Patlabor the Movie 3: WXIII

WXIII: Patlabor the Movie 3, also known as Wasted 13, is the third and final film in the Mobile Police Patlabor series. Directed by Fumihiko Takayama and written by Miki Tori, it was animated by Madhouse and produced by Bandai Visual and Tohokushinsha. This film is a standalone side story set between the first and second movies. Unlike the previous installments, WXIII largely excludes the main Patlabor cast, focusing instead on detectives Hata and Kusumi. They investigate a string of bizarre Labor incidents, uncovering a connection to a giant fish-like monster called "Prototype 13." During the investigation, Hata falls for a university professor named Saeko Misaki, but their relationship takes a dark turn as the plot progresses. The film adopts a serious and grim tone, contrasting with the lighter atmosphere of previous Patlabor entries, and is more reminiscent of Mamoru Oshii’s other works like Jin-Roh and Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence. The DVD release includes three Mini Pato shorts, which are humorous animations using paper cutouts to explain various aspects of the Patlabor universe.