I like how this joker feels very clown-like. There aren't a lot of Jokers that I could imagine doing a circus performance as a performer. Most have ring-leader vibes, but this Joker I could see riding around on a unicycle while juggling knives or something.
@@shizuwolf That's hilarious because now I'm imagining Mark Hamill's Joker turning the villainy because he was driven insane by performing at too many toddler birthday parties.
Also I feel like making Joker more of a circus freak could be a great opportunity to foil him with Dick Grayson. Joker fetishizes the idea that he's Batman's other half , but Robin is Batman's true and chosen other half. I think the circus iconography could be a great method of showing that symbolically. Although if you go with the interpretation that the Joker is a cheap party clown whilst Grayson is a true circus performer, you could use those performing styles as allegory to their relationship to Batman. Joker relies on cheap tricks in the absence of real skill or charisma, representing how his relationship with Batman is shallow under scrutiny. Meanwhile, Dick's performances are showcases of amazing skill and talent achieved with years of training and dedication, representing the deep bond between himself and Bruce and how he earned his place next to Batman.
Probably one of my favorite designs for how it captured the more "greasy disgusting feral goblin" side of the Joker, which is also a trait used well for Ledger Joker.
They were clealry going for something of a Cheshire Cat vibe and it WORKED. He's either the craziest character in the show, or, just maybe, he's the only one who actually knows what's going on in the first place.
This Joker put an extra emphasis on "Clown" Prince of Crime I I loved that. He's an ACTUAL Joker. Not just a extra insane criminal with some makeup in a bright suite or a crime boss that is more than okay with comedic murder. He screws with both friend and foe and has fun scheming and coming up with some pretty outlandish plots that make other "Jokers" crimes pale in comparison. IMO, it is entirely to his benefit that his character is brought to enough of a reasonably extreme to paint him as the jester that he is named after.
I don’t know where it came from but, I do remember hearing about an interview with the shows creators that said they very specifically wanted every villain to have their own fighting/martial art style, which is why Joker’s very much resembles monkey style
That is true, atleast something to that effect! i found n bought a DVD of the entire 1st season some days ago and it had a feature about the creative process in making the show one of the points made was them trying to make it as different as they can from most other batman depictions. Stating that they couldn't succeed in chasing the coat tails of BTAS so they decided to do their own thing and go nuts with it "Go crazy with the villains, but keep batman himself as it" -a direct quote from that feature tho i forgot who said it very neat stuff!
I love this Joker because he's so unique. Most, if not every Joker, have that comedian look: the nice but ostentatious suit. The Batman's Joker is a circus sideshow freak, and it works. I like how this Joker can actually put up a fight compared to other Jokers. Joker can fight but when Batman gets a hold of him, its over. I can see this Joker holding his own against TAS Batman.
That's actually what I dislike most about The Batman 2004 as a whole. The show is enjoyable but I find every issue being solved with punching to be very blah after a while. I lost interest in this show as a kid having been watching JL unlimited and those branching series. I may not have grown up on shows like BtAS, Batman Beyond, or the og Justice League or anything on Boomerang for that matter but I made sure to watch those episodes whenever i got the chance on tv or cassette tape. The Batman 2004 series was always missing something to me, although it did have some interesting and cool ideas. It didn't have the same bite to me as those preceding series or something. Trying to watch it now some of the episodes were hard to watch. Especially with them leaning in on entertaining kids so much
I like the outfit and demeanor change because it fits with time passing because a few years pass during the duration of the show so Joker is becoming more skilled and adding the refinement he lacked when he first began his career. Its like he was a blade that has been polished and sharpened to look more elegant but is even more dangerous.
Ya know something funny? This show did The Batman Who Laughs better than the book itself in my opinion. Instead of a convoluted drawn-out story about Bruce getting corrupted or some bs, it’s instead Joker dressing up as Batman to get the police force off his back. But for very, very petty crimes at the cost. Less is more sometimes people
@InevitableOption-ic2vx I'm gonna be honest, Batman Who Laughs might the worst popular comicbook character. Not only does his backstory make no sense, so does power scalling while only the desing works.
I think I like this joker more then all the rest because of his uniqueness. And I honestly love that he started wearing the suit. Mostly because he wears it like a clown rather then a comedian. He’s trying to dress nice using well chosen bits of found clothes like a colorful vagabond. It’s slightly I’ll-fitting and missing proper pants. No shoes, but still wears spatter-dashers like a wealthy cartoon duck. All features found in the shared visual design source for clowns and toons, minstrel shows. It all fits him so well as the Clown Prince of Crime. How he drifted into being a gizmos-guy rather then a anarchic-acrobat on the other hand, that’s what always bugged me.
U rlly didn’t watch the show cus if u did u woulda remembered the guy who got killed in his first episode called Krank-O he is just straight up the gizmos guy he attacks Batman with like little Toy Story dudes and then he died I think he got scarred from lion king and the robots killed him or sommat
@@lordofthehawks I looked him up, and that was the Toymaker. His whole gimmick is deadly toys. Though looking back, Joker opted to constantly switch gizmos, as he was using them as one-off props. The Card gun, Jokerpuddy, Bane's venom and telescopic clownhoppers to name a few. Very in line with the mad clown over the comedic mobster vibe of BTAS.
I think one of the reasons it worked was because unlike the other Jokers this one being bowlegged really emphasizes the tail of the jacket, every time you see him standing there with it dangling off him. Making it feel somewhat more unnatural, like he's wearing a human suit but it clearly was never meant for him.
I wouldn't mind The Batman making a bit of a return in the public consciousness, because for about twenty years it felt like outside of me and my siblings no one remembered this show. Still love this version of the Joker. It's easy to mess up the idea of a fighting Jester, but for this version it just felt right. Especially with all the wacky inventions that he would weaponize each episode and all the energy that exploded out of him.
The fact that some people have pointed out that this Joker basically INVENTED the Batman who laughs is just wild, so do with that as you will. Edit: So after watching more of the show, I absolutely love it. I've been binging it and honestly, I kinda like the Joker in his suit but only with the context of after the jacket. It's like a circus monkey in a suit, a chaotic mess who decided to dress for the occasion but is still a wild animal.
Kevin has such crazy range and you won't believe how high pitched he can go while also going very low pitched. His role as Demongo in Samurai Jack is probably is recording of his highest pitched voice work he has done and to me I think that role probably made him idle for the Joker role. Can't say that is exactly how it is, but if you heard demongo's voice then it's pretty clear this man made for a good joker performance.
He's such a good actor. I do love the energy he brings to this version of the Joker. It is similar to Hamill's in those moments of gleeful giddiness they feel when messing with people but he can also make him sound threatening too. Not pure edgy Joker like some adaptations in recent years.
Brings into mind Steve Blum and his unrecognizable roles as the Laughing Man (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) and Leeron (Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagaan). Always a nice change of pace, not hearing either Wolverine or Spike Spiegel from him.
@@michaelandreipalon359 It still gets me that Blum can play the gruff deep voiced badass characters like Wolverine or Vilgax but also play absolute dorks like Starscream. He's great.
I love this Joker, one of the best in my opinion. He's scary, unhinged and funny. But also terrifyingly, he's competent, he sometimes wins. That's what I love, sometimes he actually won. Like with Clayface, he wanted to see if he could break a man mentally AND physically and did it. Batman couldn't save him. I also think Joker becoming more "civilized and clean" is because as time passed he became more and more driven by his obsession with Batman, and that obsession was manifested in him having a more put-together look. He was no longer animalistically running around everywhere, instead he was methodically walking towards his goal, the Batman. A form of symbolism
I love this iteration. His mannerisms, design, overall his chaotic personality as well as his fighting style, acrobatic & wild is perfect for the Joker, I hate that no one has ever done this again....
This is probably my favourite Joker next to Mark's. It's really true to the aspect of the character that just wants to make people laugh. I find modern adaptations have a habit of completely missing that and misunderstanding the point of the character.
By that time the KidsWB brand was on it's last legs. If it had been moved over to something like Cartoon Network it might have gotten more legs to stand on.
I don't know why people dislike this Joker but I love his character, his design, everything. He's the second iteration I was introduced to but one I really resonated with. The BTAS Joker is still number 1 for obvious reasons but I think 2004 Joker stands out & deserves his own gold.
because it's wildly different from what anything thinks of the joker, especially after the timverse. he's voiced by static shock's dad. he fights well enough hand-to-hand to put up a fight with batman, a highly trained martial artist. the whole show looks like jackie chan adventures (same guy did the art for both), his teeth, his hair, and he's in between the depravity of btas joker and the levity of classic joker. he's not much different from the creeper, besides having joker's classic chemistry know how. everyone except the police were martial artists in the batman. even the damn penguin would do hand to hand with batman! it was just jackie chan adventures where jackie chan dressed like batman and had less of an accent. people regularly jumped like 2 story buildings and such, just because. the whole series is basically chinese knock-off batman.
I don't have a problem calling 2012 Shredder the best, but most intimidating has to go to 2003 Shredder. Bro was cranked to 110 percent intensity at all times.
I loved this version of the joker. He's acrobatic and athletic, can put up a proper fight like you pointed out, and Kevin knocked it out of the park with the voice acting.
This Joker feels like what would happen if you crossed the Bruce Timm Joker with Freakazoid. The character design embodied the chaotic evil side of Joker that IMO few Jokers truly embodied. He represents the closest we'll ever get to the comic book meme of "what would happen if the Joker got a hold of The Mask?".
Didn't that actually happen once? From what I recall from synopses, the Joker's personality did not change at all because he was already fully unrepressed. The only reason he ultimately rejected it was because it made things too easy and therefore not funny anymore.
That's it! I spent the ENTIRE video trying to put my finger on exactly what this version of the Joker reminded me of... Freakazoid! Of course! That's it!
I love the design and that he's much more themed after a circus/asylum combo. He has a lot more circus and toy themed gadgets and weapons, not just a prop gun or an electro shocker or the acid flower. The "normal" Joker is, if you think about it, just a generic sociopath wearing a purple suit and clown face paint. This version meanwhile is more "thematic" and closer to other Batman's Rogues.
I remember back in the day thinking the look of him was weird, mainly the straightjacket. But I quickly warmed up to him. I think they did what was right for the show they were making. They needed a Joker who could actually tussle with the bat on even footing, and the circus acrobat elements of the design fit perfectly.
One thing I really like about this joker was that he was the only one that seemed to be able to go toe to toe with Batman in concerns to physicality. He’s a fit acrobatic madman who can easily parkour his way out of most entanglements.
The batman show is very underated. I actually like how that batman ends up with Nightwing and oracle still being by his side before retirement It's a nice mirror of tas batman that ended up alone
He's my 2nd favorite joker, hands down, his athletics reminds me of a primate or circus performer, it set him apart that he was physically imposing, he was a true showman and he was just such a great joker, kevin did him justice.
I personally agree he probably didn't need to have an outfit/design change later on but honestly I actually amount that to how he starts the series seemingly imprisoned but after breaking out he begins to settle back into a healthier and more well kept state. Just one of those head canon things really but still I like both looks of this Joker just fine.
This Joker is amazing because he fully lives up to both his clown name and appearance, and his status as an anarchist psychopath. He literally commits large-scale crimes in the form of jokes, as comically but creatively as possible. And maybe it will sound strange, but in some ways his design is similar to the artist he appears in this animated series.
Although Mark Hamill Joker is the definitive Joker, The Batman Joker is the clown I grew up with (I was born in1999) and some of his best episodes like Topsy Turvey and Strange Minds are up to par or even better than some BTAS joker episodes IMO. I'm glad to see someone out there standing up for the Kevin Michael Richardson Joker!
I'm also pretty sure KMR's the only actor to ever play both Batman and Joker. He's Joke in The Batman, and Batman in the same special where Weird Al is Riddler.
This would always be my favourite version of batman and Joker was *chef kiss*! His voice, his antics, his look everything was just great. And seeing a Joker that can ACTUALLY FIGHT was a breath of fresh air honestly
Honestly I also love how this Joker actually felt like, well, a jokester. He is a criminal and villain, but his crimes actually are prank and joke based. Ever since the 90s I to especially the 2000s, most Jokers have been overly serious and only "screwy" in being psychotically homicidal.
In my opinion, if Mark Hamill set the bar for Joker voice actors, then Kevin Michael Richardson did freaking gymnastics on it. And that’s why he’s one of my faves. 😍
This joker was my childhood joker despite having so many incarnations around. I always liked that he was not only to be very smart but able to physically match batman, it made him feel more of a threat then most versions imo. And since he had a deeper voice he just had such an intimidating vibe
I think a mix of the traditional suit and the straight jacket would have worked better than the regular suit. Imagine a light purple, tattered long jacket with the swirls over the yellow jacket instead. Long, ripped trousers with the purple half shoes that he wears, complete with the fingerless gloves
This Joker is in my top 3 Animated Jokers, along with Joe Dimaggio for being the creepiest one you would NOT want to see outside your bedroom as a kid and Mark Hamill. I like him because he CAN ACTUALLY FIGHT with a wild and unpredictable style. This Joker was like a crazed hobo which made it stand out from the other versions. Him going to a suit was just him going "Oh, wait, OTHER villains are here, well I can play dress-up too!" and doing an attempt at one. I really like the black circles around the eyes because it helps make the red eyes stand out more. The Joker + Harley relationship here isn't toxic because this is THE START of the relationship; years down the line when being abused, *these* good times are what she will remember.
Arkham Asylum out here stealing from this, BTAS, Lego Batman… Lol jk, it’s inspiration and love, but it is funny to see so many similar things predating that masterpiece of a game
Yes finally someone said something about this! 4:13 I always felt like later on in the show the joker was just a bit washed down in aesthetic just as explained in the video it just felt really bland but never the less this is still one of my favorite versions of the joker.
This Joker is personally my favourite Joker, i love the voice, the look and the more acrobatic fighting style, most of all i love the hair, it's awesome
The BTAS Joker was always portrayed as man that was criminally insane. He was dangerous, sure, but he was still just a man. And that’s how almost every single portrayal of the Joker has been depicted since then. “The Batman” (2004) Joker was chaos incarnate. Sure, he didn’t actually have anymore superpowers than Batman did, but he was always treated as less of a person and more of a force of nature. Which, in a lot of ways, is how most Batmen are seen and treated as in Gotham, making this Joker a lot more like an anti-Batman both thematically and narratively. Also, like he mentioned I like how this Joker could hold his own in a fight against Batman. With most Jokers, as soon as Batman is within punching range, the fight’s over. With the ‘04 Joker, even if you found him, he was still very much a threat.
Personally I loved this Joker. He was very different, but that was like 90% off The Batman stuff. And the design was something I REALLY liked. It clicked to me as a Jester, which is really fitting considering he's named after the card that uses a jester as its depiction. And making him act almost animalistic really sold him as a maniac. And his agility matched that design choice, jesters are lively and chaotic (due to them all being insane). It was just so visually great to watch, especially since his design was made to match with the looseness. The hanging sleeves and long hair flew around as he did, it was great.
This Joker feels much more like an actual lunatic psycho than the usual Joker. He truly feels unpredictable to me and when i was kid he actually gave me nightamares. skipped all the episodes with him for years
People disliked and some _still_ dislike this Joker?? This Joker's awesome! I love how this one is so different from any other cartoon, live action, or comic version of him. The Batman's Joker is absolutely bat shit insane, even by Joker standards. He's so wacky and wild, utilising the clown and playful aspects of the character in such unique ways while still making him a threat, due to his more animalistic side. The episode where he dressed up as Batman for reasons, only to end up deluding himself into _thinking_ he's Batman was both hilarious and kind of freaky to see. He was being a hero, but doing it in a lethal way to both villains _and_ bystanders because he's nuts. Kevin Michael Richardson did a phenomenal job voicing him as well. He deserves all the credit he gets for this and other performances. Additionally, this is a Joker and Harley partnership that actually kind of _works_ for once, in _both_ of their favours ... for the most part. That's very different to see, but welcome, nonetheless.
Me and my friends didn't like him when he appeared as we had grown up with the 90's animated series and Tim Burton's take on the joker. We never watched the show per se, especially because the animated series felt as if it was peak Batman. What I can say is that his visual design came across badly to all of us, and as someone else pointed out, it had Insane Clown Posse vibes to it. The look didn't reflect the Joker any of us knew, and came off as try-hard edgy. I got a feeling that most of the people here are probably in the age bracket that would have grown up watching this series as children. The same applies for the previous generation. When Batman the Animated Series was released in 1992 I was 9 years old, so when The Batman was released I was 21.
@@michaelandreipalon359 I'm not sure you got the point of my comment. I grew up with Batman the Animated Series. For me that is the penultimate Batman while for you and most others here it's The Batman. The comments here are going to create a natural echo chamber because the people that watched the show would be interested in commentary on it. I clicked on the video because I was more interested in seeing what younger people's takes were. I replied to this comment mostly because people that ARE interested can't image why people that didn't grow up with it were not. I'm mostly trying to share the perspective as to why I didn't get into it, which is mostly my age. There are people that think the Adam West version of Batman is peak, and they're the reason why Batman Forever and Batman and Robin were made since they grew up with camp. However I think taste in camp for both of our generations is long gone.
@@Carnagefiend I grew up being able to watch both BTAS and TB. Both are incredible and both Jokers are iconic. They took a risk with Joker here and it paid off imo.
I forget who said it, but I remember someone pointing this out. This Batman series was the first to follow B:TAS and TNBA (heck, JLU was still technically running when this show started) and the first not to be connected in any way to the DCU (unless you count Teen Titans). The showrunners knew for an absolute *FACT* that they weren't gonna live up to that show's legacy, so they didn't try. They made something unique, something that hasn't been done with Batman before or since, and I highly respect them for that.
Honestly this Joker being different is a fantastic thing. More traditional takes on the Joker are great too, but I'm a big sucker for creativity and so I love seeing new and original versions of popular characters. The same old thing and the same old stories told on repeat get old and tired and the versions that already exist aren't going anywhere and you can always go back and watch them again. But this, this gets it. This knows that it's not one of the prior series, and isn't trying to hide it. This has its own identity, its own creative vision and feel to it. It's not just more of the same, it's new and fresh and unique, at least for its time. We need more series that completely reimagine the main cast similar to this and do their own thing with the story. Get weird, get wacky, or take something weird and wacky and find a compelling way to make it serious. Just make sure that through it all the storytelling fundamentals aren't forgotten. Don't be different just to be different, have a well thought out story to tell. Follow a theme. Have an identity. That's the recipe for success.
Glad you included the interview from talking toons. Loves how he poured his emotion into the role and it’s what gave him the part. I’ve always loved this very of Joker and his showmanship. This was the Joker I grew up on and his portrayal is up there with Hamill. I revisit The Batman for KMR as Joker and the sibling rivalry of Robin and Batgirl.
I first came across The Batman 2004 universe when I rented The Batman vs. Dracula for my kid. At first, I hated the Joker, but he soon grew on me, to the point where I ended up getting all 5 seasons on DVD. That version of the cartoon is underrated.
My favorite thing about the 2004 animated Joker, is his physicality, the athleticism is different from basically all other jokers. He's also the most seemingly like Eldritch or otherworldly feeling joker to me, like he somehow preexists his own creation.
You should do an episode on The Batman's Penguin, which kind of revived the character after BTAS had no idea what to do with him and TNBA demoted him to snitch
I liked that version of the Penguin. I like how they made him go back to his more silver-age incarnation as a villain with a bird gimmick. Rather than the generic crime boss most versions seem to go with nowadays. Though, I felt his kung fu abilties were a bit off. I think judo or some grappling based fighting style would suit him better.
@@andrewdau1299 yeah, the penguin I think is a character the batman did right. not a fan of their portrayal of most characters, but penguin seemed well done. I do agree that him being able to do martial arts makes no sense. he really should just rely on his umbrella and use more of a bar fight style. I also think his silent hench women don't make any sense really. they're not bird themed. they're just asian and have claws. they seem more apt for the court of owls than penguin. I think it's just because the art director for the show worked on jackie chan adventures and was asian, so everything in the show was a bit asian, and everyone except the police were martial artists, all performing super human feats. everyone doing martial arts was very reminiscent of jackie chan adventures, and every character, including bruce, looked somewhat asian. catwoman looked asian, yin was asian, spellbinder was super asian. the fight scenes were nice, but were kinda weird that most of batman's foes where proficient martial artists. even the mafia featured in season 1 was just asian. the show started shifting after season 1, to try to be more kid friendly in season 2, and becoming more like classic batman in season 3 and 4.
Hes my favorite! Literally such unique desing, it reflects the feral energy he carries plus the movements! He was so fun to look at! when he moves and fights.
Kevin Michael Richardson’s portrayal of Joker was both unique and a joy to watch. He was one of my first introductions to The Joker and I will always love his version.
First off I move this joker because he’s an essential part of my childhood. But I remember as a kid loving this joker because he reminded me of if a jack in the box was a person. He’s very springy and slinky especially with his limbs hence why I also love the straight jacket look. It really complimented that.
I felt this was too long to add but that was another thing I liked about this show is how the characters looked like their personas. Like penguin is super short and rounded and has a long beak like nose and also instead of normal hands three clawed fingers. Scarecrow was like a super flexible and able to dislocate and relocate his bones in that clock tower episode. It was like he was made of straw and didn’t have bones. I can go on and on but this show did a good job of making characters match their persona names
@@zionarrington8489 It's my preference, not an objective ranking. When I actually go by which one I think is a better Joker, I give it to Hamill, then Ledger.
I never watched this series, and I love how much time you spent on his Voice Actor, he absolutely did a great job. I love that he was annoyed WB didn't use Mark Hamill
When this Joker originally debuted, I wasn't a fan, I was just too used to Mark Hamil's definitive performance, but in retrospect, that's exactly why this version of the Joker needed to be so different... anything else would have felt like a lackluster imitation. That pretty much goes for this particular series as a whole, because it wasn't just the Joker either. So much of what we think of as modern Batman was defined, or in some cases outright invented by BtAS, and the only way for _The Batman_ to make any kind of name for itself was to be as different as possible.
I still don't like this joker. he has some fun episodes, but overall, not a fan. I thought at first it was because it wasn't btas joker, and thus "not my joker", but I liked the dark knight's joker and the brave and the bold's joker. the weird rat teeth, the lack of shoes, him having no idea who batman was at first and just obsessing over him out of nowhere, having no history with batman, or anyone really until then. him being a martial artist for no reason. at his point, just make a new character. just use the creeper and make him a villain in this universe. compared to the penguin, who had a history with alfred's family, has a backstory and a reason for being a criminal. he was the best antagonist in the batman. he was also pretty much in line with "the penguin". his martial arts was out of left field, but he didn't rely on it much.
So sad to see this Joker sapped of his uniqueness, especially nowadays where the Joker character-milking has made him so bloated and overdone... This was, and could've still been, a breath of fresh air.
This is my favorite show ever, and definitely favorite Batman show, and I absolutely love the heck out of this characterization, with the voice being the energy core for all of it. I love that early show design, especially because of how he moved, he spoke, he acted, he felt, and how he existed as a part of the world. That initial crazy design for me is so special, and so necessary for the character, and it lays down exactly the blueprint of how the character is in this universe. He’s so ANIMATED, and WILD, and sort of…carnal in his quest for humor and, as we see from that one Strange episode (Strange Minds) where Batman peers into his mind, pain. Pain he feels inside, and the rage, his outlet for the inner sadness. To me, having that sort of depth with the character, particularly later on as the series develops, is indicative of growth for his character, and more complexity. So for me, when I see the suit design and the features of him being more subtle, I don’t look at it as merely changing to the corporate standards of the execs, but as a defining of who he is. He BECOMES more pronounced, his goals more materialized, and his very nature more established. There’s somewhere in that S1-S2 and Batman vs Dracula that just strikes me, and it feels right. Kinda like the right voice for the role. He’s BECOME the Joker (or just _Joker_, in this case). It’s when his character felt the most real to me. TL;DR, and all of that to say, I think the suit and a lot about his antics and decisions after S1 are good and natural for his character, and it helped him develop. I don’t think it’s just me trying to put some reason on what’s ultimately the studio going in a different direction, but if it is, there’s nothing wrong with that. This is the way I want to view the character, and the world at large
_The Batman_ (2004) is probably my second favorite version of the Joker, only beaten out by the DCAU Joker as performed by Mark Hamill. I actually favor his "hybrid" look when he ditches the straightjacket *not* because I hated the straightjacket *but* because I hated the straightjacket's colors. I didn't even realize this until your video, where you showed some toys with different color schemes for it. The black-and-white stripped looked _really_ good! Channeling a bit of Beetlejuice, or just blending vintage psychiatric ward with vintage prison garb.
This was the first Joker that i was ever exposed to. I enjoyed it as much as a 6 year old can enjoy this kind of show. But it was on a rewatch a few years ago that i finally realized where this joker soars where most jokers fail and fall flat. He's funny. The Joker is supposed to be funny. Cracking jokes, telling puns, making punchlines. And a lot of Jokers just aren't comedic. Even the supposed greatest, Ledger, only felt like he was telling jokes because of corporate mandate. Only Hamill's Joker also felt like he was laughing because he actually found something funny
I like this version of the joker. Feels intimidating, yet cool. Familiar, yet different. This is how you make a character in an adaptation stand on their own without essentially making a new character
Love this. Its weird as a kid when this series aired i watched it sometimes but was never into it like i was the other Batman shows of the time, but now i appreciate this series so much for its unique style and you explain a lot of my reasons 🤘
I LOVED this Joker as a kid. Especially with the Clayface Arc. I remember I finished 4 seasons of it on Netflix, but it got deleted before I could finish the series.
I actually just recently watched The Batman and I remember seeing this form of Joker but wasn't sure where it was from. So when he showed up it was like being splashed by cold water and as the show went on he became one of my favorite portrayals of the character.
I really love how this Joker feels less like a comedian or ringleader and more like a genuine *clown.* It's clear from his change in attire that 2004 Joker wants to look absolutely looney, his fighting style is nothing if not acrobatic, he's not so committed to the brand that he's afraid of getting into costume for his new act, and if anything it's like he wants to make EVERYONE laugh, not just himself. His ability to go from high pitch zim-style cackling to deep bassy and sinister just adds to his over-the-top persona. Also yeah I'm almost positive the appearance change was solely because his new look got HEAVY backlash, not just from angry fans but from parents who were alarmed at how genuinely *creepy* this joker looked, and felt like it was scaring their children. What resulted was a sort of "return to form" to a more "palatable" Joker.
This Joker was a good setup after Batman the Animated series. Best episode with him was with Riddler, Penguin, and Joker having a competition to take down the Batman
This rendition of Joker is everything I enjoy in an alternate setting, and I wish more people would be brave enough to try this. He's my favorite Joker, personally and I'm glad for the run he had.
I know people considered Mark Hamill The joker when it comes to animated Jokers both in well, animation and video games, but this joker is honestly The joker I grew up with when I was first introduced to Batman ever in my life as a little kid. And now watching this video it's crazy to think that he himself was not very happy about playing The joker once upon a Time just out of respect for Mark. No I did not grow up with the original Batman animated series but I have seen some of it and I have heard a lot of his voice work in many iterations of the joker where he voices him. The man is fucking fantastic and I do not deny that he is one of THE Jokers when it comes to animation and video games. But I cannot give this guy some love because he did such a fantastic job, and honestly again I just grew up with this joker. And that's not just childhood bias, I can recognize just how fucking fantastic Mark Hamill as the joker. And I can understand why nobody can ever imagine anybody else but him as the joker. There's a reason why I say he's one of *'THE' Joker's* . Unless you're only talking about animations and video games and people will say he is THR Joker. But I say one of because I'm including all of the iterations including live action. But again, he was the one I grew up with so this is the joker that was part of my childhood. And he did a pretty damn good job and in all honesty, I did not know he played all those other roles mentioned. I love it when voice actors are in more rolls than you realize. You don't notice when they're right in front of you speak. Because you're too immersed in their role & acting.
Its hilarious that i got this video- i dont watch batman content, or your content period, BUT i was just thinking about this exact long haired joker a few nights ago because my brother owned a movie with him that i remember watching growing up. And now i know where hes from so i can find that movie again!
I like the Batman show because the villains feel like they earned their names. Joker is a clown, Penguin is a penguin, Riddler does actual riddles, and etc. They are just not another crime lord who wear business suits and does business. They actually feel like the part.
I love the jester dread wild man cosplayer take. Always full of energy and continuing to stand out. Heck, in a meta sense, him bouncing to his own rhythm even alongside other Jokers helps him be a good Joker.
I loved "The Batman" and how they made their own version of each villain! My buddy J and I watched this together, our favorite character in the series has to be the first Clayface in the show. Detective Bennett had such a good character arc that I still remember his name 8 years later!
Can we hear your takes on some of the other villains on this show, because they were all pretty interesting and different. This show had a completely different origin of Clayface, a Mr Freeze that was actually meta human, and a really fun Penguin that wasn’t just the boring mobster that he usually is nowadays.
I honestly love his design. I love the vibe of his hair, his face and his straight-jacket outfit. I also like him not being a horrible person to Harley Quinn like other versions
This Joker is probably my FAVORITE animated Joker ever. He's the first one I remember growing up with besides Heath Ledger. Even then, I didn't understand The Dark Knight as a kid. I love how different he's to every other Joker to exist. I agree that his original attire fit him best, but like the redesign's darker shaded eyes. Please do a Mark Hamill video, I have yet to watch all his Joker work and see in full why he’s so beloved as the Crowned Prince of Crime!
Joker’s inspiration from the Man Who Laughs, to a white painted mustache, to having a dragon tattoo on his back, to being a dragon. Yeah, this isn’t too wild.
You go a lot on the change of looks, but I actually personally think it was really well executed. Joker starts completely demented, to a point that his physicality is impacted, the hunched back position, the long sleeves he can wrap around, the chaotic design, it all fits in that demented approach. But as you mention as time goes on he changes outfit and posture, becoming more human ni the process, yet I think it is nailed well, because it feels like a charade that Joker puts on, like a hoax he uses to seem more human where... Well his plans are still completely insane, and more than anything, he always reverts back down to the original vision, not necessarily in looks, but in actions, a very evident detail when he fights, as there's no differences between before and after the look update. You say it's jaring to see chaos in in a business suit, and I think it was the complete purpose of it, even when he tries to look formal, this Joker cannot hide what he is. Which differentiates him further from prior renditions, where he is undoubtedly crazy, but the loon can be kept in check, not with this one.
I think a lot of people hate this version because he's so unusual compared to the contemporary or even comic book renditions. However, I personally think there's plenty of room for something unique, especially in a design space as old as the Batman setting.
I recently watched an old TMNT 2012 ComicCon panel and Kevin Michael Richardson did an impression of Greg Cipes and it literally blew me away how high his voice can go and how easy it was for him to pull out a perfect Beast Boy impression. His range is INSANE!
I like how this joker feels very clown-like. There aren't a lot of Jokers that I could imagine doing a circus performance as a performer. Most have ring-leader vibes, but this Joker I could see riding around on a unicycle while juggling knives or something.
I saw those more as party clowns. They tell some jokes and do a few tricks. But nothing as bombastic and over the top as circus clowns
@@shizuwolf That's hilarious because now I'm imagining Mark Hamill's Joker turning the villainy because he was driven insane by performing at too many toddler birthday parties.
Also I feel like making Joker more of a circus freak could be a great opportunity to foil him with Dick Grayson. Joker fetishizes the idea that he's Batman's other half , but Robin is Batman's true and chosen other half. I think the circus iconography could be a great method of showing that symbolically.
Although if you go with the interpretation that the Joker is a cheap party clown whilst Grayson is a true circus performer, you could use those performing styles as allegory to their relationship to Batman. Joker relies on cheap tricks in the absence of real skill or charisma, representing how his relationship with Batman is shallow under scrutiny. Meanwhile, Dick's performances are showcases of amazing skill and talent achieved with years of training and dedication, representing the deep bond between himself and Bruce and how he earned his place next to Batman.
@@arielgalles2107 LOL
@@arielgalles2107that sounds like a child friendly joker, if that makes sence.
Probably one of my favorite designs for how it captured the more "greasy disgusting feral goblin" side of the Joker, which is also a trait used well for Ledger Joker.
I still absolutely love that introductory shot of him swaying back and forth in the darkness with only his eyes and teeth visible.
That introduction was so fire bro😭
"I was feeling a little Screw-Lose so I Check myself in."
"Who-- who are you?"
"My Card."
[Maniacal Laughter]
They were clealry going for something of a Cheshire Cat vibe and it WORKED. He's either the craziest character in the show, or, just maybe, he's the only one who actually knows what's going on in the first place.
I always liked how that scene really highlighted the monsterous side of the Joker in this version.
And his long sleeves swinging as well...mwah! 😩
This Joker is very "Agent of Chaos" and I enjoy that. He feels like a circus performer instead of a stage performer and it's a fun route to take
This Joker put an extra emphasis on "Clown" Prince of Crime I I loved that. He's an ACTUAL Joker. Not just a extra insane criminal with some makeup in a bright suite or a crime boss that is more than okay with comedic murder. He screws with both friend and foe and has fun scheming and coming up with some pretty outlandish plots that make other "Jokers" crimes pale in comparison.
IMO, it is entirely to his benefit that his character is brought to enough of a reasonably extreme to paint him as the jester that he is named after.
I don’t know where it came from but, I do remember hearing about an interview with the shows creators that said they very specifically wanted every villain to have their own fighting/martial art style, which is why Joker’s very much resembles monkey style
That is true, atleast something to that effect! i found n bought a DVD of the entire 1st season some days ago and it had a feature about the creative process in making the show
one of the points made was them trying to make it as different as they can from most other batman depictions. Stating that they couldn't succeed in chasing the coat tails of BTAS so they decided to do their own thing and go nuts with it
"Go crazy with the villains, but keep batman himself as it" -a direct quote from that feature tho i forgot who said it
very neat stuff!
It is absolutely crazy seeing The Penguin with his own viable fighting style, in hindsight... with the voice of SpongeBob, no less.
@@Lugbzurg TBF I didn't even realize it was Tom Kenny before someone pointed it out so it's not like Penguin's voice wasn't distinct
I thought there was some Capoeira in there while watching this video
That vampire scene in the blood bank legitimately scared the crap out of me when I was younger
it’s so freaky and so good
I love this Joker because he's so unique. Most, if not every Joker, have that comedian look: the nice but ostentatious suit. The Batman's Joker is a circus sideshow freak, and it works. I like how this Joker can actually put up a fight compared to other Jokers. Joker can fight but when Batman gets a hold of him, its over. I can see this Joker holding his own against TAS Batman.
I was about to say something similar. He’s pretty much an acrobatic circus clown in a sea of energetic party clowns
Yes
What I like about this Joker is the whole Jester design they went with. It's such a good and unique take!
This Joker would annihilate TAS Joker.
That's actually what I dislike most about The Batman 2004 as a whole. The show is enjoyable but I find every issue being solved with punching to be very blah after a while. I lost interest in this show as a kid having been watching JL unlimited and those branching series. I may not have grown up on shows like BtAS, Batman Beyond, or the og Justice League or anything on Boomerang for that matter but I made sure to watch those episodes whenever i got the chance on tv or cassette tape.
The Batman 2004 series was always missing something to me, although it did have some interesting and cool ideas. It didn't have the same bite to me as those preceding series or something. Trying to watch it now some of the episodes were hard to watch. Especially with them leaning in on entertaining kids so much
I like the outfit and demeanor change because it fits with time passing because a few years pass during the duration of the show so Joker is becoming more skilled and adding the refinement he lacked when he first began his career. Its like he was a blade that has been polished and sharpened to look more elegant but is even more dangerous.
Ya know something funny? This show did The Batman Who Laughs better than the book itself in my opinion. Instead of a convoluted drawn-out story about Bruce getting corrupted or some bs, it’s instead Joker dressing up as Batman to get the police force off his back. But for very, very petty crimes at the cost. Less is more sometimes people
One of my favorite episodes.
I like that way more tbh but the batman who laugh still scares me
@InevitableOption-ic2vx I'm gonna be honest, Batman Who Laughs might the worst popular comicbook character. Not only does his backstory make no sense, so does power scalling while only the desing works.
Best Episode ever
Truly a great episode
KMR absolutely killed it with this portrayal. Something about how he went from a deep tone to a light tone in the same sentence was so unsettling.
I think I like this joker more then all the rest because of his uniqueness. And I honestly love that he started wearing the suit. Mostly because he wears it like a clown rather then a comedian. He’s trying to dress nice using well chosen bits of found clothes like a colorful vagabond. It’s slightly I’ll-fitting and missing proper pants. No shoes, but still wears spatter-dashers like a wealthy cartoon duck. All features found in the shared visual design source for clowns and toons, minstrel shows. It all fits him so well as the Clown Prince of Crime.
How he drifted into being a gizmos-guy rather then a anarchic-acrobat on the other hand, that’s what always bugged me.
I miss the colorful straight jacket a lot. It just felt so unique.
@@CollinMcLean I liked the idea of the straightjacket look, but it was too brightly colored. It drew attention away from Joker's face.
U rlly didn’t watch the show cus if u did u woulda remembered the guy who got killed in his first episode called Krank-O he is just straight up the gizmos guy he attacks Batman with like little Toy Story dudes and then he died I think he got scarred from lion king and the robots killed him or sommat
@@lordofthehawks I looked him up, and that was the Toymaker. His whole gimmick is deadly toys. Though looking back, Joker opted to constantly switch gizmos, as he was using them as one-off props. The Card gun, Jokerpuddy, Bane's venom and telescopic clownhoppers to name a few. Very in line with the mad clown over the comedic mobster vibe of BTAS.
I think one of the reasons it worked was because unlike the other Jokers this one being bowlegged really emphasizes the tail of the jacket, every time you see him standing there with it dangling off him. Making it feel somewhat more unnatural, like he's wearing a human suit but it clearly was never meant for him.
I wouldn't mind The Batman making a bit of a return in the public consciousness, because for about twenty years it felt like outside of me and my siblings no one remembered this show.
Still love this version of the Joker. It's easy to mess up the idea of a fighting Jester, but for this version it just felt right. Especially with all the wacky inventions that he would weaponize each episode and all the energy that exploded out of him.
The fact that some people have pointed out that this Joker basically INVENTED the Batman who laughs is just wild, so do with that as you will.
Edit: So after watching more of the show, I absolutely love it. I've been binging it and honestly, I kinda like the Joker in his suit but only with the context of after the jacket. It's like a circus monkey in a suit, a chaotic mess who decided to dress for the occasion but is still a wild animal.
He also invented the Titan Joker idea four whole years before Arkham did. In one episode Joker steals Bane’s venom and goes on a rampage.
@@Neo-Clik
It was 2005 when it came out, so 4 years, but you’re gosh darn right
@@Jonathan-A.C. dang you right. Don’t know what I was on when I wrote that.
@@Neo-Clik
To be fair, the show last came out in 2008, and Asylum came out in 2009, so I could see the mixup
@@Jonathan-A.C.Your claim that B:AK has been released more than 10 years ago is clearly a lie. Have a nice day.
Kevin has such crazy range and you won't believe how high pitched he can go while also going very low pitched. His role as Demongo in Samurai Jack is probably is recording of his highest pitched voice work he has done and to me I think that role probably made him idle for the Joker role. Can't say that is exactly how it is, but if you heard demongo's voice then it's pretty clear this man made for a good joker performance.
Just trying to wrap my head around the fact he was Shredder and Joker is wild enough. Dude's got some crazy range
Wait- Demongo?! *sound of glass shattering* 0-0 holy shid
He's such a good actor. I do love the energy he brings to this version of the Joker. It is similar to Hamill's in those moments of gleeful giddiness they feel when messing with people but he can also make him sound threatening too. Not pure edgy Joker like some adaptations in recent years.
Brings into mind Steve Blum and his unrecognizable roles as the Laughing Man (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) and Leeron (Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagaan). Always a nice change of pace, not hearing either Wolverine or Spike Spiegel from him.
@@michaelandreipalon359 It still gets me that Blum can play the gruff deep voiced badass characters like Wolverine or Vilgax but also play absolute dorks like Starscream. He's great.
I love this Joker, one of the best in my opinion. He's scary, unhinged and funny. But also terrifyingly, he's competent, he sometimes wins. That's what I love, sometimes he actually won. Like with Clayface, he wanted to see if he could break a man mentally AND physically and did it. Batman couldn't save him.
I also think Joker becoming more "civilized and clean" is because as time passed he became more and more driven by his obsession with Batman, and that obsession was manifested in him having a more put-together look. He was no longer animalistically running around everywhere, instead he was methodically walking towards his goal, the Batman. A form of symbolism
Well put!
I actually love this theory.
Joker’s gotta make sure he’s looking his best for The Batman.
I love this iteration. His mannerisms, design, overall his chaotic personality as well as his fighting style, acrobatic & wild is perfect for the Joker, I hate that no one has ever done this again....
This joker was fire af
One of my favorite renditions of him
He looks like he can actually put up a fight
@@Kerruo He can
Yes he is. Most of the Batman’s rogues gallery from this series were prime.
Bane was so cool in the show, and Clayface was just the cherry on top.
Probably my #1, he's the best representation of the mania and chaos joker stands for
This is probably my favourite Joker next to Mark's. It's really true to the aspect of the character that just wants to make people laugh. I find modern adaptations have a habit of completely missing that and misunderstanding the point of the character.
Even better that we got one episode where he was planning out a heist, but it needed a punchline or it’s a no go.
Yeah, a lot of Joker iterations forget the joke part...
Batman 2004 is amazing, Joker included
Highly agreed
My childhood
Frfr 🙌🏽
Yeah, 2004 Joker was a good substitute for Mark Hamill , only bad Joker was Leto , Leto was to much of a cringe f**k boi , couldn't take him serious 😅
By that time the KidsWB brand was on it's last legs. If it had been moved over to something like Cartoon Network it might have gotten more legs to stand on.
I don't know why people dislike this Joker but I love his character, his design, everything. He's the second iteration I was introduced to but one I really resonated with. The BTAS Joker is still number 1 for obvious reasons but I think 2004 Joker stands out & deserves his own gold.
because it's wildly different from what anything thinks of the joker, especially after the timverse.
he's voiced by static shock's dad. he fights well enough hand-to-hand to put up a fight with batman, a highly trained martial artist. the whole show looks like jackie chan adventures (same guy did the art for both), his teeth, his hair, and he's in between the depravity of btas joker and the levity of classic joker.
he's not much different from the creeper, besides having joker's classic chemistry know how.
everyone except the police were martial artists in the batman. even the damn penguin would do hand to hand with batman! it was just jackie chan adventures where jackie chan dressed like batman and had less of an accent. people regularly jumped like 2 story buildings and such, just because. the whole series is basically chinese knock-off batman.
He didn’t mention my favorite Kevin Micheal-Richardson role, he was the most intimidating Shredder ever put to screen in TMNT 2012
YES!
I don't have a problem calling 2012 Shredder the best, but most intimidating has to go to 2003 Shredder. Bro was cranked to 110 percent intensity at all times.
@@Jared-W Agreed. '03 Shredder was a different level of menace and malice.
That's a good one. My personal favorite role of Kevin's is Bulkhead from Transformers Prime
I loved this version of the joker. He's acrobatic and athletic, can put up a proper fight like you pointed out, and Kevin knocked it out of the park with the voice acting.
This Joker feels like what would happen if you crossed the Bruce Timm Joker with Freakazoid.
The character design embodied the chaotic evil side of Joker that IMO few Jokers truly embodied. He represents the closest we'll ever get to the comic book meme of "what would happen if the Joker got a hold of The Mask?".
I thought when you crossed Bruce Timm’s Joker with Freakazoid you end up creating The Creeper!
Didn't that actually happen once?
From what I recall from synopses, the Joker's personality did not change at all because he was already fully unrepressed. The only reason he ultimately rejected it was because it made things too easy and therefore not funny anymore.
This literally happened though it's even canon to the Mask comics
That's it! I spent the ENTIRE video trying to put my finger on exactly what this version of the Joker reminded me of... Freakazoid! Of course! That's it!
I love the design and that he's much more themed after a circus/asylum combo. He has a lot more circus and toy themed gadgets and weapons, not just a prop gun or an electro shocker or the acid flower.
The "normal" Joker is, if you think about it, just a generic sociopath wearing a purple suit and clown face paint.
This version meanwhile is more "thematic" and closer to other Batman's Rogues.
I remember back in the day thinking the look of him was weird, mainly the straightjacket. But I quickly warmed up to him. I think they did what was right for the show they were making. They needed a Joker who could actually tussle with the bat on even footing, and the circus acrobat elements of the design fit perfectly.
One thing I really like about this joker was that he was the only one that seemed to be able to go toe to toe with Batman in concerns to physicality. He’s a fit acrobatic madman who can easily parkour his way out of most entanglements.
The batman show is very underated. I actually like how that batman ends up with Nightwing and oracle still being by his side before retirement
It's a nice mirror of tas batman that ended up alone
He's my 2nd favorite joker, hands down, his athletics reminds me of a primate or circus performer, it set him apart that he was physically imposing, he was a true showman and he was just such a great joker, kevin did him justice.
I personally agree he probably didn't need to have an outfit/design change later on but honestly I actually amount that to how he starts the series seemingly imprisoned but after breaking out he begins to settle back into a healthier and more well kept state.
Just one of those head canon things really but still I like both looks of this Joker just fine.
This Joker is amazing because he fully lives up to both his clown name and appearance, and his status as an anarchist psychopath. He literally commits large-scale crimes in the form of jokes, as comically but creatively as possible. And maybe it will sound strange, but in some ways his design is similar to the artist he appears in this animated series.
Although Mark Hamill Joker is the definitive Joker, The Batman Joker is the clown I grew up with (I was born in1999) and some of his best episodes like Topsy Turvey and Strange Minds are up to par or even better than some BTAS joker episodes IMO. I'm glad to see someone out there standing up for the Kevin Michael Richardson Joker!
I've always enjoyed Kevin's work. Especially in the Baldur's Gate games. I can't see anyone else voicing Sarevok.
Strange Minds is amazing. All of the show is, but I love that episode and how visual it was with exploring everything
I'm also pretty sure KMR's the only actor to ever play both Batman and Joker. He's Joke in The Batman, and Batman in the same special where Weird Al is Riddler.
@@bigcd3438 Troy Baker also played Batman and Joker.
@@lydiawoolfy8952 Oh yea, slipped my mind. Which was first chronologically?
This would always be my favourite version of batman and Joker was *chef kiss*! His voice, his antics, his look everything was just great. And seeing a Joker that can ACTUALLY FIGHT was a breath of fresh air honestly
He was clearly based on the Insane Clown Posse and the juggalo aesthetic mixed with an escaped insane asylum patient.
As a kid, I was thrown off by how deep his voice was , but I grew to love it and it makes sense
This is the joker I grew up with, I used to think that the 90’s one was his dad, smh.
Lol, Nice
What made u think that?
@@mew10521 idk, I was a kid and I was dumb, it juste made sense in my head
@@vicentevillalobos7715 hmmm
@@mew10521- shut the hell up dude
Honestly I also love how this Joker actually felt like, well, a jokester. He is a criminal and villain, but his crimes actually are prank and joke based. Ever since the 90s I to especially the 2000s, most Jokers have been overly serious and only "screwy" in being psychotically homicidal.
In my opinion, if Mark Hamill set the bar for Joker voice actors, then Kevin Michael Richardson did freaking gymnastics on it. And that’s why he’s one of my faves. 😍
This joker was my childhood joker despite having so many incarnations around. I always liked that he was not only to be very smart but able to physically match batman, it made him feel more of a threat then most versions imo. And since he had a deeper voice he just had such an intimidating vibe
I think a mix of the traditional suit and the straight jacket would have worked better than the regular suit. Imagine a light purple, tattered long jacket with the swirls over the yellow jacket instead. Long, ripped trousers with the purple half shoes that he wears, complete with the fingerless gloves
Okay that actually sounds like a really cool design!
This Joker is in my top 3 Animated Jokers, along with Joe Dimaggio for being the creepiest one you would NOT want to see outside your bedroom as a kid and Mark Hamill. I like him because he CAN ACTUALLY FIGHT with a wild and unpredictable style.
This Joker was like a crazed hobo which made it stand out from the other versions. Him going to a suit was just him going "Oh, wait, OTHER villains are here, well I can play dress-up too!" and doing an attempt at one. I really like the black circles around the eyes because it helps make the red eyes stand out more.
The Joker + Harley relationship here isn't toxic because this is THE START of the relationship; years down the line when being abused, *these* good times are what she will remember.
7:53 strange how this predates Arkham Asylum titan Joker, most likely the inspiration
Same with Batman who laughs!
Arkham Asylum out here stealing from this, BTAS, Lego Batman…
Lol jk, it’s inspiration and love, but it is funny to see so many similar things predating that masterpiece of a game
Yes finally someone said something about this! 4:13 I always felt like later on in the show the joker was just a bit washed down in aesthetic just as explained in the video it just felt really bland but never the less this is still one of my favorite versions of the joker.
I like that this is the joker that made Clay face.
One of the few times his thing of "one bad day" is proven right
This Joker is personally my favourite Joker, i love the voice, the look and the more acrobatic fighting style, most of all i love the hair, it's awesome
The BTAS Joker was always portrayed as man that was criminally insane. He was dangerous, sure, but he was still just a man. And that’s how almost every single portrayal of the Joker has been depicted since then. “The Batman” (2004) Joker was chaos incarnate. Sure, he didn’t actually have anymore superpowers than Batman did, but he was always treated as less of a person and more of a force of nature. Which, in a lot of ways, is how most Batmen are seen and treated as in Gotham, making this Joker a lot more like an anti-Batman both thematically and narratively.
Also, like he mentioned I like how this Joker could hold his own in a fight against Batman. With most Jokers, as soon as Batman is within punching range, the fight’s over. With the ‘04 Joker, even if you found him, he was still very much a threat.
Personally I loved this Joker. He was very different, but that was like 90% off The Batman stuff. And the design was something I REALLY liked. It clicked to me as a Jester, which is really fitting considering he's named after the card that uses a jester as its depiction. And making him act almost animalistic really sold him as a maniac. And his agility matched that design choice, jesters are lively and chaotic (due to them all being insane). It was just so visually great to watch, especially since his design was made to match with the looseness. The hanging sleeves and long hair flew around as he did, it was great.
This Joker feels much more like an actual lunatic psycho than the usual Joker. He truly feels unpredictable to me and when i was kid he actually gave me nightamares. skipped all the episodes with him for years
Thank you for having a clip of the bit crunched leapster joker laugh. I had the game growing up and I adored it. 12:23
People disliked and some _still_ dislike this Joker?? This Joker's awesome! I love how this one is so different from any other cartoon, live action, or comic version of him. The Batman's Joker is absolutely bat shit insane, even by Joker standards. He's so wacky and wild, utilising the clown and playful aspects of the character in such unique ways while still making him a threat, due to his more animalistic side. The episode where he dressed up as Batman for reasons, only to end up deluding himself into _thinking_ he's Batman was both hilarious and kind of freaky to see. He was being a hero, but doing it in a lethal way to both villains _and_ bystanders because he's nuts. Kevin Michael Richardson did a phenomenal job voicing him as well. He deserves all the credit he gets for this and other performances. Additionally, this is a Joker and Harley partnership that actually kind of _works_ for once, in _both_ of their favours ... for the most part. That's very different to see, but welcome, nonetheless.
Me and my friends didn't like him when he appeared as we had grown up with the 90's animated series and Tim Burton's take on the joker. We never watched the show per se, especially because the animated series felt as if it was peak Batman. What I can say is that his visual design came across badly to all of us, and as someone else pointed out, it had Insane Clown Posse vibes to it. The look didn't reflect the Joker any of us knew, and came off as try-hard edgy.
I got a feeling that most of the people here are probably in the age bracket that would have grown up watching this series as children. The same applies for the previous generation. When Batman the Animated Series was released in 1992 I was 9 years old, so when The Batman was released I was 21.
@@CarnagefiendWith that in mind, I recommend you rewatch this entire show. Hope you'll be neatly surprised.
@@michaelandreipalon359 I'm not sure you got the point of my comment. I grew up with Batman the Animated Series. For me that is the penultimate Batman while for you and most others here it's The Batman.
The comments here are going to create a natural echo chamber because the people that watched the show would be interested in commentary on it. I clicked on the video because I was more interested in seeing what younger people's takes were.
I replied to this comment mostly because people that ARE interested can't image why people that didn't grow up with it were not. I'm mostly trying to share the perspective as to why I didn't get into it, which is mostly my age. There are people that think the Adam West version of Batman is peak, and they're the reason why Batman Forever and Batman and Robin were made since they grew up with camp. However I think taste in camp for both of our generations is long gone.
@@Carnagefiend I grew up being able to watch both BTAS and TB. Both are incredible and both Jokers are iconic. They took a risk with Joker here and it paid off imo.
I forget who said it, but I remember someone pointing this out. This Batman series was the first to follow B:TAS and TNBA (heck, JLU was still technically running when this show started) and the first not to be connected in any way to the DCU (unless you count Teen Titans). The showrunners knew for an absolute *FACT* that they weren't gonna live up to that show's legacy, so they didn't try. They made something unique, something that hasn't been done with Batman before or since, and I highly respect them for that.
Hamill and M. Richardson both playing different Jokers in a multiversal story.
I'd pay to see that.
Honestly this Joker being different is a fantastic thing. More traditional takes on the Joker are great too, but I'm a big sucker for creativity and so I love seeing new and original versions of popular characters. The same old thing and the same old stories told on repeat get old and tired and the versions that already exist aren't going anywhere and you can always go back and watch them again. But this, this gets it. This knows that it's not one of the prior series, and isn't trying to hide it. This has its own identity, its own creative vision and feel to it. It's not just more of the same, it's new and fresh and unique, at least for its time.
We need more series that completely reimagine the main cast similar to this and do their own thing with the story. Get weird, get wacky, or take something weird and wacky and find a compelling way to make it serious. Just make sure that through it all the storytelling fundamentals aren't forgotten. Don't be different just to be different, have a well thought out story to tell. Follow a theme. Have an identity. That's the recipe for success.
Love it or hate it, this version was a BOLD move and and honestly kinda respect it. You can't say they didn't have an idea
One thing that always stood out to me was the creepy circus music that accompanied his appearances. Really sells the vibe they were going for.
his theme is one of my favourite pieces of music
This show really grew on me. When it first came out, I was mad salty when this replaced the series before it.
Glad you included the interview from talking toons. Loves how he poured his emotion into the role and it’s what gave him the part. I’ve always loved this very of Joker and his showmanship. This was the Joker I grew up on and his portrayal is up there with Hamill. I revisit The Batman for KMR as Joker and the sibling rivalry of Robin and Batgirl.
I first came across The Batman 2004 universe when I rented The Batman vs. Dracula for my kid. At first, I hated the Joker, but he soon grew on me, to the point where I ended up getting all 5 seasons on DVD. That version of the cartoon is underrated.
My favorite thing about the 2004 animated Joker, is his physicality, the athleticism is different from basically all other jokers. He's also the most seemingly like Eldritch or otherworldly feeling joker to me, like he somehow preexists his own creation.
You should do an episode on The Batman's Penguin, which kind of revived the character after BTAS had no idea what to do with him and TNBA demoted him to snitch
Not to mention how Tom Kenny steals the show with that performance.
Every time I read Penguin I read it in his voice
I liked that version of the Penguin. I like how they made him go back to his more silver-age incarnation as a villain with a bird gimmick. Rather than the generic crime boss most versions seem to go with nowadays. Though, I felt his kung fu abilties were a bit off. I think judo or some grappling based fighting style would suit him better.
@@keithharrissuwignjo2460 His, or the cockney Arkham voice
@@andrewdau1299 yeah, the penguin I think is a character the batman did right. not a fan of their portrayal of most characters, but penguin seemed well done.
I do agree that him being able to do martial arts makes no sense. he really should just rely on his umbrella and use more of a bar fight style. I also think his silent hench women don't make any sense really. they're not bird themed. they're just asian and have claws. they seem more apt for the court of owls than penguin.
I think it's just because the art director for the show worked on jackie chan adventures and was asian, so everything in the show was a bit asian, and everyone except the police were martial artists, all performing super human feats. everyone doing martial arts was very reminiscent of jackie chan adventures, and every character, including bruce, looked somewhat asian. catwoman looked asian, yin was asian, spellbinder was super asian. the fight scenes were nice, but were kinda weird that most of batman's foes where proficient martial artists. even the mafia featured in season 1 was just asian. the show started shifting after season 1, to try to be more kid friendly in season 2, and becoming more like classic batman in season 3 and 4.
Hes my favorite! Literally such unique desing, it reflects the feral energy he carries plus the movements! He was so fun to look at! when he moves and fights.
Kevin Michael Richardson’s portrayal of Joker was both unique and a joy to watch. He was one of my first introductions to The Joker and I will always love his version.
First off I move this joker because he’s an essential part of my childhood. But I remember as a kid loving this joker because he reminded me of if a jack in the box was a person. He’s very springy and slinky especially with his limbs hence why I also love the straight jacket look. It really complimented that.
I felt this was too long to add but that was another thing I liked about this show is how the characters looked like their personas. Like penguin is super short and rounded and has a long beak like nose and also instead of normal hands three clawed fingers. Scarecrow was like a super flexible and able to dislocate and relocate his bones in that clock tower episode. It was like he was made of straw and didn’t have bones. I can go on and on but this show did a good job of making characters match their persona names
My third favorite Joker, after Ledger and Hamill. In that order.
Ledger over hamill is crazy
@@zionarrington8489 It's my preference, not an objective ranking. When I actually go by which one I think is a better Joker, I give it to Hamill, then Ledger.
I never watched this series, and I love how much time you spent on his Voice Actor, he absolutely did a great job. I love that he was annoyed WB didn't use Mark Hamill
When this Joker originally debuted, I wasn't a fan, I was just too used to Mark Hamil's definitive performance, but in retrospect, that's exactly why this version of the Joker needed to be so different... anything else would have felt like a lackluster imitation.
That pretty much goes for this particular series as a whole, because it wasn't just the Joker either. So much of what we think of as modern Batman was defined, or in some cases outright invented by BtAS, and the only way for _The Batman_ to make any kind of name for itself was to be as different as possible.
Yeah, if it was set up to be compared to a predecessor no matter what it did, standing out is probably the best decision they could make
I still don't like this joker. he has some fun episodes, but overall, not a fan. I thought at first it was because it wasn't btas joker, and thus "not my joker", but I liked the dark knight's joker and the brave and the bold's joker.
the weird rat teeth, the lack of shoes, him having no idea who batman was at first and just obsessing over him out of nowhere, having no history with batman, or anyone really until then. him being a martial artist for no reason. at his point, just make a new character. just use the creeper and make him a villain in this universe.
compared to the penguin, who had a history with alfred's family, has a backstory and a reason for being a criminal. he was the best antagonist in the batman. he was also pretty much in line with "the penguin". his martial arts was out of left field, but he didn't rely on it much.
So sad to see this Joker sapped of his uniqueness, especially nowadays where the Joker character-milking has made him so bloated and overdone... This was, and could've still been, a breath of fresh air.
I always liked this version of Joker. I really dig how acrobatic he is and how unique his voice is compared to most other animated Jokers.
This is my favorite show ever, and definitely favorite Batman show, and I absolutely love the heck out of this characterization, with the voice being the energy core for all of it.
I love that early show design, especially because of how he moved, he spoke, he acted, he felt, and how he existed as a part of the world. That initial crazy design for me is so special, and so necessary for the character, and it lays down exactly the blueprint of how the character is in this universe. He’s so ANIMATED, and WILD, and sort of…carnal in his quest for humor and, as we see from that one Strange episode (Strange Minds) where Batman peers into his mind, pain. Pain he feels inside, and the rage, his outlet for the inner sadness.
To me, having that sort of depth with the character, particularly later on as the series develops, is indicative of growth for his character, and more complexity. So for me, when I see the suit design and the features of him being more subtle, I don’t look at it as merely changing to the corporate standards of the execs, but as a defining of who he is. He BECOMES more pronounced, his goals more materialized, and his very nature more established. There’s somewhere in that S1-S2 and Batman vs Dracula that just strikes me, and it feels right. Kinda like the right voice for the role. He’s BECOME the Joker (or just _Joker_, in this case). It’s when his character felt the most real to me.
TL;DR, and all of that to say, I think the suit and a lot about his antics and decisions after S1 are good and natural for his character, and it helped him develop. I don’t think it’s just me trying to put some reason on what’s ultimately the studio going in a different direction, but if it is, there’s nothing wrong with that. This is the way I want to view the character, and the world at large
_The Batman_ (2004) is probably my second favorite version of the Joker, only beaten out by the DCAU Joker as performed by Mark Hamill. I actually favor his "hybrid" look when he ditches the straightjacket *not* because I hated the straightjacket *but* because I hated the straightjacket's colors. I didn't even realize this until your video, where you showed some toys with different color schemes for it. The black-and-white stripped looked _really_ good! Channeling a bit of Beetlejuice, or just blending vintage psychiatric ward with vintage prison garb.
This was the first Joker that i was ever exposed to. I enjoyed it as much as a 6 year old can enjoy this kind of show. But it was on a rewatch a few years ago that i finally realized where this joker soars where most jokers fail and fall flat. He's funny. The Joker is supposed to be funny. Cracking jokes, telling puns, making punchlines. And a lot of Jokers just aren't comedic. Even the supposed greatest, Ledger, only felt like he was telling jokes because of corporate mandate. Only Hamill's Joker also felt like he was laughing because he actually found something funny
I like this version of the joker.
Feels intimidating, yet cool. Familiar, yet different.
This is how you make a character in an adaptation stand on their own without essentially making a new character
Love this. Its weird as a kid when this series aired i watched it sometimes but was never into it like i was the other Batman shows of the time, but now i appreciate this series so much for its unique style and you explain a lot of my reasons 🤘
I LOVED this Joker as a kid. Especially with the Clayface Arc. I remember I finished 4 seasons of it on Netflix, but it got deleted before I could finish the series.
I actually just recently watched The Batman and I remember seeing this form of Joker but wasn't sure where it was from. So when he showed up it was like being splashed by cold water and as the show went on he became one of my favorite portrayals of the character.
Him? A bad Joker? HA! Now that's a laugh!
This gives me the mental image of 2004 Joker actually treating any Joker Mark plays as royalty.
I love the fact you talked about The Batman 2004. Quite underrated.
I really love how this Joker feels less like a comedian or ringleader and more like a genuine *clown.*
It's clear from his change in attire that 2004 Joker wants to look absolutely looney, his fighting style is nothing if not acrobatic, he's not so committed to the brand that he's afraid of getting into costume for his new act, and if anything it's like he wants to make EVERYONE laugh, not just himself.
His ability to go from high pitch zim-style cackling to deep bassy and sinister just adds to his over-the-top persona.
Also yeah I'm almost positive the appearance change was solely because his new look got HEAVY backlash, not just from angry fans but from parents who were alarmed at how genuinely *creepy* this joker looked, and felt like it was scaring their children. What resulted was a sort of "return to form" to a more "palatable" Joker.
This Joker was a good setup after Batman the Animated series. Best episode with him was with Riddler, Penguin, and Joker having a competition to take down the Batman
This rendition of Joker is everything I enjoy in an alternate setting, and I wish more people would be brave enough to try this. He's my favorite Joker, personally and I'm glad for the run he had.
I know people considered Mark Hamill The joker when it comes to animated Jokers both in well, animation and video games, but this joker is honestly The joker I grew up with when I was first introduced to Batman ever in my life as a little kid.
And now watching this video it's crazy to think that he himself was not very happy about playing The joker once upon a Time just out of respect for Mark.
No I did not grow up with the original Batman animated series but I have seen some of it and I have heard a lot of his voice work in many iterations of the joker where he voices him.
The man is fucking fantastic and I do not deny that he is one of THE Jokers when it comes to animation and video games. But I cannot give this guy some love because he did such a fantastic job, and honestly again I just grew up with this joker. And that's not just childhood bias, I can recognize just how fucking fantastic Mark Hamill as the joker. And I can understand why nobody can ever imagine anybody else but him as the joker.
There's a reason why I say he's one of *'THE' Joker's* . Unless you're only talking about animations and video games and people will say he is THR Joker. But I say one of because I'm including all of the iterations including live action.
But again, he was the one I grew up with so this is the joker that was part of my childhood. And he did a pretty damn good job and in all honesty, I did not know he played all those other roles mentioned. I love it when voice actors are in more rolls than you realize. You don't notice when they're right in front of you speak. Because you're too immersed in their role & acting.
I grew up with both and I prefer this Joker in some ways. They are both unique and interesting in their respective shows.
Its hilarious that i got this video- i dont watch batman content, or your content period, BUT i was just thinking about this exact long haired joker a few nights ago because my brother owned a movie with him that i remember watching growing up. And now i know where hes from so i can find that movie again!
Dude I take this jokers voice as the next main one anytime really also his hiss in the Batman vs Dracula is amazing
I like the Batman show because the villains feel like they earned their names. Joker is a clown, Penguin is a penguin, Riddler does actual riddles, and etc. They are just not another crime lord who wear business suits and does business. They actually feel like the part.
This is one of those things that only ever works in this specific iteration but should never be done again.
12:23 - Bro I remember that from the Leap Frog game! Thank you for the childhood memories! :D
Absolutely love this version. The design, physicality, looniness, *the voice*
I love the jester dread wild man cosplayer take. Always full of energy and continuing to stand out. Heck, in a meta sense, him bouncing to his own rhythm even alongside other Jokers helps him be a good Joker.
My favorite Joker(love when he impersonates Batman). The Batman 2004 was one of my favs.
Only thing I hated was Bane's design.
I loved "The Batman" and how they made their own version of each villain! My buddy J and I watched this together, our favorite character in the series has to be the first Clayface in the show. Detective Bennett had such a good character arc that I still remember his name 8 years later!
Can we hear your takes on some of the other villains on this show, because they were all pretty interesting and different. This show had a completely different origin of Clayface, a Mr Freeze that was actually meta human, and a really fun Penguin that wasn’t just the boring mobster that he usually is nowadays.
I honestly love his design. I love the vibe of his hair, his face and his straight-jacket outfit. I also like him not being a horrible person to Harley Quinn like other versions
This Joker is probably my FAVORITE animated Joker ever. He's the first one I remember growing up with besides Heath Ledger. Even then, I didn't understand The Dark Knight as a kid.
I love how different he's to every other Joker to exist. I agree that his original attire fit him best, but like the redesign's darker shaded eyes.
Please do a Mark Hamill video, I have yet to watch all his Joker work and see in full why he’s so beloved as the Crowned Prince of Crime!
Loved the kind of chaos that radiated from this joker. Going full unhinged clown-creature-man
Joker’s inspiration from the Man Who Laughs, to a white painted mustache, to having a dragon tattoo on his back, to being a dragon. Yeah, this isn’t too wild.
You go a lot on the change of looks, but I actually personally think it was really well executed.
Joker starts completely demented, to a point that his physicality is impacted, the hunched back position, the long sleeves he can wrap around, the chaotic design, it all fits in that demented approach. But as you mention as time goes on he changes outfit and posture, becoming more human ni the process, yet I think it is nailed well, because it feels like a charade that Joker puts on, like a hoax he uses to seem more human where... Well his plans are still completely insane, and more than anything, he always reverts back down to the original vision, not necessarily in looks, but in actions, a very evident detail when he fights, as there's no differences between before and after the look update.
You say it's jaring to see chaos in in a business suit, and I think it was the complete purpose of it, even when he tries to look formal, this Joker cannot hide what he is. Which differentiates him further from prior renditions, where he is undoubtedly crazy, but the loon can be kept in check, not with this one.
This was my first joker. With my first Batman movie being Batman vs Dracula
Yeah that movie was …. Was quite interesting
Loved that movie ❤
Mine as well
I think a lot of people hate this version because he's so unusual compared to the contemporary or even comic book renditions. However, I personally think there's plenty of room for something unique, especially in a design space as old as the Batman setting.
It's also funny how this Joker still sounds very Mark Hamill inspired. But he's still his own thing. And all around just a good performance.
But it feels like the va is trying a bit too hard to capture Hamill's Joker
I recently watched an old TMNT 2012 ComicCon panel and Kevin Michael Richardson did an impression of Greg Cipes and it literally blew me away how high his voice can go and how easy it was for him to pull out a perfect Beast Boy impression. His range is INSANE!