To tide you over until the next Dark Knight trailer appears, here are some images and a link to a preview of Batman: Gotham Knight.
What is it? It’s an anime take on our other favorite non-super-powered hero who dresses up in a costume to fight crime.
From the press release:
Batman: Gotham Knight was headed by an impressive list of directors who have brought their distinctly different anime styles to the classic Batman character. The production was divided among three renowned studios – Studio 4�C, Production I.G and Madhouse – and included the truly inimitable visions of directors Shojiro Nishimi, Futoshi Higashide, Hiroshi Morioka, Yasuhiro Aoki and Toshiyuki Kubooka.
With stories written by several of the most talented writers of film, comic books, and animation, including Academy Award�-nominated screenwriter Josh Olson (A History of Violence), David S. Goyer (Batman Begins), Emmy�-winner Alan Burnett (Batman: The Animated Series), Jordan Goldberg (Associate Producer, The Dark Knight), and award-winning comics writers Greg Rucka and Brian Azzarello, Batman: Gotham Knight presents thrilling new adventures of Batman that spotlight several of Gotham City’s most dangerous villains, including the fearsome Scarecrow, the freakish Killer Croc and the unnerving marksman known as Deadshot.
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Now you can call me an animation heathen if you like, but for some reason I’ve just never been a big fan of anime.
However I watched the presentation for this at WonderCon and the more I watched, the more I became convinced that these artists had really captured the spirit of the character in a far edgier way than we’re used to seeing here in the U.S.
Now if you can get past the slightly different look of the character in some of these image, I think you’ll admit they look very cool and intriguing.
The six stories are all somehow interconnected and will show Bruce Wayne’s journey from ordinary man to becoming The Dark Knight.
In addition to these, you can catch a 10 minute preview video of Batman: Gotham Knight head on over to ReelComix.com.
Batman: Gotham Knight will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray on July 8th, 2008.
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9 Comments
I love Batman, he’s my fave superhero but I HATE anime. These are the last 2 things on earth that I ever wanted to see mixed.
3 of the stories’ artwork look incredibley horrible, EXTREMELEY animeish with the HUGE eyes and teenty mouth and beach bum hair.
3 of the other stories’ art looks good, with Batman looking how he looks in the comix with his black and gray gear.
I’m very angry that they’re doing this with Batman, he doesn’t NEED this anime crap and this is against the traditional superhero animation but I am buying the DVD just to hear Kevin Conroy (the BEST Batman EVER, IMO) voice Batman again, even if it’s only for one episode.
Other than that, this looks like a POC.
I understand what you’re saying, though. Those are some of the same issues I have the artwork style of anime, myself.
Vic
LOL, Vic!
Yeah,that comment of mine was a bit unorthudox.
I just REALLY can’t stand the anime art style. If you know ANYTHING about animation you know that it is the complete opposite of how a cartoon should be (too many wrinkles in clothes, too many shadows, too much…er…detail, for lack of a better word= crappy animation).
I’m actually quite surprised that Bruce Timm has a hand in this. Those were actually his words from his Batman: Animated book in parenthesis. I just don’t get it. :-/
I can live with the anime art style if the stories are good and the directors put time into telling the stories (i.e. put effort into the project). As long as these aren’t crayon stick figures, I can live with it.
I’m looking forward to checking this one out.
Wow! Lately I’ve been in the minority here; I actually like anime (not the “big eyes small mouth kind”). I think Ninja Scroll, Akira and Ghost in the Shell are unmatched in animation style and writing. Of course, this is just my opinion.
I’m not a huge fan of anime but I can appreciate a good film of any genre and I must admit, this one has me interested and those shots certainly help.
I have to agree with Kel.
Batman is a great character and deserves the best.
Anime isn’t it.
Simply, Anime sucks! It’s a cowardly way to paint.
Art would be a better place without it and so we should boycott all of it.
I agree with Kel and John.
There is no place for anime anywhere.
DC must of been nuts to go with such a lame idea for one of their best characters.
i think mabe your paying to much attention to the art,yes the anime style does batman no justice but I dont think it really matters.Its all about the story in my opinion.
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