Yutaka Izubuchi is directing Mobile Police Patlabor EZY at J.C. Staff, and he is co-directing the feature film Cosmoship Yamato √2199 with Hideaki Anno at Production I.G and Studio Khara. A release date for the Yamato film is not yet decided.
Yutaka Izubuchi's recent work has centered on Patlabor. The anime project Mobile Police Patlabor EZY consists of eight episodes released as three theatrical films. File 1, which contains the first two episodes, debuted on May 15, 2026. 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. Izubuchi directs at J.C. Staff, with Kazunori Ito writing the script. Cast members include Sumire Uesaka as Towa Kuga, Kikunosuke Toya as Kippei Atori, and Megumi Hayashibara as Kimika Saeki. Shigeru Chiba reprises his role as Shigeo Shiba. Mori Calliope performs the opening theme, and Mariko Nagai performs the ending theme.
The project is Izubuchi's first time directing a Patlabor title. He is a mechanical designer and HEADGEAR member, and he discussed the series' 38-year history, the meaning of the title, and the ending theme in an interview. Promotion for the project continued through the year. A retrospective screening and talk event for File 1 was held on July 26, 2026, at United Cinemas Toyosu. Izubuchi, screenwriter Kazunori Ito, and storyboard artist Shinji Higuchi appeared. Attendees received a printed booklet of the 130-page Episode 3 storyboard. On August 5, Pia Corporation released Mobile Police Patlabor: Shibashigeo Pia to commemorate EZY. The book focuses on Shibashigeo, with interviews with voice actor Shigeru Chiba and Izubuchi, plus a new cover by Akemi Takada.
In October 2026, Izubuchi's next announced project arrived. A website opened on Tuesday to announce that Hideaki Anno and Izubuchi are directing the feature-length anime film Cosmoship Yamato √2199 at Production I.G and Studio Khara. Anno is credited for planning, executive production and design works, with Izubuchi on design works. The √ symbol in the title is pronounced "Root." Production began in 2024, when Anno first announced he was working on a new Yamato theatrical anime with new footage. The announcement came on October 6, the anniversary of the original Space Battleship Yamato television premiere in 1974.
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6d ago
A website opened on Tuesday to announce that Hideaki Anno and Yutaka Izubuchi are directing the feature-length anime film Cosmoship Yamato √2199 at Production I.G and Studio Khara. Anno is credited for planning, executive production and design works, with Izubuchi on design works. Production I.G founder Mitsuhisa Ishikawa shares the planning credit, and Shin Office Academy is presenting the project. The √ symbol in the title is pronounced "Root." Anno commented that he wants to keep making Yamato to fulfill a childhood dream and to carry the wishes of his own and the next generation. The announcement came on October 6, the anniversary of the original Space Battleship Yamato television premiere in 1974. A teaser visual shows the Yamato attempting to launch from a devastated land toward space. A release date is not yet decided. Production began in 2024, when Anno first announced he was working on a new Yamato theatrical anime with new footage.
Aug 8
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.
Jun 27
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.
Jun 2
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.
May 19
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.