As Disney and Lucasfilm work towards establishing a coherent and regular theatrical schedule for Star Wars once again, the Disney Plus side of things continues to evolve the galaxy far, far away. Among the franchise’s biggest animated hits, we find the Star Wars: Visions anthology series. Volume 3 is finally here, and here’s our ranking of all the shorts from Japanese studios included in this new batch.
While 2023’s Volume 2 widened Visions’ lens to include animation studios from all over the world, this new season returns to Japan’s anime tradition, with some shorts serving as follow-ups to past hits and others exploring the Star Wars galaxy in totally different (and often shocking) ways. Needless to say, none of these shorts are canon to the Star Wars timeline, though we and many fans would be more than happy to admit some of them as part of the continuity.
Light spoilers ahead for all episodes of Star Wars: Visions Volume 3 and some previous Volume 1 shorts.
9. ‘The Bird of Paradise’ (Polygon Pictures)
It’s no secret Polygon Pictures’ 3DCG approach to anime isn’t celebrated by many animation enthusiasts, and while their stab at crafting a compelling Star Wars short makes bigger efforts than past projects to have a distinct look, the result remains odd and video game-like in a negative way. Whereas critically acclaimed movies like the Spider-Verse films have proven there’s more than enough room to wow with a mix of 3D, traditional, and experimental animation, The Bird of Paradise never manages to move past the ‘3D anime’ uncanny valley that plagues many animated shows and flicks.
Even if you can get past the jarring presentation, there’s not much to the story being told here. With most shorts running under 20 minutes, a brisk pacing and very clear structure are important to say something and leave a mark. Instead, The Bird of Paradise feels like the late-act-two dramatic beat of an actual tale, which is why it’s hard to connect with its lead Jedi Padawan’s struggle or the tired philosophy it relentlessly throws at the viewer in hopes of making an emotional impact.
8. ‘The Song of Four Wings’ (Project Studio Q)
The good news about The Song of Four Wings is that Project Studio Q understood the assignment of going in, doing something that’s at least visually striking, and going out with style. The not-so-great news is that it spends far too long establishing a character background we’ve seen a hundred times before and introducing a little side creature we likely won’t be seeing again.
That said, the good outweighs the baffling. The princess-turned-Rebel (not Leia) at the center of the short has a couple of neat tricks; her robot companion is cute; and the little alien she comes across is even cuter. While it takes too long to get to the action and the setting is the Reign of the Empire yet again, director Hiroyasu Kobayashi and his team found some genuine fun in the frozen wastes of the Hoth-like planet we visit. Just try to ignore how bad those stormtroopers’ aim is, even by Imperial standards.
7. ‘Yuko’s Treasure’ (Kinema Citrus)
After managing to get their first short, The Village Bridge, all the way to the Oscars, it came as no surprise Kinema Citrus got the opportunity to work on two different shorts for Volume 3. Their non-sequel tale is Yuko’s Treasure, an endearing and fun adventure set on Tatooine (we can’t escape that dust ball), where a sheltered orphan and her bear-like droid caregiver are found and attacked by a group of pirates looking for treasure.
Structurally, this is one of the cleanest episodes in Volume 3, and the animation style is a traditional treat. It also ends on a hopeful and sincere note that could spawn a fun little Star Wars anime show. Not as impressive is its thin and timid use of Star Wars’ unique setting. We revisit Tatooine and the Mos Eisley cantina; there’s no big swing taken with the technology and governing aesthetic; and the villainous pirates, Twi’lek aside, could belong to any random sci-fi anime. It’s hard not to enjoy this one, but its limitations are frustrating.
6. ‘The Duel: Payback’ (Kamikaze Douga & ANIMA)
The Duel was one of Volume 1’s biggest wins, mostly due to its striking art style and the decision to reimagine the Jedi vs. Sith conflict in a universe heavily influenced by Japanese lore and samurai stories. That success led to a novel and two prequel one-shot comic books. In Volume 3, Kamikaze Douga and ANIMA are back with a vengeance… literally.
In this sequel short, the ex-Sith Ronin character finds some unexpected allies while facing off against another former Sith (he’s on a mission to hunt the remaining evil Force users down), but the bigger conflict comes from the return of a Jedi he once fought and seemingly defeated. In Payback, we get a closer look at this universe’s version of the Jedi ‘Crusaders’ and learn more about the state of the galaxy through relentless action and plenty of neat little character moments. This one’s delightfully balanced (like the Force should be) and packs a punch while looking unlike anything else in the franchise. Full series when?
5. ‘The Lost Ones’ (Kinema Citrus)
The Lost Ones is a direct sequel to 2021’s The Village Bride, which should instantly make it one of the most anticipated shorts in this season for those who have closely followed the development of new Visions volumes. Fortunately, F’s (the main Jedi protagonist) return doesn’t disappoint thanks to clearly defined plot and character beats and lovely, colorful animation that’s all about making traditional 2D techniques pop. It also continues to be one of those stories that could fit with little to no tinkering within the established canon.
In this new tale, F comes across refugees trying to escape a natural disaster that’s made their planet uninhabitable. While the first section of the sort seems a tad too quiet, the team led by director Hitoshi Haga managed to cram a lot of story and character work into the tight runtime, complete with stylish action sequences and some stunning and inventive vistas. We wouldn’t mind a series that follows F as she navigates the galaxy trying to help those in need and becoming a better Jedi.
4. ‘The Ninth Jedi: Child of Hope’ (Production I.G)
After the surprise announcement The Ninth Jedi would be turned into a full anime series (set to arrive in 2026), the second anime short from Production I.G quickly became the most anticipated one in Volume 3, and we’re happy to report it doesn’t disappoint. It’s a direct sequel to the first one and a perfect setup for what’s coming next as Kara and her Jedi allies try to escape a group of hunters while learning more about the girl’s abilities.
Unlike the first short, Child of Hope also takes a swing outside of the usual Star Wars aesthetic — it’s part of why The Ninth Jedi was celebrated as a possible ‘far future’ in the canon — to come up with a handful of striking locations with a distinct look and fun new characters. The Naoyoshi Shiotani-directed (and written) short also behaves more like a traditional anime episode now that a series is planned to come next. While it may be less action-packed than many fans expected, the character beats and key moments are so well executed we’re instantly ready for the next chapter in Kara’s journey.
3. ‘The Bounty Hunters’ (Wit Studio)
Wit Studio (of Attack on Titan fame) is another great addition to the roster of Japanese studios in Volume 3. While the story setup feels like nothing special at first, The Bounty Hunters quickly gets into a confident groove that’s neither too dark nor weightless, also managing to evade the Jedi vs. Sith conflict so many creatives like to riff on. This is one of the cleanest one-shots in Visions’ entire three-season run so far, and it’s told with lots of composure.
This one’s also among the animated Star Wars tales that could’ve happened elsewhere and away from the canon stories we’ve been told. It’s a fairly low-stakes affair, but it tells an important story and Junichi Yamamoto knew how to do so in style. A rogue bounty hunter who travels the galaxy alongside a medical droid with a dark side was solid as a pitch, but it’s the execution that makes The Bounty Hunters shine. There’s also space for well-timed comedy in this one, but it’s the small moments of quiet and fun character interactions that elevate it.
2. ‘The Smuggler’ (Trigger)
Trigger’s The Smuggler also starts off familiar, with a royal figure that must escape the Empire, but the veteran Visions studio (one of the most celebrated in the anime space) quickly puts its stamp on both the narrative’s tone and the animation. While traditional in its approach to world-building, it also makes efforts to stand apart from the other Star Wars stories, canon or not.
A young woman looking for quick money takes on a dangerous job, and the following adventure also has that “pilot episode” feeling that isn’t surprising now that Lucasfilm has become more open about its intentions of expanding into the anime space. Though the ending feels safer and too main-Star-Wars-adjacent for our taste, the entire ride is an old-fashioned blast full of charming moments, satisfying action, and characters we wish we could spend more time with.
1. ‘Black’ (David Production)
David Production’s Black is by far the most shocking and inspiring short Lucasfilm has released so far under the Visions banner. Directed by renowned animator, director, and character designer Shinya Ohira, it explores the psyche of an Imperial stormtrooper as everything crumbles around him. It’s not often Star Wars focuses on Imperial grunts, much less in such haunting fashion. This one’s so experimental and disturbing that it feels like the one short which slipped through the cracks; easily the boldest official bit of Star Wars we’ve ever seen.
The short is split into nine scenes that seamlessly blend together, with one animator taking over each scene. It’s heavy on the use of different brushes, Ohira’s signature shifting linework, and dynamic movement which adds to the overall entrancing look. On top of everything, Sakura Fujirawa‘s music establishes a fluid rhythm, all while dialogue is completely absent. ‘Star Wars but make it psychedelic’ is something we’ve just learned we need more of.
