Star Wars: Visions - Anime Anthology Series

[JD]

Visions is an upcoming anthology series in which Lucasfilm will be team up with a group of Japanese anime studios who will each be making their own short. This weekend a lot more new information about the series was revealed during a panel for the show at Anime Expo Lite, including the release date, a behind the scenes preview, the reveal of 7 studios who will be working on it and the titles of 9 shorts (2 of the studios are doing 2 shorts).
Release Date: Sept. 22

Studios & Shorts:
Kamikaze Douga: The Duel
Geno Studio (Twin Engine): Lop and Ocho
Studio Colorido (Twin Engine): Tatooine Rhapsody
Trigger: The Twins and The Elder
Kinema Citrus: The Village Bride
Science Saru: Akiri and TO-B1
Production I.G.: The Ninth Jedi
Preview:

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The only one of the studios I'm familiar with is Production I.G., but I really like pretty much all of the artwork they showed in the preview. I love the idea of looking Star Wars through an anime lens, it really feels a perfect fit to me.
Star Wars.com has a recap of the panel with a lot more details about the series, if you're interested it's definitely worth a read.

 

[Enterprise is Great]

Looks great.

 

[Turtletrekker]

I'm glad this will be canon adjacent as it will allow the storytellers to let loose with their vision without having to worry about stepping on any other creators toes.

However, how much do you want to bet that despite them announcing this early on, there are still going to be an entire internets worth of people who will complain that it doesn't fit into canon or say that it won't be worth watching because it's not canon.

 

[The Wormhole]

However, how much do you want to bet that despite them announcing this early on, there are still going to be an entire internets worth of people who will complain that it doesn't fit into canon or say that it won't be worth watching because it's not canon.

I already have two drafts of my Canon rant done, and plan to be ready to release a detailed manifesto on how and why this show sucks with a detailed analysis of its canon flaws the day before the show premieres.

 

[Saul]

It's a nice idea. A bit like the animatrix they did with for the Matrix. If anyone is interested they already have Star Wars manga of the movies.

 

[Reverend]

I'm glad this will be canon adjacent as it will allow the storytellers to let loose with their vision without having to worry about stepping on any other creators toes.

However, how much do you want to bet that despite them announcing this early on, there are still going to be an entire internets worth of people who will complain that it doesn't fit into canon or say that it won't be worth watching because it's not canon.

Personally I'm a proponent of taking the "Legends" brand rather literally. As is all of these stories are canon in the sense that they're all stories that exist in this world. Kinda in the same way Robin Hood and King Arthur are stories that exist in ours, and may or may not have some kind of relation to actual people and/or events. Or they're entirely fabricated, but they're still told around campfires/cantina tables/what have you, somewhere, by someone.

Honestly I'm kinda amazed that this far into the Disney canon and nobody has thought to even mention "The Saga of Nomi Sunrider". I mean the name itself is just begging for this kind of treatment.

 

[JD]

It's a nice idea. A bit like the animatrix they did with for the Matrix. If anyone is interested they already have Star Wars manga of the movies.

They've also done manga adaptations of some of the YA and middle grade novels.

I'm glad this will be canon adjacent as it will allow the storytellers to let loose with their vision without having to worry about stepping on any other creators toes.

Yeah, I agree. With this kind of thing it's a great idea to really just let the creator go wild and do whatever they want, within reason.

 

[fireproof78]

I'm glad this will be canon adjacent as it will allow the storytellers to let loose with their vision without having to worry about stepping on any other creators toes.

However, how much do you want to bet that despite them announcing this early on, there are still going to be an entire internets worth of people who will complain that it doesn't fit into canon or say that it won't be worth watching because it's not canon.

Already happening, as if canon status impacted enjoyment.

 

[kirk55555]

I don't mind that this isn't canon, I think it looks like fun. This is the exact type of format you'd want for experimental/non-canon stories, it feels a bit weird to have people complain about it not being canon (although I'm not surprised).

Plus, I'm just happy to see some animated Star Wars not made by Dave Filoni, so it has the potential to be very good. At the bare minimum it will probably be interesting and generally look good.

 

[Reverend]

The novel being developed from 'The Duel' certainly has my attention. I mean just read this synopsis: -

The Jedi are the most loyal servants of the Empire.

Two decades ago, Jedi clans clashed in service to feuding lords. Sickened by this endless cycle, a sect of Jedi rebelled, seeking to control their own destiny and claim power in service of no master. They called themselves Sith.

The Sith rebellion failed, succumbing to infighting and betrayal, and the once rival lords unified to create an Empire…but even an Empire at peace is not free from violence.

Far on the edge of the Outer Rim, one former Sith wanders, accompanied only by a faithful droid and the ghost of a less civilized age. He carries a lightsaber, but claims lineage to no Jedi clan, and pledges allegiance to no lord. Little is known about him, including his name, for he never speaks of his past, nor his regrets. His history is as guarded as the red blade of destruction he carries sheathed at his side.

As the galaxy’s perpetual cycle of violence continues to interrupt his self-imposed exile, and he is forced to duel an enigmatic bandit claiming the title of Sith, it becomes clear that no amount of wandering will ever let him outpace the specters of his former life.

And now read this snippet from Lucas's rough draft of "The Star Wars": -

Until the recent Great Rebellion, the Jedi Bendu were the most feared warriors in the universe. For one hundred thousand years, generations of Jedi perfected their art as the personal bodyguards of the emperor. They were the chief architects of the invincible Imperial Space Force which expanded the Empire across the galaxy, from the celestial equator to the farthest reaches of the Great Rift.

Now these legendary warriors are all but extinct. One by one they have been hunted down and destroyed as enemies of the New Empire by a ferocious and sinister rival warrior sect, the Knights of Sith.

Now I know it's not a 1:1 comparison, and there's every chance the similarities are as much to do with how much inspiration Lucas drew from Samurai movies (and by extension the "Warring States period" of Japan's history they typically depicted) as they are direct referencing, but damn if it doesn't have a similar ring. Also, the version of events described the the TPM novelization (which I'm about 90% sure came directly from Lucas) isn't a million miles away from this either.

Mostly I'm interested in any story of the early days of the Jedi/Sith schism (even if it's not canon), especially if it's something other than that confused mess that was the EU's version. Moreover I'm always fascinated by the idea that the ancent Jedi weren't always what we think of as "Jedi". That there could have once been multiple "clans" of Jedi (yes I know, there still are/were with the initiates, and maybe that's a vestige?), maybe even a wider Jedi civilization, or indeed, an Empire that they served before the Old Republic.

 

[fireproof78]

Regardless it sounds interesting. Very much reminiscent of Japan's history.

 

[The Wormhole]

I got to be honest, here lately I haven't really been feeling Star Wars novels. The Thrawn Ascendancy trilogy has so far been largely meh, and I was so unimpressed with the first High Republic novel I haven't bothered with the new one that just came out and have no plans to. But this novel certainly has my interest piqued.

 

[Reverend]

Yeah, the trouble with the Thrawn books is that Zahn is a little too enamoured with his main character and tends to forget that he's supposed to be a villain.

I liked 'Light of the Jedi' for what it was; a Roland Emmerich style disaster movie in novel form, set in the Star Wars universe. It helps that I went into it with modest expectations as I knew this novel would have the job of basically setting up the whole era and as such would be light on character focused plotting.
The Alphabet Squadron books have been OK if you're into the military/sci-fi aspect of of Star Wars, and I'll be getting around to the third one soonish (currently reading about 3 different books right now.)

But yeah, this 'Ronin' novel seems like something very unique and I hope it's as good as it looks!

On a related topic, I've actually been saying for a while that Star Wars needs a word that is to Jedi (and Sith I suppose?) what Ronin is to Samurai. (No, not "Grey Jedi" as that's a very, very dumb term and should be forgotten about.)

 

[Tuskin38]

Yeah, the trouble with the Thrawn books is that Zahn is a little too enamoured with his main character and tends to forget that he's supposed to be a villain.

I have to disagree. He's the hero of his own story, Thrawn doesn't see himself as the villain.

 

[Reverend]

I have to disagree. He's the hero of his own story, Thrawn doesn't seem himself as the villain.

Villains never do.

 

[Tuskin38]

But that's the point, he's the protagonist of the story. If you want that read the EU books where he is the antagonist.

 

[publiusr]

Viz is working on a similar theme art book

 

[Reverend]

But that's the point, he's the protagonist of the story. If you want that read the EU books where he is the antagonist.

"Villain" and "protagonist" are not mutually exclusive terms.

 

[JD]

The novel being developed from 'The Duel' certainly has my attention. I mean just read this synopsis: -

​

And now read this snippet from Lucas's rough draft of "The Star Wars": -

​

Now I know it's not a 1:1 comparison, and there's every chance the similarities are as much to do with how much inspiration Lucas drew from Samurai movies (and by extension the "Warring States period" of Japan's history they typically depicted) as they are direct referencing, but damn if it doesn't have a similar ring. Also, the version of events described the the TPM novelization (which I'm about 90% sure came directly from Lucas) isn't a million miles away from this either.

Mostly I'm interested in any story of the early days of the Jedi/Sith schism (even if it's not canon), especially if it's something other than that confused mess that was the EU's version. Moreover I'm always fascinated by the idea that the ancent Jedi weren't always what we think of as "Jedi". That there could have once been multiple "clans" of Jedi (yes I know, there still are/were with the initiates, and maybe that's a vestige?), maybe even a wider Jedi civilization, or indeed, an Empire that they served before the Old Republic.

The shorts and anything else that comes out of Visions is non-canon, so whatever the book and short won't be part of the main timeline, and won't be used as part of the official history of Jedi and Sith.

 

[Reverend]

The shorts and anything else that comes out of Visions is non-canon, so whatever the book and short won't be part of the main timeline, and won't be used as part of the official history of Jedi and Sith.

Yes I know. I was mostly just commenting on the parallels and the possibility that--canon or no--this might reflect how they approach ancient Jedi/Sith type storytelling.