Wednesday, May 24, 2023

T5W#406-Top 5 Arrowverse Stories that Could Continue in Anime

Today marks a momentous yet sad occassion for one of my favorite fandoms.  Ever since kicking off in 2012 with Arrow, the Arrowverse has been one of most popular on screen iterations of DC Comics coming to be inhabited by such heroes and heroines as Green Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Black Lightning, Batwoman and the Legends of Tomorrow.  With the Series Finale of The Flash airing tonight, this marks the conclusion of the Arrowverse (yeah Superman & Lois is still around for now but it’s connection to the central Arrowverse is nearly non existent that’s it’s basically it’s own thing by now).  It’s sad to see this universe come to an end but as a long time fan of this world, I’ve sometimes wondered how it can expand into another of my favorite fandoms: Anime.  I already did another Arrowverse Top 5 years ago about my Top 5 Arrowverse Characters Who Need Their Own Anime and you can check out that list right here: http://gundamanimeblog.blogspot.com/2017/02/t5w77-top-5-arrowverse-characters-who.html  Today though, I’m gonna talk about how the Arrowverse could continue beyond live action and comics, with Anime picking up several threads and storylines left unresolved.  These are the Top 5 Arrowverse Stories that Could Continue in Anime.

 
#5-Birds of Prey (NOT THE CANARIES)
As Arrow came to a close following Crisis on Infinite Earths, a spinoff was set up featuring Black Canary’s Dinah Drake and Laurel Lance time traveling to 2040 and teaming with Oliver Queen’s future daughter, Mia, aka the Green Arrow.  The show would have been called “Green Arrow and the Canaries,” but the show was never greenlit beyond the backdoor pilot in Arrow.  I mentioned in my other list that a Birds of Prey series would be an excellent Anime and YES I’m calling it Birds of Prey because “The Canaries” is a weak name (they couldn’t use the proper team title in Arrow due to a certain DCEU movie using the title instead).  No reason that a trio of sexy femme fatales in cute costumes stopping crime in 2040 Star City couldn’t hack it with some of the hottest Waifu’s in Anime.
 

#4-Dreamer
Introduced in the Fourth Season of Supergirl, Nia Nal is the Arrowverse’s first transgender Superheroine and ally to Supergirl Kara Danvers.  She has the ability to interpret dreams and manipulate dream energy into anything from energy blasts to whips to a shield against a tidal wave (yes that happened).  Her special guest appearance in The Flash’s Final Season showed fans the potential of a Nia led series and Anime is the perfect venue for that series to live up to its full potential.  The Dream World Nia consults and travels could be super trippy in the hands of a studio like Madoka Magica’s Studio Shaft.  Plus there’s no reason Nia’s mentor and friend Supergirl cant pop in for a surprise appearance here and there.

 
#3-The New Adventures of Batwoman
After a rough first season with original Batwoman Kate Kane, Batwoman soared in it’s sophomore year with Javicia Leslie’s Ryan Wilder taking up the mantle.  As one of the first Arrowverse shows to be cancelled, it’s criminal that Ryan’s tenure as Batwoman was short lived.  Anime has no shortage of sexy and bad ass superheroines gracing screens and I see no reason Batwoman cant join them.  Expand her rogues gallery (maybe give Alice a freaking rest).  Show more of Ryan and Luke Fox’s Batwing together in battle.  Maybe even introduce a new Batgirl since Stephanie Brown was featured once in the series.  But really, we just need more Ryan Wilder, she really is one of the best heroines in the Arrowverse and became so in such a short amount of time. 

 
#2-Legends of Tomorrow: Prison Break
My favorite of the Arrowverse shows, Legends of Tomorrow was finally cancelled after Seven Seasons and it was done so with a massive cliffhanger: The Legends and the newly introduced Booster Gold getting arrested and hauled off to an unknown fate.  Legends beat the odds year after year to keep going and it deserves a proper Series finale.  At the very least, they don’t deserve prison.  The show thrived on the chemistry of its core cast and its ability to lean into the craziness of a time travel series with superheroes.  As an Anime, I can see the Legends getting the prime FLCL style treatment from Gainax or even Studio Trigger, just going totally off the rails with zany visuals and top notch action.  Also we need to see the adorable little child of Sara and Eva Lance. 
 

#1-Justice League: The Anime
At the end of Crisis on Infinite Earths, multiple Earths became one, Earth Prime, and a new team of heroes was formed in the aftermath: The Flash, Supergirl, White Canary, Batwoman, Martian Manhunter, Black Lightning and Superman.  However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the new direction the CW is heading in, we’ll never get to see another live action meeting of this version of the Justice League.  But you know what is also long overdue: A FREAKING JUSTICE LEAGUE ANIME!!!!  Sure we’ve gotten a couple of Batman Anime (because unless it’s Batman, DC can barely care) but how is DC’s Finest haven’t?  I want to see this team together again, especially with some of the changes in the line up like Ryan Wilder replacing Kate Kane as Batwoman.  Plus, as we learned in The Flash, Oliver Queen can return to physical form if the multiverse is threatened, which means Green Arrow could assemble with the team as well.  It doesn’t have to be a big, universe ending threat, but something big enough to bring the best and coolest of the Arrowverse back together for another adventure, an adventure the power of Anime could show off on a scale the TV landscape could not.

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