Patlabor Day

What Is Patlabor Day?

August 10th is "Patlabor Day" in Japan. The date comes from a wordplay on "pa(8)-to(10)" (part of "Patlabor"), and it was officially recognized by the Japan Anniversary Association in 2018.

A Holiday for a Beloved Sci-Fi Series Starring "Labors"

"Mobile Police Patlabor" is a landmark Japanese robot anime and manga series set in a near-future world, following a police unit that responds to crimes involving industrial robots known as "Labors."

• Origin: the first two syllables of "Patlabor" ("Pa-to") are likened to the wordplay "8, 10"
• Purpose: to keep the series' appeal alive, welcome new fans, and show gratitude to longtime fans
• What makes the series distinctive: beyond the giant robots, it's beloved for its careful depiction of everyday police life and human drama

A Grounded Take on Robot Fiction Since the 1980s

Rather than portraying far-fetched heroics, Patlabor earned high praise from fans for depicting robots as working machinery and the down-to-earth lives of the people who operate them.

Tips for Marking This Day

• Rewatch an episode or reread a volume of "Mobile Police Patlabor"
• Look into merchandise or events tied to the series
• Learn about the design and setting of the Labors featured in the show
• Talk about your favorite robot anime series

Genuine Human Drama Lives Inside Giant Machines

What Patlabor has always depicted is more than robots in action -- it's the real stories of the people who operate them. August 10th is a day to immerse yourself once again in the world of Patlabor.