Disney and Lucasfilm are returning “Star Wars: Visions” to its roots with a third book dedicated to Japanese animation studios. The new anthology series, planned to premiere in 2025, will have nine short films reinventing the Star Wars universe through unique anime storytelling.
Volume 3 was announced at the 2024 Disney APAC Content Showcase in Singapore. It marks a conscious return to the series’ original artistic direction. Unlike the last volume, which featured global animation styles, this part will only include Japanese animation talent.
The new volume features a mix of seasoned and emerging animation firms. Four veteran contributors—Kamikaze Douga, Kinema Citrus Co., Production I.G, and TRIGGER—will work with five studios making their Star Wars debuts: ANIMA, David Production, Polygon Pictures, Project Studio Q, and WIT Studios.
Since its release in 2021, “Star Wars: Visions” has received critical acclaim for its creative storytelling. Each short film gives animation studios the artistic flexibility to explore Star Wars mythology through their cultural prism.
“We want to showcase the diversity and creativity of Japanese animation,” Disney and Lucasfilm reps stated. The selection of eight distinct Japanese studios demonstrates the corporations’ dedication to promoting the diversity of artistic approaches in the animation industry.
This approach follows the series’ legacy of recognizing Star Wars’ long-standing relationship with Japanese culture and storytelling. By giving a forum for varied artistic interpretations, “Star Wars: Visions” continues to push the boundaries of franchise narrative.
The third volume builds on the popularity of the previous parts, which were released in September 2021 and May 2023. It gives readers another thrilling exploration of the Star Wars universe from new, inventive perspectives.
