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Shinji receives a phone call in the SV2 offices from a man with an electronically disguised voice who warns him that there is a bomb planted somewhere in the SV2. Everyone thinks it's a hoax, however moments later the henhouse explodes. Kasha hypotheses it's a warning and another threat will soon follow and believes it's already been planted somewhere in the SV2. Gotoda orders everyone to be on alert, but every one is rather baffled as to why the SV2 have been targeted. A second phone call tells them another bomb will explode in 10 seconds. Everyone evacuates the office just before it explodes. Luckily there are no casualties and very few injuries. The bomber calls a third time in Gotoda's office. The captain asks the bomber what his demands are, however he only replies by saying a third bomb will explode in an hour. The Labor teams and the mechanics franticly search the SV2 hanger. A highly suspicious tin is found at the back of one of the rooms where the mechanics sleeps. Marked "do not open" the mechanics discover it contains old idol magazines and gravure idol photo books dating back to the 1990's. Excited by the discovery they find more hidden for at least a decade under tatami mats. However a third phone call advises the SV2 the bomb is in the bottom the tin, which explodes. The captain then decides that the SV2 hanger should evacuated. With all the equipment and staff outside, the Labor teams and the mechanics start acting as if they were on holiday. The staff speculate who the bomber is and Kasha suspects that it could be an inside job. Shige becomes paranoid and staters outing various mechanics as the bomber. The SV2 receive yet another call from the bomber on their field phone. The bomber tells them not to think their safe just because they're outside. Behind them a land mine goes off. Later a delivery truck heads to the SV2 hanger, but of course the driver can find no one around as everyone has been evacuated. Gotoda orders the deliveryman to be captured, however when they interrogate him, he just seems to be an ordinary deliveryman. Gotoda orders Kasha and Shige to open the package for the SV2. Inside is a pressure cooker bomb. As Kasha begins to dismantle it, she realises something isn't right about the situation...
The title of the episode is supposedly a play on the 1970's Tatsunoko Production anime TV series "Time Bokan". One of the idol photo books the mechanics look though is one featuring Yuko Nito who sung "Sono Mama no Kimideite", the first theme song of the Patlabor TV series. The company the deliveryman works for is Kuroinu (Black Dog), which is an obvious parody of the real life delivery company Kuroneko (Black Cat) Yamato (aka Yamato Transport Co., Ltd), right down to the make of the delivery van and the logos on it. The themes in this episode are similar to the Early Days OVA "Longshot". Playwright and actor Shoji Kokami, who founded the influential theatrical company Daisanbutai plays the mad bomber. The episode director was Hiroaki Yuasa. This episode was released to cinemas on 30 August 2014 and first broadcast on satellite TV on 20 September 2014.
Gotoda and Kasha have been ordered to the police headquarters to meet with the head of Security Bureau. A Russian diplomat has been killed by a sniper in Tokyo. Division 3, Foreign Affairs as well Public Security and the as Security Bureau have all become involved in the case. Kei Takahata of Public Security makes a formal request of the SV2 to lend them Kasha at the request of the Russian Federation. A new diplomat, Ivan Ivanovitch, is arriving in the country to replace to deceased one, and they have specifically asked Kasha to provide her skills as a bodyguard to protect him, mainly because they don't really trust the Japanese police force. Kasha requests that either the diplomat cancels his trip or that she should act as a counter sniper in order to stop the assassin. Back at the SV2, Akira jokingly suggests that the assassin is Golgo 13. Yuma is upset that Kasha is leaving, however Gotoda orders him to accompany her to a shooting range so that she can zero in her new sniper rifle. Yuma later finds Kasha's lighter which seems to be men's lighter. He realises it must have belonged to a former lover. Takahata visits the SV2 with surveillance video showing the assassin of the murdered Russian official. The assassin has been identified as Sergey Stephanovich Togo, a former KGB agent who trained snipers for the Russian Federal Security Service, including Kasha. His code name is Red Togo. In a flashback we see Togo training Kasha and giving her his lighter. This is too much for the SV2 members to take. They end up mocking the situation by dressing up as Golgo 13 (whose code name was Duke Togo) and openly speculating what kind of relationship Kasha and Togo had. Regardless, Kasha decides to take on Togo even if it's an impossible task. She decides she will go it alone and won't need backup. Using a map of the motorcade journey for the diplomat, she scopes out the possible vantage points that a sniper would use and formulates her counter sniping tactics.
The members of the SV2 are dressed up as Golgo 13 (aka Duke Togo) which is the titular character of the long running manga of the same name about a professional assassin. The name Ivan Ivanovitch is taken from the defecting Russian Labor pilot in the anime TV episode "Red Labor Landing". Reiko Takashima (Mewtwo in "Pokémon the Movie: Genesect and the Legend Awakened", Doctor Sado in "Space Battleship Yamato") guest stars as Kei Takahata and Anatoli Krasnov plays Sergey Stephanovich Togo. The episode director was Takanori Tsujimoto. This episode was released to cinemas on 18 October 2014 and first broadcast on satellite TV on 8 November 2014.
A television news show reports on an alligator in a local zoo which has laid a pearl the size of a ping pong ball which is valued at ¥2 billion. The mechanics discuss what they've seen and recall some of the older members talking about a similar situation where a albino crocodile laid pearl like eggs in the labyrinth of tunnels under the reclaimed land. Excitement builds amongst the mechanics as they think about all the things around the SV2 that could be fixed or improved. Knowing what happened previously, Shige tries to talk (or shout) some sense into the young mechanics. However it's all too tempting for some, with four of the mechanics entering a manhole and making their way into the abandoned tunnels. They leave a note saying not to follow the. Shige has had enough and prepares to cover up the manhole with cement to prevent anyone else foolhardy from following them. Buchiyama pleads with Captain Gotoda to save the mechanics to no avail. He then tries asking the Labor team members for help but everyone refuses the request, except Yuma. Yuma gives rousing speech on why the mechanics should be saved and not abandoned and manages to convince Captain Gotoda to give them permission to carry out a rescue mission. However the other members of the SV2 are highly suspicious of Yuma's motives. The mechanics gather up the data (on old floppy discs) of the previous rescue mission in the tunnels. Amazingly it's still readable and useful. The two Labor units gear up and enter the manhole. The rescue crew explore the tunnels for life while sending back data via video cameras mounted on their clothes. They soon come across the strange message that Tadayama Fumihiro left on the ceiling of one of the tunnels, just as the former SV2 members had seen long ago. Suddenly they hear someone coming towards them. They all panic with Yuma throwing a grenade, shots are fired from everyone and the camera feed is lost to the mechanics tracking them on the surface. Just before the chaos, Kasha spots a tail of some unidentified creature slinking past the end of the tunnel... The rescue crew end up inside an abandoned room, which was Fumihiro's old hide out. Yamazaki is missing and they're low on supplies due to them being dropped during the panic. Inside the abandoned room they find two of the mechanics hiding the corner, literally covered in crap. Though they hysterically mutter on about a monster, Yuma decides to forge on when he realises there is a large stash of pearls not far from the room.
This episode follows on from the TV episode "The Underground Mystery Tour" and the New OVA Series episode "The Dungeon Again", though it is more of a complete remake of the latter. As per the two anime episodes, this episode is largely a parody of RPG games. The first part of Fumihiro's message, "Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord" was the subtitle to the first "Wizardy" game. This episode guest stars Yukijiro Hotaru as the zoo keeper interviewed in the TV report. He has appeared in many tokusatsu films and TV series over years including playing Gonza Kurahashi in the "Garo" franchise and Inspector Osako in the 1990's "Gamera" trilogy. The episode director was Kiyotaka Taguchi. This episode was released to cinemas on 18 October 2014 and first broadcast on satellite TV on 8 November 2014.
Kei Takahata of Public Security once again pays a visit to the SV2. She attempts to pressure Captain Gotoda into working with her again to help stop the illegal importation of a cold war era Soviet military Labor. However Gotoda float out refuses. Takahata finally gives up but warns Gotoda that he will eventually be forced by Security Bureau to cooperate with her. Late that night on a bus, Ichiro Hachino, the convenience store terrorist from "Wild Dog Afternoon", receives a cryptic message from an operative that the Gangut has arrived at Niigata West Port and that the execution will take place at 8pm tomorrow. Ichiro gets off at the next stop, but is followed by someone. He runs to shake his pursuer, eventually outwitting him and knocking him out. The man is a police detective. Ichiro takes his gun and hijacks a taxi with his plan to go to Niigata. The next day Gotoda is called into police headquarters to see the head of Security Bureau and sure enough Takahata is also at the meeting. Takahata explains to Gotoda that Ichiro Hachino has escaped custody and has fled to Niigata in order to hijack the Labor, the RT-99 Bauku, which is on the Russian cargo ship Gangut. To avoid any diplomatic issues, Takata would like the SV2 to stop Ichiro. The head of Security Bureau orders Gotoda to deploy the SV2. Gotoda immediately sends Yuma and Akira to Niigata, despite Yuma's protests that the Ingram would be useless against a military Labor, with Yamazaki and the Labor carrier to follow. In Niigata, Yuma meets with Takahata while Akira shops for souvenirs from her work colleagues. Takahata explains that he and Akira were ordered to be in their uniforms in order to send a message to anyone watching that a Police Labor team is in town. She points out to a disbelieving Yuma that practically every tourist in town is a foreign spy there to observe or thwart Ichiro's plan. That night, Akira and Yuma head to their accommodation, a rundown ryokan (traditional Japanese inn). Unfortunately they will have to sleep in the same room together which has Akira on the defensive. Late at night while Akira is sleeping, she sees Yuma over her and smacks him in the head with an oversized decorative shogi piece. However when she turns on the light it's obvious the knocked out Yuma was reaching for the box of manju next to her. Afterwards, Ichiro hijacks the Labor with Akira and Yuma in pursuit on a motorbike. Takahata and Public Security arrest the crew of the ship, but Ichiro is heading towards Tokyo in the Labor, shooting at the police helicopters and police cars in pursuit, destroying one off the cars. He breaks through two police blocks, with the job of halting his progress up to Akria in her Ingram.
This is episode is essentially a complete remake of the anime TV episode "Red Labor Landing". The mascot that gives Akira the heart shaped balloon is Lerch-san, the local mascot for the Niigata prefecture who promotes skiing in the region. Apparently the mascot was inspired by Austro-Hungarian Army officer Theodore Edler von Lerch who held the the first skiing lesson in Japan on Mount Kanaya in Niigata. A very short clip from the film "Bushido Man" appears on the TV in Akira and Yuma's room in the ryokan. Kazuki Namioka ("The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift") reprises his role as Ichiro Hachino. Reiko Takashima ("Space Battleship Yamato") also reprises her role as Kei Takahata. Mitsuko Oka ("Kids Return") also guest stars as the manager of the ryokan. The episode director was Kiyotaka Taguchi. This episode was released to cinemas on 29 November 2014 and first broadcast on satellite TV on 20 December 2014.
Akira receives an invitation to her class reunion in the mail at work. Though she states she won't attend, Yuma and Shinji tease her about former lovers who might me attending the reunion. This predictably causes a fight between her and Yuma. However later she begins to day dream about her former boyfriend from high school who gave her a necklace as a good luck charm for her police officer entrance exams. Much to her annoyance Yuma catchers her daydreaming. Even worse is that Yuma has already send back her RSVP stating she will be attending, even though she is rostered on for night duty on the evening of the reunion. Yuma also wants to go to his school reunion and tries to make a deal with Akira to cover her for her when she goes to her reunion, so in turn she will do the same for him. Though completely reluctant at first, Yuma and Shinji manage to convince her to go to her reunion. Unfortunately Akria doesn't have much time. She rushes out to buy a new dress, but manages to miss the cruise boat the reunion is on. One of her classmates calls and tells her that her former boyfriend, Kou Takato, is on the pier waiting for her and that she should have a drink with him as she missed the reunion. However another person has showed up late for the reunion, Ichiro Yoshita, a senior whom neither really know. He persuades them to go to a Chinese restaurant with him which they reluctantly agree to. The trio chat with each other and Akira discovers that Kou is the president of a small trading company and that the third wheel, Ichiro, works in aged care. Akira also discovers that Kou wanted to be an actor, something she's a bit miffed about as he never told her when they were together. She also discovers he will be moving to Indonesia soon. Ichiro excuses himself to take a phone call, but Akira feels as if there is something suspicious about him. Akria recalls the time in high school where Kou corrected the translation on a poster of foreign film there were going to see, only to be chased away by the owner of the theatre. Meanwhile at the SV2, they are called into action and Yuma panics saying he'll pilot the Ingram. Luckily it's a false alarm. Back at the restaurant Kou says he wants to apologise to Akira for breaking up with her and is surprised she didn't throw away the necklace. While Ichiro goes to the toilet. Kou decides to make a break and runs with Akira though the streets, recounting the day they ran from the theatre owner. While it looks like their romance may be rekindled, Kou is not exactly who he seems to be...
This episode feels somewhat similar to the New OVA Series episode "Snow Rondo". Shunsuke Daito ("Crows Zero", "Ace Attorney") guest stars as Kou Takato and Taro Suruga ("Detroit Metal City") guest stars as Ichiro Yoshita. The episode director was Hiroaki Yuasa. This episode was released to cinemas on 29 November 2014 and first broadcast on satellite TV on 20 December 2014.
We revisit the opening scenes of "Patlabor 2 the movie" where Yukihito Tsuge's UN peace keeping mission in Cambodia is apparently abandoned and left to fend for themselves. After the events of "Patlabor 2 the movie", Shinobu and Gotoh disappear, however we are told they have inadvertently left a "time bomb" for the SV2. In the present day, somewhere in the middle east Shinobu is working for UNHCR and hand delivered a letter by a UN solider. Back in Tokyo, the Police Commissioner has succumbed to his prostate cancer. The head of the Security Bureau is due to be the next Police Commissioner, however is warned by elements in the government that he has to get rid of the SV2. Both Shige and Captain Gotoda are seen as threats and he must exorcise the ghosts of the past. At the SV2 a package arrives for Gotoda. Shige hand delivers it to Gotoda who is out on the pier fishing. Gotoda tries to get Shige to tell him about the legacy that the two former captains, Shinobu and Gotoh. After Shige leaves, Gotoda opens the package to find an old mobile phone. He switches it on to discover it belonged to his former senior Gotoh. He tries ringing the phone in the address book, apparently Gotoh's landline phone number, however no one picks up. Later Gotoda goes to visit Tsuge in prison. The guard informs him that a woman had also visited Tsuge recently. Gotoda suspects it was Shinobu. Gotoda asks Tsuge if he still believes in his ideals and Tsuge retorts by asking him what his purpose is. Tsuge says that he holds the same views on war and belives in justice then as he does now. As Gotoda leaves he asks if there is anything he'd like to pass on to Shinobu. Tsuge replies by saying that though they had a short time together it was a precious memory. Meanwhile somewhere, a mysterious black helicopter is being readied... Back at the SV2, Akira enters the cockpit of her Ingram and checks the operating system. Yuma asks her if she could fire her Revolver Cannon, what would be the target. She replies she would target tomorrow. Gotoda echoes Tsuge's line that while his time as the SV2 was short, it was a precious memory. Suddenly the phone Gotoda received in the mail rings...
This episode is a prologue to "The Next Generation - Patlabor - Final Battle in the Capital (aka Tokyo War)". All of the flashbacks to "Patlabor 2 the movie" are photorealistic stills. A 10 minute recap episode titled "Playback! Special Vehicles Unit 2 Crisis of Life or Death" preceded this episode in cinemas. The episode director was Mamoru Oshii. This episode was released to cinemas on 10 January 2015 and first broadcast on satellite TV on 31 January 2015.