TV Talk - Batman: TAS "Night of the Ninja" and "Day of the Samurai"

Well, it’s January, so that means I get to look at a lot of guys posing in stances and yelling. No, it’s not the WWF. This month is Martial Arts Month, the time where I look at any media (movies, TV, comics, books, etc.) that features martial arts. This time, I think it’s time to throw a little Batman into the mix. While the Caped Crusader is considered to be one of the best fighters in the DCU, I haven’t mentioned him yet during this month. It’s probably because I really don’t have many comics that center on him fighting ninjas or something like that. Also, Batman gets enough love as it is (too much, honestly).

I then remembered that Batman did go up against a ninja named Kyodai Ken on Batman: The Animated Series. Kyodai was a ninja Bruce met when he was in training to become Batman. Ken first appeared in “Night of the Ninja,” the 28th episode aired on FOX. He later appeared in “Day of the Samurai,” the 55th episode aired. This was a character that was only created for the show, so I don’t think he’s appeared anywhere else. Besides, Batman’s got enough wannabe ninjas to deal with. I was able to re-watch them on the DCU app. Today, I’ll be talking about both episodes.

“Night of the Ninja”

After the epic theme ends, we start out with a ninja stealing money from one of Bruce Wayne’s companies. It turns out that it’s the seventh time someone’s stolen from Wayne Enterprises. We later catch up with Bruce training Dick in some karate. When he’s informed of the robbery, he heads to the scene of the crime. There, he finds some leftover evidence: a ninja shuriken. This makes him remember Kyodai Ken, a student he’d spar with in Japan during his training days. He keeps most of this from Dick, Alfred, and a reporter who’s trying to see why he keeps getting robbed.

Dick, stop being such a... well, you know.

Later, the ninja tries to steal from another one of Bruce’s buildings, but this time, Batman and Robin are waiting for him. While the ninja escapes, Batman realizes that the ninja is none other than Kyodai, who we find out was exiled from the dojo in Japan. Bruce even wonders if he can beat Kyodai since Kyodai was a good fighter.  Later, Bruce attends a charity reception but leaves when Summer Gleeson, the reporter, tries to tag along. Unfortunately, Kyodai ends up capturing both Bruce and Summer.

Dick realizes something’s wrong since Bruce hadn’t contacted them in hours. He suits up and follows a tracker device that Bruce had on him. Robin finds Kyodai and the rest at a warehouse. He tries to take on Kyodai alone, but fails. This does leave Bruce to escape from his bond. When he and Kyodai fight, though, Bruce puts on a show for Summer since he doesn’t want her to know that he’s skilled. Luckily, Robin blindsides her, and Bruce goes to town on the exiled ninja. Knowing that he’s outmatched, Kyodai escapes once again. In the end, Summer thinks Batman beat Kyodai, and Bruce thanks Dick for the help.

“Day of the Samurai”

We start out in Japan at the dojo where Bruce was trained. Kyodai Ken ends up capturing one of Sensei Yoru’s best students, Kairi. Yoru contacts Bruce since he knows Batman beat Kyodai, so Bruce and Alfred fly over to Japan. When they make it, we find out that Kyodai has done all of this to find out the secrets of the Kiba no Hoko ("The Way of the Fang"). He wants to use this deadly art on Batman and defeat him. He also knows that Batman is Bruce since they fought the same way. Yoru has the art (written on an old scroll) hidden in the mountains.

So, this is where the idea for Fruit Ninja came from!

Since Yoru is honor-bound to uphold Kyodai’s request, Batman exchanges the map that has the location of the scroll for Kairi’s life. He tries to get it back, but Kairi’s life gets put in danger. Later, Kyodai finds the scroll, but it falls apart in his hands. He’s still able to find a move that can kill on one fragment of the scroll. Later, Bruce comes upon what’s left of the scroll and Yoru tells Bruce about the move when they piece together the scroll. Later, Kyodai kidnaps Alfred and takes him to Mount Kakiiki. He tells Bruce to meet him there so they can have their last battle. Before he goes, though, Batman heads over to Kyodai’s dojo to see what he can learn.

Later, Batman meets Kyodai at Mt. Kakiiki. It also turns out the mountain is an active volcano, so things get rocky. Bruce and Kyodai have their last bout and things seem lost when Kyodai uses the death touch. Luckily, it didn’t work (Bruce had the area protected) and the battle begins anew. The volcano gets worse and splits off the two combatants. Instead of letting Bruce save him, Kyodai accepts defeat and lets the volcano take him. In the end, Alfred is saved and Bruce gets to talk to his sensei for one final time.

OPINION

Since I really don’t have much to say on either, I won’t split them up this time. These were two fine episodes. They aren’t the best of the bunch, but they’re not “I Got Batman In My Basement” either. Kyodai was an okay villain. He was just a ninja thief who had a grudge against Bruce. While that isn’t really interesting, it does at least give Bruce himself an antagonist. Also, Batman doesn’t have to always face his rogues gallery in an episode. This villain is even one that Batman would have a hard time to face since their basically on par with one another fighting-wise.

Let's see Ben Affleck pull that off... oh yeah, he did... sort of!

“Night of the Ninja” goes into Bruce’s past a bit, which is something the series rarely did. We see that he didn’t think he was “top dog” then. I also like how they showed him having doubts on whether he could defeat Kyodai in the present. We also have Robin being used to good effect there. “Day of the Samurai” is a little more action-packed but has the same format. It’s cool we get  Bruce travelling the world to save the day. Also, that fight on the mountain was pretty epic. We even get Bruce going “slap-happy” on Kyodai which is pretty hilarious.

I think this almost trumps Jason's awesome slap from the recent Power Rangers movie.

Still, the episodes aren’t that great. As I said before, Kyodai was just an okay villain. He provided a physical threat to Batman and not much else. Also, why was Summer Gleeson in the first episode so much? That just felt a little weird. Some of the writing wasn’t at its best. Also, some of the animation did look a little off. I noticed it more in “Day of the Samurai” more than “Night of the Ninja.” Overall, these are two fine episodes. I do have to say that I enjoyed Kyodai’s second episode better than his first one.

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If you’re looking to see Batman kick ninja butt, these two episodes may help you out there. They aren’t the best, but they’re still pretty entertaining and fun. Well, I think it’s time to start doing research on the one segment I gotta do this month. I’ll give you one hint: it involves making money off of Bruce Lee’s death. For now, Peace, God Bless, and be careful out there. Also, beware the dancing ninjas.