7 Times DC And Anime Changed The World

Anime in 2025 has been one of the biggest times for the medium in recent history. With various new and returning shows dominating the airwaves, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle has been one of the biggest movies at the box office. The Ufotable production has even defeated all of the superhero movies that have been released worldwide this year, showing that the Demon Slayer Corps is at its most popular. With the world of comics and anime at odds in theaters, now feels like the right time to bridge the gap, mend the fences, and highlight when DC Comics and anime forged strong ties.

Videos by ComicBook.com

7.) The Bat-Manga

For those looking for darker DC anime fare, you might not find what you’re looking for with the first ever manga series focusing on the Dark Knight. Batman: The Jiro Kuwata Batmanga first hit the stands in the 1960s and capitalized on the more comedy-based live-action series. While the printed story didn’t feature actors Adam West and Burt Ward as Batman and Robin, creator Jiro Kuwata took a rather different approach in the new story that is worth checking out. On top of presenting a wild new take on Gotham, the Batmanga also introduced new villains to Bruce Wayne’s rogues’ gallery with the likes of the Human Ball and Dr. Faceless. This historic collab is where the worlds of DC and anime first joined forces, and for that alone, this is a story to check out.

6.) Joker: One Operation Joker Manga

While taking place decades after the Batmanga kicked off DC’s ties to the manga world, Joker: One Operation Joker was the first manga to place the spotlight on the Clown Prince of Crime. Starting in 2023, the Joker’s storyline is one that was never seen before in his various misadventures in Gotham City. Rather than trying to fight against the Batman, Joker instead finds himself raising his greatest enemy due to an accident that has transformed Bruce Wayne into a baby. What makes this story worth checking out, aside from simply featuring on this new Joker take, is that it helped to usher in the current projects that see DC dipping its toes into all things anime.

5.) Superman Vs. Meshi

Superman Vs. Meshi first landed in 2023, joining Joker: One Operation Joker in focusing on a character that isn’t the Dark Knight in a manga series. Rather than seeing Clark Kent fighting against the likes of Doomsday or trying to escape War World, this hilarious manga sees the Man of Tomorrow flying to different countries to experience their traditional dishes. Created by Satoshi Miyagawa and Kai Kitago, the series was a limited one, but for fans of the Big Blue Boy Scout, this manga series might be one to check out. Unfortunately, the three manga series that we’ve mentioned so far have yet to receive anime adaptations to call their own.

4.) Batman: Gotham Knight

In the long discussion surrounding the Dark Knight, Batman: Gotham Knight is an animated project that can often get overlooked. However, the anthology film is one of the biggest examples of when DC Entertainment decided to work with some of the biggest anime studios in the world to create new Bruce Wayne stories. Released in 2008, the film apparently took place between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight in Christopher Nolan’s Bat-universe. The movie itself saw anime studios like Studio Madhouse, 4C, Production I.G., and Bee Train Production share their takes on the classic superhero, setting the stage for future DC animated projects to do the same. Speaking of which…

3.) Batman: Ninja

Released in 2018, Batman: Ninja took the ball that Batman: Gotham Knight had thrown onto the field and ran with it. The animated movie saw anime studio Kamikaze Douga trying its hand with the Dark Knight, taking Bruce from the streets of Gotham and transporting him to the past. In the feudal Japan adventure, both Batman, his allies, and his villains were given new looks to celebrate the occasion. While the anime didn’t see Studio Madhouse and Production I.G. make a comeback, Kamikaze Douga had plenty of experience with the likes of the Pop Team Epic series and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’s openings. Batman: Ninja creates an entirely new story that was perfect for the anime medium, and it became such a success, a sequel film was made.

2.) Batman Ninja Vs. Yakuza League

The surprising sequel hit the screen seven years after the original Batman: Ninja, decided to focus far less on Bruce’s stable of villains and instead introduced a twisted take on the Justice League. The Dark Knight found himself fighting against the likes of Superman, the Flash, Green Lantern, and Aquaman, who were quite different from the versions we’ve come to know over the years. The sequel once again saw Kamikaze Douga return with an entry that is, arguably, better than its predecessor in almost every way. Batman Ninja Vs. The Yakuza League feels like the greatest example of a film that perfectly blends together DC with anime, although, when it comes to the biggest meeting of these worlds, only one television anime series can reign supreme.

1.) The Suicide Squad Isekai

It’s still hard to believe that this show exists, but it goes without saying that it might just be the single greatest example of DC entering the anime business that we’ve seen to date. Not only was The Suicide Squad Isekai brought to life by Wit Studio, it hilariously played on the isekai tropes that helped make the genre so big within the anime medium. Harley Quinn, Peacemaker, and the other members of the Squad find themselves journeying to a magical land that would fit right into series like Konosuba and The Rising of The Shield Hero. This anime collaboration was also one of the first examples of Warner Bros Discovery going further into the anime world, having committed to spending more money on the anime field in the future.

What do you think of DC’s long anime history? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!