Television | Anime
Suicide Squad ISEKAI — Three-Episode Premiere Review
The Suicide Squad finds itself in a universe of magic and otherworldly creatures in this new anime-themed series
Spoilers ahead.
This past Thursday, Suicide Squad ISEKAI finally premiered on the Max and Hulu streaming platforms. Surprisingly, it seems that three episodes dropped at once, which is a little strange given that there’s only 10 episodes in total, but there’s no way I’m complaining about more DCU content. That said, with each episode having a runtime of 20+ minutes, the premiere of Suicide Squad ISEKAI lasts for a little over an hour.
This new DCU series follows Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Peacemaker, Clayface, and King Shark to an unknown world where magic reigns supreme. In a realm of dragons, orcs, and spellcasters, the Suicide Squad is definitely a long way from Gotham. However, as a group of notorious criminals handpicked by Amanda Waller herself, Harley and the others are no strangers to danger. So, let’s dive into how well they fare in this new fantasy setting.
Episode 1
The first episode opens with a group of hostages in the possession of Joker and Harley, as the latter questions them about whether or not they’ve ever dreamed of going to a new world. As this latest scheme by the Clown Prince and Princess of Crime unfolds, we transition to a scene of Amanda Waller conducting an experiment. Coincidentally, it seems like she’s actually trying to open a portal to a new world. That said, it wouldn’t be a classic Waller endeavor if somebody wasn’t getting sacrificed in the process, and she has no qualms about inflicting pain on her test subjects for results.
As we cut back to Joker and Harley, we see the pair on the run from the authorities. Not only did they manage to rob a bank, but they strapped explosives to the hostages, which detonated shortly after help arrived. Morbidly enough, I guess now we know what Harley was referring to with her earlier question. As the two spread chaos throughout the streets of Gotham, they’re eventually separated, leaving Joker with his cash prize and Harley in the sights of Katana. Unfortunately for the Clown Princess, this brief encounter lands her in the custody of the Gotham City Police Department.
As the last half of episode 1 begins, we finally get the setup for the central plot of the series, which starts with a time skip of 6-months later. Amanda Waller appears to have plans to turn the newly discovered region into a US colony for resources. As such, she’s formed a team of expendable villains to lead her charge, which is how we’re officially introduced to the members of the Suicide Squad.
Episode 2
The second episode opens with a little more worldbuilding, as an unknown female character of royal status is shown being escorted through a struggling town. The townspeople refer to this character as “Your Majesty.” However, based on the reactions of the guards when approached, it appears to be the usual tale of the wealthy ignoring the plights of the less fortunate.
This is somewhat confirmed in the next scene, which reveals a cabinet meeting between the queen and her council. While some members of the court are concerned for the well-being of the townsfolk, others are more invested in crushing the growing rebellion against the queen’s kingdom. This rebellion, which we briefly witnessed in episode 1, was quickly pushed back thanks to the Suicide Squad’s arrival.
Speaking of, the group makes its first appearance after being imprisoned following the end of the previous episode. Confused as to what’s going on and even more concerned about the time limit they’re on for their mission, Clayface decides to take matters into his own hands. Much to his surprise, though, his escape attempt is quickly shutdown by the guards, who have a way of inhibiting his metahuman abilities via magic.
By the end of the episode, we learn some new and very interesting details about this fantasy world that Harley and the others find themselves in. Firstly, according to Rick Flag, who makes his first appearance this episode, the Suicide Squad isn’t the first group to be dispatched through the portal by Amanda Waller. Secondly, the purpose of the mission is in fact to monopolize the resources of this new world for the benefit of the US. Although, whether or not that changes as the series progresses remains to be seen, especially since Waller’s true motives are always a mystery.
Episode 3
The last episode of the premiere starts off with a skirmish between soldiers of the queen’s kingdom and more imperial rebels. From a distance, the Suicide Squad watches the conflict, desperately trying to formulate a plan to break through the siege. However, this clearly takes place sometime in the future, because we then transition back to the events immediately following the end of episode 2.
After having successfully escaped their imprisonment, the Suicide Squad encounters the queen’s forces. More specifically, they encounter Cecil, the same soldier responsible for capturing them at the end of episode 1. After some hilariously bad negotiating by Rick Flag, the team is given an audience with the queen.
But, things quickly take a turn once a new revelation is inadvertently revealed. The team that initially accompanied Rick through the portal went rogue and subsequently took up positions of influence within the queen’s kingdom. As a result, they used their powers and resources to create the rebel forces.
Infuriated by this, the queen takes Rick Flag as her prisoner, but states that he’ll remain safe as long as the Suicide Squad helps to deal with the rebels. Now that the gap has been filled, we transition back to the opening scene. As the team sneaks their way into the rebel fort, they eventually come across Ratcatcher, one of the original members assigned to Rick’s team.
As the Suicide Squad faces off against Ratcatcher, we close out with a surprise appearance by Katana. Although, it would seem she’s in league with the enemy, which would be a shocking contrast to her usual heroic portrayal.
My Thoughts
Overall, I think Suicide Squad ISEKAI started off with a strong premiere. It’s always nice to see different takes on DCU content, and thanks to WIT Studios, we get to see some of our favorite characters in anime-style. I also appreciate that this universe is its own self-contained story. Based on the character interactions we’ve seen so far, this is the very first time that the Suicide Squad has been formed. There are no references to the live-action movies or any of the comic material, which is great, because it allows for more narrative creativity. What’s more, the plot and fight choreographies make this a show worth coming back to.
As of right now, Harley, Deadshot, and Clayface seem to be the breakout stars, as their scenes have been some of the most entertaining, but the entire cast is characterized well. I look forward to seeing how the series evolves by the final episode and would recommend it to anybody, DCU fan or not. It’s an enjoyable watch, whether you’re familiar with the source material or just looking for some mindless fun.
Conclusion
Suicide Squad ISEKAI has a perfect balance of action and humor, and fans couldn’t have asked for a better depiction of the characters in this universe. Depending on how well the series is received by the end of its run, James Gunn could have some high expectations to meet with his version of the DCU. With that in mind, I fully expect this series to maintain its upwards momentum with each episode.
Wrapping up, I’d love to know what you all thought about the three-episode premiere. Does the series hold up to your expectations? Do you like this style of animation for the DCU? Do you think that Suicide Squad ISEKAI will continue the trend of eliciting high praise for animated DCU projects?
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