In DC Comics, each iteration of Robin has a unique costume design that sets them apart from their crime-fighting brethren. And thanks to a viral animated clip, Batman’s first two Robins get an anime-esque makeover that charts their histories in a stylish new way.
Recently shared on X, this twelve-second clip was crafted by fan artist IzzyBn Art (@IzzybnArt). Though IzzyBn has just started posting professional-level animations, their creative skills are clearly something worth paying attention to:
Releasing a few other videos before this one, like a clip that ships My Hero Academia’s Ochaco Uraraka and Himiko Toga, IzzyBn’s take on Dick Grayson and Jason Todd’s journey from Robins to Nightwing and Red Hood, respectively, is the anime upgrade fans never knew they wanted.
Dick Grayson and Jason Todd’s Robin Need a True Anime Redesign
Fan Animation by IzzyBn Art (@IzzybnArt)
A rapid-fire clip that begins at the start of Dick Grayson and Jason Todd’s careers, IzzyBn’s kinetic animation sees the camera swinging around both heroes as they relive their superhero lives. Animating Dick’s transition from Robin to Nightwing, IzzyBn next shows Nightwing beating down a criminal with Dick then being enveloped by Batman’s darkness in a literal sense.
Meanwhile, Jason’s story takes a dark turn as IzzyBn tracks Jason from a very alive Robin to a battered and then skeletal version of the character as he falls into a coffin. Subtly adding Red Hood’s logo to the background, IzzyBn animates Joker taking a swing with a crowbar, recounting the way Jason lost his life against the villain.
Next showing a helmeted Red Hood changing into an older Jason and a smiling Nightwing morphing into a shadowy Batman, IzzyBn not only nails these brothers’ stylish redesigns but somehow finds a way to condense their entire histories into literal seconds. Throw in a picture of a happy Dick and Jason in civilian clothes, and the anime basically writes itself.
The History of Batman’s Original Robins Deserves an Anime Series
Both Robins Had a Rough Upbringing
Though there have been multiple animated films and series featuring both Dick Grayson and Jason Todd in the Robin role (including DC Studios’ upcoming Dynamic Duo movie), there has never been a full-blown anime series that adapts their histories as Boy Wonders to respective solo heroes.
And while there are no plans to bring this kind of animation style to the DC Universe anytime soon, save for the pair of already released Batman: Ninja films, IzzyBn Art (@IzzybnArt) expertly gives fans a taste of what a true Robin-based series could and should look like.
Source: @IzzybnArt
