One reason why the character of Batman has endured for 79 years is that he’s so malleable. Sure, there are intrinsic qualities that unite various interpretations such as his superior intellect, martial arts skills and care for his fellow man, but that doesn’t mean there haven’t been portrayals on opposite ends of the spectrum. For example, both Adam West and Ben Affleck have brought something very different to the table, but neither man’s efforts were no less valid than the other – and the same sentiment can be extended to comics and animation.
Having said that, the time has come to embrace what the near future will bring. As it turns out, the Caped Crusader will once again venture to the Japanese anime arena, this time with Batman Ninja. Directed by JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’s Jumpei Mizusaki, this bold story will see – get this – the Dark Knight being thrown back through time to medieval Japan. There, he’ll be joined by a host of supporting characters that we’ll touch on shortly.
So, now that the home video release is within reaching distance, Warner Bros. are circulating a new promo, which can be viewed at the top. In it, we see Roger Craig Smith (Batman: Arkham Origins, Batman Unlimited) as he reprises his role of the Masked Manhunter and attempts to “master the ways of the ninja.”
Right now, it’s probably safe to say that any amount of new footage released is getting fans pumped. Still, I’d have liked to see more than just the Joker duking it out with Batsy, but at least we do know that a myriad of other heroes and villains will be joining the party as well, namely Red Hood, Bane and Deathstroke.
Having said that, we’ll be sure to bring you any additional trailers and clips pertaining to Batman Ninja as its Blu-ray release date of May 8 (pre-order here) draws near. Speaking of which, if you’d like to check out the first two minutes, be sure to click here.