Labor: A robot specifically designed for construction work.
Labors allow dramatic advances in construction, but also in crime.
To combat these new Labor crimes...
the police created a special unit: The Patrol Labor.
And thus, the birth of Patlabor.
You must not let go of your dreams
And never turn your gaze away
Yet even still love may cloud up and fade away
And even though you comforted your love
When he was feeling down
Sadness was still weighing down his heavy heart
Hang tight onto your dreams - they're weapons in your arsenal
You'll find that you can get through anything at all
So never cry -you know I will always be watching over you
What I love about you is your strong sense of fairness
So never cry -you know I will always be right there by your side
And so now you can face your future fearlessly
Who's there?
A demon! It's a demon!
Construction of Capital Loop Route 20...
is being obstructed by somebody.
Shinohara, Izumi, and Yamazaki, go and investigate the scene.
Look into things and figure out what's going on.
Um, why are you sending just the three of us?
Well, no particular reason.
This is pretty close by, so we can't ignore it.
At the same time, we can't leave the station unmanned.
Captain, can't the local police handle this?
Why do they need us?
Don't ask questions, Shinohara. Just do it.
The local officers will fill you in on the details.
Izumi, Yamazaki, and Shinohara, heading out!
Yeah, good luck.
I hope Asuma does okay.
He's pretending that he's not upset.
What a man.
You rookies don't know anything.
Hey, face facts.
Asuma gets some tough missions.
He defends Division 2's honor, while defusing the bomb.
The bomb?
Oh, Ota!
Hiromi, you're not your usual self. What's wrong?
I'm just a little worried.
Why?
We're going to a place they call Demon Haunt Village.
So?
"Demons recite a melancholy poem...
"for the people who live in the village of the tree."
That's a poem about the legend of Demon Haunt Village.
Legend?
Yes.
It happened a long time ago, when the village was first settled...
Fierce demons came down from the mountains...
and caused quite a lot of havoc.
But one day, when the demons came down to the village...
they saw a girl...
desperately tending to the animals that they themselves had hurt.
She was the chief's daughter.
At that moment, the demons fell in love with the kind girl.
But shortly, an illness spread through the village.
The girl, who had a weak constitution, became sick and died.
The demons hadn't understood what death was.
But now they ceased their violence.
They came down from their mountains to visit her grave.
They recited poems, in memory of the kind girl.
As if in response to the poems,
a fine zelkova tree sprouted from the girl's grave.
To this day, the villagers have their own New Year's Eve custom.
They gather inside and solemnly listen to the winter wind in the trees,
believing that they are the poems of the demons.
What a sad story.
I'm surprised to hear you talk so much, Hiromi.
I like folk tales and legends.
This case may have something to do with your story.
Think about it.
The captain said to keep our eyes and ears open.
I bet he suspects there may be something else going on here.
What do you mean?
Maybe it's a curse!
Hey, stop that!
It's possible!
Hiromi, the wheel! The wheel!
What happened?
How awful!
I warned them! I told them this would happen!
I told them to look into this before deciding on the route!
But, no! They just looked at the maps and sent us off to begin construction!
And even then they didn't put enough time in the schedule!
I can't take it!
I'm at my wit's end now!
I have a wife and family waiting for me at home!
But we have a deadline,
and there isn't a single machine left that we can use!
It might be someone opposed to the construction.
You'd need a Labor to cause this sort of damage.
- But it's very strange... - What?
When these strange events first occurred...
my men got totally upset.
An old woman, taking a break from working in the fields,
was watching us.
One of my men asked her if she'd seen anything suspicious.
And she said...
"I ain't seen nothing."
Those were her exact words!
No. But that's not all! You see...
A curse?! You mean...?!
You mean the demons of the zelkova tree?
Oh, you've heard about that? There. It's over there.
Incredible!
It's a beautiful zelkova tree. Probably a thousand years old.
Rather than being a sacred tree, legend says demons are trapped inside.
That's why the villagers call this the "Demon Haunt" tree.
The demons killed the village chief and a Shinto priest many years ago.
They even covered that in a magazine.
One windy night recently, our night watchman saw a demon!
He quit right after that and went home.
This tree is a landmark, but it's in the middle of my road!
What am I supposed to do?
Did this all start when you tried to remove the tree?
Yes.
- What's wrong, Hiromi? - Nothing.
What can I do?
My workers are all afraid to touch that tree.
Our new equipment should be arriving any time...
and so I need to start construction tomorrow!
But at this rate, we'll be headed for winter...
and I won't be able to go home for New Year's.
All right.
Why don't you just build the road around the tree?
If we could do that, we would've done it by now!
Of course.
So, what are you going to do with the sacred tree?
It's too big to transplant.
And I don't even think a Labor could do it.
Please, help me! You're the only ones I can turn to!
We'll start looking into this, so don't touch the crime scene.
Nobody's working anyway, whether or not there are demons.
Hiromi?
Miss Izumi, aren't you scared?
Of course not, Hiromi.
Normally, we'd approach this as a Labor crime...
The curse.
The curse of the haunting demons.
The curse, the curse...
Excuse me.
How rude.
All right, all right!
Hiromi, a little more!
Okay.
Labor footprints!
And it's not a construction model!
You're right.
The marks on the body were made by a Labor's hands.
Must be.
So this was all done deliberately, using a Labor.
Then they used more than one Labor.
So, who could have done it?
They used force to halt construction.
The damage has been restricted to this village.
So, it must be someone trying to preserve the sacred tree.
So, someone's trying to make it look like the curse. Or else...
Or else?
Maybe it's the result of a real curse.
Do you really think so?
Wow! An Italian-made Ghamborginni!
How tacky.
These Italian Labors sure are fantastic!
Can't beat their speed and power!
You seem to be doing a fine job.
I hope your investigation is going well.
I'm the one who sold this land to the government.
That's why I'm interested in the construction.
You used to own the sacred tree?
No, unfortunately that area wasn't mine.
Listen, you should just stay away from that tree!
For centuries,
the souls of the mountain demons have inhabited that tree.
That's all I can tell you.
So, I suggest you talk it over with the government.
If you build the road a little further to the south,
you could avoid the tree.
I'd be willing to sell the land, cheap. How's that?
Sorry, we're in no position to negotiate.
We're just here to investigate.
Too bad. The demons are probably already angry.
Might be too late anyway. Sorry to bother you!
What was that all about?
I can no longer remain silent!
Tea is ready.
Thank you.
- Where's Izumi? - Inspecting Alphonse.
Asuma...
Is this really the cause of some curse?
The only thing we know for sure is that,
whether it is a curse or just a ruse...
we're here to figure out what's going on and solve the problem.
A power failure?
What?!
Let's see. Who's there?!
- Halt! - Noa, what's wrong?!
Somebody tried to attack, and ran off that way!
Hiromi!
Th-There...
I lost him.
Did you get a look at it?
From the infrared sensor,
its heat signature was definitely that of a Labor.
Well, if that's how they want it, we can play rough.
What's about to happen?
The Tokyo Labor team is up to something.
I understand.
We'll move the Labor. So, just stand by on site.
Right. Let's go.
Asuma, do you think we can lure it out?
I don't know.
Look at that!
Labor. Step aside.
Are you still here?!
Disturbing our demons any further will raise the dead!
We won't let you through. Be nice and leave our village!
Noa, get ready. You too, Hiromi.
It's time for you to be nice.
It's huge!
Gramps! It's two against one! Let's do it!
Don't be stupid!
It's too late to back out!
Why, you!
Rice fields are narrow...
so this Labor's designed to make tight turns.
Why, you!
Noa, behind you!
I don't want any trouble!
Please, just go and leave us alone!
Wow, those Italian jobs really have it! Great handling ability!
This isn't the time to be impressed!
Oh, no! I'm getting stuck in the mud!
Will you go home now?
You aren't going to get another shot at my legs!
Well, if that's how you want it, then fine!
Now I'm mad! Don't mess with me!
Please! Please, stop it!
We can't let them cut down our tree!
Stop fighting!
You're the ones that'll get in trouble with the demons, Grandpa.
But...
You'll have to fight me first to get to them.
The Special Vehicles, Second Section, Division 2 won't let you do that!
Special Vehicles, Second Section, Division 2?
What's wrong with that?
I knew the police had several Labor teams,
but I never thought this would be them.
Division 2's famous for causing all kinds of havoc in cities...
with reckless shooting!
That's right.
When Division 2 passes through, the land beneath is laid waste.
Well...
No way would I ever take them on!
Oh, well.
When we were at war with the Americans during World War II...
an order was issued to turn over all of the village's silver and gold.
However, before we were able to hand over the treasure we collected...
the war had come to an end.
So, the village chief, the priest, and I came up with a plan.
In the confusion of it all,
we buried it in the roots of the zelkova tree.
But why?
Seemed as good as anywhere.
What matters is that we didn't return it.
But then, both the chief and priest got sick and died.
For the honor of our chief and priest, I had to keep the secret.
You never told me any of this!
Once I heard of the construction,
I planned to move the treasure.
But the night watchman saw me.
He thought my Labor was a demon...
and everyone blamed the curse.
So you just used me as your mercenary! That stinks!
Don't be so self-righteous. You accepted his money.
This is incredible!
I knew all about this, Grandpa.
- What? - Grandma told me.
That tree has protected our village for ages.
What you did back then was wrong...
but it was best that our village and the zelkova were protected.
That's why I never said anything.
Isn't there some way we can save our tree?
Asuma?
What's going on?
I don't know! I can't see!
They must have made the demons angry!
We must pray!
A mountain?
There's one right there, behind my temple.
Noa, do you read me?
Yeah, did you find something?
I'll tell you later. Can you carry that tree?
What? This? I think so.
We're going to transplant it to the hill behind the shrine.
- Say what? - Miss Izumi, I'll help you.
Um, I want to help, too.
I don't really know what's going on...
but I don't have a problem with transplanting the zelkova tree.
Everyone. Special Vehicles, Second Section will help us.
We're going to transplant the sacred tree to the mountain.
Wow, it's Division 2!
It'll do well up on the mountain.
That tree is the symbol of our village.
It's better this way.
The demons and their tree are returning to the mountain.
There's still one thing I don't understand.
I know your Labor and the old man's...
but where did the girl get one?
Oh, Hiromi's always had a weak constitution.
Hiromi?
Just hold me tightly, Midnight Blue
If I can make it to the bus stop by midnight
I know I can do it, if only just once
Pulled into my dream I find that I wake up
Drenched in sweat and feeling lonely
I turn off the TV I've been listening to
Tomorrow I will spend the whole day
In the city of my dreams, amidst the old dust
I want to feel the main street beneath my feet soon
I plan to always look on the brighter side
Keep my chin up, look to the future
After all, there's only one path I can travel
Just hold me tightly, Midnight Blue
If I can make it to the bus stop by midnight
I know I can do it, if only just once
If I can make it to the bus stop by midnight
I know I can do it, if only just once
This story is fiction... but in 10 years, who knows?
The Doshka, a military Labor that came from a frigid country.
Apparently, terrorists are after it,
and so Division 2 is sent out to deal with it.
I hear it's a request from Public Safety,
but why is it only Noa and I that are going off to Sakata?
It's just a treat from the Captain, that's all.
He said we should enjoy ourselves.
That's too easy. There must be another reason.
Next time. Red Labor Landing. Target, locked on!