Patlabor: The Movie

Set in 1999, Tokyo undergoes massive redevelopment as old suburbs are demolished and the Babylon Project constructs a vast Ark in Tokyo Bay. The Ark serves as the nerve center and chief labor manufacturing facility for the project. The scale of the operation marks Tokyo as a focal point of futuristic industry and risk.

Several Labors built by Shinohara Heavy Industries suddenly activate and go haywire, even when not piloted. The TMPD's SV2 is tasked with neutralizing them, but only Division II remains on duty while Division I trains elsewhere. Fortunately, Division II's AV98 Ingram police Labors do not have copies of the Hyper Operating System, providing a potential weakness to exploit.

Captain Gotoh, Sgt Asuma Shinohara, mechanic Shige Shiba, and Detective Matsui gather leads to the cause of the malfunctions. They determine the Labors carry HOS and that low-frequency resonance from wind-struck tall buildings triggers unpredictable behavior. A forecasted typhoon adds urgency to the investigation.

The team discovers Eiichi Hoba, HOS's programmer who has committed suicide days earlier, planted a self-replicating virus in the code. The virus would cause Labors across Tokyo to malfunction under the right wind conditions. Hoba's obsession with Biblical references to the Babylon Project surfaces in the clues.

A computer simulation predicts that gale-force winds hitting the Ark could trigger a massive rampage by Labors across Tokyo. The Ark's immense size and steel framework amplify resonance, threatening the entire city.

Gotoh secures clearance from TMPD leadership to destroy the Ark to prevent catastrophe. Shige continues digging for evidence to justify the operation.

Kanuka Clancy returns from the US to assist in the Ark raid. Her involvement accelerates the plan and provides crucial support during the confrontation.

Division II attaches flotation bags to their vehicles and heads out to the Ark as the wind-driven chaos begins. Malfunctioning Labors engage the team on landing, raising the stakes for the mission.

Ingram pilots Noa and Ohta, with Kanuka on the hijacked TYPE-0, buying time for Hiromi, Asuma and Shinshi to reach the Ark's control room and initiate its self-destruct sequence. The team races against the clock as Labors attack the control facilities.

Kanuka loses control over the TYPE-0 due to HOS interference and becomes trapped on a last remaining ledge as the chaos erupts around them.

Noa climbs out of her damaged Ingram and fires her shotgun into the Labors’ S-RAM, effectively shutting it down. With the critical hardware stopped, the Ark's self-destruct sequence proceeds and the team secures a window for evacuation.

SV2 dispatches helicopters to rescue the stranded crew as the Ark is destroyed and chaos subsides. The city braces for the storm, but the immediate threat from the malfunctioning Labors is neutralized.