So Warner Bros.‘first trailerfor the stylish animeBatman Ninjajust dropped earlier today and it’s quickly become my favorite thing. Not only is it quite refreshing to see the familiar cast of characters from the famous Batman mythology dressed up in garb befitting feudal Japan, the shift to an anime style of storytelling adds a whole new angle and dynamic to familiar characters and stories. The trailer is packed full of unique and highly stylized takes on some very recognizable characters, so we wanted to break it down a bit more and take individual looks at each one of them.
Directed byJumpei Mizusakiwith a screenplay fromKazuki Nakashima,Batman Ninjasees Batman arriving in feudal Japan where he must gather a band of allies together in order to take down the Joker and other villains. An official synopsis hasn’t been released yet, so that’s about all we can sort out from the trailer … that and the fact that there seems to be a giant war machine wreaking havoc on the Japanese countryside. The eye-grabbing character designs ofTakashi Okazakiare the focus in this article, though you may glean a bit more plot from the images we’ve pulled. For example, thoughBatman Ninjafeatures characters like Robin, Red Hood, and Nightwing alongside the title hero, others like Catwoman and Gorilla Grodd may end up being allies as well. Then there’s the ever-villainous Penguin, Two-Face, Deathstroke, and Poison Ivy, who also make appearances and seem to square off against Batman’s team. I can’t wait to see this thing in its entirety!
StarringKoichi Yamaderaas Batman,Wataru Takagias The Joker,Ai Kakumaas Catwoman, andRie Kugimiyaas Harley Quinn,Batman Ninjais due out on Blu-ray/DVD next year. The English voice cast for the dubbed Blu-ray/DVD has yet to be announced, but some familiar voices from previousBatmananimated efforts will be involved and the initials of the actor voicing the Joker will be … T.H. Your guess is as good as mine.
Check out the images below:
The Heroes
The Villains
Bonus Images from the NYCC 2018 Trailer
Here are some bonus images not seen in the new trailer, but that popped up in the NYCC 2018 footage. They include looks at Batman’s Batwing, Batcycle, and Batmobile (which appears to double as a mecha, which is the best), likely before his time-traveling adventure in the past. There are also new shots of Two-Face, Catwoman vs Harley Quinn, and the insanity that is going on between Batman and Joker. Enjoy!
