The Patlabor EZY anime is heading to bookshelves. A novelization of the project was announced at the Fantasia Bunko Grand Fan Appreciation Festival 2026 Online event on Sunday, with the book set to launch in 2027.
Patlabor EZY (Credits: HEADGEAR / GENCO)
Toshihiko Tsukiji, best known for the Maburaho and Kämpfer novels, is writing the adaptation. Longtime Patlabor character designer Akemi Takada is drawing the cover illustration, keeping the project firmly in the hands of franchise veterans.
Patlabor EZY Novelization Brings the 2030s SV-2 Story to Print
The anime itself consists of eight episodes, released theatrically as three films. File 1 opened on May 15, and File 2 followed on August 14, with the first two films packaging the opening six episodes as standalone stories. File 3 arrives on March 5 and will contain the final two episodes, which tell a two-part story.
The new story moves the clock forward to the 2030s, where Japan faces a growing labor shortage and rising automation driven by AI. The piloted mecha known as Labors, once cutting-edge tools for manual work, have become an everyday sight, and piloted units are increasingly being replaced by autonomous robots. Through it all, SV-2’s job stays the same: stopping Labor crime, now using a tuned-up version of their original SV-98 Ingrams.
A Franchise Crew Returns for Patlabor EZY
The anime reunites much of the original Patlabor brain trust. Shigeru Chiba reprises his role as Shigeo Shiba, a part he has played since the original anime debuted almost 40 years ago. Yutaka Izubuchi, the franchise’s mechanical designer, directs at J.C. Staff, with Kazunori Itō writing the script and creator Masami Yuuki designing the characters. Kenji Kawai composes the music, and GENCO produces.
The Patlabor EZY project was first revealed at the MIFA film market at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in 2017, with a pilot debuting in August 2022. The original franchise, built around police officers piloting robotic mecha, was developed by the HEADGEAR group, including director Mamoru Oshii and the rest of the legendary core team, and went on to spawn two original video anime, a television series, and three films.
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Source: Anime News Network — read the full story there.
