The Duel

This episode, kicking off Visions, is almost entirely style over substance, but that's not necessarily a terrible thing. I am not by any means whatsoever (and I cannot stress this enough) an anime aficionado or even a fan. I literally have never watched an anime (unless one counts ATLA, whose anime status is hotly debated among certain circles) except for a few Studio Ghibli films which have proven hit or miss with me, and so would not trust myself to be a judge of the style. That said, I do greatly enjoy Eastern live action cinema, and know what I like and what I don't. I greatly enjoyed the black and white art style, broken up with shots of color from sabers and lasers. The grainy look and Japanese aesthetic made me feel like I was watching a Kurosawa samurai film, though I must admit 'The Elder' from this same series does the duel tension better than this episode. The saber "sheath" brings up logistical questions, but it sure looks cool. My fear going into this show would be that there are serious lore contradictions to established canon, and yes, nearly every episode seems to have that, which would make expanding any of these into a show of some kind difficult unless they change aspects or maintain a non-canon existence, which is unfortunate, as many of these could benefit from fleshing out and seeing more. This episode was cool to look at, but that's about it.

Man this was spectacular and the animation is incredible! Having this as a full series would be crazy!

"Star Wars: Visions" offers something different than we've seen before in this universe. A series of (presumably) unconnected animated adventures, that are free to deviate from any established canon as they see fit. As with all anthology series, the overall quality might prove to be mixed, but certainly this first episode is an excellent opener.

An enigmatic warrior (Brian Tee) arrives at an isolated village with his droid. The community soon comes under attack from a troop of bandits, but they have a plan and have hired a group of mercenaries to fight back. All goes well until the bandit's leader, a Sith warrior (Lucy Liu), joins the fight and the resistance is thwarted. The Ronin warrior then enters the fray, challenging the Sith and defending the village.

Have to start with the fact that this episode looks lovely. The main footage is in black and white, with only the flash of light sabres or laser beams allowed to be in colour. Kamikaze Douga and director Takanobu Mizuno chose a style that mimics hand drawn animation and shading that is beautiful. Then, as the episode is inspired by the Kurosawa films and other features of Japanese cinema's golden period, the animation has a grainy film effect applied. It's really nice to look at even still images from the episode.

The Kurosawa inspiration runs on into the bandits, whose stormtrooper outfits, loosely worn like shogun Karuta, are but one inspiration lifted from something like "Yojimbo", along with much of the actual plot. Unlike how we've seen with some episodes of "Marvel's What If..." this episode manages to tell it's tale and hint at back story and potential future without leaving you unsatisfied at the resolution.

If they're all as good as this, then we're in for quite a series.

Entertaining and beautifully animated duel.

All in all, this episode was really enjoyable to watch. Not an amazing story but a solid one. This show isn't serialized, so these are the kind of episodes I hope we get more of. Excited to see if we get more such as this.

What I find most interesting in endeavors such as this series is seeing a favorite franchise from another point of view. Some reviews have commented this isn't Star Wars. I would argue that as I think it has all the quintessential elements and a number of recognizable features. This first episode includes a new droid who is quite reminiscent of R2-D2, Sith warriors, stormtroopers, a number of aliens, and a light saber duel, just for starters. And with what we learn about Ronin (I don't want to spoil it), it challenges our perceptions of good and evil.

However, it's not canon, and the style, tone, and focus are a bit different. But I think that was the idea. We forget that even in watching the same films, the interpretation of those films is influenced by culture and personal experience. Lucas was influenced, in part, by Japanese films and lore, and those elements likely stand out more to the Japanese and affect their overall perspective, as well as their interpretation of the various themes. What we see in this first episode, and I hope the rest of the series, is a story set in the Star Wars universe, or more accurately a parallel universe, but illustrated in a different style and reflecting an alternate cultural perspective. For Batman fans, I suspect this series will be similar to the Gotham Knights series. This will appeal to some and not to others. However, Star Wars is not just a film franchise; it's an experience. By taking a step back away from our usual understanding and expectations and being open to a different point of view, I think we can actually deepen and enhance our overall experience.

Regarding the specifics of this episode, I am a huge fan of anime, but I'm not an aficionado, nor am I an expert in Japanese film or culture. There are a couple of reviews here that outline the technical aspects and how this episode compares to certain Japanese genres much better than I can. I can only say that I think the choice of black and white in a style that resembles pencil drawing is aesthetically gorgeous and will especially appeal to those with an artistic interest. It also makes the occasional flashes of color more noticeable and helps to highlight important aspects without the use of dialogue. There is actually minimal dialogue and virtually no exposition, which some viewers may find objectionable, but this is characteristic of the specific genre. Because this is a myth genre, with certain themes and archetypes being common, dialogue and exposition aren't generally needed. For Star Trek fans, think of it like "Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra." For those not familiar with this Japanese style, reading trivia and reviews, and watching the extras videos may help. For this specific episode it also helps to know certain Star Wars background, such as Sith lore and the nature of kyber crystals.

Additionally, this is a rather short episode, but again, for the specific style, it doesn't feel rushed or incomplete. We might be left wanting to know more about Ronin's journey, and apparently there is a novel that expands on it, but this specific story is satisfying. The apex of the story, the fight between Ronin and the Sith, is really well done. The choreography is incredible, and there are some unique aspects such as part of the duel being conducted on a log floating down the river. Even the waterfall, a familiar trope, plays a different role, and there's a bit of a twist in Ronan's victory. We get a new style of light saber, and for those who object to its originality, I suggest you refamiliarize yourself with light saber lore and take another look at past sabers such as the one created by Ezra Bridger.

Overall I think this is a fantastic start to the series. Everything in this episode just works and is exactly what I expected for a Star Wars series created in the Japanese/anime style. In addition to the elements I've expanded on above, the editing and pacing are well done, the music and sound effects are a nice combination of vintage Star Wars and Japanese film, and the voice acting is excellent all around. Then there are the little details such as the loose flowing garments of Ronin and the villagers, the pieces of stormtrooper armor worn loosely like Japanese warriors by the bandits, the selection of alien guards, and the architecture combining rustic, wooden structures with more futuristic aspects. All combine to make this a wonderful addition to the anime universe while still being uniquely Star Wars. I recommend watching it more than once, each time focusing on different aspects. Like all great Star Wars moments, this episode is an experience.