandai Namco Filmworks released a new video for the Patlabor EZY anime project on Thursday, introducing the main characters of the Special Vehicles Division 2. The project consists of eight episodes released as three theatrical films. The first film, File 1, debuted on May 15, 2026, and contains the first two episodes in an omnibus format. File 2 follows on August 14, 2026, with episodes four through six, and File 3 arrives in March 2027 with the final two episodes as a two-part story. The story is set in the 2030s, where Labors have become commonplace and are increasingly replaced by autonomous robots. SV2 still uses a tuned-up version of the SV-98 Ingram. The cast includes Sumire Uesaka as Towa Kuga, Kikunosuke Toya as Kippei Atori, Ami Koshimizu as Saki Hirata, Chikahiro Kobayashi as Akihiko Hazama, Setsuji Sato as Yuta Yanai, Yume Matsumura as Hachikuma Yuzuki, and Megumi Hayashibara as Kimika Saeki. Shigeru Chiba reprises his role as Shigeo Shiba. Yutaka Izubuchi directs at J.C. Staff, with Kazunori Ito writing the script. Mori Calliope performs the opening theme, and Mariko Nagai performs the ending theme.
The long-delayed Patlabor sequel, Patlabor EZY, begins its theatrical rollout in Japan on Friday, May 15. First announced in 2017, the project went quiet for years before resurfacing with a multi-part release plan. The series consists of eight episodes split into three chapters. File 1 hits theaters this week, File 2 follows on August 14, and File 3 arrives in March 2027. Episodes 1 through 6 are standalone anthology entries, while episodes 7 and 8 form a continuous story. The sequel is set a few decades after the original Patlabor and follows a new cast of characters in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's Special Vehicle Unit Section 2 Division 2. They pilot an upgraded version of the classic Ingram mecha, the AV98Plus Ingram Plus, and deal with problems caused by AI and autonomous robots. Yutaka Izubuchi, who directed Rahxephon and worked as mechanical designer on the original Patlabor, directs the series at J.C.Staff. Writer Kazunori Ito and composer Kenji Kawai return from the original staff. The opening theme is performed by VTuber Mori Calliope. A life-sized Ingram mecha was spotted on a truck in Tokyo ahead of the premiere.
Masami Yūki, the original manga artist of the Patlabor franchise, will publish a new one-shot story in Shogakukan's Weekly Big Comic Spirits on May 18. The one-shot marks Yūki's first Patlabor manga work since the original series ended in 1994.