After turning its focus towards television, Disney made a decision that shocked many: allowing seven anime studios to produce a non-canon “Star Wars” anime. And most surprising of all is that Disney will not be involved in the series whatsoever.
This anime series is titled “Star Wars: Visions” and will consist of nine separate stories.
Coming at a time when many “Star Wars” fans are feeling disillusioned with Disney’s ability to produce quality “Star Wars” content, the trailer, released on Disney+ and YouTube in mid-August, has received largely positive responses from both the “Star Wars” and anime fanbases.
Senior Dylan Murphy, a “Star Wars” and anime fan, is very excited for “Visions.”
“I was stoked. ‘Star Wars’ has so much potential in anime with lightsabers and the force, [I’m] hyped for it to come out,” Murphy said.
Murphy is not the only one who has seen the potential of lightsabers and the force in anime. The trailer already shows that the anime studios are getting creative, featuring lightsabers that look like umbrellas, katana-shaped lightsabers, and even lightsabers that function like whips.
These lightsaber designs have been the subject of many comments on the trailer’s YouTube release. Most comments praise the designs or share lighthearted jokes related to them.
Carlmont history teacher, Jarrod Harrison, is also a fan of “Star Wars.” Harrison recognizes the possibility of synergy between “Star Wars” and anime.
He feels that the expressiveness in anime, especially the creative visuals and ideas, would make “Star Wars: Visions” a unique and interesting addition to the “Star Wars Legends” material.
“I think overall I liked the variety of images and interpretations… George Lucas was partially inspired by Japanese cinema, so this is a natural evolution,” Harrison said.
Reactions to “Visions” are not all positive, though. Some are worried that mixing “Star Wars” and anime will eliminate some intrinsic qualities of both.
One person with these concerns is Taiyo Kobayashi, a Carlmont junior and anime fan. He worries that this combination could upset anime and “Star Wars” fans if not handled correctly.
“‘Star Wars’ has [its] own different culture and story, so I [don’t] want the Japanese culture to mess these up,” Kobayashi said.
Despite the differences in their opinions on the impact anime might have on “Star Wars,” both Kobayashi and Murphy think this series may lead to positive changes in Disney’s approach to “Star Wars.”
“I think this will open up the route for many other types of “Star Wars” media. Maybe a [canon] “Star Wars” anime….” Murphy said.
