by Jake Bourgeois, Contributing Writer
One of the most exciting Star Wars projects of recent years was Star Wars: Visions. Released in 2021, the first season was a breath of creative fresh air. Handing seven anime studios a clean slate to come up with imaginative shorts without having to worry about the constraints of canon resulted in some great short stories with fantastic visuals.
Well, it’s back on Disney+ for a second edition with nine more animation studios stepping to the plate as part of the streamer’s Star Wars Day releases — opening it up to other international studios. So, how’d they do? Here’s a quick rundown of the shorts on their own, before I wrap things up with some overall thoughts.
“Sith”
Things kick off with a story about a former Sith apprentice who finds her past infringing on the quiet existence she’s trying to build. From El Guiri Studios, it’s got a unique animation style. There’s painterly feel — think a bit like Arcaneon Netflix — that pairs with the narrative. It uses color (and the absence of it) quite well. Everything seems to pop, and it really shines once the action kicks off. In proper Disney fashion, we’re introduced to an adorable companion in the premiere, too. Great way to start things off.
“Screecher’s Reach”
Bringing Cartoon Saloon’s aesthetic into Star Wars? Yes, please. We follow three young workers at a factory who abscond to the supposedly haunted cave at the titular location. Up until the whole haunted cave part, it’s an injection of pure serotonin, which in hindsight is just cruel. The “ghoul” arrives to provide unadulterated, pure nightmare fuel, and the short will have you screaming, “NOOOOOO,” in proper Star Wars tradition. So, yeah, I loved this one. Big shocker, but I’d be lying to you if I didn’t say this was my clear favorite.
“In the Stars”
From Oscar-winning Chilean studio Punkrobot (Bear Story), this Claymation-style story follows a pair of young sisters who are put to the test when discovered by the Imperial forces ravaging their planet’s resources. This one leans heavily into an environmental message, and once again includes art as a plot device — this time in animated cave art-like drawings. I don’t think the script is particularly strong, but the animation and creature design are intriguing enough to keep your interest in the short until you get to the next one.
“I Am Your Mother”
Aardman Animations gets involved to tell the story of a mother-daughter duo, paired together to compete in a flight academy race, and it’s adorable. From the stereotypical posh rival family, to watching family dynamics play out mid-race, it’s a predictable story, but one I enjoyed nonetheless. I got quite the chuckle out of the original trilogy cameo thrown in, too.
“Journey to the Dark Head”
From the production company behind The Legend of Korra, Studio Mir, we follow the mission of a mechanic and a Jedi who seek to change the tide of the war between Jedi and Sith. Maybe it’s a bias of mine knowing the studio going in, but it had a very Avatar feel — both in the look and the storytelling. There’s a dynamism to animation that makes it look like it’s vibrating. This one gives us a lot to unpack, particularly with our Jedi, Toul, who must overcome a past trauma. This one is a great pairing of the mystical side of Star Wars and action, the types of stories where I think the series really shines. A little tip for this one: The mouths don’t match up to the lips. So if that bugs you, like me, switch the audio to Korean. It was throwing me off until I got that rectified. Thanks to Reddit for the language confirmation. Overall, this one is the closest so far to the feel of the original volume.
“The Spy Dancer”
Studio La Cachette, the studio behind Primal, brings us this one, and the title pretty much says it all. We follow a dancer seeking to undermine the Empire through her show in the galaxy’s version of Paris. The use of cloth in the dancing gives things a Cirque du Soleil feel, while the fight scenes feel very Doctor Strange. It’s a mix that I thoroughly enjoyed, with turns fitting for an espionage thriller and a hand-drawn style as graceful as our lead.
“The Bandits of Golak”
88 Pictures, the studio behind TrollHunters, takes us back into 3D animation to follow a pair of siblings trying to stay one step ahead of the Empire, as the younger sister has a secret — though she’s not the only one. Set on a train, confined setting really works to the short’s advantage for the first half and, overall, I enjoyed this Indian-inspired world. It’s also boosted by a creepy villain, but maybe I’m just a mark for inquisitors. However, of the shorts to include lightsabers, this might be my least favorite fight of the volume.
“The Pit”
The penultimate episode is the work of the lone Japanese studio this time around, with D’ART Shtajio and Lucasfilm teaming up for this tale about a young prisoner hatching a plan to escape after being left for dead by the Empire. This one gave me a bit of Batman vibes, not only because of the giant pit in the middle of the desert, but also the, “it’s always darkest before the dawn” message. Though one of the darker episodes, it concludes with a glimmer of hope that’s a Star Wars staple.
“Aau’s Song”
We end with a South African short from Triggerfish, which follows a young girl whose talent for singing is suppressed due to its negative repercussions on the local mining economy. The short is the fourth of the nine to take us back to a three-dimensional animation style, with a unique feel I found charming. Aside from the visuals, the score is a big highlight for me here. The way the music pairs with the visuals in the exploration of kyber crystals is beautifully done, and is a great way to explore our heroine’s connection with them. It’s a whimsical way to conclude the season.
Like Season One, there are similar ideas that clearly drew the interest of the animators, from exploring Jedi, Sith, kyber crystals, or just the unique worlds an infinite galaxy has to offer. Seeing how different creators attack somewhat similar subjects remains a fascinating exercise.
I love that Volume Two opens up the challenge to animators all over the globe. Sure, there was a good variety when it was just anime studios, but this one has a real international flair, and to see some real animation heavy-hitters come out and put their flavor into the Star Wars universe was fun. Just based on the projects from the studios, my favorite shorts aren’t terribly surprising as they come from Cartoon Saloon and Studio Mir — the two studios I had the strongest connections to heading in.
Overall, though largely solid, I think Volume Two has my least favorite of the 18 total shorts we’ve been given, and doesn’t quite hit the big highs that I got throughout Volume One. However, as I stated in my review of the first season, telling new stories and taking creative chances is something that the franchise could do a little more often.
There’s a lot of galaxy and lore that can be explored, and I enjoyed these particular expeditions — even if they don’t technically count. Maybe one day, a Visions legend can be used as a jumping off point for a larger project.
One can only hope.
Score: 7/10
Star Wars: Visions is currently streaming on Disney+
You can read more from Jake Bourgeois, and follow him on Twitter and Letterboxd