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Suicide Squad Isekai Director Explains Joker's Limited Role in Anime
DC wanted Suicide Squad Isekai to include more of the Joker. Find out what the anime's director said.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from Suicide Squad Isekai
Suicide Squad Isekai is a popular anime that blends the isekai genre with DC fans' favorite villains. Director Eri Osada discusses the anime's adaptation of iconic DC characters, noting adjustments like cutting back on The Joker and expressing uncertainty about its success. As one of the most anticipated anime of the summer 2024 season, it is expected to showcase a unique fusion of DC and isekai genres.
The ten-episode series premiered with three episodes on June 27, 2024, and is licensed by Max and Hulu in the United States, with various international regions also streaming on different platforms. It premiered in Japan on July 6, 2024, on Tokyo MX and BS11.
Suicide Squad Isekai director reveals DC's request for the anime
Suicide Squad Isekai introduced fans to a new world where classic DC Comics villains find themselves in a fantasy realm, offering fresh interpretations of DC's rich lore. The anime, which premiered last month, explores how these iconic characters adapt to their new environment.
Director Eri Osada revealed in an interview with Comic Book Resources that DC Comics had a major request for the series: to feature more of the Joker. However, Osada noted that this was "impossible" because the show is not centered around the Joker, and thus his role was limited in this particular adaptation.
"I was told to feature the Joker a bit more, but I had to explain that it's impossible due to the story's constraints," Osada explained. "Featuring the Joker too prominently might make it seem like the Joker-centric anime." Speaking to translating these DC characters to anime, Osada revealed that they were also worried about whether or not these new versions would deviate too much from the original materials, "Since I only know the world of Japanese Comic, I was very worried about whether the DC characters would deviate from the image that overseas fans have of them."
Speaking to Harley Quinn and the Joker's introduction to the anime world, Osada explained why the two of them are also good fits for the Isekai genre, "Harley has an image of fearlessness, and wherever she goes, she maintains her character without losing herself. Similarly, the Joker seems to be able to do what he wants wherever he is."
What happened in episode 6 of Suicide Squad Isekai?
Suicide Squad is a story about a bunch of criminals who will die if they don’t do morally questionable tasks for secret government agencies. Isekai stories are about the simple fantasy of escaping to a world of excitement and empowerment. In this anime, viewers are treated to a blend of criminal intrigue and fantasy, where villains must navigate their new roles in a magical realm while grappling with their own flaws and differences.
Episode 6 of Suicide Squad Isekai featured a thrilling Squad vs. Squad fight, which occupied a significant portion of the episode's runtime, along with other twists and turns. The episode introduces Killer Croc, a member of the enemy Suicide Squad, who is using mind control on an army of elves, similar to the previous fight between Harley's Squad and characters controlled by the enemy squad.
WIT Studio's brawl is one-sided, favoring the antagonists. Notable matchups include King Shark vs. Killer Croc and Harley Quinn vs. Enchantress. The elves have physical shields that are impossible to penetrate, while Enchantress's magical shields are even harder. The shields are grenade and bullet proof, with Deadshot and Peacemaker shooting a grenade to explode. The Thinker causes Harley's Squad to experience hallucinations of their fears, further shaking the team.
Harley struggles to breach Enchantress's shield but discovers that her adversaries are aligned with the Empire, despite their apparent disdain for it. The Thinker uses his powers to deflect Peacemaker and Deadshot's bullets, resulting in their deaths. Rick Flag attempts to bluff the enemy by claiming that the bombs on Enchantress’s squad are still active. However, magical defenses prevent the bullets from causing fatal damage or penetrating their skin, revealing that Enchantress is reluctant to kill Harley’s squad.
The scene shifts to Harley's squad in prison as the council deliberates on how to address their defeat and the Kingdom's losses in the war. The queen decides that the squad should be executed as punishment. Princess Fione and Cecil, troubled by the harshness of this decision given the Squad's sacrifices for a kingdom they do not belong to, resolve to help them escape.
A flashback revisits Princess Fione’s past, showing a traumatic event where a chimney boy was killed while trying to steal bread from an army camp. The queen blamed Fione for the boy's death, straining their relationship and leading to Fione’s resentment toward her mother.
Fione and Cecil rescue the Suicide Squad and offer them a chance for a rematch against Enchantress’s team. Despite their previous defeat, Harley’s squad agrees to fight again, driven by the threat of imminent execution.
The episode concludes with a cliffhanger: The Thinker reveals his awareness of the Squad’s need to approach the portal to reset their bombs’ timer, suggesting he will exploit this knowledge in their upcoming battle.
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