Last year, Lucasfilm announced it’d be enlisting a number of anime studios from Japan for a new anthology titled Star Wars: Visions. And thanks to Lucasfilm’s panel at Anime Expo Lite 2021, we finally have our first look at the upcoming series!
The sneak peek showcased the collection of anime shorts set in the Star Wars universe, featuring fan-favorite characters and settings and plenty of new, original characters! And the studio lineup includes a number of big-name directors, animators and composers.
First up, there’s Kamikaze Douga and The Duel. This short will feature Jedi samurai, with captivating art and a stunning black-and-white design with only splashes of color. Takahashi Okozaki (Batman Ninja, Summer Wars) is heading character design.
Geno Studio produces Lap and Ocho, a short featuring a humanoid rabbit named Lop and a clash between the beauty of nature and the encroachment of industrialization.
Studio Colorido is bringing a Star Wars rock opera. Yes, you read that right. This one is set on Tatooine, so look out for some of your favorite characters and settings such as Boba Fett, Jaba the Hutt and more.
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Trigger is producing two shorts—The Twins and The Elder. The Twins is being directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi and is about twins who are born on the Dark Side. The Elder’s staff includes Masahiko Otsuka and is about the age-old story of passing the baton to the next generation.
Kinema Citrus’s The Village Bridge is about a woman on her wedding day, the force, and the choices she must make to save her people. Kevin Penkin (Made in Abyss) is composing this one!
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Science SARU also has two shorts. Akakiri is about a Jedi and a princess while T0-B1 is about a boy who dreams about being a Jedi, influenced by Osamu Tezuka and Astro Boy.
Lastly, we can’t forget Production I.G and its short The Ninth Jedi, a story set in a time when the Jedi are only legends, but must come back in order to save the galaxy. Both Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex) and Mitsuhisa Ishikawa (Attack on Titan, Ghost in the Shell) are at the helm on this one.
Star Wars: Visions arrives September 2021.
Are you excited for the worlds of Star Wars and anime to collide? Share this post and let us know! And stay tuned to Funimation for the latest news on all things anime, this season and beyond.
