For just about everyone in the 22 to 28 age range, The Batman Animated Series was our definition of ‘the who’ and ‘the what’ of the ephemeral Batman. We were too young for the campy POW! ZAP! Adam West Batman, and the comic book Neal Adams and George Perez Batmen were going out of style, so we had the cartoons.

(Please come to DVD soon, Adam West!)

The DC Animated Universe has consistently released cartoons and DVD movies since 1994, and almost all of them have been well received and enjoyed by fans who otherwise would be comic book purists - so I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of reaction the newest Batman DVD, Batman : Gotham Knight, would find with these same fans. I complain that vapid, product-placement anime destroyed Saturday morning cartoons, and then went on to devour afterschool cartoons also, but when anime-styled animation is good, it’s amazing. FLCL, Evangelion, Paranoia Agent - all good things.

The new Batman DVD isn’t one story, but six related stories, each one written and directed by different noteworthy directors and authors. Because of the six approaches to Batman, he takes on six different appearances during the film, but since Batman is invariably, distinctly Batman, it’s not distracting at all - except for maybe the out-of-costume Bruce Wayne moments, when he vacillates between dreamy, androgynous yaoi character to older, grizzly uber-masculine warrior.

My personal favorite tale of the six is the very first one, in which four skate kids recount their encounters with Batman, remembering him as the otherworldly, mythological forms that he implies. The Batman that I enjoy most in any media is the one that the general citizens of Gotham know of in this mythological sense; he may or may not exist, they might have seen him once, they’ve heard tales of him, but there’s nothing concrete to prove that he exists. To these kids, Batman is everything from a shapeshifting, shadowy ghost, to a giant bat creature, to an invincible robot. The truth is actually very moving, and the animation is simple, fluid and visceral.

The other five Batman tales are action-packed, from fast-paced battles with Scarecrow, Killer Croc and Deadshot, to the occasional contemplative exploration of how Batman became what he is, how he’s helping Gotham, and why he’s loved and hated. The whole series of short films brings us back to the dark, half-frozen-in-time Gotham that we love from the original Animated Series, and the original voice of Batman, Kevin Conroy, even voices Batman in all six shorts. Some of the stories seem open ended and unsatisfying until you see how they all tie together, and all of them are tremendously beautiful. So, when I say ‘anime’, I’m not talking Pokemon or Monster Rancher or any other show that advocates cute ‘n’ cuddly cockfighting. Every frame and hint (or absence) of color paints a breathtaking picture of Gotham as it was meant to be seen - an extension of Batman’s being, which he fights tirelessly to cleanse.

After watching it, it’s really clear how much energy, creativity, and faithfulness to Batman was involved in the production - and anyone who knows me will tell you that I’m kinda picky about my Batman. Parents should note that this is a PG-13 DVD - mostly because of an animated decapitation, a little bit of blood, and gun violence. If there was any significant profanity, it didn’t stand out, because it was completely appropriate to the situation.

DVD bonuses for this basic edition are limited to a commentary track, and non-animated ’sneak peek’ at WB’s upcoming Wonder Woman animated movie. There’s a 2-disc edition to look for also, which includes a second disc replete with neat extras - documentaries, Batman episodes and more.

It’s a stellar production, and my favorite of all of the post-Justice League Unlimited Animated Universe. Go out, get it. It’s good to see that cartoons can still be taken seriously.

And collectors! DC Direct releasing a Batman : Black and White statue based on this animation on July 9th, so go out and get that also!

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This entry was posted on Saturday, July 5th, 2008 at 2:00 am and is filed under collecting fyi, reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.