These bright, fresh, and unusual stories will give you a new perspective on a galaxy far, far away.
In 2021, Disney+ released perhaps the most original and daring Star Wars animated project since Genndy Tartakovsky's The Clone Wars. Star Wars: Visions is an anthology of animated shorts produced by seven leading Japanese anime studios.
Disney gave the animation masters unprecedented creative freedom – their imaginations were not limited by canon, strict corporate rules, or the need to tie the story to a dozen released or in-development products.
Star Wars: Visions Is the Most Unusual Project in the Franchise
Strictly speaking, Visions is a completely non-canon project, although individual shorts do not contradict the current canon. This allowed the authors of Visions to create something original and unthinkable.
For example, a wild story about a Hutt and a Jedi who formed a rock band and toured the Outer Rim, or a touching story about a robot who wanted to be a normal Jedi boy.
The local Star Wars world is as far removed from the main events of the most famous space opera as possible – the creators never mention Skywalker and Palpatine, and are unaware of Order 66.
Instead, the creators quote some iconic moments from the centuries-old confrontation between the Sith and the Jedi, showing that history is moving in a spiral.
Star Wars: Visions Is Full of References to Cult Works
The Japanese creators of Star Wars: Visions were able to use references to their culture in a natural way. For example, the episode The Duel is based on the monochrome style of black-and-white Japanese samurai films.
The choice of such a reference for the episode that opens the entire anthology is significant. The creator of the Star Wars universe, George Lucas, was inspired by the works of the famous Japanese director Akira Kurosawa.
Star Wars: Visions Is a Refreshing Take on the Famous Saga
Star Wars: Visions is a great opportunity to take a fresh look at the popular universe. The anthology covers a wide range of topics, from generational change and the fickleness of the Force to real-life family dynamics. In addition, some of the novellas pay homage to classic anime.
In addition to the Star Wars universe, the anthology is a chance to become familiar with the work of seven leading Japanese studios, whose work every viewer interested in modern animation should know.
Despite the similarity of many of the plots to the great Star Wars universe, this is visually an independent work that shows what can be achieved in animation with different approaches to graphics and animation style.
Where to Watch Star Wars: Visions?
Star Wars: Visions is available to stream on Disney+.