I was filled with more than a bit of trepidation heading into Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League's world premiere at Tokyo Comic Con 2024. Simply put, I felt that the first Batman Ninja film was over-the-top to a story-breaking degree and did not understand the characters of the Batman Family on a fundamental level. Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League, on the other hand, has no such issues.

Now, don't get me wrong. The entire premise of a world where only yakuza exist—with each of the Justice League heroes being re-imagined as a different type of stereotypical yakuza boss—is crazy in the extreme. However, the implausibility of such a world existing is a key factor in the plot, and the sheer insanity of the world makes it a perfect platform for both amazing action and absurdist humor. To put it another way, the film sets up the rules of its world and plays with them to a magnificent degree without ever breaking them.

Outside of the Batman Family, these are not the superheroes we know. Rather, each of their origin stories has been twisted to make them fit into a world of yakuza, massively altering many of their personalities in the process. Diana (Wonder Woman), a strong, composed, proper lady is the head of a female-only gang. Meanwhile, Full-Metal Clark (Superman) is an untouchable thug who rules the vast majority of the gangs simply because no one can stand up to him in a fight. To take each one down, Batman and friends must use what they know about the original Justice League members and their yakuza versions to find their weaknesses.

Of course, not every member of the “Yakuza League” is a villain. From their first meeting, Diana becomes Batman's stalwart ally. This is a fantastic choice narratively. It allows us (and Batman) an inside viewpoint of how things work in the Yakuza world while also providing Batman's side with someone who is at least on a similar level physically to Full-Metal Clark. It also gives us the film's best subplot: the relationship between Diana and Harley Quinn and how in this twisted world, the two build a true sisterly bond.

This all works because the writers have a solid understanding of who the Justice League heroes are, as well as what makes the Yakuza League members different on a superficial level and at their core. The relationship between Batman and Diana shows that there is an inherent nobility at her core that even a world of nothing but killing and crime can't destroy. Meanwhile, the climactic battle between Full-Metal Clark and Batman is more a treatise on Superman (and his relationship with Batman) than anything else. It shows that the true strength of Superman is the power to make people want to be better than they are, be that Batman or Full-Metal Clark.

While this is a perfectly watchable film for anyone with even a passing knowledge of Batman and the Justice League, there is an extra layer of enjoyment to be found in how well-versed you are in the tropes of Japanese yakuza fiction, especially the TV dramas of the 70s and 80s. Much of how the characters act and interact is based on these clichés. So, if you know them the inherent humor is taken to another level. Mix with that a bit of tongue-in-cheek references to anime of the same era and you have a movie that's got a ton of laughs to go along with its action-filled plot.

The action is fantastic. There are a ton of fight scenes in the film and all the different characters get a chance to shine. Whether it's Nightwing taking on Green Lantern or Red Robin and Red Hood racing the Flash in batmobiles, what we see is both clever and visually stunning. The same could be said for the overall art design, especially in the yakuza world. The Yakuza League designs are truly something to behold.

As for the music, it's equally fantastic. It ranges from 70s and 80s yakuza TV show music to the epic scores you'd expect in superhero films. It's all capped off by the fact that several of the best gags in the film involve music in one way or another.

All in all, Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League is an insanely fun film. It has a perfect mix of action and comedy while still providing a story that looks into what makes some of the world's most famous superheroes who they are. If you like DC superheroes, you should definitely give this one a watch, even if you didn't enjoy the previous Batman Ninja anime. It's easily in the running for the best Western superhero-based anime out there.