This is one series that just keeps getting better. Star Wars Visions Volume 3 once again delivers incredible storytelling, visuals, and excitement to the galaxy far, far away.
Star Wars Visions Volume 3 Review
Returning for its third volume, Star Wars Visions once again proves why it is one of the best things to come from the animation side of the franchise since Rebels. It is without a doubt the most creative series in the group, as Lucasfilm allows various studios and storytellers to create and explore their sandbox without having to stick to canon. It has and continues to be the most unique experience for fans. Volume 3 sees a return to Japanese animation with new stories as well as some long-awaited follow-ups to Volume 1.
Kamikaze Douga, TRIGGER, Kinema Citrus, and Production I.G> from Volume 1 have returned and are joined by WIT Studio, Project Studio Q, Polygon Pictures, and David Production. After Volume 2 opened the floor to animation creators from all over the world, Volume 3 is back to the anime-style that started it all. I was thrilled when Lucasfilm and Disney announced this move. Nothing against Volume 2, I truly enjoyed the shorts and what each studio brought to the table, but I'm an anime girl at heart and this also meant we would be revisiting some familiar faces.
The Duel: Payback
This is the first of the sequel stories, returning to one of my favorites from Volume 1. In it, Ronin is a former Sith who hunts other Sith. Once he kills them he collects their Kyber crystals from their blades. In the follow-up, he is forced into an alliance with a Twi’lek Sith named Aneé-san in order to fight a former Jedi referred to as the Grand Master. The animation here has become iconic at this point, black and grey sketches and tones, with the occasional burst of color. The fight choreography wows and the environments rich despite the lack of colors. Plus the story has everything we love about Star Wars – humor, heart, and great action.
The Song Of Four Wings
Crane is a young princess who has lost her kingdom thanks to the Empire. She now works for the rebel alliance and is on a mission to investigate a village also destroyed by the Empire. There she finds an orphaned infant Gigoran named Woopa, who also happens to be strong with the Force. What I enjoyed about this one, aside from the beautiful visuals of the snow-covered planet, was the fact this hero isn't a lightsaber wielding Jedi. Don't get me wrong, I love an epic duel but it's also nice to see a “regular” hero once in a while. The climactic battle is a treat to watch and overall this short is a lot of fun. I could see Crane and Leia becoming fast friends.
The Ninth Jedi: The Child of Hope
Not only did The Ninth Jedi get a sequel but Lucasfilm also announced it would be getting its own “Visions Presents” series in 2026. As another favorite from Volume 1 I was excited. In this short, we find Lah Kara on the run with the other escaped Jedi. They are trying to get to safety before they are eliminated like the rest of the Jedi Order. Kara loses her friends though during a battle and is saved by a friendly droid named Teto. He has been waiting for a “great Jedi” like Kara to come along to help him and his master. Out of all the shorts this one on its own feels a little incomplete but that is because it is a stepping stone to the series coming next year. Nevertheless, Teto is sweet, Kara learns a valuable lesson about herself, and overall this one might have your heartstrings pulling.
The Bounty Hunters
In the past, Sevn was betrayed by a Jedi. Now, in present day, she along with her split personality droid IV-A4 are bounty hunters. After their ship is damaged, the pair meet Jin-Sim, a wealthy man who offers to fix their ship in exchange for Sven to track down some rebel fighters who are plaguing his city. What she learns is that Jin-Sim hasn't been honest with her and she has a choice to make – collect the paycheck or do the right thing. The action here is exciting and bounty hunter heavy, which is sure to make fans of that particular group of scoundrels happy. IV-A4 is funny as he switches up in his personality based on what is happening.
Yuko's Treasure
This one is the most bright and colorful of all the shorts, featuring a character that looks like a cuddly teddy bear. Fans of Rise of the Shield Hero will recognize the animation style here. Yuko is an orphan who is being cared for by two droids. One is a triangle and the other is BILY the bear which stands for “Baby I Love You.” He soon meets another Tatooine native named Sola who was hired by Fox-Ear to track down Yuko's family and find their “hidden treasure.” Lots of comedic mishaps, tender moments, and vivid animation make this one memorable. It's charming, sweet, and a crowd-pleaser for all ages.
The Lost Ones
The final of the sequels, this one follows The Village Bride. F is back but when the refugee ship she is on is ambushed by an Imperial Star Destroyer, she volunteers to go with them in order to save the others. She isn't alone though, Ron joins her aboard the star destroyer, intent on trying to destroy it. Once on the ship, F comes face-to-face with her old master. Shad-Rah. You can imagine that doesn't go well. I liked The Village Bride well enough, it had great action sequences and F is an intriguing character. It's nice to see her back and this time facing her past. Although I'm happy it got a sequel, I wish The Twins had been chosen instead.
The Smuggler
Chita is a young girl who owes money at the local cantina. Needing credits, she agrees to take a job from Gleenu, a kind but slightly mysterious older woman. She must help the woman and a young boy who looks very similar to the lost prince named Arluu get past an Imperial blockade. This is a story that resembles A New Hope and also a bit of Anastasia (not Star Wars canon but go with me). The two young kids have a great push-pull dynamic and the escape is shot from a new (at least to me) angle. Also love seeing a wizened woman turn out to be a (SPOILER ALERT) Jedi master.
Bird of Paradise
Hands down, this was my favorite in Visions Volume 3. I was taken in by the story and the beautiful imagery used to convey the Force and how a blind character might experience it. Nakime has fallen in battle and awakens unable to see. She is trapped between worlds – reality and the world where she must face her fears. This is familiar to Rebels and Ahsoka fans alike. Over the course of several days, Nakime will encounter not her old master but versions of herself. This is a story about the balance we must achieve within ourselves when facing triumphs and hardships. Blind characters in Star Wars aren't new, Kanan and Chirrut Îmwe have come before Nakime. But never has the galaxy explored the blind's connection to the Force in this way. Her story, coupled with the images painted across the screen moved me to tears.
Black
David Production's Black is also like nothing we've seen before in Star Wars but for a completely different reason. A story of the light vs the dark, death vs life, all told from the perspective of memories flashing before a dying Stormtrooper's eyes. It's devoid of dialogue, something I appreciated, as the sequences on the screen were plenty to tell this story, words would have cheapened it in my opinion. This is what the average trooper may have felt like as to Death Star was about the explode, wondering why they signed up for this, how did they get here, and what about those they are leaving behind. We've had stories from the trooper's POV before from the opening of The Force Awakens to The Bad Batch, but Black puts us in the headspace of these people. And even being firmly on the side of the Rebel Alliance, Black makes the case that most of these grunts are just cogs in the Imperial machine. Victims that are quickly and easily discarded by the Emperor who “loved them.”
Verdict
Star Wars Visions never fails to impress or surprise me and Volume 3 is no different. Returning to the anime world and revisiting some stories was absolutely the right move for this installment. Gorgeous imagery, kinetic battles, alongside new and returning faces, Visions remains a special gift for fans. Now that I know sequels are possible, I do hope some of these as well as others from Volumes 1-2 get a chance to return. Until then, I will be happily rewatching all 3 volumes and wondering what might happen next.
All episodes of Star Wars Visions: Volume 3 are now streaming on Disney+.
Leave a Reply