Isekai Suicide Squad

[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.

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.

“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

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.