Star Wars: Visions

When I originally heard that Disney was going to allow anime studios to animate shorts for Star Wars, I was excited but at the same time wary. Japan doesn't have the same exposure and love for Star Wars as America has, so I was worried that what makes Star Wars unique would be lost in the shorts. Fortunately, I seem to be proven wrong. Here are my impressions of each episode of the 9 part ONA

# Episode 1: The Duel
Very fun episode, I enjoy the mix of star wars and Pre-Meiji aesthetics that were shown, and the 3D was done wonderfully. Reminded me a lot of a Kurosawa film. Just wish we got a little more characterization.

Spoiler, click to viewclick to hide

Also if you think the lightsaber umbrella is lame or unrealistic you are a loser.

9/10
# Episode 2: Tatooine Rhapsody

I know that it's trying to show us how there's more to star wars than fighting but I don't find "Jedi forms a rock band and Boba becomes a fan" to be that interesting. I'm not a fan of how the characters are drawn and feel like that even for a short episode is extremely rushed. The song isn't bad and it hits a kind of childlike wonder that came with star wars as a kid I'll give it that 6/10

# Episode 3: The Twins

This episode really hammered home how much this is not canon but I don't care because it's tight as fuck. it doesn't even matter if they broke every rule of hyperspace travel when you look cool doing it. I don't view it so much as a star wars story but as a cool ass animation test using star wars. While I can sometimes be a stickler to canon and shit like that I know how these shorts aren't trying to be that serious and can appreciate when something is cool as hell. If you don't enjoy this episode because it isn't perfectly adherent to canon I consider you a nerd. 9/10

# Episode 4: The Village Bride

Another great episode, probably the best of the 9 I enjoy how they incorporated the aspects of the ending of the Clone Wars. The Clone Wars is one of my favorite parts of Star Wars so seeing it in anime form was very fun. The action was grounded and the music was great along with the visuals. Felt like a callback to the old days of star wars where lightsabers were very rarely used or shown so when they were brought out it meant shit was getting serious. I also enjoyed how the lightsabers have been shaped like katanas, its a small detail but it is a fun twist on the stereotypical lightsaber .10/10

# Episode 5: The Ninth Jedi

The animation was top-notch and well thought out. I know it's hard to cram a cohesive story into one episode but I feel like some points of this story were a bit all over the place. Also, the issue I have is how it pretty much disregards how kyber crystals work, you can't just expand and retract the lightsaber length. The music, animation, and general aesthetics made up for a lot of the issues.

Spoiler, click to viewclick to hide

Also idk where Kara becoming the 9th Jedi came from but whatever

9/10

# Episode 6: T0-B1

Dogshit. It feels like the director never watched Star Wars and based it entirely off on Astro-Boy. I don't have an issue with a robot being able to use a lightsaber but the force is only usable by LIVING BEINGS. Zero characterization or explanation of what exactly is going on besides the fact that this Megaman bootleg Dr. Light is trying to bring life to some random planet. The character designs are straight from Astro Boy and the animation is the only thing holding it together. It looks like a homage to Star Wars Detours, which isn't a good thing. I'm aware it's a homage to Astro Boy and I know that I just said earlier that I don't care if it doesn't follow canon if it looks cool, but the issue with this one is that it doesn't look cool, it looks lame, so I'm gonna pull the canon card on this. 2/10

Also, the main villain looks like Emperor Zurg.

# Episode 7: The Elder
Enjoyable episode. I like how they grounded the swordplay and even incorporated old Jedi lightsaber stances, which were based on Japanese sword stances. I always enjoyed the rare times in Star Wars media where there was a lightsaber fight in the rain and you saw the steam from the lightsabers, I just find it cool. You could really see where the Japanese aesthetics came through in this one with the design of the village and the elder's clothes and demeanor. Again, it is held back by the short run time that comes with this series. 8/10
# Episode 8: Lop and Ochou
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Probably the third-best episode. Again it borrows a lot of imagery from Meiji Japan, combining the cities of Star Wars with traditional Japanese buildings, but also draws from the ideas of imperialism and industrialization versus tradition. It touches on the idea of what a true family means, and if the family is by blood or by choice. The animation isn't anything jaw-dropping but does its job. The only problem I have with it is that it ends pretty abruptly and I feel like the Japanese use the idea of the Force a little too liberally. It seems like everyone is using it nowadays in these shorts. 9/10

Spoiler, click to viewclick to hide

Also, I hate what you furry fuckers are going to do to the rabbit

# Episode 9: Akakiri

Both of the SARU episodes sucked ass and this was no exception. The story is all over the place and seems to be lacking a beginning. The animation is unique but that's the best word I could use to describe it. The swordfights look like high-quality stop-motion lego fights. 3/10

# Conclusion and closing thoughts

Overall, I believe that Visions is an amazing project, incorporating a medium that has been getting more and more popular in the west. Although I am not a fan of a few of these shorts, I am extremely happy that the animators and directors were seemingly given free rein over the Star Wars IP. Disney is historically controlling of their IP's and I hope that this is a sign that they are willing to experiment when it comes to Star Wars even if the result might not be perfect.

In my opinion, Episodes from best to worse are 4>5=8>1>3>7>2>>>>9>6

Part of me believes that this was a test run of sorts to gauge fan interest in a Star Wars anime, and which studio/story they should go with for the project. If that's the case then I believe the stories from episodes 4,5, and 8 would be the best bets for engaging and well-received stories. Please for the love of god do not give it so SARU.

Adding up all the scores we get a 7.5 rounded to an 8 for my ranking

Never give SARU the rights to this shit they suck ass.