Batman: Gotham Knight (2008)

Batman: Gotham Knight (2008)

Dirs. Various (see below)

An anthology with six shorts from various Japanese animation studios and a number of different Asian directors. There's no frame narrative tying the works together, but most, if not all of them, do seem to share the same continuity and the whole thing is unified somewhat by having Kevin Conroy be the voice of Batman throughout.

The first of them, by Studio 4°C and directed by Shōjirō Nishimi, features four kids at a skatepark trying to outdo each other as they relate the story of their individual encounters with Batman. It's a highly stylised work, varied even further by each child putting their own spin on the event.

The second is by Production I.G. and directed by Futoshi Higashide in a more traditional style. It follows two Gotham detectives who get caught in the middle of a gang shootout.

The third, by Bee Train and Hiroshi Morioka, has the collection's most 'anime' style version of Bruce. There's very little plot, opting instead for more of a thematic concept, but it's dull.

Next is by Madhouse and Yasuhiro Aoki. It's typical of the studio's output, with extreme CUs, skewed perspectives, distorted visuals, and objects placed in the frame to purposefully obscure and annoy, most of which are techniques that I hate, but acknowledge that other folks may like.

The penultimate story is Studio 4°C's second entry and is very much the best of the entire collection. Directed by Toshiyuki Kubooka, it sees Batman reminiscing about a time he spent in India training his mind and body to deal with physical pain, all while his life's blood pours out in the present. It has a spiritual depth that the others lack, and because of that has a deeper resonance when the fade-to-black rolls in. To be frank, it's the only one I feel is worth revisiting.

And finally, another Madhouse entry, this time directed by Jong-Sik Nam and Yoshiaki Kawajiri. It's about firearms, with a scene atop a fast-moving train being its only standout feature.

It ought to be noted that none of the works were written by their respective directors. All six stories were penned by American creators, which is likely part of why most of the segments feel as bland beneath the surface as many of the other US-origin films. Ultimately, its 'anime' credentials are surface-deep, which makes the whole venture seem like a missed opportunity.