Lucasfilm and Disney+ dropped a first look at the anime anthology series Star Wars: Visions. The Star Wars franchise was initially created by George Lucas with the beloved 1977 film. After quickly gaining popularity, it became one of the biggest franchise properties of all time. With books, comics, magazines, short films, television series, video games, toy lines, and more, it continues to grow its universe as well as its fanbase.
Disney has a lot of Star Wars content in the works across various mediums. The Mandalorian season 3 is currently being crafted, and several spin-offs are in various stages of development within the same timeline. One of the many diverse projects is Star Wars: Visions, which is set across the Star Wars universe, but from the lens of Japanese anime creators. It was previously announced that the purpose of the series is to truly celebrate different stories across this beloved universe.
Culture Crave shared a quick first look on Twitter, while a longer special look was uploaded onto the Star Wars YouTube channel. The various creators were given creative freedom to explore this universe as they see fit, and they don’t necessarily need to fit within the established Star Wars timeline. The anthology will be 9 episodes long, which will be released on September 22, 2021. See below for the list of Japanese anime studios and the name of their short, along with both teasers.
Kamikaze Douga – The Duel
Geno Studio (Twin Engine) – Lop and Ochō
Studio Colorido (Twin Engine) – Tatooine Rhapsody
Trigger – The Twins
Trigger – The Elder
Kinema Citrus – The Village Bridge
Science Saru – Akakiri
Science Saru – T0-B1
Production IG – The Ninth Jedi
Watch The Original Video Here
An anthology series comes with the opportunity for a variety of art styles and storytelling techniques. However, anthologies often suffer from inconsistent quality from one entry to the next. But since the Star Wars universe is so wide and diverse, it can take risks and try new things. After all, this is not the first animated venture into the franchise. In particular, The Clone Wars performed rather well among critics and fans and gained newfound popularity when season 7 debuted on Disney+.
The combination of Star Wars and anime is an interesting one that will likely divide the fanbase. It’s particularly nice to see content creators being given the freedom to do their magic. When disconnected from the main Star Wars universe, it allows them to go anywhere and do anything without fear of continuity. There are a lot of rich characters and narratives to explore across this universe. Regardless of initial impressions, the storytelling will ultimately be what matters. September is just around the corner, so audiences will soon have the opportunity to see how Star Wars: Visions stands up to the big expectations that come along with this franchise.
Key Release Dates
Rogue Squadron
Release Date:2023-12-22
