Podcast: Star Wars Goes Anime - A Visions Discussion (+ recap!)
Star Wars Visions is here, and the Waffles are pumped.
This week Arezou and Candace are joined by fellow Waffle and resident anime fan Bri to dive into each episode of the new anime anthology series. Along the way, they make connections to their favourite Star Wars stories, share their hopes for the future of the show and debate the all important "is this canon" question.
Read our review of Ronin here.
Plus: Scroll down for written thoughts from Waffle TV recappers Arezou and Hope
Listen: Apple Podcast | Spotify | Google Podcast | Pocket Casts | Amazon Music
Star Wars: Visions is here and it did not disappoint. Nine episodes from seven different studios showcased how awesome Star Wars can be in an anime format. Each brought something unique to a galaxy far, far away giving audiences a phenomenal experience. There was something for everyone in these episodes.
Together, Space Waffles host Arezou and honorary co-pilot Hope break down each short and what they thought about them:
The Duel
Arezou:
I think The Duel was the perfect way to kick off the series. By starting things off with that expected lone samurai-type story that was the root for Star Wars in the first place, it gave the rest of the series license to take things in unexpected directions. I enjoyed this episode for the dynamic style of action it brought, since I don’t always find action scenes very easy to follow. The other part I really enjoyed was the use of colour. Though most of the short is in black and white, artificial sources of lighting are all in colour. Initially it looks like a visual quirk until the lightsabers come into play, and then the purpose becomes clear: it’s meant to draw your eye. I can’t say too much about the characters without getting spoilery, but if you enjoyed The Duel, then definitely check out Ronin when it comes out in October.
Hope:
The Duel was exactly what I thought it would be, which is in no way a slight towards it. Quite the opposite actually. I think it was smart to open Visions with this episode, because it’s probably what a lot of non-anime fans expected out of the series. The story hides its depths in the simple narrative of a wandering man and his droid who save a village. It’s paying homage to the Akira Kurosawa films that inspired this franchise. And I adored the Sith woman in this short. Each reveal as she shed her outerwear made her more and more terrifying until all that was left was her pure evil self. The Duel was straightforward but held so much power behind the incredibly deep story.
Tatooine Rhapsody
Arezou:
This one was extremely cute, and a much needed intensity break after The Duel. That’s not to say that there’s no emotional weight to this. Jay, the lead singer of Star Waver, is a former Jedi padawan in the years shortly following Order 66. He probably carries a lot of guilt for losing the only family he’s ever known. And now, when Jabba the Hutt takes away his bandmate Gee for execution, he finds himself facing the same thing again. Only now, he’s determined to do something about it.
I know that doesn’t exactly sound like a break in intensity, but this is the power of visual storytelling. Everything I just mentioned is subtext. Textually, this is the kind of fun romp we’ve come to expect from Star Wars animation, where the serious and the silly can mesh together. The song the band performs is extremely catchy, as evidenced by Jabba tapping along with his tail.
The short also sees Temuera Morrison reprising his role as Boba Fett only a few short months out from doing so again in live-action. As a new Boba fan, I was very excited to see him pop up here, crowd surfing and dancing along to the music.
Hope:
Tatooine Rhapsody hit a lot of elements I’ve personally wanted to see more in Star Wars. I’ve always wondered how artists thrived or failed during the constantly shifting wars. They sort of did it with Sabine Wren in Star Wars Rebels, but they never truly dove into her as an artist. I’ve wanted more characters like Cinna from The Hunger Games, using their craft to push back against tyranny. I’ve wanted to see actors, writers, painters, cartoonists, and, of course, BANDS! We’ve gotten some musicians like The Max Rebo Band, but I’ve wanted so much more. Hearing Wreckpunk playing on the audiobook for Light of the Jedi made me want it more. Tatooine Rhapsody delivered, giving us the struggles of Star Waver, a rock band led by a padawan in hiding named Jay and a Hutt named Geezer.
I could not stop smiling from beginning to end of this short, quickly becoming one of my favorites. The design and colors are so bright compared to some of the other episodes in Visions. The characters are lovable, clearly tapping into the found family trope in their own way. They put everything on the line to save one of their own from Jabba. While playing with some new concepts, it still felt so familiar. Jay reminded me of Caleb Dume or Cal Kaetis, choosing a new path while staying hidden. It also made me think of the High Republic and the Wayseeker Jedi who set out to be a pop star.
Most importantly, it’s fun. Tatooine Rhapsody is a very fun episode. I’m always here for fun Star Wars. This felt right at home with something like The Freemaker Adventures. When so much of Star Wars is focused on the struggles of war, it’s nice to have a break, bob my head along to some music, and have a bit of fun once and a while.
The Twins
Arezou:
The Twins was one of the more hyped shorts, and it was one of the ones that made me nervous, since some creators implied it was set sometime after Episode IX, which is still a bit of a sore spot for me. I think out of sheer relief that it doesn’t really touch on it at all, I enjoyed it more than expected.
First of all, the action scenes are stunning. The lengthy battle between Karre and Am floating in space, surrounded by stars and debris was beautiful, and the kind of thing you just can’t do in live action. Also, Master Am, where can I get those lightsaber shoes?
But beyond that, I loved the little homages dotted throughout to other films in the saga. The planet destroying weapon seems like an obvious one, as does the concept of Force-sensitive twins. But then we have things like them cutting through a Star Destroyer at lightspeed, and the concept of falling prey to your conditioning versus choosing differently for yourself in spite of it all. Karre’s belief that his sister Am is not only alive by the end, but is not beyond redemption is a very Star Wars thing. No one is ever really gone, after all.
Hope:
While all the shorts are good and bring something to the table, The Twins is my least favorite episode of Visions. That doesn’t mean it’s bad, but I wanted to like it more.
To start with the good, I love how bonkers crazy it is. I love weird Star Wars. I’m always here for the Rule of Cool in this franchise. And man oh man is the fight between Am and Karre absolutely amazing. I mean, HEEL LIGHTSABERS! The Holdo Maneuver with Karre outside on his X-Wing! The silliness of Am floating in space without her helmet while her droid wore one made me laugh! This is the height of the Rule of Cool!
Also, I loved how it turned the story of Luke and Leia on its head. The Twins still played with a lot of classic Star Wars visuals like the binary sunset. Am and Karre’s armor felt like Ralph McQuarrie’s artwork came to life. Karre’s outfit underneath was very Han Solo in A New Hope. Even their droids were twisted versions of C-3PO and R2-D2. All this was great!
My issue is how dialogue heavy this short is. Both in English and Japanese, they never stop talking to the point where they’re narrating their own actions. I felt like every other sentence could be cut out, and the short would work better. It didn’t trust the audience with the visual storytelling like the other shorts did. Heck, Ronin from The Duel barely spoke and had just as rich of a story. When in the middle of an 18-minute short I have to yell, “Oh my god shut up!” then it’s way too much dialogue.
The Village Bride
Arezou:
This story, more than the others, reminds me of the book The Legends of Luke Skywalker. We see sprinkled throughout Star Wars that the Force is not something exclusive to the Jedi, and that many people use it in their own way. In this case, the world on which The Village Bride is set connects to the land itself, and to a spirit they call the Magina. It’s the melding of the Magina and the Force as the Jedi understand it that helps F, a Jedi and the point of view character come to terms with her loss and her place in the changing galaxy. Watching her process the fact that just because the Order is gone doesn’t mean she cannot help people who need her was a beautiful tale of healing, and I would be interested in seeing more of F down the line.
The marriage ceremony between Haru and Asu, prior to the reception tinged with loss and sadness, was absolutely beautiful, as was the music that accompanied it. I admit I was a little worried, since Star Wars and romance do not have the best track record together. Because Haru went into this intending to sacrifice herself for the good of the village (major side eye to her grandfather, who is old and shouldn’t have let a young woman give up her life for him), I expected Asu to pull some kind of last minute switch and take her place. Fortunately, this truly subverted my romance-in-Star Wars expectations and ends well for the two of them.
Hope:
This world feels like it would fit into the Clone Wars, like Anakin, Ahsoka, and Obi-Wan could show up and belong here. The mythos around the Force reminded me of the Lasats from Rebels or Kel and Eila from Star Wars Resistance. And speaking as a fan of Resistance, I was so emotional hearing Christopher Sean back in Star Wars again. And the battle droids being voiced by Matthew Wood made my animation loving heart leap for joy! This short feels like a love letter to all Star Wars animation before it while still being so uniquely its own.
The amount of story they fit in this short is amazing. This is how I feel The Twins should have been. The Village Bride gives just enough details and then lets context clues and visual storytelling fill in the rest. F is a padawan who survived Order 66 and, by the sounds of it, was at the Coruscant Temple when Vader arrived. Two scenes give us that without saying much at all. The romance of Haru and Asu is all visual, sweet, and simple. The raiders have stunning designs and a unique take to them. It’s very Star Wars while being uniquely Japanese. This is great storytelling.
I was also excited to see a Twi’lek in this short. Twi’leks are one of my favorite Star Wars people, and I enjoyed seeing them in different anime styles here and in Tatooine Rhapsody.
The Ninth Jedi
Arezou:
I can appreciate that The Ninth Jedi is set centuries after the Skywalker Saga while also admitting that the pseudo-apocalyptic future they inhabit is so far removed from the familiar it chills me on a visceral level. It reminds me of when I was a child and started contemplating my own mortality. It’s that kind of chilling to me.
But existential crisis aside, I loved the advancement of kyber crystal “technology”. Kara’s undefined saber that materialized into a proper blade as she accepted her role in the story? Phenomenal. Crystals that bleed and heal in a matter of moments because of a person’s heart and intention rather than through a lengthy process? That in particular was beautiful to me. It read like the crystal recognizing intention in split second decisions. The work to walk back from the darkness and into the light is a process. But that initial decision to return to the light is the hardest step, and to see it rewarded in the context of the story showed me that the Force is not necessarily as cruel and judgmental as some would suggest.
Hope:
To me, the biggest strength of The Ninth Jedi is how far set in the future it is. Completely removed from the Skywalker Saga, it gets to write its own lore since it’s well past the Sequel Trilogy. While none of these shorts are playing in the realms of canon, this is one of the stories that feels like it could. I could see Rey putting into motion these lightsaber smith practices as she didn’t have her own saber for so long. This feels like a natural continuation of the movies set centuries later.
Kara is a lovable heroine not realizing her own call to destiny until her saber chose her, revealing she’s the title character. I liked that they held off on that story element until the end. Little additions like the Old Droid pilot were perfect. Sipping his oil from a cup of tea is such a lovely little anime touch. The constant misdirection of the episode kept me on my toes, and I was not expecting the big reveal in the middle. I screamed, “OH NO!” at that moment as the stakes shot way up. The Ninth Jedi excels in a ripe new era ready to be played in. While all the episodes could have their own spin-offs, this one feels like it's screaming for its own full series.
If we end up getting a season two of Visions, I’d love us to touch back in with these characters.
TO-B1
Arezou:
It’s nothing against T0-B1. The little Pinnochio-vibe droid who wants to be a real boy- I mean, Jedi, was extremely adorable. I suppose that’s my main takeaway from it, it was cute. But it was also my least favourite. This season of Visions was an absolute embarrassment of riches, and while I felt all the others pushed the boundaries of what a Star Wars story could be, this one played it fairly safe.
Hope:
I was shocked at how much I loved TO-B1. I knew it was the nod to Astro Boy and definitely hitting a lot of Mega Man notes. Not really a big fan of either, I went into this short thinking it would be just fine. It surpassed all those expectations. TO-B1 plays so much in the realm of other Star Wars animation before it. I kept pausing and staring at the carvings in Professor Mitaka’s house. They felt so familiar and reminded me of the cave painting on Lothal in Rebels. Don’t forget the very World Between Worlds scene too. TO-B1’s story really plays up the Pinocchio vibes, but with the Star Wars twist of the call to action with being a Jedi. Extra kudos to the very casual disability representation too. This episode showcased so much in such a short time. And my gosh, is it adorable.
The Elder
Arezou:
Master Tajin, if you read this I am free on Thursday night and would like to hang out.
But seriously. This short was great because of how gentle it was. There are high emotional stakes. Dan is keen to prove himself in his master's eyes, and Tajin just wants to keep him safe. It’s a tale as old as time, and it reminded me a lot of the Master/Padawan dynamics of the High Republic novels.
Though the two of them are ostensibly out investigating a disturbance, which turns out to be an elderly Sith man, the short really isn’t about that. It’s about their bond, and about the passage of time, and how it is time that is ultimately the thing they must all contend with in the end. It is time that is responsible for a lack of training, or a weakening of skills.
That said, for a moment I really did think I watched Dan die right before my eyes, and I wasn’t prepared for that. Tajin’s pain at potentially losing the person he is closest to in the galaxy was palpable. If the short is gentle, then so are the characters. It was a quiet, more philosophical look at the Jedi, and conveyed such a wonderful energy in so short an amount of time.
Hope:
The Elder is tied as one of my favorite episodes of Visions. While I didn’t love The Twins, that episode along with The Elder really shows Studio Trigger’s range in their work which is very impressive.
The Elder reminded me so much of the work going on in the High Republic. Dan and Tajin’s relationship had a lot of the same beats and conversations that Loden Greatstorm and Bell Zettifar shared in Light of the Jedi. I felt like these two characters could show up on Starlight Beacon and naturally fit in.
With so much of Visions focused on Jedi in hiding or trying to rebuild the Jedi Order or finding new Force users, it was nice to have a very classic master and padawan story. It made this episode stand out for that point alone. Dan is curious, kind, and ready for action. Tajin is the steadfast, wise, and calm master. Their dynamic played well, and you could tell their care for the other. The Old Man Sith character is creepy, but clearly holds a lot of hidden power. My heart dropped for Dan as he battled the Sith. This episode in such a short amount of time made me love these people. I so badly want to see Tajin and Dan again in some way.
Give me my Bell Zettifar and Dan G’vash team up story now, please and thank you.
Lop and Ocho
Arezou:
Lop and Ocho surprised me because of how rare it is to get a sister story in Star Wars. The only one that comes to mind, really, is Satine and Bo-Katan from The Clone Wars, and while they interact a little, they mostly do so through third parties. Their conflict is political. This one between Lop and her adopted sister Ocho is deeply personal.
The two of them are divided when it comes to the Empire’s presence on their homeworld of Tao. While Lop falls into the category of hero that we usually see in Star Wars, the one who wants to help people fight off the presence of the Empire (or Separatists, or First Order, etc etc), Ocho interested me more because of the way she allies with the Empire. They would not have been able to hold power for as long as they did if everyone saw them for the evil they were.
Ocho reminded me a lot of Cienna from Claudia Gray’s Lost Stars. Fundamentally, she has a good heart. She is the one who wanted to adopt Lop in the first place when she saw she had nowhere to go. She doesn’t see the Empire as an issue because what she sees is the public good they do. Evil is a wonderful storytelling concept, but to people living with difficulty, any alleviation of their burden will seem appealing. Star Wars is at its best when it explores why the people on both sides of the conflict feel the way they do.
Hope:
Lop and Ocho truly captures both the love of a found family and the heartbreak of a civil war. Sister vs sister, Lop and Ocho find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. It’s a classic story of a traditional society butting up against technological progression. Ocho and her father both want the same thing. They both want to save their planet, but have different ways of going about it when Ocho sides with the Empire. This tale has been spun time and time again, and it’s just as heart wrenching here.
Lop’s story is the heart of this episode. I really dug those Star Wars Rebels vibes as Lop reminded me in a lot of ways of Ezra Bridger. She’s Force sensitive and wishes to use her abilities first and foremost to save the people she loves. The fact that the father passed on his lightsaber to Lop, his adopted daughter, instead of Ocho, his blood daughter, is an incredibly powerful moment. It hammered in the theme of the episode which is that family is not just blood; family is what you make it. This episode is stunning to look at. The action is so fluid and beautiful. The music captures each and every beat perfectly. As another personal favorite of mine, I can’t get enough of this short.
Akakiri
Arezou:
Putting this one last was an emotional sucker punch. Three of Star Wars best known tragic love stories rolled into one. Tsubaki and Misa are initially reminiscent of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Satine, the Jedi and the noblewoman, and the love that could have been. It then becomes Anakin and Padmé when it’s clear Tsubaki is suffering from visions of falling to the dark and wants to defy his fate, only to wind up losing Misa anyway. It’s Rey and Ben because they get separated in the ninth episode of a thing and it made me cry.
But! Where it differs from all these is in where the story leaves off. Tsubaki has met his fate and fallen to the Dark side to save Misa from a fatal wound he himself inflicted while she was being controlled by Masago, the Sith who wants Tsubaki to join her. But now that he has met his fate, and both he and Misa are alive, his future is open. There is space for him to return and for them to be together again. Yes, it was an emotional sucker punch, but it ends with hope for the future. It is the story I would most like to see continued, and in the meantime I am accepting fix-it fics.
Long story short: It ain’t over till it’s over, and even then there’s room for negotiation.
Hope:
At first I was stunned that this was the final episode of Visions. On my first viewing, I thought of how sad it was to go out this way with the hero falling to the Dark Side. But on further viewing and an excellent breakdown by Emma from Pink Milk podcast, it’s actually quite a hopeful story. Unlike the story of Rey and Ben Solo or Anakin and Padmé, both Tsubaki and Misa survive. As long as they are both living, there is always hope for Tsubaki.
Akakiri is gorgeous to look at. George Takei and Keone Young are a great dark humor comedic duo. And I must say Lorraine Toussaint is fantastic casting. My She-Ra and the Princesses of Power heart jumped hearing her voice in Star Wars. Akakiri is made to be watched over and over. It’s a dark tale with an open end where the viewer hopes for more, hopes for two lovers to find each other again, and hopes for the Light Side’s return.
Though each short was remarkably different in style and tone, it’s clear that this worked to the series advantage. By exploring the themes and potential of the Star Wars universe without being beholden to a specific timeline or set of facts, Visions was free to push the boundaries of what exactly the Galaxy Far, Far Away can look like. Though they may not be “canon” in the strictest sense, that doesn’t mean the stories told here are unimportant. They are a complement to the stories we already love, and a gateway to what future stories could be.
Star Wars: Visions is streaming now on Disney+
