The DC Justice League Anime On Streaming That Is A Massive Cross-Over Event
One of the best parts of reading comics is enjoying those bonkers crossovers, but we understandably don’t get too many of those when it comes to big-budget superhero movies. That’s why we were hyped to discover an animated heroic crossover even crazier than Archie Meets the Punisher with Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen Part One. This Justice League anime is one of the most ambitious DC animated films yet, and you can now stream this crossover craziness on Max.
Justice League x RWBY, currently streaming on Max, is the type of wild crossover fans never expect to see.
For longtime comic nerds, the Justice League is certainly a group that needs no introduction. RWBY is the same for anime fans: this was a show created by Rooster Teeth in 2013. Strictly speaking, the show isn’t technically anime because it doesn’t hail from Japan…instead, it’s an anime-inspired Western cartoon in the same vein as popular shows such as Avatar: The Last Airbender (but you still need lessons from Iroh in politeness if you try to correct us when we call it anime).
Now, just what is this Justice League anime movie actually about? The basic plot involves several members of the League (including Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman) being transformed into teenagers. They have also been transplanted to Remnant, the world where RWBY takes place, and the heroes must simultaneously figure out what happened to them even as they get caught up in brand-new shenanigans with the familiar heroes and villains of RWBY.
One of the reasons that we loved this Justice League anime so much is the excellent voice work. On the RWBY side, we get the typically awesome performances from familiar voice actors such as Lindsay Jones, Arryn Zech, and Barbara Dunkelman. Since RWBY has been releasing episodes for a decade now, it’s a real thrill for longtime fans to hear their favorite characters’ familiar voices as they interact with the world’s greatest heroes.
Justice League x RWBY isn’t technically an anime since it isn’t from Japan.
While RWBY has mostly had consistent voice actors, the DC animated films have had plenty of different actors in various films over the years. Fortunately, this Justice League anime is filled with some of the more impressive voice work we’ve heard, including Chandler Rigg (best known for playing Carl on The Walking Dead) as the voice of Superman. Meanwhile, Batman is voiced by VA legend Troy Baker (best known for voicing Joel in The Last of Us game), and Wonder Woman is voiced by Laura Bailey (who voiced Kid Trunks in both Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Z Kai).
When this Justice League anime came out, it ended up making a big splash. On Rotten Tomatoes, Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen Part One has critics praising it for its ability to deliver exciting animation that scratches our collective itch for kickass action as well as campy silliness. Critics also praised the film for getting both sets of characters just right, and audiences tend to agree: on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie currently has a 78 percent rating from audiences, and we all know how hard it is to keep genre fans happy.
The wait is almost over for the second part of Justice League x RWBY, which is set for release October 21.
Honestly, if we had to pick just one thing to gripe about when it comes to this Justice League anime, it would be the fact that the story is split into two parts. Waiting for the second part to drop can be frustrating, but this has become a standard operating procedure for DC animated movies such as The Long Halloween, which was split into two parts. And considering how great those films turned out (including a few surprises even for those very familiar with the comic), we’re confident that the eventual Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen Part Two will be able to stick the landing.
Ultimately, the simple truth is that Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen Part One is a movie that will please fans of both title groups as well as any fans who are hungry for great animation. And considering we’re a long way away from James Gunn introducing a new DCU with Superman Beyond in 2025, films like this Justice League anime remain the best way to see your favorite heroes like Batman and Superman kicking ass outside of the funny pages. And unless your own Kryptonite is quality cinema, we recommend you stream this one on Max today.
