Suicide Squad Isekai is now gearing up for its big finale, with Harley Quinn and the rest of the gang finally facing the Undead King and his monsters. Since its premiere on June 27, the anime has impressed viewers with its perfect blend of Western media and isekai, a genre that has become a favorite in the anime world. While this project might have seemed unlikely, Warner Bros. Japan and Wit Studio have made it possible by taking the fan-favorite group of DC antiheroes to an otherworldly realm. As the series nears its end, and with no news about a second season yet, producers Shinya Tsuruoka and Sho Ohtani explain the idea behind the hit anime.
In an interview with ComicBook, Tsuruoka and Otani discuss Suicide Squad Isekai’s unlikely origins, from its creation to how WBJ and Wit Studio worked together to bring it to the small screen. It all started with the success of Junpei Mizusaki’s 2018 anime film Batman Ninja, produced by WBJ and YamatoWorks. After seeing the positive reception it received, Tsuroaka wanted to try their luck at creating a TV anime featuring other DC characters.
“So, we approached WIT Studio, one of the best studios in Japan, with the project proposal,” he recalled. “They showed great interest, and the discussions progressed rapidly from there.”
Alternatively, Ohtani expressed his long desire to work with the writers Tappei Nagatsuki (Re: Zero) and Eiji Umehara, who have written the anime. Wit Studio CEO George Wada received a DC anime adaptation proposal from WBJ. As he suggested Suicide Squad as the main characters, Natgatsuki wanted to set it in another world, creating the concept for Suicide Squad Isekai.
“So WBJ immediately considered the idea and greenlight the project,” Ohtani continued. “Rather than a formal discussion, we all quickly agreed that the concept was exciting.”
Tsuruoka added that WBJ considered the Joker and Harley as iconic as Batman and Superman. So, with their incredible fame in Japan, they strongly believed they would perfectly fit a Japanese-style anime. So, instead of focusing on the DC characters alone, they concentrated on combining Suicide Squad and isekai.
“This mixture concept promised to create something interesting, which is why we chose Suicide Squad,” he said.
Suicide Squad Isekai Producers Reveal What Makes the Anime Stand Out
Isekai anime has been extremely popular over the past few years. So, with the numerous series that have the same concept, Tsuruoka believed that what makes Suicide Squad Isekai stand out is its “unique originality.” One great example is featuring the iconic DC characters and how they will be introduced in the world of isekai.
“This work is an original anime from Japan; we've made some changes to the original character settings and incorporated elements unique to isekai, which I believe that the highlights of the series,” he explained.
Ohatani added that when they approached the project, they didn’t try to fit DC into the isekai genre but incorporated isekai elements into Suicide Squad. So, with the perfect combination of the two, the characters have maintained their charm, making the anime received so well by many.
“Blending in the uniquely Japanese isekai elements into Suicide Squad, that's how it makes special anime apart from other isekai anime,” he uttered.
Suicide Squad Isekai unexpectedly presents its characters in a new light. Combining the famous DC antiheroes with the much-loved isekai genre, it is easy to see why the anime has become a success.
Suicide Squad Isekai Episode 10 (finale) is set to release on Thursday, August 15, on HBO Max and Hulu and in Japan on AT-X, Tokyo MX, Sun TV, and several other local networks.
