The first appeal of the original Star Wars was its sense of adventure and wonder in an unexplored galaxy. A story filled with endless possibilities and exciting new turns. This is the direction that George Lucas cultivated in his first film and its one that is shared with the directors and studios of one of Lucasfilm’s boldest series, Star Wars: Visions.
Ever since its first volume, Visions has dazzled audiences with its unique takes on “A Star Wars Story.” The premise of having multiple animation studios create one-off shorts set in the Star Wars universe, without adherence to canon or prior lore, opened up a whole new galaxy of stories that were wonderful love letters to Star Wars. Now, the series returns with volume 3, featuring new Japanese anime studios and a few returning ones for follow-up episodes on some of the most memorable shorts from the first season. Unsurprisingly, the series continues to be among the best Star Wars has to offer, with volume 3 remaining focused on creativity and a genuine love of Star Wars storytelling.
Star Wars: Visions volume 3 is spectacular. The series, once again, features some of the most adventurous and fearless stories in Star Wars. The freedom of not having to follow canon or lore allows the artist to craft fresh stories and interpretations of what they would want from a Star Wars story. This autonomy enables these Japanese animation studios to let loose both in their storytelling and in their visual design. The season opens up with the follow-up to the highly acclaimed and first-ever Visions short, “The Duel.” In the sequel, “The Duel: Payback,” director Takanobu Mizuno returns with another intricately animated short that continues to be a love letter to both Kurosawa films and a glimpse into what a Star Wars movie would look like set in Feudal Japan. The story is also rich in creativity, featuring clever twists and exciting action that flexes their immense animation skills.
Right from the start, “The Duel: Payback” sets the tone for the volume as a whole, showcasing Visions’ creativity across its range. Each short has a clear direction, with the animation studios taking their “what they would want to see in a Star Wars story” premise to heart. Each studio takes significant, audacious steps in their animation, characters, world-building, tone, and overall aesthetic of their own personal Star Wars universe. As both an anime fan and Star Wars fan, it’s incredibly fun to watch.
Anime is known for creating marvellous, expansive worlds while slowly integrating audiences into them through lovable characters. Here, not only is that the case, but the worlds have a fresh Star Wars flair that adds even more to the inventive stories that these studios have developed. The originality is off the charts. Creating stories that range from a roaming Jedi attempting to help those in need to a young child trying to rescue her caretaker droid from the hands of pirates. Each one of them has their own voice and perspective on what this galaxy, far, far away, means to them.
This latest volume features both some follow-up shorts from the first season and original stories from new studios. This formula works well for previous Visions fans but may require some rewatches for those who did not follow the first volume’s stories as closely. Each short brings so much ingenuity and out-of-the-box concepts that all still feel like Star Wars. Although the shorts are free to explore outside of canon, there remains an undeniable reverence for the universe. The shorts feature core Star Wars themes, such as defiance against authoritarian evil, connection to others, selflessness, family, and many other familiar Star Wars themes. Beyond the uniqueness and boldness, every short has a sincere love of Star Wars.
The stunning animation from each short is one of the biggest appeals of this new volume. Every anime studio delivers breathtaking animation that will captivate audiences. The artwork behind every story adds so much to the plot. There is so much heart not only in the characters and the world being constructed, but also in the elaborate, sophisticated animation. The animation’s striking nature is felt in every frame. This is an actual love letter to the hard work and passion that go into constructing incredibly detailed anime worlds. There is no doubt that so much care is given to these stories, and it shows in both the storytelling and animation.
The third volume of Star Wars: Visions is phenomenal. The season continues to build off its previous entries with an array of spirited shorts that demonstrate a genuine love of Star Wars. There is so much originality and innovative takes to their stories that it’s an absolute joy to watch. Every short felt like a journey into an unknown Star Wars world, filled with memorable characters and fun, new adventures. The shorts span from contemplative explorations of the deeper themes of the force to lively, charming tales with young, brash protagonists. The wide-ranging stories align perfectly, creating a beautiful arrangement of shorts that appeal to both anime and StarWars fans alike. It’s a testimony to the creativity of each anime studio featured in the project. Star Wars: Visions continues to deliver some all-time Star Wars stories.
Rating: 9/10