Premiere Date
10-05-2025 (Advance Release) 29-07-2025 (Premiere)
It’s not uncommon for an opening title sequence to be the best-looking part of an anime, and the qualities of a good OP can sometimes demand that it be graded on a separate scale altogether. Whether the OP itself is a fitting representation of the work to which it is attached is another matter, but regardless,Suicide Squad Isekai’s OP is killer, and that’s in large part to its director.
Suicide Squad Isekaiis a 2024 anime original series directed byJujutsu KaisenSeason 1 animator Eri Osadaand animated by WIT Studio(Attack on Titan,Ranking of Kings,Great Pretender). It follows the titular Suicide Squad being sent on a peacekeeping mission to another world, with only 72 hours to complete their assignment before the bombs in their necks explode.
For a brand as characteristically bombastic as this one, the OP starts with a fair degree of foreboding, dripping with atmosphere, to say nothing of the rain pouring down from the night sky. In contrast to thesun-drenched fantasy realm shown in the previews, which itself is a contrast to the characters' usual surroundings, the OP is dark and constantly under the cover of night.
What light that does exist bathes the characters beautifully. During these close-ups, the animation moves slowly and smoothly, exaggerating the slightest movements in ways that accentuate the characters' qualities, be they monstrous or beautiful. At the halfway point, after the camera closes in on Enchantress' emerald eyes or Joker’s sinister grin with similarly laborious detail, the theme shifts gears entirely.
Dragons & Witches & Supervillains, Oh My!
The best way to describe what makes this sequence cool is just how raw the artwork is, something illustrated quite thoroughly by the dragon. Despite - and admittedly, because of - the rough line art comprising the dragon, it manages to createa creepy and incredibly cool silhouette, with the fire building up in its throat serving as the drop for the musical theme. As soon as this behemoth breathes fire, the real action begins.
Suicide Squad Isekai’s OP operates at two speeds. First, the aforementioned slow-motion close-ups and panning shots with subtle movements. These add a surprising amount of character, from flowing hair/fur to the most minor twitches. Second - and certainly more sparse - are moments of fast and frenetic action. Seeing Harley, Flag, Shark, and Deadshot running like hell across a battlefield looks cool on its own, but there’s a lot of personality to how each character runs.
Flag has the best form and looks to his side to check on Deadshot, who stumbles. Meanwhile, Harley tries to pick up speed like it’s a race, andthe whole time, King Shark is strugglingto get a bag off of his head before waving his arms wildly to prevent himself from falling. It looks cool, but above all, it’s funny and conveys the tone in ways that a less raw art style might have struggled to convey with the same degree of expressiveness.
WhyDoesIt Look This Good?
At first glance, one might look at this OP and compare it to that ofJujutsu Kaisen’s title sequences - especially Season 1. Both shows' OPs are notable for the amount of detail, the gorgeous but moody lighting, and the lifelike (or otherwise expressive) character animation. But whereasJujutsu Kaisen’s OPs were directed by Shingo Yamashita, who also directedChainsaw Man’s OP,Suicide Squad Isekai’s is the work of oneTakuji Miyamoto.
Miyamoto has been an animator on such shows asMy Hero Academia,Jujutsu Kaisen,andMob Psycho 100, but he’s particularly notable forhis work on anime OPs. He was a key animator on both OPs ofMy Hero AcademiaSeason 3, including this amazing cut of All Might facing off against One for All (see here). More significantly, he directed and storyboarded OPs forThe Rising of the Shield HeroandJujutsu Kaisen’s mobile game,Phantom Parade.
Miyamoto’s Trademarks
While he hasn’t directed too many title sequences, it doesn’t take long to notice what kinds of shots Miyamoto likes. That aforementioned running sequence is a shot he’s done in bothShield HeroandPhantom Parade, albeit with not nearly as much chaos. Plus, when it comes to more relaxed, atmospheric glamor shots of the characters - which are a staple of anime OPs - the rain inSuicide Squad Isekai’s OPharkens back to the same fromShield Hero.
Regardless of the project, Miyamoto loves framing characters from extreme highs or extreme lows to flex the characters' expressiveness from dynamic angles. However,Suicide Squad Isekaistands as perhaps his best work yet, and all the more reason why Miyamoto needs to be given the chance to direct more. While he’s used these techniques before, he’s never been allowed to illustrate characters with this level of freedom.
In Defense of “Rough” Line Art
Throughout this analysis, the word “raw” keeps coming up and, for lack of a better term, that’s what makes Miyamoto’s art stand out. It’s weird in the absolute best way, and perhaps the best example of this comes fromthe sequence he directed for 2018’sBatman Ninja. Before the film’s climax, there is a prolonged sequence that breaks from the CGI that had dominated the art direction and instead opts for an almost painted look.
The scene follows Red Hood attacking who he believes to be the Joker and Harley in disguise until Batman intervenes. It’s a bizarre, surreal, and at times heavily abstract scene, the style of which could have made for an entire film in itself. At one point, a gun goes off, and the way it is visualized tricks the audience into briefly thinking that the Joker was shot. It’s one of the tensest scenes in the film and one of the best overall, all thanks to the artwork.
It’s funny that his next most expressive contribution to the medium has also been a DC-related property, but hopefully, he can be given this level of artistic freedom more going forward.Suicide Squad Isekaiis a peculiar series in concept alone, and while fans wait to see how the show will live up to expectations, thisopening has no doubt piqued a lot of people’sinterest. Remember Takuji Miyamoto, because he might just direct your favorite OP a year from now.
