Star Wars fans rejoice, I’ve got a treat for you. Dropped today, Star Wars: Visions has just been released for fans of animation and the series itself to enjoy. It’s an entirely standalone, episodic series that is apart from any of the past star wars stories. It’s the first original anime series on Disney Plus, and it breathes some incredibly refreshing, and visually stunning life into the world of star wars. Huge studios jumped at the offer, and I couldn’t be more thankful that they were all excited to join the party. Big names in Japanese animation such as Imaishi Hiroyuki, who worked on the smash-hit movie, Promare, and Choi Eun-Yung, who assisted in some of my favourite works of all time, Ping Pong the Animation, and Space Dandy. Not to mention Kenji Kamiyama, who worked on one of the most critically acclaimed anime movies of all time, Akira. And last but not least, Masahiko Ootsuka, who’s worked on many studio TRIGGER productions, and one of the most well-known shows in anime, Gurren Lagann. These fantastic directors, and many of the talent in the studios that worked together on this collaboration truly delivered. It’s artwork for the ages, and you’ll catch me dead before I get the chance to talk about it. This collaboration isn’t just a fancy exhibition of animation, it’s a project that’s been thought about for a long time, and this many powerhouse studios working together on such a huge franchise can only spell hype for star wars fans and anime fans alike.
The studios in total consisted of a dream team of Production I.G, Kinema Citrus, Kamikaze Douga, TRIGGER, Studio Colorido, Geno Studio, and Science SARU. With their powers combined, they produced 9 passion-fueled episodes of original star wars stories. And each studio was free to deliver whichever kind of art style, story, or characters they liked. It was complete free reign for every creator involved, and they couldn’t have had more fun with it. With the star wars franchise lasting for over 40 years now, you’d think they would have had more than enough spinoffs. Maybe you’re even tired of it by now. But this is something you certainly do not want to miss. I never believed I would ever be a huge fan of Star Wars, having never watched much of the movies, or finding much interest in its universe, but after just watching the first episode of Star Wars: Visions, I was hooked. The styles that each studio brought to the table are flawlessly done and refined to the point where it’s hard to believe this was ‘simply’ a collaboration on the star wars franchise. My jaw hit the floor as I saw some of the most impressive fight scenes in media for a while, and I leapt out of my chair as I saw incredible art direction, and character designs clash like fireworks at a festival. These studios did not just sign up for a team effort, they worked hard to create worlds and scenes that could last a lifetime, and their passions shone through the end result.
To go further on the styles, many people may have never seen these types of animation before. Studio TRIGGER stands out the most in my eyes, being an incredible blend of cut-and-paste animation techniques, classic cartoon motion that stretches and emphasizes free movement, and a colouring style that will never get old. In an old interview about their latest movie, Promare, the directors themselves talked about how black outlines for animation have been getting dull, and it’s difficult to make certain shots really ‘pop’ without getting creative. So instead of sticking to the same old, they began to specially palette out their outlines, creating a very highlighted style of colouring that draws attention very well. If you’ve never seen any of their works, I highly encourage you to check them out! They’re by far one of my favourite animation studios and have created works that have truly stood the test of time and broken barriers on just what’s possible in animation. Another incredible mention would be episode one’s “The Duel” directed by Takanobu Mizuno. I’m at a loss for words on how to even describe it honestly, it takes place in a small Japanese village, starring a wandering warrior accompanied by a drone very reminiscent of R2-D2. The entire episode feels very right at home for star wars inspired animation, and yet it breaks the boundaries for just what is possible. The colours are muted and monotone, and only break out in minor amounts to emphasize action and character definition. Along with the animation being 3d rendered, but shaded and styled to the point where it could be passed off as a potential 2D work, with classic film grain for that nostalgic cherry on top.
Alright, so I’ve rambled on about this show for this long, but why should you care? Well for one, it has a little bit for everyone. An emotional story, heated action, strong music and visuals, the works! But most of all, it has a new story each episode, so no matter where you start, or how you felt about a previous episode, there will be a fresh new experience in the next episode each time. This work done by so many talented people is a turning point for not only the audience for anime and star wars, but the potential bridge to so many western audiences to see more of what Japanese animation is capable of. While anime is quite commonly heard of here in North America, the impact that this has on the potential fans of anime could be huge, and there’s no better window to peeking into the world of it than Star Wars: Visions. Viewers can easily look further into the studios participating in the collaboration by looking at the credits after each episode, and find even more content that they may fall in love with. Star Wars: Visions is an incredible display of animation mastery for many people, and I hope to see many more collaborations like it in the future!