Star Wars fan film “Hoshino” combines professional cinematography, a lightsaber, and a blind Jedi into one incredible and moving viewing experience.
I have never wanted a Star Wars fan film to be turned into Star Wars canon than I have with Hoshino.
Directed, produced, and edited by YouTuber Stephen Vitale, Hoshino tells the story of how Ko Hoshino (skillfully portrayed by Anna Akana) learns what it means to wield a lightsaber as a Jedi. The film looks and feels like it could have been made by someone at Lucasfilm. The cinematography, the CGI, the costumes, the acting, the story, the character – it’s all there, and it all comes together in just under seven minutes.
Without further ado, watch Hoshino below.
The most beautiful thing about this Star Wars fan film is how well it is constructed. If you think about it, there is so much we don’t find out: what time period the film takes place; what happens to Ko’s Master; if the dark-siders who attack her are Sith or Knights of Ren or Inquisitors. Yet, in the end, we’ve learned all we need to know.
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At its core, Hoshino is about Ko and her learning what the lightsaber means to a Jedi. Her journey from an impatient, naive Padawan to a wounded but wise Master is what we are interested in. And even though we don’t see it, we know she defeats those dark-siders. We feel confident that she conquers her demons, both the ones in front of her and the ones inside of her.
Another element of Hoshino I enjoyed was Ko putting together her lightsaber on-screen. We have never seen that process in a Star Wars movie up to this point. It’s a fascinating part of the Force and Jedi mythos. And now that I’ve seen it in a fan film, I want to see it even more in a canon Star Wars story.
My favorite part of the film, though, is when Ko finishes building her lightsaber. She finishes right as the first dark-sider is about to attack her. But instead of taking up her new weapon in self-defense, she uses the Force to stop her enemy. This scene is satisfying because we see that Ko has learned that the lightsaber is not her only weapon, or the most powerful. Nor should it be the tool which she puts the most trust in. As with all great Jedi, Ko’s greatest ally is the Force.
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If you enjoyed this Star Wars fan film as much as I did, give it a like on YouTube and share it on social media!