After being announced alongside many other new Star Wars projects at last December’s Star Wars Celebration, fans are finally getting a look at the upcoming anime anthology series Star Wars: Visions.
This was all revealed at Anime Expo Lite on July 3, where Disney+ gave fans some insider information on what to expect from the new series. They also released a special-look teaser for it, which goes behind the scenes on the creation of this latest Star Wars project.
The series is being handled by a multitude of Japanese animation studios and will have nine episodes in total. The studios and their episodes are as follows:
"Kamikaze Douga – “The Duel”Geno Studio (Twin Engine) – “Lop and Ochō”Studio Colorido (Twin Engine) – “Tatooine Rhapsody”Kinema Citrus – “The Village Bride”Production IG – “The Ninth Jedi”Science Saru – “Akakiri” and “T0-B1”Trigger – “The Twins” and “The Elder”"
The production studios have been given a high amount of creative freedom in relation to their individual projects. This means that there will be a variety of animation styles and a wide range of time periods explored in the series.
“We really wanted to give these creators a wide creative berth to explore all the imaginative potential of the Star Wars galaxy through the unique lens of anime,” said James Waugh, the executive producer.
Japanese filmmaking has long held a special place in the deep lore of the galaxy far, far away. George Lucas has freely admitted that A New Hope is more or less a reproduction of the classic 1958 Japanese film Hidden Fortress by legendary director Akira Kurosawa. The Jedi themselves are heavily inspired by the Japanese samurai. Kamikaze Douga’s edition to the series, “The Duel,” promises to be fueled by Japanese iconography to this effect.
Star Wars: Visions release date and more
While we don’t have an actual trailer as of yet, it is only a matter of time before we witness these anime studios’ take on the Star Wars galaxy. The variety promises to extend beyond even this new take for the saga. Studio Colorido’s “Tatooine Rhapsody,” for example, promises to be a rock opera with appearances made by Tatooine regulars Boba Fett and Jabba the Hutt — truly new territory for the saga.
Although only one season is planned, the popularity of Visions may yield such results that leave viewers demanding more.
Star Wars: Visions will air on Sept. 22 later this year, exclusively on Disney+.
Keep an eye out for more updates on Visions and all things Star Wars on Dork Side of the Force!