The upcoming anthology reimagines Star Wars through the lens of seven Japanese anime studios.
Missing The Bad Batch already? Don’t worry, another Star Wars animation is on the way – but there is a twist.
Following in the footstep’s of Marvel’s What If?, Disney is reimagining another of its beloved franchises with Star Wars: Visions.
The anthology series, which will consist of nine shorts, is a collaboration between Lucasfilm and seven iconic Japanese anime studios, who each bring their unique style to the galaxy far far away. It is set to land on Disney+ on 22nd September.
Though plot details are still very much shrouded in mystery, a Star Wars: Visions trailer has just been released, offering fans an epic first look at what to expect, including a Samurai-esque Sith Lord, an astromech with a straw hat and a space bunny.
Reimagine the galaxy with #StarWarsVisions, an Original Series featuring stories from seven visionary Japanese anime studios, streaming September 22 on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/Gd02yB9rcU
— Star Wars (@starwars) August 17, 2021
If you’re wondering how the upcoming series fits into the expansive Star Wars universe, the answer is very much dependent on each story.
During an Anime Expo panel, Lucasfilm boss James Waugh explained that they wanted creators to tell unique stories, whether they fit into the timeline or not.
“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,” he explained. “We realised 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 the idea was, 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.”
The series will be available both in Japanese with subtitles and dubbed in English. Unsurprisingly, the dubbing cast features a plethora of high-profile names, including Lucy Liu, David Harbour, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Simu Liu, Henry Golding, George Takei and Alison Brie.
Star Wars: Visions will be released on Disney+ on 22nd September. Sign up to Disney+ for £7.99 a month or with the annual plan for £79.90. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight or visit our Sci-fi hub for more news and features.