Aside from its main series of live-action films, some of the best stories of the “Star Wars” franchise have come from its animated series. By contributing needed context to established narratives while also displaying new visual possibilities, programs such as “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and its spin-off “Star Wars: The Bad Batch” have stood as prime examples of how the iconic franchise can achieve success through various mediums.

Though the new Disney+ series “Star Wars: Visions” is non-canonical, its use of differing Japanese anime styles allows viewers to take in the iconic franchise in a fresh, exciting format. By being freed from the constraints of the franchise’s overarching story, the anthology series’ imaginative episodes and awe-inducing visuals bring hope for more unique takes to be produced later on.

Spanning nine episodes, “Visions” enlists the talents of seven anime studios to provide their own take on the expansive “Star Wars” universe. Whereas episodes such as “The Duel” and “The Elder” bear darker, more serious narratives and visual styles, others like “Tatooine Rhapsody” and “T0-B1” are more lighthearted. Though differences in tone may indicate a clear gap in episode quality for some, the series provides something for everybody by exploring different genres and anime tropes.

While certain plotlines featured throughout “Visions” may be perceived as lackluster when compared to others, one element that never fails to amaze each episode is the animation. Through the use of heavily-detailed, beautifully hand-drawn animation, the series holds back no punches in its attempts to draw the viewer into what is already an immersive universe.

Save for a few minor instances, “Visions” steers clear from including pre-established “Star Wars” characters. Though this may disappoint those hoping to see their favorite personalities rendered in an anime format, the series’ focus on primarily new characters and situations is ultimately for the best. By keeping things original, each episode remains all the more engrossing as viewers grow invested in its well-realized creations, rather than being exposed to familiar faces.

One of the series’ greatest strengths is its willingness to stay true to the spirit of “Star Wars” while also subverting its established concepts and archetypes by embracing anime conventions. From samurai sword-style lightsabers to Jedi-hopeful droids, “Visions” showcases ideas which, though unlikely to become canon, set new standards as to what could be achieved by the franchise in the future. 

A major shortcoming of the series is the brevity of its episodes. Understandably, this has to do in part with the fact that producing anime requires a painstaking amount of time and effort due to the intricate nature of the artstyle. However, short runtimes sometimes hinder episodes, such as “Akakiri,” from reaching the full potential of their concept. Though they make the best of the time allotted, certain episodes may have turned out to be even greater had they been able to devote more time toward their premises and characters.

Despite its lack of contribution to the franchise’s overarching story, “Star Wars: Visions” provides a much-needed break from the its more familiar elements. By opting to try something new on both a narrative and visual scale, the series is an important example of what could happen when writers and producers attempt to break the mold, rather than adhere to a safe formula. With more “Star Wars” content expected in the future, one could only hope that these releases follow suit and try something new.

Image from Star Wars via YouTube