George Lucas took inspiration from Japanese fiction for Star Wars. The original trilogy drew heavily from Japanese period pieces like Seven Samurai directed by Akira Kurosawa, incorporating symbols and terms reminiscent of feudal-era Japanese military. The influence was mutual; the release of the original trilogy in Japan sparked a wave of science-fiction films, particularly animated ones like Akira. It’s about time these two sources of inspiration converge.
Recently, at Anime Expo, Disney and LucasFilm revealed an anthology of anime shorts set in the Star Wars universe titled Star Wars: Visions. Each short in the anthology is crafted by a different anime studio, with confirmed participation from studios such as Kamikaze Douga, Geno Studio, Studio Colorido, Kinema Citrus, Science Saru, Production IG, and Studio Trigger.
Executive producer James Waugh expressed, “Japanese animation has greatly influenced many at Lucasfilm over the years. We are excited to see Star Wars interpreted in this unique way.”
First look at ‘Star Wars: Visions’
It is an anthology of anime short filmspic.twitter.com/BE17c9t0PK
— Culture Crave ? (@CultureCrave) July 3, 2021
Described as a debut venture into anime, each short in “Star Wars: Visions” brings a distinct Japanese sensibility that harmonizes with the essence of Star Wars storytelling. The official description states, “From the start, tales within the Star Wars universe have drawn from Japanese mythology and the works of Akira Kurosawa, and these new visions will delve into that cultural legacy through the unique animation styles of each anime studio.”
Star Wars: Visions will premiere exclusively on Disney+ on September 22, 2021.
