LONDON: George Lucas has never hidden the fact that his original idea for “Star Wars” owed much to Japanese samurai culture, and the films of famed director Akira Kurosawa. So there’s a pleasing symmetry to the idea that the latest “Star Wars” series to hit Disney+ is an anthology of short stories produced by seven Japanese animation studios.
Each of the nine episodes tells a short, standalone story set in the “Star Wars” universe. Aside from a brief cameo by bounty hunter Boba Fett (voiced by returning star Temuera Morrison), none of the major characters from the franchise’s films or TV shows appear, granting each of the writing and animation teams an opportunity to come up with an entirely new adventure.
Each of the nine episodes tells a short, standalone story set in the “Star Wars” universe. (Supplied)
That also means that each episode is allowed to have its own distinct style and feel, with no overarching plot or season-long narrative. Indeed, it seems that each studio was simply told to have fun with the universe Lucas dreamed up more than 40 years ago, and that freedom certainly shows. Tonally, there are some massive shifts — from the playful “Tatooine Rhapsody” and Pinocchio-esque “T0-B1” to the surprisingly bleak series-closer “Akakiri” — and some stories land more succinctly than others. Some episodes simply graft the Star Wars universe onto more traditional-feeling anime stories, while tales such as “The Ninth Jedi” immerse themselves in the lore with great affection and respect.
As a whole, “Visions” feels like an exciting creative leap. Seemingly removed from the greater, intersecting web of the movies and narrative TV shows, this animation showcase feels more akin to a “Star Wars” homage.
Whether we’ll see any of these characters or worlds again remains to be seen, but there’s something quite lovely in watching Lucas’ universe become a playground for those so obviously inspired by his creation to blend his influences with their own.