ANI-MOVIES, *Batman: Ninja

Well, this was different! Batman: Ninja is the second attempt at a full-length anime movie based on the Masked Manhunter, but this one is mostly one continuous plot, although handled by different Japanese animation studios. Afro Samurai creator Takashi Okazaki was tapped to handle this non-Elseworlds story by Warner Bros. Entertainment. This one for the most part takes place in the existing DC Comics Universe, but isn't canonical.

Flash villain Gorilla Grodd comes to Gotham, and holds a special meeting in Arkham Asylum of all places for several of the local villains, whether they were asylum inmates or not. Grodd then activates a huge time machine that he somehow manages to smuggle in the worst secure criminal institution, and this transports himself, Joker, Harley Quinn, Bane, Poison Ivy, Penguin, Two-Face, and Deathstroke back to feudal Japan. Fortunately, all current/former Robins happened to be there too, plus Alfred, Catwoman, and the Batmobile. Batman himself shows up, but about two years later than everyone else, despite the fact that not everyone appears to be physically that much older. All of the Gotham criminals have set up their own mini-empire in Japan, with Joker holding the bulk of Grodd's time machine. Batman gathers the other Robins, and a ninja clan they allied with themselves with who believe Batman to be part of some ancient prophecy. After multiple betrayals, double-deals, and backstabbing, Grodd takes back his time machine in Joker's castle, which can of course transform into a mechanical mobile fortress. The other villains each have their own transformable fortress, and plan to have a big civil war, but Grodd takes control of them to merge their robots with his to a mismatched steampunk combiner mecha. Joker retaliates with Harley, wrestling control of the giant robot from Grodd. The gorilla gives Batman the power to control his army of "samurai monkeys", who merge with a humongous flock of bats to form a Batman-shaped colossus. This leads to final duel between Batman and Joker, who in the last two years the Clown Prince apparently was really working on his swordplay. The heroes eventually capture the villains, and do the timewarp again back to modern day-Gotham.

This production has at least more than one version as the Japanese adaptation has a strikingly different script from its American release, as original writer Kazuki Nakashima from Gainax had his screenplay rewritten for the American release. The animation style itself fluctuates a lot as well from CGI models similar to Berserk, to scratchy rotoscope styled format like in Tekkonkinkreet, usually changing at different plot intervals. As a story set in the given current DC Comics timeline, its very much out of place where characters like Two-Face and Poison Ivy have knowledge of robo-technology, plus Bane's brief cameo who went from being a luchador-styled fighter to a sumo wrestler(who they didn't show being taken back to modern day along with the other Arkhamites!). The most unbelievable segments involve the what could be called "ninja magic", where gigantic a Batman hybrid of multiple monkeys and bats, or Batman himself being able to turn into living flock of bats like Dracula in his showdown with Joker. Despite its current high praises, this tale of the Dark Knight is one that might not hold the same amount of water years from now.

ANI-MOVIES, *Brave

Giving into their uber-powerful corporate overlords, Pixar felt it was time to finally do a movie in the tradition of standard Disney fairy tales. Brave was an original story set during the Middle Ages featuring magical elements, so nothing too far off from your average Grimm Bros. chapter.

Merida is a Scottish princess who leads a charmed life under her strict mother, but slightly fun-loving father. Her mother Elinor lets her know that the neighboring clans will be gathering at their castle where the first born sons of the lords will compete for her hand in marriage. Merida is furious with this news, and takes place in the archery competition for her own hand. Elinor locks Merida away, while King Fergus pacifies the other clans. Merida runs away, and is lead by a will-o'-the-wisp to a witch in the woods, who gives her an enchanted cake that will change her destiny of Elinor eats it. Later, Elinor is talked into eating the cake that in fact turns her into a bear, which is really bad news as her husband is an infamous bear hunter. Merida takes her now bear-able mother back to the witch's cabin, where a "recorded" potion tells them that the witch has left, but that the spell will become permanent unless she can repair a family tapestry that she earlier ripped. This leads to a merry chase between Fergus, the drunken clan lords, and the original recipient of the bear spell who is an unstoppable wild animal.

Brave was first directed by former Dreamworks animator Brenda Chapman, but then later picked up by Pixar-regular Mark Andrews, which you can tell there was a division in some of the feminist viewpoints sprinkled throughout the production. The movie keeps the tradition of medieval storytelling with shapeshifters, curses, and secret doors to the world of fairies that usually was told to be splintered from the mortal realm. Despite her Pixar origins, Merida is considered to be a "Disney Princess", which brought about some conflict when she was remodeled for their line-up, but has stayed true to her scruffy origins, despite the fact that she's with the rest of the royalty in the Wreck-It Ralph sequel. The home release also features an origin story for the original curses bear Mordu that elaborates on the magic that operates in this world. A more fitting fairy tale animation than most releases over the last year, as this movie relies more on storytelling and character motivations than musical numbers.

Don't cosplay as dead Infinity War characters!!!

ANI-MOVIES, *The Death Of Superman

Originally done as an abridged version of the entire comic book saga in DC Universe's first production, Superman: Doomsday, this film acts as the half of a retelling of the 90's storyline, but set in the current DC Animated Universe taking place after Justice League: War. Sam Liu directed this continuation of DCAU timeline, making this the first one to actually centralize on Superman, instead of having him just be a member of the League.

It opens with Superman stopping crooks using retooled weapons from Apocalypse after Darkseid's invasion, and then takes Lois Lane to STAR Labs where they're inspecting the starship that brought him to Earth as a child. Lois is seen later on as now dating Clark Kent but totally clueless to his alter-ego, with a brief exchange between Supes and Wonder Woman stating that they stopped dating a while ago. Lex Luthor meanwhile is under "mansion arrest" when his Legion of Doom fiasco failed. A meteor is boom-tubed at Earth, destroying a space satellite, and lands in the ocean. A large hulking lifeform emerges from it, killing a few Atlanteans along the way, and begins a trail of destruction. The Justice League sends some of their active members to deal with the monster, but flattens Green Lantern, Cyborg, Martian Manhunter, Hawkman, Flash, Aquaman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, which is a stark contrast to their power level considering they managed to defeat Darkseid and his Parademon army before they even came together as a group(even though there's no mention of Shazam or Justice League Dark during this whole picture!). Superman finally shows up, another oddity in the movie's logic considering the attack is just happening on the other side of Metropolis, and battles this marauder that Lois dubs "Doomsday". The battle lasts for a good while, and makes for an epic clash of titans, but ultimately results in the death of both fighters. The world mourns the death of Superman with a funeral MCed by Luthor who tried to kill Doomsday during the battle, but was saved by Superman in the end. This leads into the closing credits showing Superman's crypt being opened up, and a shadowy caped figure flying off into the night, along with quick scenes of three other individuals each bearing the "S" shield.

The Death Of Superman was a definitive improvement over the original animated attempt, and successfully managed to utilize the majority of the Post-Flashpoint continuity. It makes for a better story experience seeing the brand members of the JLA fighting Doomsday instead of the cannon-fodder heroes they used in the 90s comic. The final bout between Superman and Doomsday is also epic, especially since this version of DD doesn't have a weakness to Kryptonite, making him even tougher for Supes to take down on his own. The movie also follows the continuity of the previous DCAU movies pretty well, although no explanation as to why Shazam wasn't available, specifically since he's on the same power level as Superman. There's also some decent character development in Superman's personal life concerning his secret identity and his blooming romance with Lois, and here than was done in the entire Lois and Clark TV show. This is the first part of a story that will conclude with Reign Of The Superman, even though the movie acts as a good enough installment on its own.

You millennials and your damn internet!

What's more important than continuity? TIMELINE, muddafukka!

ANI-MOVIES, *Scooby Doo & Batman: The Brave And The Bold

While there's been several crossovers of the Scooby Doo gang meeting up with DC Comics superheroes(most of the focal point of the Scooby Doo Team-Up comic series), there were also two episodes of the 70s New Scooby Doo Movies where they align themselves with the Dynamic Duo, this is the first full-on animated film where the Hanna-Barbera characters take place in the DC Universe. Although for the purposes of this made-for-video production, its a follow-up to Batman: The Brave And The Bold animated TV show.

Mystery Inc. try trapping a "ghost" in Gotham City, which turn out to be Martian Manhunter and Detective Chimp, who are working with Batman to initiate the meddling kids into Mystery Analysts of Gotham, also composing of Plastic Man, Black Canary, and The Question, along with occasional appearances by Aquaman. Scooby and the gang get caught up in trying to solving this version of Batman's only unsolved case, the disappearance of Professor Milo's old assistant lost in a lab accident, although Milo's other assistant turns out to be The Riddler. A new villain called The Crimson Cloak shows up to haunt Batman over his past mistake, and it all leads up to the Dark Knight along with Mystery Inc. being framed while being hunted down by the Gotham Police, resident supervillains, and their fellow heroes. It all turns out to be a scheme between Riddler and the shapeshifting Clayface to gain access to Milo's old tech to terrorize Gotham.

This works as a Scooby Doo production, and even in the campy world of Batman: The Brave And The Bold, but a lot of things don't add up based on regular DC Comics story dynamics. One example is Martian Manhunter's serious downgrade as someone more powerful than Superman having problems catching a single 40 year old van, or The Question getting taken down by the Riddler was done only for story convenience. Despite its shortcomings, the Warner Bros. animated project is visually groovy, and a real treat for Silver Age comics fans.