Everyone’s favorite DC vigilante is getting a new anime film. Batman is back in Japan after his anime debut in the 2018 film Batman Ninja, where the caped crusader, along with his friends and foes, was taken from modern Gotham City and thrown into feudal Japan. The first Dark Knight anime film was praised for its story and beautiful animation, so fans are in for a treat with the next installment from Warner Bros. Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League showed off its trailer at the 2024 New York Comic Con.
Batman Ninja‘s director Junpei Mizusaki is back to bring audiences more of Bruce Wayne’s adventures in Japan, this time with a dark crime-filled play on the Justice League. Batman usually teams up with his friends on the DC superhero team, but now, with Yakuza criminals raining from the sky, the tables have turned. From what we know from the recently released trailer, the Yakuza League consists of Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman, and Green Lantern, all with a distinct twist.
The first superhero to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame continues to traverse uncharted territory, with the battle against the Yakuza League now in store. The team behind the animation, Kamikaze Douga, continues to contribute to the beautiful art style of the Gotham City bunch, showing off the epic setting for the upcoming anime in the new trailer. With anime-style Robin by his side and a city to save, Batman is ready to continue his Japanese animation journey. Check out the trailer for Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League below.
The Yakuza League Subverts DC Fans’ Expectations
While a Justice League turned against Batman isn’t unheard of, a Justice League full of criminals is new to anime Bats and his sidekicks. The original Justice League was made up of Superman, Batman, Aquaman, the Flash, Green Lantern, the Martian Manhunter, and Wonder Woman. The Yakuza League seems to have cut down on the roster, as Superman, Martian Manhunter, and Batman, of course, are missing.
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The league of heroes-turned-criminals is voiced by a stellar cast of Japanese voice actors, including Ayane Sakura (My Hero Academia) as a female Green Lantern and Akio Otsuka (One Piece) as an elder Aquaman. The voice cast also features Nobuyuki Hiyam (Bleach) as speedster The Flash, Romi Park (Fullmetal Alchemist) as the voice of the Amazonian Wonder Woman, and Kazuhiro Yamaji (One-Punch Man) voicing Ra’s al Ghul. The English dub cast has not been announced yet.
Other characters include four versions of Robin: Dick Grayson in his Nightwing form, Jason Todd as Red Hood, Tim Drake as Red Robin, and finally the son of Batman, Damian Wayne, as Robin. Alfred and Commissioner Gordon also made an appearance in the trailer. The infamous, totally not toxic, couple Joker and Harley Quinn will also show up to cause even more chaos in the already wild anime film. Who will be Batman’s ally and who will be his enemy? Audiences will have to wait until 2025 to watch Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League on digital platforms.
- Director
- Shinji Takagi
- Cast
- Koichi Yamadera , Yûki Kaji , Kengo Kawanishi , Daisuke Ono , Akira Ishida , Hochu Otsuka , Masaki Terasoma