After the reality-warping events of Batman Ninja (2018), Batman and his allies barely catch their breath before chaos drops—literally—from the sky. Japan has vanished from Earth and now hovers ominously above Gotham, populated entirely by Yakuza-ified versions of the Justice League. The sequel goes bigger, weirder, and louder, leaning harder into anime tropes, explosive action, and visual madness while keeping Batman’s steely frown front and center.
Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League is a movie that yells its mission statement from the start: absurdity, style, and zero apologies. The opening sequence has Gotham under siege by gangsters falling from the sky like a reverse meteor shower—called, quite earnestly, the Yakuza Hurricane. Batman, Damian, and the rest of the Bat-Family are still reeling from the time-bending chaos of their trip to feudal Japan. Now, the sky literally opens up to drop more trouble: a floating alternate Japan, ruled by Yakuza versions of Superman, Green Lantern, Flash, and Aquaman. Each member of this “Yakuza League” is dripping in slick, tailored fits, gangster shades, and vibes for days. The Batwing is now the Bat Phoenix—a transforming super-mech that gets introduced not via action but by Alfred rolling a parody OVA about it, complete with 2D animation and a city pop soundtrack. This is how the movie opens. Strap in.
Credit: Warner Bros
Watching this episode felt like being thrown into an anime blender, and I loved every second of it. Let’s be real: this movie is silly. Gleeful, stylish, absolutely committed nonsense. And that’s precisely why it works. The storytelling here is like a karaoke night in multiverse—everyone’s offbeat, over-the-top, and somehow completely in sync. It doesn’t ask you to suspend disbelief; it dares you to keep up. At some point, I stopped trying to analyze plot beats and just vibed with the insanity. Batman delivering stoic one-liners while fighting a red-robed Superman with aviators? Beautiful. Damian shouting “This is so dumb!” in the middle of a sky fight against jetpack gangsters? Relatable.
The tone balances sincerity with pure camp. No one in the film thinks the premise is ridiculous, which only makes it more fun. The emotional beats come from an honest place. And yes, the animation sometimes looks like a PS3 cutscene, but it’s also wildly creative. Character designs are peak anime-meets-Gotham fusion: Jessica Cruz’s Green Lantern has pins made of her logo holding up her hair, and Aquaman’s delinquent aesthetic screams JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure meets Roppongi club scene. Every frame has something cool or weird going on, and that chaotic energy never lets up.
The good? It’s fun, fresh, and utterly fearless. The bad? If you’re not on its wavelength, it might feel like noise. This isn’t a movie trying to be profound. It’s a neon-lit, genre-blending fever dream that celebrates what happens when you stop asking “why” and start asking “why not?” The 3D visuals aren’t always polished, but they’re bold and packed with flair. The fight choreography—especially the Batman vs. Kuraku (Yakuza Superman) duel is a visual standout. Every blow feels heavy, and the camera spins like it’s trying to keep up with the madness.
Credit: Warner Bros
On the downside, exposition dumps bog things down, especially in the first half. Characters talk in riddles or launch into long-winded anime logic that doesn’t always land. Alfred makes anime-themed parody songs for Batman. It’s like the movie knows when it’s losing you and then hits you with something so outrageous that you’re right back in.
Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League is junk food in the best way: chaotic, flashy, a little dumb, but ridiculously fun. It’s a love letter to anime tropes, superhero mythos, and the joy of just doing something weird because you can. If you’re the kind of fan who wants Batman to stay grounded and gritty—this ain’t for you. But if you like your Batman with anime mech suits, gangster Justice League members, and a Joker with a pompadour? Welcome to the party.
‘Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League’ Review: Gotham Meets JoJo!
Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League is junk food in the best way: chaotic, flashy, a little dumb, but ridiculously fun. It’s a love letter to anime tropes, superhero mythos, and the joy of just doing something weird because you can. If you’re the kind of fan who wants Batman to stay grounded and gritty—this ain’t for you. But if you like your Batman with anime mech suits, gangster Justice League members, and a Joker with a pompadour? Welcome to the party.
