Visions uses the language of Star Wars to make it new.
The breathtaking series of animated shorts are now streaming on Disney+.
The Short Take:
Packed with story and downright gorgeous to look at, Star Wars Visions reforges core themes and touchstones into a fresh and innovative take on a galaxy far far away. Some episodes are better than others, though. (Thankfully I’ve provided a ranked list at the end of this review.)
The Long Take:
More than anything, these nine short films, created by seven different Japanese anime studios, have made me realize that while Star Wars may be a multi-billion dollar transmedia franchise, it is also a language. And not just a visual language, though I would argue that these “visions” are the most transcendent when they lean into the visual lexicon. There are catchphrases like “I’ve got a bad feeling about this” that conjure an entire history of other characters uttering that phrase. There are tropes like twins, powerful elders, young hot shots, brooding loners turned heroes, and “the little guy” villages in need of defense. There are colors: blue, green, purple, yellow, white, and red. Star Wars gives them meaning and their meaning constitutes Star Wars in an endless, iterative loop of sign and signifier.
While Star Wars: Visions may not look like the Star Wars to which I’m accustomed, it is speaking this language. I don’t mean to enact a globalizing violence on the work by ignoring difference; there are plenty of elements in these stories unique to Japanese culture that we should appreciate in their own cultural context. Lest we forget that Akira Kurosawa’s samurai films influenced George Lucas when he created the original trilogy, forming another semiotic feedback loop. But all of these short films use the signs of Star Wars to say something completely new while staying true to the heart and soul of the franchise.
It’s kind of amazing that these studios did not have to conform to the Star Wars “brand”; Disney/Lucasfilm did not demand that they stick to canon. In fact, many of the shorts aren’t even canon adjacent. Giving the Visions creators carte blanche in this way makes room for a new perspective, new non-Western voices from, which props up globalization in a hopeful, utopian way.
But then, coming back to reality, I remember that Disney ultimately profits from this endeavor. As a multinational corporation, they may not see Visions as a utopian exercise in inclusion. They more likely see the series as just property they own. But I don’t pretend to know the nature of the contract the anime studios have with Disney. I would hope that it is as mutually beneficial financially as it is creatively. As a quick aside, since I’m already talking about Disney+, I’ll say that I’m using episode, film, and short interchangeably here because while Disney+ has released these as a season of episodes, they really are all animated short films unto themselves. The line between film and television in the age of streaming continues to blur. Does Disney’s decision to call these episodes as a part of a larger season undercut the work that these individual studios have done?
Fans, on the other hand, only benefit from an entropic expansion of the franchise. Watching Star Wars: Visions is thrilling because we can recognize it as Star Wars despite its unfamiliar veneer. That may just be a convoluted and stuffy way of saying it’s the same but different, but I think there’s a linguistic process at play that is more complex than that. When the ronin in “The Duel,” for instance, finally ignites his lightsaber, the color of it not only creates a moment of recognition for a Star Wars fan, it assists the storytelling with its paradigmatic meaning because substitution of another color completely changes the story. At the same time, the syntagmatic meaning, which forms when we string different familiar Star Wars elements together, registers as brand new. When the ronin delivers a final blow, I recognized it as the conclusion of a lightsaber duel, but soon after I realized that this type of force-wielding character has not existed until now. (I’m purposefully vague here because I don’t want to spoil anything.) This generates so many questions about his backstory and motivations. It’s a new story with new possibilities, which, considering how much criticism the sequel trilogy has received for recreating the original trilogy, in some cases beat for beat, is fairly groundbreaking.
This longitude and latitude of meaning-making allows the creators behind Visions to pack an astounding volume of rich story into 13-22-minute films. For several of them, I finished wanting more or wondering why we weren’t getting a feature film version of the premise, but I only had that reaction because they managed to tell me so much already. I would instantly become invested in characters I’d only just met, and all of the fight scenes had genuine emotional stakes because of that. Single lines of dialogue would imply an entire history between two characters. “Lop & Ocho” sticks out in my mind for this reason. The story hinges on a complicated yet close family, and in mere seconds we understand what these characters mean to each other and what their defining dynamics are. I mentioned earlier that I think Visions is at its best when it capitalizes on the visual language of Star Wars, and I think this is partly because of the narrative density that can achieve. In “The Village Bride,” for example, we hold on a shot of the ground as a padawan braid and a mask fall to the ground, and, without a word, we know that the keep it close to the vest Jedi, F, has gone through an emotional and psychological arc, which has major implications for the plot and action of the episode.
And it doesn’t hurt that the animation is absolutely breathtaking in so many episodes. Each studio brings a distinct style, so there’s a lot of diversity, but what I’m remembering most as I look back on my entire viewing experience are the sweeping or lush landscapes. The intense close-ups of faces were also really well-drawn, but I was expecting that. I was not expecting to want to completely immerse myself in the sense of place that some episodes establish. And if I haven’t already mentioned lightsabers enough, riveting lightsaber fights abound. And they never get old.
It’s becoming increasingly difficult to talk about Visions without getting into specific episodes, so I’ll transition into my ranked list of all of them. But before I do, I’ll make one final pitch. You don’t need to be a fan of anime to enjoy these. I do think that toggling the audio settings so you can hear the Japanese voice work with English subtitles is worthwhile, but the English dubbing is so well done that if that’s going to be a barrier to entry, I fully support just watching the dubbed version. To me, this is necessary viewing for Star Wars fans, not in spite of its distance from the canon, but because of it.
My Rankings
I think that all the episodes are worth watching, but if you only have time for a few, I think my top four are must-sees.
As someone who enjoys anime but is by no means an expert, I have largely avoided a discussion of which anime studios known for which past series have made which shorts. But, if you want that added layer of information, you can listen to The Ringerverse’s recommendation segment at the 61:45 minute mark and then read this Collider article to catch the spelling of all the names they mention in the podcast.
(All images from starwars.com.)
9 Tatooine Rhapsody
This is the only one that has any kind of “fan service” in it because known characters from the original trilogy show up and interact with new characters. I was expecting a lot more of these to be like this one, but instead it’s the odd duck of the bunch. As the title implies, the story takes place on Tatooine, focusing on a ragtag group of friends who just want to be cool and play music. One of them is a Hutt, and the conflict arises when a bounty hunter comes to collect him. Even though this episode has familiar faces, it felt the farthest away from Star Wars in tone because the punk rock style of the band feels too modern or too close to our own world. Lighter in tone and cute, but didn’t move me in the way that others did.
8 The Twins
A brother and a sister, cultivated in a lab by what’s left of the Empire post-Return of the Jedi. Their sole purpose? To unlock the powers of the dark side. This premise drew me in immediately, but I found the gender politics to be a little icky. The male twin, Karre, keeps trying to save his sister from making a decision that he thinks will kill her. Yes, he is moving towards the light side and she further into the dark, so he’s probably right, but the dialogue made me feel like Karre was trying to revoke Am’s agency in a way that just didn’t sit well. The style of anime here is also “dial it to eleven screaming and shouting for extended periods of time,” which made me weary after a while. Very high energy, very over-the-top. To be fair, I haven’t rewatched this one with subtitles yet, and that might make the high volume, consistently dramatic dialogue more palatable.
7 Akakiri
The most tragic and macabre of the bunch, by a mile. And I mean that both in terms of content and style. The story follows a Jedi, Tsubaki, who reunites with a lost love and comes to her aid as she faces a coup in her kingdom, led by her dark side aunt. Tsubaki gives off very strong Anakin vibes, and fearing death is the primary theme of the episode. The art style creeped me out a bit, likely by design, especially with Tsubaki’s thin face and sunken eyes. I respected its choices, but they weren’t my favorite.
6 T0-B1
I had to fight my cute droid bias a lot as I tried to place this tribute to long-time manga and anime character Astro Boy on the list. There were a lot of droids, and they were all very cute. T0-B1 lives on a barren planet with his creator, Professor Mitaka. The Professor, with the help of his adorable company of droids, doggedly conducts research to try to terraform the planet. T0-B1 is effervescent and naive, with a thirst for adventure and a lack of caution. He gazes at the stars and dreams of being a Jedi. The way this story challenged my preconceived notions of droids’ place in the galaxy and their relationship to the Force won me over; this was a great way to expand and stretch what we know to be true in Star Wars for a fresh take that still feels right. But beyond that, the story doesn’t have as much depth as those higher up on the list. The color palette and art style are noticeably softer and gentler than other installments.
5 The Elder
If you’re looking for a suspense-driven story that trends towards horror, this adventure to the outer rim is just the thing. A Jedi master and padawan sense a disturbance in the Force and land on a nearby planet. A tense search ensues. The dynamic between the wise master and his overeager padawan has hints of Qui-Gon/Young Obi-Wan and Obi-Wan/Young Anakin, but, unburdened by the narrative of Anakin’s dreaded fate, these two generate a poignant discourse on aging, experience, and kindness. The lightsaber choreography in this is not flashy, but it’s pure and jaw-droppingly dramatic. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.
4 The Village Bride
The story in this Seven Samurai-esque showdown between a bully and the defenseless village they exploit (with the help of a mysterious outsider, of course) has the most layers, with multiple fully-developed, complex characters, and ample philosophical discussion. This episode is the best example of how much world-building and story the creators fit in such a short amount of time. The granddaughter of a village chief offers herself as a hostage to protect the rest of her village, and her wedding is the day before her imprisonment begins (so her partner can accompany her). Meanwhile, a padawan on the run and her eccentric guide ingratiate themselves to the village. While I would have liked a little more self-awareness or acknowledgement of how problematic it is for an elderly figure to sacrifice a young woman, even if she consents, this is still a high yield narrative that I want to return to again. The main Jedi, F, might have the best single moment of displaying awesome Jedi powers. Studio Ghibli fans may be drawn to the lush forests and Shinto-inspired designs.
3 Lop & Ocho
A humanoid bunny with a lightsaber is the most anime AND the most Star Wars concept in the entire lot. Or perhaps it just combines the imaginative wonder that I love in both genres. Lop, a slave laborer who escapes from the Empire’s clutches, was the Visions hero I most wanted to cheer on. She tries to keep her adoptive family from tearing apart when the Empire occupies her planet, but steps up and does what’s right even if that means fighting part of her family. This felt like an origin story in the best way, full of the realization, transformation, and a passing of the torch that I love to see. The moment she picks up her lightsaber was possibly the most exhilarating in all of Visions.
2 The Duel
Disney+ clearly wanted to draw viewers in with this first installment, because it continues to hold up against all subsequent episodes. I thought this one was the most visually striking, largely due to the black and white drawings with thoughtfully selected pops of color. And as I mentioned in the main review, the film gave me just enough information about the mysterious ronin to make me care and want to know more about him. Lots of fun “judge not a book by its cover” moments. As the title implies, this one has the longest lightsaber fight; it takes up most of the episode. Mallory Rubin and Ben Lindbergh did note on the Ringerverse podcast that Visions is extremely Jedi-heavy and ignores all the other non-Jedi aspects of the Star Wars universe, and if you’ve gotten this far down the list you can see why. But I didn’t mind it. I love the Jedi and the Force. And it means we get incredible duels like this one. This episode also has the coolest non-traditional lightsaber design.
1 The Ninth Jedi
Make this into a feature film or extended series as soon as humanly possible, please! The lore and logic presented in this epic adventure departs from Star Wars canon in a huge way, but it was so internally consistent and inventive that it only fanned the flames of my fandom. Again, it was new but still true. Long after the Jedi order has faded away, a group of “masterless Jedi” answer a cryptic message promising them all lightsabers. They arrive at a space station and try to figure out who has lured them there and why. I really enjoyed working through the mystery in real time, trying to figure out what was going on with these strangers. Meanwhile, a blacksmith on the planet below makes the illicit lightsabers and dispatches his daughter, who is learning to wield the Force herself, to deliver them. Similar to seeing the Armorer forging beskar in The Mandalorian, watching Lah Zhima at work and learning about how his use of the kyber crystals worked was just plain cool. The rousing score in this one assisted the climax in the action, creating a final moment that had me waving my arms in the air like a Wookiee, clamoring for more.