Avengers Confidential: Black Widow & Punisher is a superhero anime film released as a joint production between Marvel Comics and Japanese studio Madhouse.
This movie sees Black Widow and The Punisher teaming up to take on the terrorist organization Leviathan, who plan on selling stolen S.H.I.E.L.D. tech to the highest bidder. Though the film is focused on those two, a few of Black Widow's fellow Avengers (Hawkeye, Iron Man, War Machine, the Hulk, Thor, and Captain Marvel) make appearances.
The film is the most recent collaboration between Marvel and Madhouse, who previously worked together on the Marvel Anime meta-series and Iron Man: Rise of Technovore. Not related to Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers, the Avengers anime Marvel produced with Toei Animation.
Avengers Confidential: Black Widow & Punisher provides examples of:
- Adaptation Distillation: Like most of Marvel's mass-media productions, the film draws from the Ultimate Marvel and Marvel Cinematic Universe continuities in addition to the classic Earth-616 universe. Nick Fury is once again black, and Hawkeye is wearing his leather Ultimate outfit like his movie counterpart.
- Adaptational Attractiveness: Here, Elihas Starr is rather handsome. In the comics, ignoring that he was overweight, there's a reason his supervillain handle was "Egghead".
- Anime Hair: Uniquely among the characters, Captain Marvel.
- Art-Shifted Sequel: Compared to Iron Man: Rise of Technovore, the characters have more lines on their faces, with one of the special features even saying that they wanted a more comic-accurate (more muscular) Punisher design for this movie.
- Badass Normal: Black Widow and Punisher are, for the most part, normal humans, albeit well trained, highly skilled, and very experienced. This is also why Nick Fury wanted them working together — if they were to be brainwashed, it would be easier to take them down, as opposed to someone like the Hulk.
- Back-to-Back Badasses: When surrounded by the Elite Mooks of Leviathan, what else are Punisher and Black Widow gonna do?
- Big Bad Duumvirate: Elihas Starr and Orion. Up at least until Elihas sees the error of his ways, performs a Heel–Face Turn, and finally gets himself killed by Orion.
- Big Damn Heroes: The Avengers arrive just in time for the final showdown.
- Blank White Eyes: The Punisher, usually right before wasting someone.
- Blood from the Mouth: How Starr dies after his Heroic Sacrifice.
- Brainwashed and Crazy: The Punisher by Cain's smartphone.
- Call-Back: Iron Man helps The Punisher to return the favor for helping him at Karachi. Not that Punisher appreciates it.
- Composite Character: This movie's Elihas Starr takes the name and occupation of the villainous Egghead and the physical appearance and history of Black Widow from Alexei Shostakov, a.k.a. the Red Guardian, and brings them together.
- Comic-Book Movies Don't Use Codenames: Elihas Starr isn't called "Egghead".
- Eye Scream: The Punisher kills Orion by stabbing him in his eye.
- Irony: Marvel Comics and its characters are currently owned by Disney, yet this film was distributed by Sony Pictures.
- I Just Want to Be Special: The reason Elihas joined Leviathan is to become worthy of Black Widow's love.
- KidAnova: Amadeus Cho, with limited success, while talking to Black Widow.
- Let's You and Him Fight: Come on, it's based on Marvel Comics. Of course Frank and Natasha exchange some not-so-friendly blows during their first meeting.
- Might Makes Right: Orion's belief.
- Mook Horror Show: The Punisher vs. a warehouse full of weapon dealers. It's not pretty.
- My God, What Have I Done?:
- The Punisher, when he is brainwashed into killing several S.H.I.E.L.D. guards (including a fellow ex-Marine) and nearly kills Black Widow.
- Elihas, when he realizes his mistake for working with Leviathan.
- Ms. Fanservice: Numerous shots linger on Black Widows Most Common Superpower. When she is talking to Amadeus Cho, only her breasts are visible. Her legs and her butt get similar attention.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: Brainwashed and Crazy Frank. The device Cho makes to counter the brainwashing causes a brief green glow in Widow's and Frank's eyes.
- The Stinger: Punisher finally shoots the weapons dealer.
- Superhero Speciation: Defied. In a rare instance, both Iron Man and War Machine are on the same team.
- Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Black Widow and the Punisher don't like each other, but have to work together under Fury's orders.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: The only reason Leviathan became so close to their goal was because of Elihas, who only did it all for Black Widow. And she wasn't happy to be in some ways responsible.
- The Voiceless: Most of the villains, Captain Marvel, Thor, and War Machine never speak. Rather unusual for Thor.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: Some of the villains, and most of the Avengers, who disappear after their aforementioned Big Damn Heroes moment.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Black Widow finds out Nick Fury withheld several information from her, and calls him out on it.
- Wolverine Publicity: The film is ostensibly about Black Widow and Punisher, but Marvel made sure to slap "Avengers" in the title. They do show up to help in the climax, so it's somewhat justified.
- Women Prefer Strong Men: Elihas' mistaken belief that touches off his actions, which ultimately leads to the plot.
