Batman Ninja Vs. Yakuza League 4K UHD Review
“Batman Ninja Vs. Yakuza League” is a weird and creative anime film.
Written by Kazuki Nakashima, “Batman Ninja Vs. Yakuza League” is a sequel to 2018’s “Batman Ninja.” In this WB Animation anime feature film, Batman returns from Feudal Japan only to discover that the world is not how it should be. Japan has disappeared and the Justice League is nowhere to be seen. Before the Bat Family can investigate, a Yakuza Hurricane takes place over Gotham City (yes, you read that right). It seems Japan is now floating upside down over Gotham and Yakuza with jetpacks are literally raining into the city. Nightwing, Red Hood and Red Robin take care of the Yakuza while Batman and Robin (Damian) venture to Japan. It is there that they discover that Japan is made up entirely of Yakuza gangs including the Hagane and Amazone gangs. Weirder still, Batman and Robin discover that the Justice League members (Superman, Jessica Cruz Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Flash) are present but they look different and have different names. Wonder Woman leads the good gang (the Amazone) while the evil gang (Hagane) is led by Ra’s al Guhl and features Aquaman, Superman, Flash and Green Lantern. Ra’s is plotting something fiendish with his army of heroes and it’s up to the Bat family and Wonder Woman to stop him (along with a potential unlikely ally).
Directed by Jumpei Mizusaki and Shinji Takagi, “Batman Ninja Vs. Yakuza League” is a fresh take on a story in which history has changed and things are not as they should be. Seeing the Justice League heroes turned villains with unique character designs facing off against Batman makes for some rollicking action set pieces. The Flash chase scene and the obligatory Batman v Superman fights are especially noteworthy here. This anime feature also happens to be incredibly weird. Among the bizarre inclusions here are a James Bond style opening credits, “Dragon Ball” style action, pop-up book imagery, Robin in a California Roll claw machine, a “Voltes V” parody, a VHS style music video, and a dragon. As bonkers as it may be, that’s also part of its charm. It’s nice to see something unique and different in the world of DC animated films instead of the standard comic book adaptation. This is a much more ambitious project that also features different animation styles that make for a truly exciting visual experience.
The sequel is not without its flaws. The exposition is really overdone and can sometimes bog down the pacing. Granted, there’s a lot to cover, but it sometimes feels like Nakashima is overly complicating the story. While Nakashima does balance the many characters well for the most part, the inclusion of Joker serves zero purpose here. It felt like a shoehorned in cameo. On the plus side, it’s refreshing to see a Batman family story that also utilizes Batman well. He’s really putting his Detective skills and intellect to use in this tale. Likewise, the Harley Quinn storyline works well here. It was a nice spin on her usual character arc. Heck, even Damian Wayne (who I usually detest) is likable here although the hair jokes were ultra lame.
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 1.78:1 2160p. How does it look? The anime film shines in 4K with crystal clear colors.
Audio Track: 5.1 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? The 5.1 track soars like the Batwing. The thunderous action scenes are particularly potent.
Extras:
* Digital copy
* “Bringing The League To Japan”- A featurette on the characters, character designs, artistic choices, and new interpretations.
* “Anime Action: Choreographing The Fights”- As the title suggests, this extra covers the action set pieces.
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