‘Star Wars: Visions’ Sneak Peek at Anime Expo Lite
We have not heard much about Star Wars: Visions thus far. Thanks to Anime Expo Lite, we now have a first glimpse at this new Disney+ series. In this panel, the producers James Waugh, Jacqui Lopez, Kanako Shirasaki, Justin Leach, and Josh Rimes, brought concept art, and introduced snippets to whet our appetite for the show scheduled for release this coming September 22, 2021.
We already know that Star Wars: Visions will be an anthology of animated short films celebrating Star Wars through the lenses of anime. Why will this be any different from Star Wars animated series in Clone Wars, and Rebels? Each anime studio will tell their own Star Wars story in their own way, whether they will introduce original characters or feature established Star Wars characters.
As we all know, Star Wars had Japanese influences. George Lucas was inspired by the story of Kurosawa's Hidden Fortress, and Seven Samurai. As Justin Leach said, "...it's really interesting to see how the East and West influence each other, and there's a cycle creativity that goes back and forth." Coming in a full circle, we will now see Star Wars influence in anime. Each anime studio has their own distinctive art style and theme. Thus, we will see the common thread of Star Wars portrayed through the wide spectrum offered by anime. The producers of Star Wars: Visions are anime fans. The anime creators are Star Wars fans. This project will be a fusion of two incredibly popular fandoms.
Here are the nine shorts confirmed for Star Wars: Visions. Each short showcases the respective studio's distinctive art style, and tells their own unique story.
"The Duel"
Studio: Kamikaze Douga (Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, Ninja Batman)
The concept art of a lone samurai with a lightsaber and a droid wearing a straw hat demonstrates what this project is all about. It is an artful mix of futuristic Star Wars with older samurai aesthetic. This short will be in black and white with splotches of colors for the lightsabers.
"Lop and Ocho"
Studio: Geno (Golden Kamuy)
The concept art with Lop the anthropomorphized bunny depicts the theme of natural beauty in the face of encroaching industrialization (represented by the Empire). The short hopes to represent the Japanese aesthetic of "Wabi-sabi" or the acceptance of beauty in imperfection.
"Tatooine Rhapsody"
Studio: Studio Colorido
The chibi art style accompanied by hard rock music demonstrates the wide range of anime genre. While the story of a group of friends striving to be the best rock band in the galaxy despite all odds is certainly not new, the cutesy chibi Boba Fett, and chibi Jabba the Hutt against the picturesque backdrop of Mos Espa and Tatooine certainly promises a unique notion.
According to Executive Producer James Waugh, this was one of the first pitches seen by Lucasfilm, and it sets the tone for how Visions is going to be.
"The Twins"
Studio: Trigger (Kill la Kill)
This is probably the anime style that many is familiar with. A lot of us grew up watching shounen anime with colorful wild exaggerated battles of Dragon Ball Z, and Naruto. "The Twins" will re-imagine the Luke and Leia relationship with the brother seeking to save the sister from the Dark Side.
"The Elder"
Studio: Trigger
Even though this short is produced by the same studio that brings you "The Twins," it has a vastly different theme and aesthetic from the other. In a homage to classic Master and Padawan relationship in Star Wars, "The Elder" will tell a familiar story of one generation passing the baton to the next.
"The Village Bride"
Studio: Kinema Citrus (Code: Breaker, Yuyushiki)
In this poetic, meditative, bittersweet piece, a Jedi visits an isolated village where the bride on the eve of her wedding must make a choice for the greater good of the village. The short features soundtrack of Japanese musical instruments to introduce new sounds for some viewers.
"Akakiri"
Studio: Science Saru
A beautiful yet painful story about a Jedi and a princess is painted on the backdrop influenced by classic Japanese films like Kurosawa's Hidden Fortress, which in turn, was the inspiration for Star Wars.
"T0-B1"
Studio: Science Saru
Again, even though it is made by the same studio, "T0-B1" tells a very different story from "Akakiri." This is a cute and fun story about a droid dreaming to be a Jedi. The art style is very reminiscient of Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy, a classic Japanese manga and anime series from the 1950s.
"The Ninth Jedi"
Studio: Production I.G. (Ghost in the Shell, Attack on Titans, Psycho-Pass, FLCL, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Haikyuu)
Who better to tell a dramatic story of the daughter of a “lightsaber-smith” and her quest to find eight Jedi warriors to save the world during dark times than the studio that brought the emotions of Ghost in the Shell, Attack on Titans, and Evangelion to screen. Adding to the epic scale of this short will be a full orchestral soundtrack.
As a fan of both anime and Star Wars, this author is excited to see this celebration of my favorite things. Star Wars: Visions hopes to showcase the full spectrum of anime to fans who might not be familiar with the art form, and demonstrates the common Star Wars theme already interwoven in many anime to those who might not be familiar with the saga. It will definitely expand our vision.
“These things go together like peanut butter and chocolate. So hopefully [fans] love this combination as much as everybody on this panel does.”
Mark your calendar! Star Wars: Visions is scheduled for release on Disney+ on September 22, 2021.