Pat's Labor

Pat's Labor: Patlabor: The Movie

Biblical allegories and autonomous Patlabor's abound in the series first feature outing. We discover that while a bigger budget lets the animators shine even more brightly, the film doesn't lose sight of what makes Patlabor special: the way it values both human life and the inevitability of bureaucratic politics. Song: Heavy Armor by Kenji Kawai, from the Patlabor: The Movie OST. Show Notes: Ultraman's Catholic Connections [https://aleteia.org/2023/08/16/why-the-creator-of-ultraman-was-a-japanese-tolkien/]

Pat's Labor: SV2, Go North!

Going into this episode we were all wondering, how would Patlabor follow up it's 2-part thrill ride and cap off the OVA with it's seventh and final episode. Do we found out the aftermath of the nearly successful nuclear-armed military coup mentioned? Nope! Could this episode have conceivably taken place all most any time after the first season? Probably! But we do get to go out on a perfectly executed tag-team clothesline. WRESTLING MENTIONED. Show notes: WWE and Organize Labor - https://grantland.com/features/wwe-hell-cell-john-cena-history-wrestling-real-scripted-labor-movement/ [https://grantland.com/features/wwe-hell-cell-john-cena-history-wrestling-real-scripted-labor-movement/] Working Stiff: Extending the Statutory Labor Dispute Exemption to WWE Wrestlers - https://jipel.law.nyu.edu/working-stiff-extending-the-statutory-labor-dispute-exemption-to-wwe-wrestlers/ [https://jipel.law.nyu.edu/working-stiff-extending-the-statutory-labor-dispute-exemption-to-wwe-wrestlers/]

Pat's Labor: The SV2's Longest Day (Part 2)

After the previous episodes simmering political tensions and noir tone, it was really an open question if Patlabor could top itself. Well guess what!? It did! The SV2's Longest Day (Part 2) is Patlabor at it's very, very best, mixing together the series trademark obsession with bureaucracy and logistics, the rag-tag nature of SV2's crew, and the beguiling history of their leader Goto. Show notes: Wildcat Strikes [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildcat_strike] "Strike Authorization" example [https://www.wgaeast.org/vox-media-union-authorize-strike/]

Pat's Labor: The SV2's Longest Day (Part 1)

What’s a coup look like? For better or worse, we’ve had a number of answers to that question. In the world of 1989’s original Patlabor OVA, Mamoru Oshii imagined the long tail of American empire leaving Japan’s capitol wide open for a Christmas-time coup. SV2’s Longest Day (Part 1) is a tightly wound geopolitical thriller, full of shady g-men and conversations of few words and dire implications. And it’s just part one! Song: "Miraiha Lovers" performed by Hiroko Kasahara from Patlabor: The Early Days Show notes: The Gangster's of Capitalism [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57693503-gangsters-of-capitalism] The MacArthur's [https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/macarthur-three-generations/] The Bonus Army [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonus_Army] Business plot [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_Plot]

Pat's Labor: The Tragedy of L

After a brief Kaiju pivot, Patlabor is back to real police work, like using firearms irresponsibly and solving ghost mysteries. The ghosts of the labor movement are also discussed. Song: "Miraiha Lovers" performed by Hiroko Kasahara from Patlabor: The Early Days Show notes. Joe Hill by Paul Robeson [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8Kxq9uFDes] Paul Robeson's Wikipedia [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Robeson] The Haunted House of Labor [https://proteanmag.com/2023/10/31/the-haunted-houses-of-labor/]