Batman: Gotham Knight (2008)

Batman: Gotham Knight is a bold 2008 animated anthology that dives into the dark heart of Bruce Wayne’s journey as Gotham’s caped crusader, released on July 8, 2008, as a direct-to-video tie-in between Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight and Batman Begins. This 76-minute film, with a $3.5 million budget, comprises six standalone episodes, each crafted by different Japanese anime studios—Studio 4°C, Madhouse, Bee Train, and Production I.G—blending distinct visual styles with gritty storytelling. Voiced by Kevin Conroy, the iconic Batman from Batman: The Animated Series, it earns a 6.7/10 IMDb rating and 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, lauded for its experimental flair but critiqued for uneven pacing, with some calling it a 'wild love letter to Batman fans.' Each episode offers a fresh lens on Batman’s mythos: 'Have I Got a Story for You' shows kids swapping exaggerated tales of Batman’s feats, with Studio 4°C’s kinetic art popping off the screen. 'Crossfire' pits Batman against Gotham PD’s distrust, culminating in a fiery mob ambush, while 'Field Test' explores Bruce’s moral limits with a bullet-deflecting gadget, featuring Madhouse’s sleek visuals. 'In Darkness Dwells' unleashes a chilling Killer Croc and Scarecrow battle in Gotham’s sewers, and 'Working Through Pain' reveals Bruce’s grueling shinobi training, with a standout flashback of his mentor Yuna’s sacrifice. 'Deadshot' closes with a sniper duel, its sniper-scope tension gripping fans. Written by talents like Brian Azzarello and David S. Goyer, and scored by Christopher Drake, the anthology’s anime-inspired aesthetic—think Animatrix meets Batman Begins—sets it apart, though some find its non-linear structure jarring. Co-produced by Japan and the U.S. through Warner Bros. Animation and DC Comics, it bridges Nolan’s films with a semi-canonical take, appealing to both anime and Batman devotees. It’s a must-watch for fans of The Dark Knight trilogy or anime crossovers, delivering a fragmented yet thrilling rage against Gotham’s evil, where each frame pulses with the Dark Knight’s enduring legend.