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emcandon · 3 years

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So what other genres do you think one could make a compelling Star Wars alternate universe story centered around?

Suppose that after a Jidaigeki, a literal Star Wars Western would be fitting given how surprisingly interconnected the genre could be with the Chanbara subgenre and it's similar influence in Star Wars, I'll be at the Mandalorian is pretty much already that.

Star Wars has done zombie stories in the Clone Wars and more directly in Death Troopers. I also recall that the Crimson Citadel arc in the comics was a homage to gothic horror, specifically Dracula.

As you note, there’s already a ton of genre play going on in prior and current Star Wars. Off the top of my head: noir, heists, political thrillers, shades of romance here and there… But in terms of straight-up AUs a la the Visions project, I feel like you need a really strong aesthetic lens as well — hence why a cultural lens is so appropriate, as different cultures come with their own array of aesthetic and narrative sensibilities.

Ronin ended up on specifically the jidaigeki route because that was what Kamikaze Douga settled on — it’s rather perfect as a stepping stone for this experiment, but it’s far from the only option here. (Star Wars magical girls, anyone? Star Wars meets Gundam? I barely know what that means but I’d love to see someone figure it out. I’d say Star Wars kabuki but apparently someone did that and I only recently learned about it. This has ruined me, bc I wish I’d seen it.)

And boy howdy, I want to see other cultural reinterpretations of Star Wars so badly.

On the other hand, a specific narrative lens could also work beautifully as the hinge of an AU — Star Wars a la Shakespeare is fantastic because of that shared resonance with operatic drama avec human tenderness, pain, and laughter. I similarly want to see Star Wars via Greek tragedy. Conversely, I also want Star Wars meets comedy of manners! How would that work! I don’t know! Someone do it for me! There’s just so much room to play in this narrative space.

I also really, really want to see more of the kinds of stories told within Star Wars. Tell me what people are watching unfold in theaters, in holodramas, in pulp fiction, in unlicensed fanzines — I love this stuff in particular so, so much. (This is perhaps evident from some of the things I chose to do in Ronin :P)

#star wars #star wars ronin #ask reply

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absolxguardian · 3 years

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Alright but the description of the new Ronin novel (tie-in to the Visions short the Duel) is absolutely insane.

A mysterious former Sith wanders the galaxy in this stunning Star Wars tale. An original novel inspired by the world of The Duel from the Star Wars Visions animated anthology.

The Jedi are the most loyal servants of the Empire.

Two decades ago, Jedi clans clashed in service to feuding lords. Sickened by this endless cycle, a sect of Jedi rebelled, seeking to control their own destiny and claim power in service of no master. They called themselves Sith.

The Sith rebellion failed, succumbing to infighting and betrayal, and the once rival lords unified to create an Empire…but even an Empire at peace is not free from violence.

Far on the edge of the Outer Rim, one former Sith wanders, accompanied only by a faithful droid and the ghost of a less civilized age. He carries a lightsaber, but claims lineage to no Jedi clan, and pledges allegiance to no lord. Little is known about him, including his name, for he never speaks of his past, nor his regrets. His history is as guarded as the red blade of destruction he carries sheathed at his side.

As the galaxy’s perpetual cycle of violence continues to interrupt his self-imposed exile, and he is forced to duel an enigmatic bandit claiming the title of Sith, it becomes clear that no amount of wandering will ever let him outpace the specters of his former life.

It hasn’t been clear if the Visions shorts are full on Elseworld style things, or if they’re just bringing in new perspectives and new eras. The article also says

Kamikaze Douga’s The Duel, helmed by director Takanobu Mizuno, focuses on Jedi and Sith, but with an alternate history pulled from Japanese lore.

[...]

“I love that Visions as a whole is a grand recursive experiment. A fairy tale of a fairy tale. A myth built upon modern mythology,” Candon says.

But I don’t think that the worldbuilding of Ronin/The Duel has to be incompatible with the main Star Wars continuity. This could be the new dawn of the Jedi, and if that’s the case, it’s super fucking interesting.

You have Jedi, not as space shaolin monks, but space samurai. With all that entails. It explains why there’s disagreement about if the first temple is Tython or Ahch-To. They’re both very early martial art dojos. The Jedi weren’t a centralized order, but a class of warriors with the values of sammauri. The warring lords set up seems like it’s invoking the Sengoku Period. So the Jedi going from warriors to peacekeepers and monks is reflective of how during the Edo period the samurai became a bureaucratic class, as this Empire became a Republic. Most chambara (samurai cinema) is set during the Edo period, so this makes sense.

This first batch of Sith are still an internal hersey. But the rebel for freedom instead of power. Which makes sense, you can very much still have these samurai-Jedi still be light side aligned without changing the rules and have them be the tools of a much more corrupt system. Samurai valued duty, selflessness, and serenity. Their acceptance of death is are two sides of the same coin. A concept similar to Shinto piety would be how these Jedi live in balance with the nature aspect of the Force. While these proto-Sith want freedom for themselves, not everyone, foremost.

And it makes their fall so much more interesting! I’ve said before that it was the Jedi who aligned themselves fully with the Republic who doomed the Order. But with this, they’ve always been servants of the state! And them serving as generals in the Clone Wars is actually a regression to a past that they’ve almost moved beyond. And if this Empire becomes the Republic we know, it also solves the continuity weirdness of Palpatine renaming the Republic when that’s not really something that happens IRL. But if the Republic used to be an Empire, an empire that is generally well regarded, it works. It would also explain why Luke becomes so disillusioned about the Order when he arrives on Ahch-To. What he would find would be many of the texts of the samurai-Jedi, which would horrify him.

Honestly I don’t even care if Visions, and the Duel specifically, is officially canon or not. The Jedi just having such a tangled history where they fundlemently and slowly changed as an organization is such much more interesting that what I’m aware of Legends doing.

#long post #the jedi order #sw visions #sw ronin

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smokeybrand · 3 years

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Smokey brand Reviews: Force Sensitivities

I love Star Wars. I have since i was a kid. It just missed the Trinity of my Childhood, Spider-Man, Godzilla, and Transformers, by inches but i hold it in high regard. I’d say that it’s only a step behind the big three, along with the Alien franchise. I enjoy both franchises for a lot of the same reasons; Expansive lore, impeccable world building, and fantastic characters. I have a strong emotional connections to all things a galaxy far, far, away so the past few years have been difficult to witness. Under the “guidance” of Kathleen Kennedy, i watched my space wizards and cyborg warlocks, decline considerably. I saw all that creativity and inspired storytelling fall by the wayside in favor of identity politics and ego driven agenda.

Then, The Mandalorian dropped and everything changed. There’s been an infusion of quality, a resurgence of the creative, and one of the things to come out of this brand new inspiration is Star War: Visions. Visions is an anthology series of original stories, created by some of the top anime studios in Japan. That, alone, is enough to pique my interests. I love anime and the world Lucas created, lends itself to the medium almost effortlessly. It finally released yesterday and i was able to check out all of them, twice. Is this thing everything i dreamed of? Kind of? Sometimes?

The Duel

The first of the shorts presented and easily the most visually striking. This thing is a CG animation, usually kind of wonky but not so much with this short. I’m more a fan of traditional cell animation but Kamikaze Douga does a fantastic job with the new computer flavor. That expertise is put on full display with this Kurosawa inspired epic, an irony not lost on me. Old Kurosawa films like Yojimbo and Seven Samurai were direct inspirations for Star Wars so seeing it come full circle like this, is very rewarding. Overall, i liked this entry. It’s a great introduction for the anthology and delivers a strong viewing experience.

Tatooine Rhapsody

True to it’s anthology nature, the very next episode delivers something completely different than the last. This entry, made by Studio Colorado, is traditional animation with a heavy, heavy, influence from Leiji Matsumoto. One can definitely make the argument that this is what Interstella 9999 would look like if i had a Star Wars skin and i wouldn’t fight you about it. That’s kind of the art direction being leaned into with this short, that Captain Harlock/Galaxy Express 9999 look. I’m a sucker for that classic aesthetic so i kind of loved it. Didn’t care for the music but seeing a stylized Boba Fett was a real treat. This one is the most original of the anthology, so far from the overall Star Wars theme, and i think that hurts it some. As it’s own thing, though? Fantastic.

The Twins

This one is top tier for me and not just because it’s the first entry from Trigger. This one is good. It’s the first to really nail that more kinetic feel of the prequel lightsaber duels and, if you know anything about Studio Trigger, of course it would. These people gave us Kill la Kill and Brand New Animal. In fact, the overall look of this thing has shades of both Dead Leaves, Gurren Lagann and Promare all over it. It reminds me a great deal of the conflict between the Solo twins in legends. This thing is beautifully animated and tells it’s story with with skill. That said, it’s to one of my favorites. I love Trigger but this one, i think, doesn’t really live up to the Star Wars standard. Still, there is a lot of cool sh*t in here. Kyber powered Sith armor is something to behold, for sure.

The Village Bride

This one is the one for me. I f*cking LOVED this entry. I think it’s the nest of the lot for a lot of reasons. This thing feels the most like a Lucas or Filoni entry into the franchise. It delivers u to an alien world where we get to see the people interact with their surroundings. It delivers a personal conflict juxtaposed against a very real, very, worldly danger. It grounds us with great characters and does so with a beautifully rendered style. For me, The Village Bride is everything i want in a Star Wars story and i need to see more of these characters, more of this world, more of F, herself. She’s f*cking amazing! The Lady Jedi does some sh*t with her lightsaber that left me in awe. Kinema Citrus animated this one in the style of Katanagatari and it really works for this style of narrative.

The Ninth Jedi

This one is real special. It feels right at home in a Clone Wars narrative or something from the Old Republic. I adore the look of this one. Its one of my favorites, after The Village Bride and Lop and Ocho, but is far more action oriented than those to. This one focuses on lightsaber duels and delivers the best of the anthology, in my opinion. This f*cking thing goes hard to deliver that visceral, aggressive, fancifal style you see in the Prequel films but completely stylized in this wonderfully fluid animation. The overall narrative is pretty simple but loaded with potential and i hope we get a continuation in the inevitable second season of Visions. Production IG really did their thing with this entry and i really hope it becomes something more.

T0-B1

If Astro Boy took place on Tatooine, you’d have T0-B1. This thing really leans into Tezuka’s style and is all the better for it. I can’t say i really enjoyed the overall narrative but the look of this thing really stays with you. It’s incredibly distinct from everything in this anthology mostly because you don’t see the Tezuka style all too often nowadays but this entry definitely has more heart than most of it’s contemporaries. I was surprised by how much emotion was packed into this little cartoon and can definitely recommend it on the strength of that, alone. While not one of my favorites, i can definitely appreciate what Science SARU delivered.

The Elder

I didn’t like this one. The pacing was too slow and the characters were forgettable. I kind of hated the overall aesthetic and the narrative told was one we’ve seen from this universe a few times. That said, it has a dope ass lightsaber duel toward the end. That’s really the only good aspect of this short, in my opinion. Interestingly enough, this is the second entry from Trigger which makes it incredibly disappointing because they usually kill it. They did not kill it with this one. Not at all.

Lop and Ocho

This one was my second favorite of all nine shorts. It is the most “anime” of the lot and really leans into that genre with gusto. It also feels a lot like Star Wars as far as narrative is concerned. Similar to The Twins, this is a story of forced sensitive sibling, clashing over ideals, told through the crossing of their blades. It’s definitely interesting to watch, especially considering our heroine is an anthropomorphic bunny, something you don’t see too often in the Star Wars universe. I really enjoyed Lop and hopes she garners enough popularity to explore her character further in either a second season of Visions or an actual series dedicated to her personal journey. Geno Studio really impressed with this one.

Akakiri

This one might be the weakest of the lot, until you realize what you’re watching. All of these stories focused on Jedi and their perspective on the world but Science SARU went in a different direction. This is the story of how a Jedi falls. It’s an amazingly emotional watch once that revelation is delivered, putting everything before into perspective. It’s deftly told and works, for the most part, but i feel like this one needed an extra few minutes to develop fully. Still, as the booked to a rather excellent anthology, Akakiri does it’s job well.

The Verdict

This thing is pure Star Wars. It's everything that made Lucas' magnum opus fantastic. Some of these entries hit harder than others, my favorite being The Village Bride, but the overall content in this anthology is f*cking spectacular. I love the different animation styles and how these bite sized stories are told. Some of them take a great many liberties with he world rules whole others are fantastic homages to the genres that make up the Star Wars skeleton. Visions is work of love and passion. These shorts are made with care and not only revere the franchise which came before, but really lay the ground work for potential future exploration, which is what Star Wars has always been about. I still think Mando is the best thing to come out of Favreu's era, so far, but Visions is something very special and is a fantastic example of what can be coming next. If you love Star Wars, you'll love this show. If you left the fandom over Kennedy and her polarizing rhetoric, Visions is a great point to jump back in. Star Wars: Visions is f*cking exceptional and everyone should check it out if they can.

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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Is Star Wars: Visions Canon? The Anime’s Timeline Explained

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This Star Wars: Visions article contains spoilers.

Seven animation studios have come together to create Star Wars: Visions, a collection of nine anime short films that reimagines the galaxy far, far away through the lens of Japanese culture and aesthetics. It’s one of the most ambitious projects Lucasfilm has ever embarked on with the saga, and it’s an experiment that largely pays off, as it not only brings fresh perspectives to Star Wars but also new characters, from the mysterious swordsman known only as Ronin to a little droid named T0-B1 who wants nothing more than to become a real Jedi Knight.

The stories in Visions take place across several eras of the Star Wars saga, including after The Rise of Skywalker, but are these tales part of the official Disney canon? Here’s what you need to know.

Is Star Wars: Visions Canon?

First of all, who cares? Good Star Wars is good Star Wars, whether it’s part of Disney canon or Legends (the old Expanded Universe before the timeline reboot) or somewhere in between. You should be able to enjoy a Star Wars book or TV show or video game simply because it is a good story with characters you love and not because it fits into whatever the official continuity is that day. Go read Michael A. Stackpole and Aaron Allston’s X-Wing books, they’re great! Want more Clone Wars in your life? Genndy Tartakovky’s non-canon Clone Wars microseries is spectacular.

But if you must know the answer, Star Wars: Visions falls in that third category: “somewhere in between” canon and non-canon. Our own Star Wars reporter Megan Crouse said it best: “Visions sits just to the side of Disney’s Star Wars canon.” None of the stories of characters really clash with anything on the timeline, so they could all be considered Disney canon in theory. But Lucasfilm isn’t really thinking about Visions that way.

Stream your Star Wars favorites right here!

“I think these shorts are all authentic Star Wars storytelling,” executive producer James Waugh told Digital Spy. “But some are less on the timeline than others. Some could very much fit within our timeline. But Visions, as a whole, is more of a celebration of Star Wars, through this unique perspective, this unique form, this medium and culture. And that was really the intention.”

Okay, so which stories are canon?

“Some stories like ‘Tatooine Rhapsody’ or ‘The Elder’ can very easily fit within certain canonical points,” Waugh said. “But that’s not really the point of the initiative. We needed this to be something different, and we needed it to be really from the hearts of all these creators, to not try and answer questions in Star Wars. Instead, you have Star Wars as an amazing palette to tell stories through.”

While Lucasfilm hasn’t officially labeled which anime shorts are canon and which aren’t, most of them do occupy a specific era in the Star Wars timeline if you want to map out what happens when in Visions.

Where Does Each Episode Fit in the Star Wars Timeline?

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Here is a guide to each of the stories and roughly when they take place on the timeline, according to their creators, who previewed the episodes for IGN ahead of the premiere.

The Duel

Kamikaze Douga’s “The Duel” follows Ronin, an enigmatic warrior who wanders from one part of the galaxy to the other with his trusty droid companion B5. When a village in the Outer Rim comes under attack by Sith, Ronin must choose whether to defend this place or continue on his journey.

When Does It Take Place: Described as an “alternate history pulled from Japanese lore,” the short takes place after the “Sith rebellion,” a conflict which saw a sect of Jedi break off from the rest of the clans. This sounds a lot like a period on the canon timeline known as the “Hundred-Year Darkness,” an era thousands of years before The Phantom Menace that led to the formation of the Sith.

Tatooine Rhapsody

A runaway Jedi padawan forms a rock band with a former member of the Hutt clan in this short by Studio Colorido. When they’re captured by the infamous Boba Fett and brought to Tatooine for their execution, the band hatches a plan to play to best show of their lives in the hopes that Jabba the Hutt will spare them.

When Does It Take Place: Since “Tatooine Rhapsody” begins with a padawan running for his life on Coruscant, it’s very likely the bulk of the short takes place between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, with Jabba still at the height of his power on Tatooine.

The Twins

Twins Karre and Am were raised as children of the dark side so that they could one day rule the galaxy as one. But when one of the siblings begins questioning the dark path that’s been decided for them, it splits the twins right down the middle.

When Does It Take Place: “‘The Twins’ is set after Episode IX, after the Empire has been vanquished by the Resistance,” Trigger studio co-founder Hiroyuki Imaishi told IGN. “The remnants of the Imperial Army have raised a pair of twins on the Dark Side of the Force, and the story goes from there.” But where’s Rey?

The Village Bride

In Kinema Citrus’ short, a peaceful village prepares for a big wedding party, while a cruel warlord plans an attack. A fallen Jedi must decide whether to get involved or do nothing.

When Does It Take Place: While “The Village Bridge” is meant to evoke feudal Japan, the B1-series battle droid puts it squarely in the Prequel era, likely during the Clone Wars.

The Ninth Jedi

The daughter of a legendary sword smith might be the only hope for restoring the Jedi Order at a time when the Sith rule the galaxy once again.

When Does It Take Place: “The Ninth Jedi” is another story set after The Rise of Skywalker. Director Kenji Kamiyama of Production I.G told IGN: “I wondered, after Episode IX, has the galaxy settled into peace? We all love stories of the Jedi and lightsabers, but what became of the Jedi Knights after the movie series? My story is about that.”

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T0-B1

A little droid is on a mission to terraform a barren planet, all while learning the ways of the Jedi and defending this world from the Empire.

When Does It Take Place: This Science SARU short takes place at some point between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, when what remains of the Jedi Order is still being hunted down by the Empire’s cruel Inquisitors.

The Elder

A Jedi Knight and his padawan encounter great evil in the fringes of space: an aging sword master who wanders the galaxy looking for a worthy opponent.

When Does It Take Place: This story is set some time before The Phantom Menace. “For some viewers, this series might be their first Star Wars experience, so I wanted to make something that you can enjoy without any knowledge of the rest of the story,” Trigger co-founder Masahiko Otsuka told IGN. “So our story is not directly connected to any of the characters from the films, but it explores the idea of the Jedi Knights and the master and padawan dynamic in an older setting.”

Lop and Ocho

Two sisters must decide the fate of their planet. Should they join the Empire or fight to preserve the natural beauty of their home world? This short also introduces fans to Lop, a new hero inspired by a classic Marvel character.

When Does It Take Place: “The story is set between Episode III and IV of the Star Wars movie series,” said director Yuki Igarashi of Geno Studio. “The Galactic Empire is expanding throughout space.”

Akakiri

Billed as “a painful love story,” a Jedi will do anything to protect a princess when a Sith warlord threatens the peace.

When Does It Take Place: The second Science SARU short is the most difficult to place in the timeline. But Wookieepedia has done some detective work: since the installment features a B-wing starfighter, that means it must takes place at some point after the first B-wing prototype was created in Rebels (4 years before A New Hope). And since there are Jedi are around again, that must mean “Akakiri” happens after The Rise of Skywalker during an era when the Order has been restored. Unless this is an alternate history and none of those clues matter…

Star Wars: Visions is streaming now on Disney+.

The post Is Star Wars: Visions Canon? The Anime’s Timeline Explained appeared first on Den of Geek.

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#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

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recentanimenews · 7 years

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Three-Episode Test: Evan's Fall 2017

Welcome to the Three Episode Test, where Ani-Gamers contributors give you the low-down on what they're watching (or not) from the current simulcast season and why.

Juni Taisen: Zodiac War

Streaming on Crunchyroll

I’m not really sure why I decided to check out Zodiac War this season. I’m not even a big fan of author Nisioisin (Monogatari series)! Still, I’m glad I have at least one show on my queue in which characters regularly get brutally murdered. The zodiac-themed battle royale premise of the series is dead-simple, but it quickly introduces some more interesting drama as the characters gain each other’s trust and deceive one another to gain the upper hand. What I really appreciate so far is how character’s actions have immediate, irrevocable consequences, which keeps the story moving along at a refreshingly fast clip. Unfortunately, despite boasting famous series writer Sadayuki Murai (Millennium Actress, Kino’s Journey), it seems to be following a disappointingly obvious pattern in terms of which characters die when thus draining an otherwise tense, unpredictable show of its primary draw. At least it looks damn good thanks to Graphinica’s tight animation and unnervingly scratchy line art. I’m tentatively keeping up with this one until the repetition gets boring.

Kino’s Journey

Streaming on Crunchyroll

I loved the original Kino’s Journey; author Keiichi Sigsawa’s laconic observations of human nature combine beautifully with the off-kilter visual style of director Ryutaro Nakamura (also the director of one of my favorite series, Serial Experiments Lain). Kino's seems like a strange franchise to bring back, not only because it’s not in line with the flashiness of the 2017 anime market, but also because its anime incarnation is so associated with Nakamura, who died young due to pancreatic cancer. As I expected, the new series, which mixes new and old stories, doesn’t do Nakamura’s work justice despite Sigsawa’s stories being as thought-provoking and morally ambiguous as ever. The production isn’t particularly ambitious, with minimal animation and unremarkable character designs (Kino’s design has changed quite a lot), plus it all seems a little too bright and clean for this old fan. Still, it’s more Kino, and that’s enough for me.

Land of the Lustrous

Streaming on Anime Strike

What an absolutely delightful and refreshing show this is! I’ve mostly lost my patience with the monotony of modern TV anime, but Land of the Lustrous feels unlike most of its contemporaries. There’s been a lot of commentary on the cast of almost entirely non-binary characters, which is interesting enough in its own right, but the series also constructs a strange, fantastical, and not entirely explained world of people made of gemstones and the enigmatic invaders who try to harvest them. With no Japanese high school in sight, Land of the Lustrous really does feel like something new and exciting — free from the rigid genre conventions of TV anime. Of course, it helps that it’s all executed splendidly by Orange, whose surreal CG work is a little janky at times but mostly on par with some of the best Kamikaze Douga and Graphinica animation. And don’t even get me started on the hilarious character acting both from the animators and voice actor Tomoyo Kurosawa. The core story’s been a little slow so far, so I hope it builds into something more as it goes. But so far, this is actually worth the Amazon Strike double subscription.

originally appeared on Ani-Gamers on October 26, 2017 at 4:06 PM.

By: Evan Minto

#Anime #News #Ani-Gamers

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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Star Wars Visions Review: A Stunning Anime Reinterpretation of the Saga

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Let’s get this out of the way: Star Wars: Visions is wonderful, a pleasure to watch from start to finish, even if it does tend to lean on the same subject matter from one anime short film to the next. But Visions‘ over-reliance on Jedi stories is more than fair. After all, George Lucas heavily borrowed from real samurai history and traditions for his laser sword-brandishing space wizards. It’s only right that the seven Japanese animation studios assembled to bring Visions to life should get a chance to reinterpret Jedi lore now.

I won’t be going into heavy spoilers in this review, as you should really go into each of these stories fresh. Plus, since most of the shorts are less than 20 minutes long, revealing even the smallest twists can give whole episodes away. But what I will say is that each short does an excellent job of capturing the classic feel of Star Wars while also offering something new, whether it’s visually, thematically, or even just a new perspective on a familiar situation.

I’m not exaggerating when I say there isn’t a bad film in this collection, but there are of course some absolute standouts that you’ll want to come back to once or twice a year from here on out.

Stream your Star Wars favorites right here!

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Studio Kamikaze Douga, which you might recognize from its work on Batman Ninja and Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, delivers a visually stunning, monochromatic reimagination of Jedi lore that takes Lucas’ greatest heroes back to their Japanese roots. “The Duel,” which centers on a mysterious wanderer named Ronin, is at once a showcase for new ideas about lightsabers, kyber crystals, and dueling, as well as an ode to Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo, one of the many films that inspired Lucas’ galaxy. It’s the first film in the collection and somewhat of a mission statement for the rest of Visions.

Another favorite is “The Village Bride,” which, while also beautifully animated in a hand-drawn 2D style that’s sadly not often employed for Star Wars (it should be), introduces an environmental theme that permeates the rest of the collection, especially in “The Village Bride, the heart-wrenching “Lop and Ocho,” and the extremely cute “T0-B1.” Many of these stories examine the heroes and villains’ connection to nature and how they affect the environments around them, a perspective we don’t often see in the movies beyond the bad guys blowing stuff up. In “The Village Bride,” we watch as one group of characters go on a pilgrimage to pay respect to the natural beauty of their planet while another recklessly plows through a sacred forest. In “Lop and Ocho,” a family reckons with Imperial occupation and how it could irrevocably change the landscape of their planet. The little droids of “T0-B1” are determined to bring life to a barren planet. Even if all living things are connected through the Force, Visions is one of the few Star Wars stories where heroes actually care about the natural state of the worlds they inhabit. It’s a breath of fresh air.

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Ghost in the Shell and Psycho-Pass studio Production I.G takes a deep dive into Jedi lore in “The Ninth Jedi.” While the short presents a dystopian future for the Order that feels familiar, it examines it through the lens of characters not often seen in Star Wars, such as the last swordsmith in a lightsaber-less galaxy. There are more traditional stories of Jedi heroism, too, such as Trigger’s moody piece, “The Elder,” in which a master and his padawan confront great evil in the fringes of space. But even then, Trigger, the studio best known for creating Kill la Kill, makes it all feel new by exploring the mythology of the galaxy far, far away through Japanese aesthetics — lightsabers are drawn like katanas, Jedi robes look more like the hakama that inspired them. The same goes for Science SARU’s “Akakiri,” a grim film that’s just begging for a sequel.

In fact, most of these shorts will leave you begging to know what happens next after the credits roll, particularly two installments that reinterpret the story of Luke and Leia but from very different angles. Besides Studio Colorido’s rock opera-inspired “Tatooine Rhapsody,” which features Boba Fett and Jabba the Hutt hanging out at a concert together, Trigger’s “The Twins” is probably the wildest take on Star Wars you’ll find in this collection, with Force powers and lightsaber action on a scale that would make the movies and TV shows blush. It also nods to the franchise’s long tradition of superweapons but also uses its new take on Star Destroyers as a metaphor for the titular twins’ evolving allegiances. It’s very clever.

Geno Studio’s “Lop and Ocho,” meanwhile, explores the siblings trope but as a story of a found family bound by duty to the planet they’re sworn to protect. Where Luke and Leia are connected by blood and destiny, siblings Lop and Ocho get a choice, one that could completely alter the face of their home planet. It’s the most riveting story of the nine films, with characters you’ll immediately be engrossed by, especially rabbit-like hero Lop, who seems destined to become the breakaway star of the collection. She’s the character your little ones will likely love the most.

But age matters not. Whether you’ve been a fan since A New Hope hit theaters in 1977, or are introducing your kids to Star Wars for the first time ever (and Visions is perfect for that), this collection lovingly captures the essence of this saga with a variety of animation styles that by and large makes each short feel visually distinct. Yes, I would have loved to see a little more variety in the types of stories featured in Visions — they all involve Jedi and lightsabers in some way — but these are the most iconic elements of Star Wars. How could you celebrate galaxy far, far away without them?

Star Wars: Visions is streaming now on Disney+.

The post Star Wars Visions Review: A Stunning Anime Reinterpretation of the Saga appeared first on Den of Geek.

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