Suicide Squad Isekai is proof Harley Quinn was born to be in an anime
On paper, Suicide Squad Isekai makes a lot of sense. If any characters from the DC Comics universe feel like a perfect fit for anime, it’s the members of Task Force X, the motley crew of incarcerated supervillains-turned-government operatives employed by ruthless ARGUS leader Amanda Waller.
The first three episodes of the series, which premiered on Max and Hulu on June 27, do an excellent job of leaning into the intrinsic chaotic fun of the show’s premise: taking a group of unruly, uncivilized anti-heroes and plopping then smack-dab in a fantastical world of orcs, knights, swords, and sorcery. Of all the stars inSuicide Squad Isekai, though, none shine quite as bright and wild as Harley Quinn — and that’s because her manic pixie nightmare girl energy perfectly aligns with the limitless possibilities of anime.
The anarchic jester-themed super criminal has undergone quite the transformation over the past decade, both within the DC universe and in popular culture at large. From her earliest introduction as the Joker’s doting girlfriend in Batman: The Animated Series to her more assertive incarnations in films like Birds of Prey and her own animated spin-off series, Harley Quinn has become an iconic DC character in her own right thanks to her bubblypersonality, colorful costume, and bottomless appetite for destruction and mischief.
Of all the members of the Suicide Squad, none of them acclimates to the reality of being thrust into another world utterly divorced from their own quite as quickly and enthusiastically as she does. When an army of orcs amass around the crash site of the group’s downed helicopter in episode 1, Harley leaps into battle without missing a beat: “I have no clue where this is or who you freaks are, but you’re not on my side.”
The fight is well-done, emphasizing the unique abilities and strengths of each member of the Squad, but Harley in particular stands out, using a pipe from the helicopter as an improvised bo staff to deliver a devastating
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