Growing up, I was a massive Star Wars fan, but my fandom didn’t revolve around the movies. Sure, I loved the first three movies (and was young enough to be entertained by the first two prequels), but for me, the real meat of Star Wars was in the Expanded Universe. Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn series is still my canonical ending to the Skywalker saga. Jedi Apprentice turned Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi’s relationship into something meaningful. The Star Wars universe once felt truly limitless. Disney would not capture that spirit in its sequel trilogy, but the new Disney Plus animated series Star Wars: Visions is exactly the direction I want to see this franchise go in the years to come.
Star Wars: Visions is a collaborative project between Lucasfilm and some of Japan’s top anime studios. These animated shorts, which are stand-alone animations, explore hidden corners and remixed versions the universe George Lucas has created. While some are more successful than others they take incredible chances. Some shorts feel more like Star Wars than many of the actual Star Wars movies.
Visions successfully blends Star Wars and anime
The Duel, which is the first of the nine shorts, does a great job laying the foundation for the series. It is a mix of CGI animation and hand-drawn black and white visuals. Although it looks modern, it feels like a modern anime.
The Duel comes from Kamizake Douga, best known for its work on the anime JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. Even though the story is different, that spirit and style shines through. And that’s what makes this project so special. These studios might be known for telling certain stories or making certain shows look certain. Star Wars: Visions gives those Japanese studios an opportunity to branch out while still staying true to their roots.
If you are a fan of any of these legendary studios, there’s a good chance that you will find similarities between their Star Wars short and the shows they typically make. We not only get the chance to see their talents at work but also to watch them push boundaries.
Lucasfilm should greenlight more projects like this
The Ninth Jedi, from Production I.G. (Haikyu!!, Psycho-Pass, Ghost in the Shell), is the pinnacle of the series. It’s a quick 20-minute adventure that sets high stakes and introduces plot points and characters. The finale is twisty and thrilling. I’m satisfied, but I want more. That’s what the best of these shorts do. The Twins is among the flashiest and the silliest of the shorts, pitting two siblings against one another as they battle atop a Star Destroyer. Meanwhile, Tatooine Rhapsody spends a majority of its run time focused on a concert for Jabba the Hutt (which is INFINITELY better in Japanese, trust me). There’s just so much fuel left in the Star Wars tank.
The reason that this all works is that Disney and Lucasfilm let talented, passionate creators put their spin on Star Wars. I don’t care if these stories are canonical, or how they affect the Skywalker legacy. I’m just pleased to see other stories being told in this universe. The Mandalorian has opened so many doors for this franchise. I can only hope that Star Wars: Visions is just the beginning.
As much as I admire and respect the voice actors involved in the dubbing, switching to Japanese audio with English subtitles is a great idea. I know that there is an endless war being waged over subs vs. dubs — I’m not here to fight that battle. I lay my lightsaber down. The origin of this project is what makes it so exciting. Many of these stories are Japanese-informed and it is my belief that Japanese is the best way to learn them.
Nevertheless, Temuera Morrison, actor, voices Boba Fett in the dub. I will never tire of hearing him play Boba Fett, and I can’t wait for The Book of Boba Fett in December.
You can watch all nine shorts in the Star Wars: Visions series now on Disney Plus. If you don’t have a subscription to Disney’s streaming service, you can sign up at this link.