Patlabor fans should expect more of the same great action from this series.

Like many other anime titles, the PATLABOR OVAs and movies are not plot consistent with the television series. Some people might find this confusing or annoying, but shows about cops lend themselves to episodic and relatively insulated story lines.
The screener we received only had the first episode instead of three, but that was enough to show us the PATLABOR we know. This is a fun series with a lot of humor. The action scenes are often funny rather than pulse-pounding, but these are cops, not soldiers. (Despite Ohta's overzealous pyrotechnics). And the story doesn't call for casualties every other episode.
The characters are delightful and engaging. This is the real heart of the series, more than the mecha. There's Izumi Noa, who constantly babys her beloved labor 'Alphonse.' Ohta Isao pilots the other labor and just wants to shoot something--anything! Captain Gotoh leads them and the rest of Special Vehicle Section II with a mixture of stoicism and dead-pan wit. The best scenes usually involve someone screaming and gesticulating wildly in frustration or delight while someone else simply stares at them in pity or surprise.
This series' animation is about what you'd expect. A little better than the television show, not as detailed as the movies. The characters sometimes react wildly, but no one defies the laws of physics.
As for a recommendation, what can I say? This is an established anime series. The original copyright is 1988. If you've seen any other PATLABOR stuff then you already know whether or not you would enjoy this series. If you haven't, this is an excellent introduction. I think you'll like it.

DIRECTOR: OSHII MAMORU
U.S. MANGA CORPS / 90 MIN. / SUBBED
$24.95 / SUBTITLED CATALOG #: USM 1500
AVAILABLE 8 OCTOBER 1996
COPYRIGHT © 1988 HEADGEAR/EMOTION/TFC
ENGLISH SUBTITLED VERSION COPYRIGHT © 1996
CENTRAL PARK MEDIA CORPORATION