Batman is no stranger to animated outings, with the classic Batman: The Animated Series fondly remembered by those of us who grew up in the '90s. The DCAU series is still held up as one of the best versions of the Batman mythos ever. However, among Batman's most unique and stylish forays into animation is 2018's anime movie Batman Ninja. And now, a sequel is almost upon us.
Originally announced in spring 2024 and first shown off at Anime Expo that summer, the Batman Ninja sequel Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League is currently scheduled to premiere in Japan on March 21, 2025.
After a call to Arkham Asylum leads to Batman and his various allies and adversaries all being transported across time and space to the Sengoku period of medieval Japan, Batman finds himself leading the Bat Clan of ninjas against The Joker, Penguin, Poison Ivy, Deathstroke and Gorilla Grodd who have all carved out domains for themselves as samurai warlords and attempt to conquer Japan for their own nefarious purposes.
The Warner Bros. website provides the following summary:
"Japan’s finest artists reimagine Batman and his adversaries in this ground-breaking anime feature... Beginning in Gotham City, Gorilla Grodd’s time displacement machine malfunctions sending a crazed cast of tyrannical villains back in time to terrorize medieval Japan. The most depraved is Lord Joker, who seeks total domination of the feudal states and the final elimination of the legendary Batman. Can The Caped Crusader gain the advantage--without his signature tech-- to keep Lord Joker and the others from rewriting history?"
Although not perfect — for one thing, it would have worked better as a series so the plot wasn't so rushed — the original Batman Ninja is nevertheless worth a watch among the best of the Batman's appearances in a feature film. Batman Ninja is not the first Batman anime. The anthology film Batman: Gotham Knight was released in 2008 as a collaboration between several prominent anime studios and Warner Bros. animation. However, Batman Ninja stands out by leaning into the concept and utilizing the stylistic influences of the anime medium to maximum effect. Really, sending Batman back to Sengoku-era Japan to lead a ninja clan makes perfect sense. For all intents and purposes, he's already a master ninja.
With the release of Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League right around the corner, it's the perfect time for fans of the Caped Crusader to experience the original Batman Ninja.
What about Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League?
Fans got their first look at Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League at Anime Expo 2024, with the reveal of the movie's first teaser trailer. Since then, there have been several more trailers and the official website has been providing a steady supply of new information in both Japanese and English, culminating in the announcement of the movie's release on March 21 — the website does not provide specifics beyond the movie coming to "various platforms", but promises that more information will be shared at a later date.
Specific plot details are still sparse, but based on what we've seen in the trailers released so far, Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League will once again feature a plot driven by space-time disruptions. However, this time, a presumably alternate-universe version of Japan is coming to Gotham, bringing a full-scale invasion of Yakuza, along with alternate-universe, anime-influenced takes on classic DC superheroes including the Jessica Cruz Green Lantern, Aquaman, Flash and Wonder Woman.
An international release date or English voice cast have not yet been announced. However, the English version of the trailer does specify that Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League will be released internationally at some point in 2025 both digitally and on Blu-ray.
The original Batman Ninja is available for digital rental and purchase to US viewers on platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, the Google Play Store and YouTube.