Friday, October 25, 2024

FIF#220-Suicide Squad Isekai

Harley Quinn.  Deadshot.  Peacemaker.  Clayface.  King Shark.  They are some of the deadliest villains on the planet.  And they’ve just been forcibly recruited for a special mission for the United States Government.  However, this isnt just any high end black ops assignment.  This time, the worst of the worst are being deployed…into another world.  In a place where Dragons sail the skies, bodies are buried under battlefields of steel and magic is for real, this could be a total nightmare or the greatest mission ever for this government assembled Suicide Squad
 
When it comes to DC and Anime, you’d think there be more offerings out there besides the Batman centric ones (DC still seems to think no one will be interested if it doesn’t involve him hence why we’re getting a Batman Ninja sequel but that’s neither here nor there).  The crazy and violent antics of the Suicide Squad make them prime candidates for a high octane action fest filled with blood, language and anything else too violent for the Justice League.  And while the idea of the gang being dropped into a fantasy world to have some fun sounds appealing, the first episode sadly has me doubting its full potential because of one crucial element: the star attraction…and no I’m not talking about the titular squad.
 
It's no secret Harley Quinn is one of the most popular characters in DC’s arsenal, sometimes even rivaling Batman.  She’s long been associated with the Suicide Squad, so much so you cant form a new team without her being part of it.  Half of the first episode of SSI revolves around Harley and The Joker being Harley and The Joker, so much so it’s making me wonder if the show really wants to be about the Squad, or about her.  It’s the same issue I’ve had with Harley for a while.  I love her solo series on HBO Max, one of the funniest and best show DC has at the moment.  But it’s also HER show.  Granted its got a great supporting cast but the show is called Harley Quinn and focuses mostly on her.  I bring this up because a movie I was looking forward to in the past was Birds of Prey cause I love that Superheroine Team from the comics.  It turned out to be Harley Quinn and the Birds of Prey instead with the title team feeling like an afterthought for a Harley starring vehicle.  Long winded story short, this isnt Harley Quinn’s Isekai Adventure, it’s Suicide Squad Isekai.  And while we do get some fun intros for the other players, I hope the show doesn’t distance itself from the team in favor of the more marketable Harley (I am willing to admit her outfit is pretty hot though). 
 
My gripes with Harley aside, the first episode of SSI has plenty of promise with a lot of those aforementioned elements crucial to what makes the Squad work.  The violence is rightfully over the top and what you’d expect when you have a bunch of trigger happy convicts taking on guys and monsters with swords and axes.  The line up is pretty promising too, drawing inspiration from the two live action Suicide Squad movies with Deadshot, King Shark and Peacemaker with the fun addition of Clayface (who looks like Muzan’s Michael Jackson Smooth Criminal form from Demon Slayer).  We also get to see DC fan favorite Katana go toe to toe with Harley and seeing how well they handled her swordplay, I wonder if Studio Wit would be down for a Highlander Anime.  Plus there’s the mystery as to why eternal Government Demon Amanda Waller is willing to blow half the planet up to open a door to this fantasy world when there’s so many other places in the DC Universe to explore.
 
It’s the Suicide Squad and Isekai and it’s crazy enough to just work.  For me, it might be worth exploring a bit more but I just really hope it doesn’t end up becoming Harley’s Wonderland Quest and keeps in mind this is a Squad who’s supposed to be raising all kinds of Hell in a Fantasy World.  Greatest Isekai ever made on the horizon?  Eh, I mean I doubt they’ve emptied that ocean of Iseaki ideas but throwing in a familiar wild card DC team, that’s a change (and with a much shorter and simpler title too).

Quick Note: While we’re not at the end of Season 9 yet, First Impression Friday will be taking a break in November to accommodate for a new special event to coincide with Godzilla Month III.  There’s still four more FIF’s to go through in 2024 and they’ll kick off Friday December 6 with Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, right here at the Gundam Anime 

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