Batanime

This week saw the release of the DC Universe's direct to DVD feature
Batman: Gotham Knight. Made up of six shorts, the film serves as a transition from Batman Begins to The Dark Knight and shows us just what has been going on in Gotham City since the arrival of the Batman. Warner Bros. has put together an impressive group of Japan's leading production houses to give each short its own visual style. Batman Begins scribe, David Goyer, and Batman the Animated Series director, Bruce Timm, are on board as well as is Kevin Conroy as the voice of Batman.


Each of the six parts gives us a look into an interweaving story that has Bats taking on the likes of Dead-Shot, Killer Croc, and Scarecrow. There is also an element of rival factions of the mafia fighting to rule the Gotham underworld now that Falconi is out of the picture. This mob rivalry will surely be delved into deeper when The Dark
Knight is released next week and the Joker is put into the fray.

I have to admit I may have set the bar too high for Gotham Knight. When I first saw who was involved, my excitement was through the roof. I absolutely loved the DC Universe's New Frontier film, which I feel is this year's best animated feature next to Wall-e. I just assumed that lightning would strike twice. It's not that the Gotham Knight is at all bad. It just doesn't feel like a part of the world that Christopher Nolan has created for the new crop of Bat-films. It may be due to Gotham Knight's over the top anime style. Nolan's take on the Batman story is based in reality. Gotham Knight, in all of its superbly animated glory, is just too overly stylized to be a part of Nolan's world. All is not lost. Batman, done good or bad, is still Batman, and that's okay with me.

-Erika