'Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League' Gets Release Date
DC and Warner Bros. Animation’s place in the home entertainment market is maintained
In just four weeks, you’ll be having fun watching Batman fight the Yakuza League. Or another four after that if you’re waiting for a physical copy. Warner Bros. Japan announced Tuesday that Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League, the sequel to 2018’s Batman Ninja, will be released digitally on March 18 (but not in Canada) and on 4K UHD and Blu-ray on April 15.
The official synopsis reads “The Batman Family has returned to present-day Gotham City after traveling back to the warring states period and saving history from being altered in the previous film, Batman Ninja. The next day, they witness a startling event – Japan has disappeared, and a giant island called ‘Hinomoto’ appears in the sky over Gotham City. Soon, countless Yakuza descend from the sky and attack. And, the Justice League has disappeared. Detecting a strange energy reaction in the sky, Batman heads for Hinomoto to find its underlying cause. There, the Dark Knight finds a world where the Yakuza war with each other, and brutality reigns without honor or humanity. At the top of the world is the Yakuza League, a group of superpowered individuals, who look suspiciously like the Justice League. The Yakuza League is invading Gotham and, to save the city, Batman and his allies are in for the fight of their lives!” The 89-minute film is rated PG-13 for some violence and language. It will also be available in a 2-pack with its predecessor on digital release day.
While the double sided trailer release has both its English and Japanese audio, the English cast still hasn’t been announced. Of the Japanese cast, we know Koichi Yamadera is Bruce Wayne aka Batman, his current Robin is his son, Damian Wayne, voiced by Yuuki Kaj. Red Robin, which has been passed around seemingly all of Batman’s non-Damian Robins, here is Tim Drake, voiced by Kengo Kawanishi. Dick Grayson, the original Robin who when not Robin in an adaptation is pretty much always so far Nightwing, and that’s the case here. He is voiced by Daisuke Ono. Red Hood, who continues to be bore by Jason Todd as is typical, is voiced by Akira Ishida. Bruce’s butler Alfred Pennyworth is voiced by Hochu Otsuka. Commissioner Gordon is voiced by Masaki Terasoma.
Animation was done at Kamikaze Douga with its CEO and founder Junpei Misuzaki returning to direct alongside Shinji Takagi. Returning staff includes screenwriter Kazuki Nakashima, character designer Takashi Okazaki, and composer Yūgo Kanno.
The "Bats in Translation: Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League and Batman Azteca: Choque De Imperios” Warner Bros. Japan and Warner Bros. Animation's held at New York Comic Con did indeed happen on October 17 giving the broader 2025 window there. Notably, the panel’s display of Batman Azteca’s character designs and concept artwork showcased how Batman’s situation was recontextualized with Aztec flare, like the paraphernalia or that Catwoman was now Jaguar Woman, Poison Ivy was now Forest Ivy, and Alfred is Acatzin. The trailer was first released there, where after stopping a police kerfuffle on his turf, a flying Japan overhead forces Batman and his allies to return. Chaos still reigns with Yakuza overrun the city, and Batman must face Yakuza versions of Green Lantern, Aquaman, and Flash as they threaten to take over, as warned by Ra’s al Ghul.
Both releases will include the special features “Bringing Justice to Japan” and “Anime Action: Choreographing the Fights”. Watch the trailer below, and cross some fingers we’ll get a unified English cast announcement (ie not having to find individual announcements by each actor) before release.
Source: IGN
Warner is very good at making its product available in multiple forums. I wish I could say the same for Disney...