by Jake Bourgeois, Contributing Writer
Star Wars: Visions is something completely new in the Star Wars universe and I could not have been more excited for it — particularly after it dropped the trailer a month back.
For those of you that did not partake in the trailer, the series consists of nine shorts (between 13 and 22 minutes) created by seven anime studios. All nine dropped September 22 on Disney+. Being an anthology series, let’s run through each episode rapid-fire style, before finishing up with some overall thoughts.
“The Duel:” We start off with the classic tale of a mysterious stranger defending a village from bad guys. It’s one of the more striking episodes animation-wise. It’s animated in a style where it seems straight out of a sketchbook. Being largely animated in a black-and-white style (complete with flickering film imperfections), the sparing use of colors really pops. This is the short that leans the heaviest into the samurai influences, down to the character designs. The village showdown is a tense one, told compellingly. Oh, AND THERE’S A SPINNING UMBRELLA LIGHTSABER ATTACHMENT. It’s awesome.
“Tatooine Rhapsody:” Here, a band must rescue one of their members from the clutches of the underworld. Even from the title, it shouldn’t surprise you that this is the lone short to feature recognizable characters from canon. The short takes full advantage of having its main characters being in a rock band with a rock-inspired score. It’s more “traditionally” animated than the premiere, but some of the proportions threw me off a bit. Not among my favorites, but a fun time nonetheless.
“The Twins:” Titular twins share a titanic battle aboard a star destroyer. Duality is a big theme here. Even the star destroyer is a twin! A twin myself, I’ll always find myself drawn to twin storylines. This one is simple in its animation feel, but still manages to pull of some of the more stunning sequences of animation in the entire series.
“The Village Bride:” A Jedi on the run comes across a unique village under threat. Nature is a major theme of this short, with it being an important focus for the people of the village. Not a new theme for Star Wars. This is another short where you can really feel the Japanese influence. A pretty soothing feel to this one, with a burst of action at the end.
“The Ninth Jedi:” A lightsaber-smith’s daughter is pursued while carrying precious cargo. The longest short of the series, it’s also one of the few that appears not to be set in the rough area of the timeline we know. Taking place long after the events we know, both Jedi and Sith are looking to reestablish themselves. It feels very Star Wars — particularly when it comes to the score. It’s a very lightsaber-heavy episode, which I’ve always found fascinating in storytelling. This story also has some fantastic action moments and my favorite droid companion of the series. This one has everything.
“T0-B1:” Here, we follow a cybernetic boy with Jedi dreams. This one feels the most whimsical out of the bunch, assisted in that regard by the score and the outlook of our hero. It’s another one where the animation really shines. The sequences when we see or cyber-boy’s dreams are another place where we get to see some fun and different animation. The joy you feel in this one is quite infectious. It has its serious moments, but the joy at the heart of the story always returns and it’s one that will leave you smiling as the credits roll.
“The Elder:” A Jedi and his padawan pursue a sinister feeling. Set long before the events of the films, the short delivers on that description. This short is brooding and nothing but escalating tension as it progresses. The burst of action to relieve said tension does not disappoint. Throw in some philosophical musings on power, and you’ve got a fantastic Star Wars short.
“Lop & Ochō:” A story about a family divided by the Galactic Empire’s presence. Exploring families torn apart or split by the imperial divide is not a new to Star Wars and it’s done very well here. The title refers to siblings, one of whom was adopted, that find themselves split over the empire’s influence on their planet — advancement at the expense of resources. This short may be the one with the most detail when it comes to animation. The way it treats a lightsaber, like how the Japanese treat samurai swords, was a fascinating aspect to explore.
“Akakiri:” A Jedi returns to defend his forbidden love in this final short. The season ends with what is probably the darkest of the nine shorts. This story deals with attachment and the costs associated with it when it comes to the Jedi teaching. The short ends the series with a gorgeous showdown that is fantastically animated.
I’ve enjoyed things like The Mandalorian and The Bad Batch recently, cheering along with the rest of the fandom as fan favorites return. However, I’ve also been itching for the Star Wars universe to expand and try some new things. It’s why the idea of Star Wars: Visions excited me and why I am now giddily typing away at my keyboard.
Everything about this is new, while still also very much Star Wars. There are plenty of winks and nods to canon, but the creators are able to tell their own, unique stories. When Disney bought the franchise, there was much rejoicing when they announced that projects moving forward would be canon. The creators of these shorts had no such constraints, as these one-offs are not canon. That meant the creators didn’t have to worry about the minutiae and could just tell a great story. Disney subsequently implemented some fan favorite aspects of the old expanded universe, now branded Legends. I’d like to see more non-canonical entries from Disney so that they can allow some more creative risk-taking. Then, like with Legends, officially implementing some of the successful ideas that take their fancy down the road.
It’s not a new talking point, but given the massive influence samurai storytelling had on Star Wars, I loved getting to see a Japanese flair put on the universe. Anime isn’t always my bag, but I absolutely adored that aesthetic marrying with a galaxy far, far away. I hope this season is just the first of multiple, or at least that it spurs a spinoff or two. Or three.
Within the season, there are some truly masterful shorts: “The Duel,” “The Ninth Jedi,” “T0-B1,” and “The Elder” among them for me. However, I enjoyed all of them in their own way. I truly don’t think there are any duds here. Even if you find a short isn’t to your liking, they’re all short and there’s a new unique, story around the corner. I truly think there’s something here for everyone.
Grade: A
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