Five additional voice cast members have been announced for the upcoming Patlabor EZY anime. It will screen in Japanese theaters in three parts, listed as “Files,” with File 1 set to debut on May 15, 2026, followed by File 2 on August 14, 2026 and File 3 in March 2027.
The newly revealed cast members include:
- • Ami Koshimizu as Saki Hirata
- • Chikahiro Kobayashi as Akihiko Hazama
- • Setsuji Sato as Yuta Yanai
- • Yume Matsumura as Hachikuma Yuzuki
- • Megumi Hayashibara as Kimika Saeki
Meanwhile, other previously announced voice cast members include Sumire Uesaka as Towa Kuga and Kikunosuke Toya as Kippei Atori.
Yutaka Izubuchi (Patlabor mechanical designer, RahXephon director, Metallic Rouge chief supervisor) is directing the Patlabor EZY anime, with Kazunori Ito (.hack//SIGN, Patlabor The Mobile Police: The Early Days screenwriter) as series composer and screenwriter and Takamitsu Sato (Lostorage incited WIXOSS) as character designer and chief animation director. J.C.STAFF is in charge of the animation production.
Other staff involved in the anime include Masami Yuki (Patlabor The Mobile Police: The Early Days character draft designer) as character draft designer, Akemi Takada (Patlabor The Mobile Police: The Early Days and Kimagure Orange Road character designer) as costume design assistant, Kozo Kaiho as unit director, Kanetake Ebikawa (Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch of Mercury co-mechanical designer) and Toshiaki Ihara (Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time co-mechanical designer) as mechanical designers, Yoshinori Moriizumi (“Chocolat Cadabra” anime music video) as CG director, GAZEN as CG producer, and Taro Maki ([previously credited as producer] Patlabor The Mobile Police: The Early Days co-producer) as executive producer.
Patlabor EZY‘s production was first announced in 2017, with a pilot film being released in 2022. The anime takes place in 2030s Japan, where the move towards AI automation is causing the Labor mechs to become relics of the past. Despite the changing times, Special Vehicle Section 2 continues its role as guardians, now with the new AV-98Plus Ingram to assist them against crimes involving new technology.
The Patlabor franchise was created by the creative unit HEADGEAR, which includes Izubuchi, Ito, Yuki, Takada, and Mamoru Oshii. It began in the 1980s with the Patlabor The Mobile Police: The Early Days OVA series and a manga series. More anime, including a TV anime series, three anime films, and a new OVA series, were also released. A Mobile Police Patlabor Reboot short was released in 2016.
Limited special edition 4K remasters of Patlabor: The Movie and Patlabor 2: The Movie, which include English dub and sub options, are also getting released in Japan this year. The first anime film’s remaster was released on January 28, 2026, while the second anime film will be released on March 25, 2026.
© HEADGEAR / 機動警察パトレイバー EZY製作委員会
Crunchyroll describes the Patlabor special edition Blu-ray, which includes the TV series, OVAs, and movies, as:
Building the city of the future is a tough job, but the development of Labors… giant robots specifically designed for construction and other heavy duty tasks… is transforming the world. Unfortunately, when someone puts that much power in a machine, the one thing that’s certain is that someone somewhere will find a way to use it to commit crimes. That’s why Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has its massive Ingram Patrol Labors and the brave men and women of Special Vehicle Section 2, Division 2… including the teams most recent recruit, the mecha obsessed Noa Azumi. Get ready for some of the wildest, most incredible adventures ever as Noa and her new comrades in arms hit the street in the ultimate collection of one of anime’s most legendary creations – Mobile Police Patlabor!
Sources: Patlabor EZY Official Twitter (2) (3) (4) (5), Anime News Network
