I finally had time to read the manga. As someone who loves the TV series but didn't care much about the Griffon subplot, I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed this version of the story. It's more fleshed out and engaging, and it went to places I didn't expect. Richard Wong was already a good antagonist in the show, but here, he's on a whole new level. What a marvelous, entertaining asshole. Aside from the 'Wasted XIII' arc (which, in my opinion, lasted way too long for what it was), my only complaint is how little role Kanuka had in the story. Although she was well-utilized overall, given that she's one of my favorite characters in the series and I enjoy her dynamic with the SV2 team, I missed her a lot.
Anyway, nothing else to add, except that I can't thank everyone involved in the project enough for all your hard work. Patlabor is my favorite franchise, and I'm incredibly happy to finally be able to read the manga. Just like the movies, the TV show, and the OVAs, I have no doubt that I will enjoy it again and again in the future. Thank you so much!