Harley Quinn Gets Her Own Anime, See The Suicide Squad ISEKAI Reveal Video
Harley Quinn is set to appear in a brand new anime show called Suicide Squad ISEKAI. In the newly released trailer, Harley Quinn is seen dancing around her lair while the Joker speeds through the city in his car. The pair encounters dragons, monsters, and knights in their new world. Amanda Waller and Deadshot will also be featured in the upcoming series.
Suicide Squad ISEKAI is directed by Eri Osada, with Tappei Nagatsuki and Eiji Umehara serving as writers. Akira Amano and Naoto Hosoda will create the character designs, while Kenichiro Suehiro will compose the music. The story sees Harley Quinn and the rest of the Suicide Squad trapped in a violent fantasy world after being thrown into an alternate reality by Amanda Waller.
Suicide Squad ISEKAI is announced by Warner Bros. with a thrilling trailer featuring Harley Quinn.
The project was first announced by Warner Bros Japan’s Shinya Tsurouoka at Anime Expo 2023. During the event, he cited the growing popularity of the ISEKAI genre as the reason for developing the series. “What if DC characters such as Harley Quinn and The Joker rampages in Isekai? This is truly an outrageous anime project we deliver for a global audience from Japan,” Tsuruoka said.
What is Isekai?
Isekai, which translates to “different world” in English, is a beloved genre of fiction in Japan. However, its origins can be traced back to various works from around the globe, such as Alice in Wonderland, The Chronicles of Narnia, and The Wizard of Oz. In an isekai story, characters are transported to an alternate plane of reality through portals, enchanted objects in the “real world.”
While traditionally rooted in fantasy realms, there are several variations within the genre. Isekai has enjoyed enduring popularity in anime for quite some time, but it was the groundbreaking series Sword Art Online, premiering in 2012, that triggered a wave of imitators.
This surge has prompted some to express concerns about the oversaturation of isekai in the anime, as seen with the new Harley Quinn series.
“What if DC characters such as Harley Quinn and The Joker rampages in Isekai? This is truly an outrageous anime project we deliver for a global audience from Japan.”
Warner Bros. Shinya Tsurouoka
However, it might be a while before Suicide Squad Isekai hits screens, as the trailer did not reveal a resale date. Meanwhile, Harley Quinn is set to make another live-action appearance in Joker: Folie à Deux. The project, described as a film that combines music, psychological thrills, and suspense, is directed by Todd Phillips, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scott Silver.
The movie serves as a sequel to the 2019 film Joker and sees Joaquin Phoenix reprising his role as the Joker alongside Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn. While plot details are relatively scarce, the story is said to follow Arkham Asylum psychiatrist Harley Quinn, who unintentionally falls in love with her patient Arthur Fleck (also known as the villainous Joker).
Filming took place in Los Angeles, New York, and Cedar Grove, New Jersey from December 2022 to April 2023. Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Studios, in association with Village Roadshow Pictures are the production companies behind the film along with Bron Creative, and Joint Effort.
Its predecessor, Joker, was a resounding success, earning over $1 billion at the global box office. As such, the sequel, featuring Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, should be a force to be reckoned with. Joker: Folie à Deux is scheduled to hit theaters worldwide on October 4, 2024.
