Japan’s Joker Vies for Governor Votes With Viral TV Spot

The Joker has long been one of Batman’s deadliest and most recognizable villains, often considered more popular than the Dark Knight himself. This year, the Harlequin of Hate is arriving in the anime world thanks to the release of The Suicide Squad Isekai along with the live-action version returning in this October’s Joker: Folie a Deux. In a wild new television spot that has gone viral, a candidate for Tokyo’s governorship has hit the airwaves in a method worthy of the Joker. Candidate Kawai Yusuke’s actual chances of becoming Tokyo’s next governor seem doomed to fail but that didn’t stop the live-action Joker from taking the internet by storm.

On top of dressing like the Joker, Yusuke also slapped on green makeup to look like the Mask in their bid for Tokyo governorship. Aside from dressing like the famous comic book characters, Kawai’s campaign has been one fit to bursting with controversy. Running on a platform of “polygamy” to combat Japan’s declining birthrate and releasing campaign posters that were considered “pornography” by the Japanese government, the latest viral video is one of the lesser controversial elements that are attached to Yusuke’s bid for the top position in Tokyo.

The Joker of Japan

The broadcasting network, NHK, in Japan will routinely allow any candidate for Tokyo governor to have airtime. This of course resulted in the now viral clip that sees Kawai Yusuke taking a page from the Clown Prince of Crime, laughing and spinning in a chair while making their bid for the role. Considering recent polling for the Japanese Joker, it seems like a longshot that Tokyo will be run by this live-action DC villain, even if that is the case in the Harley Quinn animated series’ iteration of Gotham City.

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While The Suicide Squad Isekai will give us a brand new take on the Joker when it airs its first three episodes on June 27th, there is a Joker manga series that has yet to be adapted to the anime world. One Operation Joker sees the Clown Prince in a scenario unlike any other as the villain has to raise a baby Batman thanks to a series of unfortunate events. While nothing has been set in stone, Warner Bros escalation of investment in the anime medium might give the Joker manga a shot at hitting the small screen.

Want to see if the Joker becomes the governor of Tokyo? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook for all the latest updates on anime crossing over into the real world.