Batman: Gotham Knight (2008)

Batman: Gotham Knight (2008) is an animated superhero anthology film featuring the iconic DC Comics character. The production involved collaboration between American and Japanese animation studios, including Studio 4°C, Madhouse, Bee Train, and Production I.G. Set in between Batman Begins (2005) and The Dark Knight (2008), the segments depict Batman’s ongoing fight against the city’s corrupt underworld and various villains. While the anthology is set within The Dark Knight trilogy, its plot has been acknowledged by producers as not essential to the main story told in the films.

1. Have I Got a Story for You (Studio 4°C, Shôjirô Nishimi). A street kid reunites with his three buddies at a skate park, where they all claim to have spotted Batman earlier that day. The trio each share their own versions of the Caped Crusader’s encounter with a high-tech criminal known as the Man in Black, using a unique storytelling approach reminiscent of the film Rashomon from 1950. One portrays him as a fluid shadow that can vanish and reappear at will, similar to Vampire Batman from the Batman & Dracula trilogy. Another depicts him as a hybrid creature with features of both human and bat, resembling the Man-Bat. Lastly, one presents him as a formidable combat robot with the ability to effortlessly leap over tall buildings. Eventually, their paths cross again at the skate park, where Batman successfully apprehends the Man in Black with help from a fourth street kid. This fourth member of their group uncovers the truth about Batman’s identity after witnessing his injuries sustained from a grenade blast during their clash – he is simply a mortal warrior disguised in a suit. He then shares this revelation with his friends once Batman disappears into the shadows once more.

2. Crossfire (Production I.G, Futoshi Higashide). Partners Crispus Allen and Anna Ramirez, selected personally by Lieutenant James Gordon for the Major Crimes Unit, are tasked with transporting the recent detainee known as the Man in Black. This apprehended individual, previously known as Jacob Feely, is a skilled fugitive from Arkham Asylum with expertise in advanced electronics and explosives. The two officers are to return him to the newly converted Arkham Asylum in the Narrows, where he will be held. Along their journey, they engage in a heated debate about Batman’s trustworthiness – Allen questioning if they are merely at the mercy of a vigilante, while Ramirez defends Batman’s impact on Gotham’s progress. As they make their way back, Allen surprises Ramirez by voicing his intention to leave the MCU, prompting her to pull over in a vacant lot. However, their disagreement is interrupted by a chaotic gunfight between rival gangs – the Russian Mob and Sal Maroni’s crew.

3. Field Test (Bee Train, Hiroshi Morioka). After an accident involving a new WayneCom satellite, Lucius Fox gets an idea to use the satellite’s gyro and an advanced sound sensor to deflect small-arms fire. Bruce Wayne takes the device and heads to a charity golf tournament hosted by land developer Ronald Marshall, where they discuss the death of community activist Teresa Williams, who had challenged Marshall’s plans. While at the tournament, Wayne secretly acquires Marshall’s PDA. Later that night as Batman, he uses the PDA on a boat belonging to Sal Maroni and attacks both Maroni’s gang and the rival Russian Mob with his new device.

4. In Darkness Dwells (Madhouse, Yasuhiro Aoki, Yûichirô Hayashi). Law enforcement responds to a chaotic disturbance at a cathedral, where Cardinal O’Fallon was delivering a sermon. As confirmed by eyewitness accounts, the Cardinal was forcibly taken by a large creature and brought into the underground crypts. Lieutenant Gordon, along with Crispus Allen and Anna Ramirez, conducts an investigation. Following a brief conversation with Batman, it is agreed that the Scarecrow’s fear-inducing substance is responsible for the riot, as this doctor has been on the loose since the previous incident at the Narrows. With an earpiece provided by Batman for communication purposes, Gordon and his team venture below ground in search of the abducted Cardinal. A homeless individual residing in an abandoned subway station identifies Killer Croc as the culprit. Before they can delve further into discussing this villain’s history, Killer Croc strikes without warning.

5. Working Through Pain (Studio 4°C, Toshiyuki Kubooka). In the aftermath of In Darkness Dwells, Batman finds himself shot in the stomach by a deranged man lurking in the sewers of Gotham. Despite his grave injury, he musters the strength to cauterize the wound and escape from below ground. As he struggles to make his way out, his mind wanders back to previous experiences with enduring pain. He remembers volunteering with a relief effort and aiding a doctor in performing surgery without anesthesia. Then, he recalls the teachings of Cassandra, a woman who taught him how to suppress pain over many months. With her guidance, he becomes capable of enduring extreme discomfort, such as sleeping on a bed of needles or standing on hot coals without flinching. One night, when several young men try to harm Cassandra, she endures their blows without showing any signs of pain.

6. Deadshot (Madhouse, Jong-Sik Nam). While Bruce Wayne recalls the tragic murder of his parents, he also reflects on the firearms he acquired and plans to surrender to the authorities. Despite his promise to never use them in honor of his parents, he understands the potential temptation. Meanwhile, in a distant location, a skilled assassin named Deadshot successfully carries out a challenging hit on Mayor Manning from a moving ferris wheel, before returning to his base in a tropical setting. He is soon approached by an associate with another target in Gotham. As it turns out, the Russian has placed a hit on Lieutenant Gordon and Batman is called upon to protect him. Utilizing Ronald Marshall’s handheld PDA device that he obtained as Bruce Wayne in Field Test, Batman reveals incriminating emails that prove Marshall had hired Deadshot in the past.