DVD Corner

Batman Ninja 4K UHD Review

While creative, “Batman Ninja” doesn’t quite hold up. 

2018’s “Batman Ninja” (which was just followed with a sequel titled “Batman Ninja Vs. Yakuza League”) is a collaboration between DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Japan penned by Kazuki Nakashima. The anime film finds Batman time traveling to feudal Japan after Gorilla Grodd’s quake engine displaces him in time. Upon arrival, he discovers all hell has broken loose as many of his greatest enemies (like Joker/Harley Quinn, Two-Face, Penguin, Deathstroke, and Poison Ivy) have taken over territories with the plan to take over Japan. Gorilla Grodd is also plotting something himself. Even stranger, Batman arrived 2 years later than everyone else. In order to stop the timeline from changing and to return everyone to their timeline, Batman needs a bit of help as the odds are stacked against him. Luckily, he has allies like Catwoman, Robin (with a monkey), and a ninja Bat Clan who prophesize that Batman will be the hero they need.

In 2018 director Junpei Mizusaki’s “Batman Ninja” felt like a breath of fresh air especially when compared with other DC animated features at the time. Indeed, the unique anime film is bristling with energy, inventive action, in-your-face camera angles, various animation styles, surprises, and a whole lot of weird stuff. Revisiting the film now though, it hasn’t aged all that well.

While “Batman Ninja” certainly deserves props for originality, it’s all very goofy. It often feels like writer Kazuki Nakashima is merely injecting everything he possibly can into the story without rhyme or reason. Among the bizarre things included in this tale are a Batman and Joker samurai fight, Sumo Wrestler Bane (who comes out of nowhere), giant transforming robot castles (including a Voltron esque connection), swarms of monkeys and bats, etc. Many of the villains are often woefully underutilized as Joker and Grodd take up much of the screen time. Sure, there’s a compelling arc here with Batman being forced to rely on his intellect, allies, and abilities instead of relying on tech to overcome the odds, but it’s often overshadowed by the over-the-top action and some truly dumb decisions by Batman (he’s far too trusting in this outing).

With all of that said, if you love anime or are seeking something different from the norm, “Batman Ninja” might be up your alley. At the very least it’s worth a watch for the sheer weirdness of it all. 

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 1.78:1 2160p. How does it look? “Batman Ninja” was originally scheduled to be released on 4K at the same time as the sequel, but was delayed. Now, it’s finally out. The result? As an upgrade, this is a successful one. The colors are noticeably sharper here. If you held off on picking up the Blu-ray, grab the 4K instead. 

Audio Track: English and Japanese 5.1 DTS-HD MA . How do they sound? The audio tracks are the same as the Blu-ray. The English track featuring the voice talents of Roger Craig Smith, Tony Hale, Tara Strong among others is a quality option, but the Japanese track is actually better and more fitting for this particular production. 

Extras:
* “East/West Batman”- A featurette on this Batman anime film.
* “Batman: Made In Japan” covers the animation
* “New York Comic Con Presents Batman Ninja”- Gary Miereanu hosted Q&A panel from NYCC featuring Kazuki Nakashima, Junpei Mizusaki, Leo Chu, Takashima Okazaki and Eric Garcia.

July 9, 2025 - Posted by nicklyons1 | 4K UHD Review | Animated Film, Anime, Batman, Batman Ninja, Batman Ninja 4K UHD Review, Joker