Anime studios and an all-star cast combine for Star Wars: Visions

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  Star Wars: Visions is a series of nine short films from seven Japanese anime studios. [credit: Disney ]

Disney’s expansion of the Star Wars universe continues apace. On Tuesday, the company released a trailer for Star Wars: Visions, a series of short animated films that debuts on Disney+ on September 22. Visions will look strikingly different from other animated Star Wars escapades; the shorts were made by seven Japanese anime studios, each with its own distinct aesthetic.

There are nine shorts in total: “The Duel” by Kamikaze Douga; “Lop and Ochō” by Geno Studios (Twin Engine); “Tatooine Rhapsody” by Studio Colorido (Twin Engine); “The Twins” and “The Elder” by Trigger; “The Village Bride” by Kinema Citrus; “Akakiri” and “T-B1” by Science Saru; and “The Ninth Jedi” by Production IG.

“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 executive producer James Waugh during a panel at Anime Expo Lite in early July. “We realized we wanted these to be as authentic as possible to the studios and creators who are making them, made through their unique process, in a medium they’re such experts at. So… this is their vision riffing off all the elements of the Star Wars galaxy that inspired them—hopefully to make a really incredible anthology series, unlike anything we’ve seen before in the Star Wars galaxy.”