Mamoru Oshii is planning a major rollout for the new live-action
Patlabor film, befitting its status as one of the world's most recognized anime staples. Titled
The Next Generation-Patlabor, the story will stick to the core concept of following the men and women of Tokyo who pilot Labors, mechs used by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police and for other heavy jobs. It's expected to be a true follow-up to the prior film's continuity. So it's about more than just running and gunning, it's about people first and foremost, and that's reflected in this new trailer.
The ambitious release plan involves a series of short theatrical films beginning next month in Japan, continuing until spring 2015 with the release of the feature-length movie that Oshii is expected to direct. The shorts will essentially be free, and if they do what they are supposed to do, will have audiences flocking to pay for the final film next year. We'll see how it goes, and hopefully we'll get a Blu-Ray release with the full series at some point.
