PATLABOR Live Action Film Fills Out Cast, No Word on Cheesy Intro Music

Finally, before another Hollywood director is given a chance to muck up the genre, Japan’s successfully resurrected one of their most popular mech mangas for the big screen. Of course, I’m referring to the Patlabor live action flick, which has been in production for a while now, but has finally filled out its main cast. Featuring stars I’ve never heard of, with names I can’t pronounce, this seems destined for the honorable 3rd shelf of my book case (where I keep all of my semi-cheesy, genre focused, foreign flicks).

Here’s a full breakdown of the cast additions:

Former singer Erina Mano will play the lead heroine, Akira Izumino. Rounding out the cast are Seiji Fukushi as Yūma Shiobara, Rina Oota as Ekaterina Krachevna Kankaeva, voice-actor Shigeru Chiba will play his anime character, maintenance squad chief Shigeo Shiba, and Toshio Kakei as Captain Keiji Gotōda.

With a $20 million budget, Patlabor is bound by its tiny budget, but I expect it to excel in spite of it. The design team on staff has already created some pretty amazing Patrol suits, and I imagine they’ll work well on the big screen. Nothing like watching a giant robot police officer shooting thugs, right?

SOURCE: CBM