So...somebody over at DC is a HUGE Katana fan, evidenced by the company’s recent hard
push - across multiple divisions - to expose the character to fans who...haven’t demanded
to see her, or one could even argue taken to her since she was pushed upon them.
But that someone at DC is relentless, and now she’s a member of David Ayer’s upcoming
Suicide Squad movie.
Yes, welcome back to Suicide Squad Case Files, introducing you to each member of the team
as well as the actor who will bring them to life on the big screen!
Now Katana, aka Tatsu Yamashiro, is definitely what you could describe as a “special case”.
For instance, in the upcoming movie she isn’t a criminal drafted against her will by Amanda
Waller like the rest of the squad, but instead the volunteer bodyguard for Rick Flagg - Waller’s
point person in the field.
Why would she volunteer?
How does she know Rick Flagg?
I wouldn’t be surprised if she knew or knows Rick’s father as there’s both a Rick Flagg
Sr and Rick Flagg Jr associated with the Suicide Squad, and the United States military does
have a...history with Japan - where Tatsu hails from.
But while you’ll have to wait for those answers until you see the movie, or a trailer
that gives too much away, I can tell you about Katana’s comic book roots.
Now, while Katana has run into the Suicide Squad in the comics, she’s never actually
served with the team - in fact, she and Killer Croc are the only characters in Ayer’s movie
not pulled from any of the Suicide Squad comics.
But Katana did found another renegade team, this one founded by Batman himself, the Outsiders.
Batman, ever the loner, had started the team one of the times he was particularly ticked
off with the Justice League, and he met Katana when she helped free him from a Markovian
jail.
That’s right, Batman, vigilante talent scout.
That history is why Katana showed up in both Batman The Brave and The Bold and Beware The
Batman.
The latter reimagined Katana as a CIA agent who’d infiltrated Ra’s Al Ghul’s League
of Assassins, a connection that showed up again when the character resurfaced on The
CW’s Arrow.
But let’s back it up a bit.
Who was Tatsu before she met Batman?
Before she picked up her sword?
She was a gifted martial artist in Japan who was admired by two brothers.
After she chose to marry Maseo, the other brother Takeo joined the Yakuza - aka Japanese
organized crime - where he acquired two ancient swords, one of which had mystical properties.
Takeo took the two swords and confronted his brother at the home he now shared with Tatsu
and their children.
Setting the house aflame and demanding a duel for Tatsu, Takeo killed his brother who was
trying to protect his children from the fire.
The sword Takeo used was the mystical one, the Soultaker, and Maseo’s soul become trapped
inside it.
Tatsu, seeing her husband’s murder, fought his killer and won, taking the mystical sword.
When she grabbed hold of it, she realized it’s terrible power, for she could hear
her dead husband speaking to her - and telling her that their children had perished in the
fire while she’d fought...
It was then that Tatsu decided to devote her life to fighting for justice with the Soultaker
sword, and fled Japan only to meet Batman in Markovia.
Now, in Arrow, the Yakuza were swapped out for the League of Assassins, the organization
that would that would take her family from her.
And while Katana has always fought on the fringe of justice, she’s still always fought
for justice.
In addition to the Outsiders she’s also fought with the female superhero team Birds
of Prey, as well as joined Amanda Waller and Steve Trevor’s Justice League of America
in The New 52.
There, Waller tempts Tatsu to join with information about her husband’s killer, so look for
that as a possible incentive in Ayer’s Suicide Squad as well.
It’s also worth noting that in The New 52, the mystical properties of Katana’s sword
are not proven, and many believe her to be at least slightly insane for believing her
husband’s soul lives inside of it.
Now, while DC put the kibosh on Harley Quinn, Deadshot and more being used on Arrow, Katana
has appeared in MANY episodes, portrayed by Japanese model turned actress Rila Fukushima.
And fans are already familiar with Fukushima from her breakout role as Yukio in 2013’s
The Wolverine.
So it’s odd that Ayer would recast such a kick-ass actress in a currently ongoing
role with a young American-Japanese actress who is best known for her work on The Disney
Channel JAPAN?!
But hey, in Fukuhara defense, The Disney Channel has messed up some people BAD, and she is
a martial arts champion.
Fukuhara describes her Katana as someone with morals and codes, which allow her to ruthlessly
kill hundreds of people without hesitation.
Waller should keep that in mind, since volunteers don’t have micro-bomb implants to keep them
in check.
Or do they...?
So, does it matter if Katana is a volunteer, or should she be as crazy as the rest of the
team?
And is she working for Batman here too?
Plus Arrow fans, can anyone replace Fukushima?!
Finally, should DC stop trying to make Katana happen, or are they right to bet heavily on
her with today’s strong asian box office?
Write your thoughts down below!
I'm Grace Randolph and be sure to tell me who you want to see explored next on Suicide
Squad Case Files!
Enchantress, Deadshot and Amanda Waller are available to watch - right now!