Isekai Suicide Squad

The isekai genre is easily the most overdone genre in anime. Ever since the success of Sword Art Online in the early 2010s, isekai has continued to grow in popularity, with more and more series being churned out each season. As of 2024, the average viewer's sentiment regarding isekai is that its become synonymous with the phrase "quantity over quality." This brings us to one of the recent additions to the genre's catalogue, Suicide Squad Isekai. Is it more of the same junk food we've grown to expect, or is it a hidden gem which takes on the genre in a more creative and unique ... way? Unfortunately, the answer is the former. Suicide Squad Isekai doesn’t do much with the isekai concept, nor does it do much with the concept of the Suicide Squad.

The fantasy world that the main characters are transported into is nothing more than the same generic setup we've seen many times before: there's a kingdom, there's a war and the main characters are expected to be the trump card in winning the conflict. However, the world-building never goes beyond the surface level, and it's clear that the show itself has no desire to explore things in depth. It uses the isekai genre merely as a backdrop rather than as an integral part of the story. The characters themselves even make meta jokes about common isekai clichés and plot conveniences, but these jokes fall flat because the show doesn't attempt to parody or satirize the clichés; instead, it merely underscores how basic and cliched its own narrative is. The story's only redeeming aspect so far is the pacing, which moves fast enough within each episode to prevent the show from becoming too boring.

The main cast do attempt to add some life into an otherwise plain and generic isekai, with Harley Quinn's chaotic charisma doing most of the heavy lifting. However, the majority of the other characters fall into basic one-dimensional character archetypes. The worst example of this is Peacemaker who comes across as dull as a plank of wood whenever he's on screen. So far, there is little to no attempt at exploring characters beyond their surface-level personalities which is reminiscent of certain anime video game adaptations where the characters exist primarily to maintain the status quo and to serve as little more than promotional tools for a brand. There is definitely so much more that can be done with the concept of the Suicide Squad as there are countless comics out there to draw inspiration from, however it seems like the show is unfortunately not willing to explore the characters beyond their wikipedia page descriptions.

The show maintains high production values, as expected from Wit Studio. However, there are occasional noticeable drops in art quality during certain parts of some episodes, despite the overall good art and animation quality. The show's soundtrack is well-made and fits the genre and tone of the anime well.

Overall, Suicide Squad Isekai offers nothing new to the isekai genre, relying heavily on typical genre conventions and clichés that may not appeal to those who have grown tired of them. The standouts of the show so far include the good production values, vibrant character designs and Harley Quinn's chaotic charisma, powered by her amazing voice actor. However, the anime struggles to deliver a unique narrative and doesn't bother to expand on characters beyond their surface level personalities.

Current Scorings:
Animation: 7/10
Sound: 8/10
Story: 2/10
Character: 4/10
Value: 1/10
Enjoyment: 4/10
Overall: 4.4/10

Plots that don't connect well and a narrative that can seem forced or incoherent. The anime may not meet expectations based on the films or comics, resulting in discontent with differences in tone and approach. The quality of animation and character design can be considered subpar, especially compared to other anime or superhero films.
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Tramas que não se conectam bem e uma narrativa que pode parecer forçada ou incoerente. O anime pode não atender às expectativas baseadas nos filmes ou quadrinhos, resultando em descontentamento com diferenças de tom e abordagem. A qualidade da animação e do design dos personagens pode ser considerada abaixo da média, especialmente ... em comparação com outros filmes de anime ou super-heróis.

So the first 1 episode sets the premise of the series i gues kinda in a way it puts the mystery in it like oh what is this machine?"" What are they doing, whats happening? Ect
It was definitely a more interesting uproach to the isekai part. But i would have laughed my ass if the joker got hit by a car and became sexualy attrackted to minors as every isekai goes.
I will tell you it's really enjoyable it has comedy. it's full of action and gore, and it's a lot of fun, but the writing is missing, and when i say missing, i ... mean like missing, it feels just like another middle of the run crashgrab from DC with no writting effort put into it not no experimentations just a basic story with no interesting qualities characters ect. Not only that but with every episode the animation declines and gets worse and worse i really hoped that this series could have been like Cyberpunk Edgerunners but no. Dont waster youre time

[SPOILER FREE REVIEW]

As someone who greatly disliked 'Suicide Squad' (2016), I went into this anime with tempered expectations. It turns out that this anime, 'Isekai Suicide Squad' (2024), feels nothing like that notorious movie.
The best way to enjoy this anime is by not comparing it to any 'suicide squad' IP iterations in the past, as this show has at times a drastically different spin on all the characters. Also to not take this anime too seriously, as the main appeal is the humour, which in this show is largely derived from how these characters interact. Does it succeed in this?

In short, yes. But first ... of all I'll talk about the bad. The Joker in this universe, who sparsely appears, seems more like he is from some Yaoi 'Boys Love' anime than any other iteration you have seen of him. I greatly despise his character design, which looks like something a 2007 emo band with only preteen fans would wear. As the show went on I began to find the humour in how absurd this iteration of Joker is, as while I doubt this was the intention of the creators, it really is amusing to watch. Other negative aspects of this show are the often boring background art, a cookie cutter fantasy setting, at times underwhelming action, and a lack of emotional weight across the board. Character exploration and development is seemingly absent thus far. So, what makes up for these flaws?

The best part about this show are the charming main characters and the great chemistry in their interactions. The dialogue and voice acting for their conversations is on point, both when they are backing each other up and more often when they're arguing against one another. The ever flustered Cecil and Rick Flag work great as the straight man, a common character role to elevate comedies. Even alone, these characters are very charming and likeable, and frankly every single one is far written than their character equivalents I saw in 'Suicide Squad' (2016), especially Deadshot, who in this anime version is far more expressive and explosive of a personality, which is the cause of many great dynamics and jokes. This anime often just takes a character and exaggerates their characteristics to help contrast and play off each other better, as having characters who are all too similar makes for a very boring team. How do the other aspects of this show fare?

The animation is passable, with very small instances of them going above average, and as many or more instances of them going below average in quality.
The whole show is very influenced by American pop-culture, which is revealed in much of their jokes (which are charmingly sincere amusements at worst) and especially in their music, much of which is hip-hop inspired.
The designs of the main characters outside of Joker are all well done, possessing a loud style which reflects their personalities well while staying simple enough and recognizable. The pacing has no issues with me, as the anime is nothing if not entertaining. Now, what's my verdict?

This'll be a controversial anime for the reasons I have listed. The best question to ask yourself is if you had fun watching, whether you could escape for 20 minutes and be entertained. For me, the answer is a resounding yes.

7/10

If you don’t like this show, you don’t like fun or you don’t like isekai.

This series is like watching a crossover episode of your favorite shows as a kid. Those honestly were never great but just seeing your favorite characters standing side by side was so hype. “Suicide Squad Isekai” is a very fun anime for people who like isekais. I don’t care that’s there’s so many isekais out and I don’t care that this is not doing anything “new” for the genre. It’s not here to reinvent the wheel but to add a fun take to it. I would never think to see Harley ... and Deadshot fighting elves in an isekai anime. That alone is what makes it fun to watch! If you don’t feel that way then the show is not meant for you. You are not the target audience

Story: 7/10
Animation: 8.5/10
Characters: 7.5/10
Action: 10/10

The story is generic which makes sense for what this show is trying to achieve. If they didn’t follow the isekai script then it wouldn’t be as campy or fun to watch. The crux of it all is the fact the DC villains are in a trashy isekai anime! Like that’s the best part lol.

Animation is smooth which is what I would hope and expect from Warners Bros.

Characters: I love how they interact with one another. It’s feels like they are a found family of horrible personalities. The chemistry between them is great. Joker looks like an evil Kpop star who’s about to film a music video where he’s “the joker”. I dont necessarily hate it since he’s not even the main focus. I also think his design adds to the camp of this show. Like if your characters don’t look like anime characters then what are we doing lol

Action: Amazing. Some of the best action of this season right now. But again you expect this with Warners Bro backing the project. The fight choreography is seamless and fun to watch. Every character shines with their unique powers but also knows how to utilize each other strengths and weaknesses in a fight. There’s a level of trust you see when they fight which makes it an epic watch.

Overall: 8 (more like a 7.5 but rounding up)

TLDR: If you are NOT the target audience you will not like this. If you are the target audience, you will have a fun time. The target audience is someone who’s looking to a fun watch of their two favorite genres coming together.

After this squad solved its first problem with the time limit, I just cant find myself caring what happens to them next. The story is generic isekai, which is not bad in itself, but absence of an MC who you can relate to, makes this too boring and unwatchable.

A lot of questionable artistic decisions. One of them is some weird map that replace action sequences of their travels. Another is the presence of some flashbacks with Joker, which do not help either, as they are just time-wasting fillers.

The main problem is the lack of any clear personal goals for the main character cast to ... which you can start to relate to. Without them, they are just a bunch of overpowered monstrosities running around without a clear goal. Boring.

To think I thought I was done with Batman, or in this case, it's more rouge gallery in anime, but here we are haha.

There is quite an element of weirdness when it comes to 'Isekai' Suicide Squad. Yes 'Isekai.' As it more feels like they threw em into a new world just for the hell of it. As if you're coming into this, expecting a normal kind of Isekai, then you're in the wrong place lol. But that doesn't make it bad at all, more given it's approach and charm. Going for a more fast paced, and wild approach. With the only weird bits seemingly ... being the voice acting in parts. It's not terrible, but some of it, and it's characterization can come off as weird, more so if you know the source material of these, or are super glued into this series in general.

But how does it fair? Lets see.

Story and characters: 8
I'm giving this a high grade, more because of the performance itself. Earlier, I touched upon how some of the VA on the JP side may come off a bit off, which is mainly due to them maybe not getting the characters full on. Even if some of them do a real good job in their portrayal. But what is on screen, seems like a wild ride from start to finish. Like I could say you don't even have to care too much about the story, as the meat and potatoes is more down to the wild antics, the goofy fun. Of course, there are good elements to the story, it's easy to follow. More so if you know the characters/lore more. But what really shines most, is the silliness and goofy nature of the show in general.

Like to me. They've nailed certain characters, such as Harley, Amanda Waller. Then they throw the most weird but not bad in terms of character in this version's Clayface. As a long term Batman/This world fan, it's quite shocking to me, but do I hate it? Not at all. I wouldn't say it's super amazing, but it's certainly not bad atall. It can seem a little butchered for some maybe, but in general,it's a solid effort, a fun one at that.

Art and sound: 7
There is a lot to love regarding this part. They've got a number of details, from being flashy, to colourful, to being dark and grim looking. Really catching the eye, and really catching the vibrant, and fun silliness that this show seems to come off as. While also seemingly seeing and hearing the voice actors having a true blast with each and every scene. My only complaint of course, is that John Cena isn't in the dub LOL. But that's more a meme complaint, it's still decently good.

Isekai Suicide Squad feels like an Isekai on crack, and it's a weird and fun experience. If you're in for a goofy fun ride, with bit of turn your brain off. You're in the right place.

Isekai Suicide Squad is an out of place and unnecessary addition to the genre. After watching the first five episodes it became clear that the series is simply a misguided attempt to capitalize on popular fandom at the expense of the viewer. While the animation and art style is quite good, id sevearly lacks the naritve qualities you would find in any decent anime.

Story Writing: To put it simple character interaction feel forces and dry. There is a severe lack of plot and motivation for the story to follow. Even in a genre known for its flexible realism, the whole premis of this project seems ... ridiculous There are no quality story arcs to be found and violence seems to be the only solution the character are capible of. This simple lack of creativity and two delimitational characters leaves each episode feeling more and more flat and devoid of excitement than the last.

Characters: The main characters are not at all life like or expressive. Even for supervillans the level of emotional maturate each displays is extreemly poor. There is also very litttle character development throughout the story making it hard for the viewer to connect. This lack of character appeal will leave you un invested and rooting against the protagonists you were mean to support.

Visual Quality: The only quality of this anime that is worthy of praise would be the art style. The quality of animation and action scenes show attention to detail thay many hope of in the new seasonal anime. Despite being from the DC Universe the chatacters are designed to fit in to the animated world the show tales place in. Unfortunately, no level of beauty can salvage a series that is this intellectualy unappealing.

Conclusion To put it simply, you should not take the time to watch this. An Isekai anime with rebelious western supervillians isnt the type of thing that a dedicated acuience want to see. This project should have simply been left to imagination. Hopefuly this forgettable and disappointing crossover will serve as an example of what not to do for popular animation studios in the future.

Rating 1/10 (Despite my love of Isekai)

“Suicide Squad Isekai” is a delightful surprise in the anime world. It’s a fun and action-packed series that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The animation quality is top-notch, bringing every scene to life with vibrant colours and fluid movements.

The characters are incredibly loveable, each with their unique quirks and personalities that make them stand out. While the plot might seem a bit weird at first, it becomes quite engaging once you take the time to understand the world-building. The creators have done a fantastic job of crafting a universe that, although strange, is fascinating and immersive.

One of the standout features of this ... anime is the music. The soundtrack is top-tier, perfectly complementing the action. And let’s not forget the ending – it’s simply awesome, with a fantastic performance by Mori Calliope.

Overall, “Suicide Squad Isekai” is a must-watch for any fan looking for a good time. Give it a chance, and you might find yourself hooked

The most overused dc team is now an anime :)

Plot: 5/10
The united states run out of countries to take oil from so they send the suicide squad to another world with bombs on their necks since the previous team run away in this other world.
The suicide squad is now trapped in said world (most generic shit to ever exist its the aether mod from minecraft on easy difficulty and most features removed) and they have to fight in a war between wolve monsters and humans for the humans ofc...

Animation: 7/10
The 1st episode was... thankfully it improves in the next episodes.

Characters: 5/10
Suicide Squad, do i need ... to say more? (oh there is a minimum word limit)

Overall (5/10)
Another generic isekai with the most overused team in DC if a video game, 2 movies and 2 animated movies in the last 10-12 years werent enough now we have also an isekai... it should have been the teen titans.

Two things to note: 1, this is an isekai, so naturally it follows *some* of the main formulas, 2, the characters are based off two movies that weren't exactly a hit.

That said, it is enjoyable to watch. While it is isekai, it goes against some of the tropes to say the least. Most isekai (at least, modern isekai) consist of dead characters who are leading new lives (often with a harem) or are focused on leveling, skills, etc., whereas in this case they simply want to get the job done and go home. They're not interested in dating or building a harem or leveling up. ... They just want to get back to their world.
Unlike their real world though, both the main cast and enemies have gained more skills upon entering this world - particularly the ones with magical powers to begin with. It is fun seeing this group of anti-heroes in an isekai world since they go against many of the norms associated with the genre.
The characters are essentially the same as they are in the movies, with some lines even being repeated.
Art is good. Music is lackluster at times, but very fitting at other times.
Altogether, I give a 7/10, which is higher than the 4/10 or 5/10 I'd give to a normal isekai. This is because it goes doesn't reuse the typical isekai tropes that have plagued the anime world for the past few years with massive amounts of isekai coming out and using the exact same formulas. Plus, it is enjoyable to watch as a DC fan.
If you like the Suicide Squad characters, you'll likely enjoy this as it stays true to their character.

Although it seems like a great idea to make an anime with the Suicide Squad characters, the application they made with this 'pile of nothing' they produced is useless.
Although the animation is good, it still has its flaws—deformed faces at times, lines that don't match the rest of the scene, and changes in art style in the middle of scenes. These are all somewhat subtle issues, but they create a strange feeling, and once you notice them, it's hard not to.
Finally, let's talk about the story. It fails to stay consistent, sets a rule and then simply forgets it ... the next moment, doesn't apply continuity in a decent way, has scene changes at inconvenient times, doesn't revisit interesting plot points when it should, and ultimately fails to keep the story engaging for the viewer.

This is a fairly well-animated show with an amazing English dub cast. The animation can sometimes look off but all around is very good and Harley in particular has never been animated any better. Even if the writing doesn't click and isn't to your liking there have been entertaining action segments in every episode thus far. The cast dynamics have been really enjoyable; Harley and Deadshot in particular have had great team synergy and comedic chemistry.

It is very cheesy though and for some people that might be a turn-off and it is as of yet missing the edginess that accompanied that cheesiness in other recent ... suicide squad media. I don't mind this one bit as the jokes aren't that big of a problem to me; Even when they don't land because of how hard the voice actors are working here and the action is present throughout the show. Admittedly, the writing is very basic and predicatable. Also that ending song animation is yikes, I don't think I have cringed this hard in a while.

The main story being like this isn't that much of a problem for me and I think everybody expected that as it seemed obvious from the get-go, the character dynamics, action, and performances carry this show and I do believe these aspects will keep me going till the end but that is also because I don't have any other priority on my backlog. I believe what sets this show apart the most is that it is such a deep breath of fresh air because of how insanely saturated the superhero genre has become this decade. Even if the main narrative is fairly generic, at least, this is a very unique take for a superhero production.