Suicide Squad Isekai: Season 1 Episode 1 – Review/ Recap

A new adaptation of the Suicide Squad is now available on Max, and if you love the franchise, you’ll be happy with what you see. However, this may not be for you if you are on the fence or don’t.

Plot Recap

I Was Having Such A Good Time – Joker, Harley, Katana

As usual, Joker and Harley were causing chaos until things escalated from the police, maybe even a swat team going after them, to the military. Joker, as to be expected, eventually focused on his own life and safety and left Harley behind. That is when Katana shows up, disarms Harley, and knocks her out.

A Whole New World – Amanda

It isn’t clear how or why, but Amanda Waller has discovered that you can open a portal to a fantasy world by manipulating some being we don’t see the face of. She pushes that person to the limit, completes her task, and begins planning the next step to see what resources might be extractable.

It’s An Isekai! – Harley, Amanda, King Shark, Peacemaker, Deadshot, Clayface

Suppose you have watched any “Suicide Squad” story before. In that case, you know how this goes: Amanda Waller recruits, by force, a bunch of super villains, puts bombs in their necks to keep them in line, and usually, whoever she has that is supposed to lead them, something happens that gets them killed. But, what makes this different is the world Amanda sends Harley, King Shark, Peacemaker, Deadshot, and Clayface to is a fantasy world. I’m talking dragons, orcs, all the staples of the fantasy genre.

For Clayface, this is exciting since he thinks he is in an isekai, but as for the rest? It’s an adjustment. Add in Deadshot and Peacemaker don’t get along, and King Shark is rather simple? It leaves you to wonder what will the Suicide Squad do, or are tasked with, since the people of this world don’t speak their language. Then, to make things worse, the war they got into seems to have formidable people on both sides.

Additional Information

1. Series Page:
2. Character Guide: Coming Soon

Collected Quote(s)

• It’s impossible to change the world without embracing insanity. — Amanda Waller

Cast and Characters

Character’s Name	Actor’s Name
Joker	Yuichiro Umehara
Harley	Anna Nagase
Katana	Chika Anzai
Amanda	Kujira
King Shark	Subaru Kimura
Peacemaker	Takehito Koyasu
Deadshot	Reigo Yamaguchi
Clayface	Jun Fukuyama

New Character Descriptions

Joker

The Crown Prince of Crime still loves explosions and chaos in this iteration. So, nothing has changed.

• The actor is also known for their role in “Children of the Whales: Season 1/ Episode 1.”

Harley Quinn

Joker’s favorite girl, Harley, is not only generally mad but also madly in love with Joker. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t let her eyes wander or her bat if someone takes things too far.

• The actor is also known for their role in “Summer Time Rendering: Season 1/ Episode 1.”

Katana

Katana is a mostly silent figure who seems to be a weapon for hire.

• The actor is also known for their role in “Kokkoku: Season 1.”

Peacemaker

Hellbent on peace by any means necessary, this soldier with horse blinders on is as much a potential savior as he is an agent of destruction.

• The actor is also known for their role in “Batman Ninja.”

Deadshot

Father of one, Deadshot, is a master at projectile weapons, but he is also a hot head, which makes working in a group one of his few weaknesses.

Clayface

Allegedly a mediocre actor, while Clayface’s natural form makes him look like sludge, he commonly maintains an appearance that makes him feel something akin to a model.

• The actor is also known for their role in “Horimiya: Season 2/ Episode 8.”

King Shark

Not to be confused with Baby Shark, King Shark is a being who knows only violence and hunger.

Amanda

The head of a government agency of no name, Amanda is a do anything it takes type, and similar to Peacemaker, she’ll bend and break the rules and set any sense of morals aside to get the job done.

• The actor is also known for their role in “Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation: Season 1.”

Review

Highlights

It Makes You Question Why More DC/Marvel Properties Are Not Getting Animated Adaptations

While, as noted below, the premiere itself doesn’t present anything special, I will say considering what has been done with the Suicide Squad thus far, this might be the first one that feels like it wants to stand out. It’s not focused on famous faces or voices, at least those in the Western world, and considering what each character is capable of, there aren’t any real limits here.

To me, this allows for great potential, even if the show starts off more so as content than anything undeniably special.

On The Fence

Lacking A Strong Hook

Is it wrong to say that any modern version of the Suicide Squad just lacks something? Yes, it has Harley Quinn and other notable villains from the Batman universe, but them being coerced to be some kind of anti-heroes? I feel like it has long lost its luster, and after a video game, two movies, and technically, the Harley Quinn show, which features a good portion of the Suicide Squad, it feels like an overexploited property. Even with this being done in an anime style vs. western animation, it is hard to say if you have a notable amount of shows to watch, if this should get any form of precedence.

General Information

Episode Title	Episode 1
Release Date	June 27, 2024
Network	Max (Watch or Official Site Link)
Director(s)	Eri Nagata
Writer(s)	Eiji Umehara, Tappei Nagatsuki