The galaxy far, far away is going somewhere it has never been: the world of anime. Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: Visions will feature nine animated shorts from seven Japanese studios. The collection will offer a whole new perspective on the franchise, all while bringing it to a place it has long been influenced by.
Disney+ announced an upcoming series of original shorts at this year’s Anime Expo Lite. The collection features the works of seven Japanese anime studio: Kamikaze Douga, Geno Studio (Twin Engine), Studio Colorido (Twin Engine), Trigger, Kinema Citrus, Science Saru, and Production IG. Disney says each short will feature the individual studio’s “signature animation and storytelling styles to realize their own visions of the galaxy far, far away.”
The Mouse House also gave fans their first look at what to expect from the nine-part collection in a behind-the-scenes trailer. From new designs, to reimagined settings and characters, Star Wars: Visions will have something for everyone. That includes romances, epic battles, comedy, and more. Exactly what we’d expect from Star Wars.
Lucasfilm
The nine shorts are:
Kamikaze Douga – “The Duel”
Geno Studio (Twin Engine) – “Lop and Ochō”
Studio Colorido (Twin Engine) – “Tatooine Rhapsody”
Trigger – “The Twins”
Trigger – “The Elder”
Kinema Citrus – “The Village Bride”
Science Saru – “Akakiri”
Science Saru – “T0-B1”
Production IG – “The Ninth Jedi”
Lucasfilm
Based on this first teaser, we hope these will make up the first of many collections.
In a press release, Disney discussed the long history of Japanese culture’s influence on the franchise. It’s a connection that dates back to George Lucas and the origins of Star Wars.
“As a first formal venture into anime, each Star Wars: Visions short bears a unique Japanese sensibility, which in many ways aligns with the tone and spirit of Star Wars storytelling. From the beginning, stories told in the Star Wars galaxy have counted Japanese mythology and the films of Akira Kurosawa among their many influences, and these new visions will further explore that cultural heritage through the unique animation style and perspective of each anime studio.”
Star Wars: Visions comes to Disney+ on September 22.