While Josh Whedon is doing reshoots for the Justice League, the news of an animated Batman with Japanese sauce came out at the last NYC Comic'Con. And this is clearly good news.
In the battle of comic book adaptations, it is customary to say that DC wallows (with two exemptions: Batman Returns in 1992 and the Dark Knight in 2008) largely in the live adaptation of its franchises and graciously succeeds its animated adaptations, unlike Marvel which struggles with its animated series and masterfully directs its Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Batman Ninja will be a 100% Japanese anime adaptation co-produced by the local branch of Warner Bros. (which owns the rights to DC comics) and the animation studio Kamikaze Dôga which will transpose the greatest detective in feudal Japan.
The film will be released in direct-to-DVD/blu-ray in 2018 and will be directed by Mizusaki Junpei (to whom we owe the adaptation of Jojo's bizarre Adventure), with the script Nakashima Kazuki (known for the anime Kill la Kill and Kamen Rider Fourze) and the chara design Okazaki Takashi (behind Afro Samurai, no less).
Note that the detective will also rage during the Victorian era such as Sherlock Holmes with Batman: Gotham by Gasligh produced by Bruce Timm, to whom we owe the excellent, what do I say, the wonderful animated series of 92. Also scheduled for 2018.
