Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League
| Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League | |
|---|---|
Release poster | |
| Directed by |
|
| Written by | Kazuki Nakashima |
| Based on | Justice League by Gardner Fox |
| Produced by | Takanari Yamaguchi |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Yugo Kanno |
Production companies |
|
| Distributed by | |
Release date |
|
Running time | 89 minutes[1] |
| Countries |
|
| Languages |
|
Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League (Japanese: ニンジャバットマン対ヤクザリーグ, Hepburn: Ninja Battoman Tai Yakuza Rīgu) is a 2025 animated superhero film directed by Junpei Mizusaki and Shinji Takagi, written by Kazuki Nakashima, produced by Warner Bros., and animated by Kamikaze Douga and YamatoWorks, based on the DC Comics character Batman. It is the sequel to Batman Ninja (2018) and features Batman and his allies fighting to protect Gotham City from an invasion of yakuza-style criminals led by an alternate version of the Justice League.
Plot
A day after returning from the past, Batman and his allies discover that the world is not the same as they left it. Japan no longer exists and neither do the heroes of the Justice League. Also, yakuza are raining from the skies. The yakuza belong to Hinomoto, a Japan from a parallel universe, and are using an interdimensional rift above Gotham City to invade Earth. On Earth, only the people who previously time-traveled can see the rift.
Batman and Robin use the rift to travel to Hinomoto, while Nightwing, Red Hood, and Red Robin stay behind to capture the remaining yakuza. The Bat family are soon ambushed by the Yakuza League, a corrupt counterpart of the missing Justice League and the leading group of the Hagane yakuza clan who took over Hinomoto. The first three Yakuza League members whom the Bat family encounter are Zeshika the Emerald Ray (an alternate Jessica Cruz-Green Lantern), the second-in-command Asha the Aqua Dragon (an alternate Aquaman), and Bari the Fleet-Footed (an alternate Barry Allen-Flash). The Bat family defends themselves and wards off the Yakuza League with additional help from the Amazone, an opposing Yakuza clan led by Daiana the Eagle Goddess (an alternate Wonder Woman).
At Amazone base, Daiana explains the rise of the Hagane clan at Hinomoto; the country consisted solely of yakuza families fighting one another. Recently a clan leader was an alternate Doomsday called Deio Domuzu and was killed by the Yakuza League leader, who is an alternate Superman called Kuraku. Because the Hagane clan became corrupted and lost the yakuza code of honor called Ninkyou, the Amazone is the only opposing group left. The Harley Quinn from Batman's timeline is aiding Daiana. She and Joker escaped from prison after hearing the news of yakuza invasions in Gotham.
While departing for Gotham, Batman and Robin are ambushed by Kuraku, and discover that Robin's grandfather, Ra's al Ghul, was responsible for the current reality, having acquired Gorilla Grodd's Quake Engine and upgraded it into the Four-Dimensional Origami System, using it to manipulate parts of Earth's history, creating Hinomoto along with the Yakuza League and ruling it. As Robin is kidnapped by the Hagane clan, Batman is rescued by Joker and Harley, with Joker only rescuing Batman so he can be the one to kill him. However, Joker immediately flees to avoid being killed by Kuraku, while Daiana rescues Harley. Before retreating, Kuraku warns Daiana that the Amazone will be disposed for helping the Bat family.
At Hagane Castle, Ra's reveals to Robin his true plan to use the combined power of both the Yakuza league and the yakuza of Hinomoto to annihilate Gotham and the rest of the world, to remake the Earth in his image. At the Batcave, the rest of the Bat family coordinates the plans to counteract the Yakuza League before returning to the Hagane base, with Alfred Pennyworth provides an anime opening starring them as an inspiration to create "Science Ninja Techniques" against the League.
Meanwhile, the Yakuza League attacks the Amazone base, where both Daiana and Asha recalled their childhood friendships prior to a falling out. The Bat family rescues the Amazone clan and defeats Asha, along with Zeshika and Bari, leaving Batman to personally fight Kuraku before catching up with his allies at the same time Robin escapes from his prison. Having prepared with gear designed against Kryptonians, including a Kryptonite brass knuckle which Superman entrusted to him before he vanished, Batman subdues Kuraku.
When Ra's deactivated the limiters on the Origami System by removing a key, leaving it to exist in multiple dimensions and rendering it untouchable, it causes the Hagane base to appear on Earth and falls to crush Gotham, the Bat family tries to tether the device so they can deactivate it while Daiana fights Ra's to recover the key. However, when the temporal paradox from the Origami System causes both her and the Yakuza League to receive visions of their heroic counterparts, Batman goes to capture Ra's from escaping and retrieves the key to stop the device. The temporal paradox from the engine causes the Yakuza League to reform and transform into Hinomoto's Justice League heroes and follow their counterparts' heroic paths, now joined by a transformed Daiana. When the Bat family finish their parts on shutting down the Origami System thanks to Harley, the Hinomoto-Justice League returns the castle to their timeline and thanks them for everything.
With the timeline fully restored, Batman happily receives calls from the returning Justice League for a weekly meeting. However, to Robin's dismay, a minor setback is that he has a topknot hairstyle from the previous event once again, and he refuses Alfred's offer to have a wig, as wearing it would make him more embarrassed.
Voice cast
| Character | Japanese voice actor[2][3][4] | English dubbing actor[5] |
|---|---|---|
| Bruce Wayne / Batman: A hero who usually resides in Gotham City. | Koichi Yamadera | Joe Daniels |
| Dick Grayson / Nightwing: former first Robin, member of the Bat-family | Daisuke Ono | Houston Hayes |
| Jason Todd / Red Hood: former second Robin, member of the Bat-family. | Akira Ishida | David Matranga |
| Tim Drake / Red Robin: former third Robin, member of the Bat-family. | Kengo Kawanishi | Nathan Wilson |
| Damian Wayne / Robin: The son of Batman and the current Robin, a member of the Bat-family. | Yuki Kaji | Bryson Baugus |
| Alfred Pennyworth: Batman's sarcastic, intelligent butler. | Hōchū Ōtsuka | David Harbold |
| James Gordon: Police commissioner of Gotham City and ally of Batman. | Masaki Terasoma | John Gremillion |
| Joker: A sadistic, dangerous, and psychopathic master criminal in Gotham City and an archnemesis of Batman and Red Hood. | Wataru Takagi | Scott Gibbs |
| "Harin, the Wild Jester"/ Harley Quinn: Joker's girlfriend, who is possibly even more insane than him. | Rie Kugimiya | Karlii Hoch |
| "Daiana Amazone, the Eagle Goddess" / Princess Diana / Wonder Woman: The leader of the Amazone Family who had been fighting to protect vulnerable women from the Hagane Family and its Yakuza League. She becomes an immediate ally to the Batman Family and remains heroic as her original counterpart. | Romi Park | Molly Searcy |
| "Zeshika the Emerald Ray" / Jessica Cruz / Green Lantern: A member of the Yakuza League and a gambler who stumbled upon the power of the Green Lantern ring. | Ayane Sakura | Annie Wild |
| "Ahsa, the Aqua Dragon" / Arthur Curry / Aquaman: A second-in-command of the Yakuza League, and a descendant of a race who lives at the lake of Hinomoto. He was a childhood friend of Daiana. | Akio Otsuka | Cyrus Rodas |
| "Bari, the Fleet of Foot" / Barry Allen / The Flash: A member of the Yakuza League, who got his power after being struck by lightning at an onsen. | Nobuyuki Hiyama | Benjamin McLaughlin |
| "Kuraku, The Man of Steel" / Superman: Lead Protector of the Hagane Family and leader of the Yakuza League. | Takaya Kamikawa | Aaron Campbell |
| Ra's al Ghul: The leader of the League of Assassins who is also the maternal grandfather of Damian and the former mentor of Bruce. He uses a Quake Engine system to alter the timeline where most Justice League members are yakuzas, especially turning the version of Superman into his loyal pawn. | Kazuhiro Yamaji | John Swasey |
| "Deiō Dōmuzu" / Doomsday: The former leader of the Hagane Family until Kuraku killed him and took over the family before the event. | Tesshō Genda | |
Production
In late May 2024, it was announced that the sequel to Batman Ninja was in development, with Junpei Mizusaki returning to direct and Kazuki Nakashima writing the screenplay, with Koichi Yamadera reprising his role as Bruce Wayne / Batman.[6]
Marketing
In July 2024, during the Anime Expo, the teaser trailer was released, revealing Damian Wayne / Robin, Barry Allen / Flash, Princess Diana / Wonder Woman, and Arthur Curry / Aquaman.[7][8]
Release
Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League was released on digital download on March 18, 2025, and on Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD on April 15.[9]
References
- ^ "Batman Ninja Vs. Yakuza League". British Board of Film Classification. January 30, 2025. Archived from the original on January 31, 2025. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
- ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (September 20, 2024). "Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League Anime Film Reveals Character Video, More Japanese Cast". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 20, 2024. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (October 3, 2024). "Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League Anime Film Reveals Cast, Visual for Joker, Harley". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on November 16, 2024. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ Cayanan, Joanna (October 17, 2024). "Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League Anime Film Reveals More Cast, Main Trailer". Anime News Network. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ "Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
- ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (May 30, 2024). "Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League Film Sequel to Batman Ninja Announced". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ^ Sudario, Erielle (July 4, 2024). "The Dark Knight Returns to Japan Once More in 'Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League' Trailer". Collider. Archived from the original on July 5, 2024. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
- ^ Mateo, Alex (July 4, 2024). "Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League Film Sequel Reveals Trailer, Visuals". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 5, 2024. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
- ^ Vejvoda, Jim (February 18, 2025). "Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League Release Date Announced". IGN. Retrieved February 18, 2025.