Tokyo, Japan – Two iconic films from the Mobile Police Patlabor anime franchise, Mobile Police Patlabor: The Movie and Mobile Police Patlabor 2: The Movie, are set to receive new 4K film scan remasters and will be released on Ultra HD Blu-ray (UHD-BD) in early 2026. Prior to their home video debut, both remastered films will also have limited theatrical revival screenings across Japan this October.
Seminal Films Get 4K Treatment
Directed by acclaimed auteur Mamoru Oshii, both films are undergoing their first-ever 4K film scanning remastering process. Mobile Police Patlabor: The Movie, originally released in 1989, will launch on UHD-BD on January 28, 2026. Its 1993 sequel, Mobile Police Patlabor 2: The Movie, will follow on March 25, 2026.
These UHD-BD releases are anticipated to be comprehensive packages. They will include a special booklet and a substantial collection of storyboards. Furthermore, the discs will feature multi-audio specifications, allowing viewers to experience both the original theatrical release’s Dolby Surround audio and the 1998 sound renewal version with Dolby Digital 5.1 channel sound. There is also an indication that the UHD-BD releases will include English subtitles and the 2006 English redubs.
Limited Theatrical Revival Screenings Announced
Fans in Japan will have the opportunity to see the 4K remastered versions on the big screen before the UHD-BD releases. As part of a revival screening project organized by Filmarks, both films will play for a limited two-week run nationwide.
- Mobile Police Patlabor: The Movie (4K version) will begin its theatrical run on October 3.
- Mobile Police Patlabor 2: The Movie (4K version) will commence screenings on October 17.
These revival screenings will feature the audio and 4K versions of the theatrical releases.
The Legacy of Patlabor’s Theatrical Entries
The Mobile Police Patlabor series is renowned for its grounded, realistic approach to mecha science fiction, blending police procedural elements with compelling narratives and philosophical themes. The two films, in particular, are lauded for their cinematic quality and Mamoru Oshii’s distinctive directorial vision.
Mobile Police Patlabor: The Movie is set in the summer of 1999, where a mysterious computer virus causes industrial Labor robots across Tokyo to go out of control, leading the Metropolitan Police Department’s Special Vehicle Division 2nd Platoon on a hunt for the unseen culprit.
Mobile Police Patlabor 2: The Movie delves deeper into geopolitical and military themes as the Second Platoon confronts a terrifying terrorist mastermind who seeks to recreate a “war” within Tokyo.
The announcement of these remastered releases and revival screenings coincided with “Patlabor Day” on August 10, a date celebrated by fans of the franchise.
