Star Wars: Visions (2021-2025) (Series Review)

  

  Since the purchase of Lucasfilm from Disney, the door has been wide open for different forms of content to emerge from the “Star Wars” franchise … some better than others … and others fine, albeit safe to a fault. 

Yet, for all the new content that has emerged from the series in the past decade, I think many would agree that the most unique of all was the limited Anime series titled “Star Wars: Visions”, which ran from 2021 through 2025, and may still have more seasons in the years to come. It’s a Japanese anthology Anime series set in different time periods and altered timelines of the “Star Wars” universe. Several different Japanese Anime studios came together to work on this project, which meant each story had a different individual look, style, tone, and different set of original characters. While there has always been some Anime influence on previous “Star Wars” shows, like the 2003 “Star Wars: Clone Wars” micro series, this was the first real Anime we've gotten from the franchise, and for my money … it’s about time!

  For years I've wanted to see this universe brought to life through Japanese Anime ... and here, my wish finally came true. I loved the different animation styles on display, I loved how it broke away from established continuity, familiar faces were seen sparingly, most of the characters were original, and I loved that it just let itself go all out with its own rules. While I admittedly found some of the shorts just a little too outlandish for their own good, the majority of them worked, and it was just really cool to finally see the universe of “Star Wars” get creative and brought to life in Anime form. The unfortunate downside to this anthology is that it's admittedly more of a cool experiment than it is a memorable experience, and I would have liked a little more variety in the storytelling. Also, one can’t help but feel that the majority of these shorts are being used as backdoor pilots for other potential spin-offs.

  Hot Take … but I would have preferred a “Star Wars” Anime series with one set of characters and one distinct style as opposed to the grab bag we got, but regardless, it’s here, and I can find plenty of enjoyment from it as it, even if it doesn’t rank among my absolute favorite offerings from this series. 

Thus far, this Anime series has run for three seasons, with twenty-seven shorts in total. The majority of the shorts were done well, and there’s plenty of great content to highlight. For simplicity’s sake, I just want to discuss and rank my personal top 10 favorite shorts from this series. 

 

#10 “The Village Bride” (Ep 4 from S1) 

When a mysterious female Jedi is drawn to a remote planet, she learns that a bride from a small village, and her groom, are to be handed over to a savage group of raiders. The villains are also using re-programed Battle Droids to occupy the area. She also learns that the planet has a mystical orra emanating from its natural elements. Out of respect for her late master, she goes to the aid of the village bride, and all who she cares for. 

Of all the shorts, I think this one had the best atmosphere, tone, and some really effective music queues. There’s a sense of size and wonder to this short, but it’s all very quiet, and there’s great use of visual storytelling on display. I also liked seeing Battle Droids is this episode, but aside from them, this short honestly felt the least like “Star Wars”, and it could have come from any Anime series, but I mean that in a good way. Unlike many of the other shorts, this one worked better as a self-contained story, and it didn’t feel like a back-door piolet … although, it did get a sequel episode in Season 3 titled “The Lost Ones”, which was another decent offering.

 

#9 "The Pit" (Ep: 17 from S2) 

Set on a desert planet, a large group of slaves are forced to dig a giant pit and unearth crystals for the Empire, who use them as the base for creating a nearby city of light. For decades, the slaves are forced to live in the pit they dug for themselves, while the Empire basks in their glamorous new city. 

One worker tries to escape to the city of light, only for him to meet a tragic end. This inspires the remaining slaves to rebel against their captures and follow the light to a better life they all deserve. Equal parts dramatic and uplifting, this is an effective short that uses the “Star Wars” universe as a backdrop for a story that’s more universal to viewers outside of the fan base. 

 

#8 “The Duel” saga (Ep 1 & 19 from S1 and S3) 

Set in the “Star Wars” version of Feudal Japan, a band of raiders lay siege to a village, and their leader is a ruthless Sith Master who wilds a deadly, red-bladed lightsaber. Just as they make their move on the chief, a mysterious Ronin interferes, wilding a lightsaber of his own … another red-bladed lightsaber. Living up to its title, the lightsaber duel between the two is a thing of beauty, and brilliantly staged, especially with the two maintaining balance on a log that’s flowing down a raging river. 

Of all the shorts, this one stands out with the most unique art-design of all the shorts and visually resembles classic Samori movies in the vein of “The Hidden Fortress” and “Seven Samori”. The sequel short titled “Payback” explores the characters backstory and gives him another sinister rivel to face … this time with a blue lightsaber, making for a unique twist in what we’re used to.   

 

#7 "Screecher’s Reach" (Ep 11 from S2) 

A young girl named Daal has spent her life slaving away in a workhouse, along with her small group of friends. One day, she receives an ominous summon to the mysterious cave of Screechers Reach, which is said to be the home of a ghostly entity. If she can face her fears and defeat the entity in the cave, she’ll be liberated from her life in the workhouse. In the aftermath, the ghostly figure of the cave was revealed to be a living creature, and in defeating it, Daal is recruited by a Sith Master. 

In the end, it becomes a matter of trading one horrible life for one that’s potentially worse, and all at the cost of betraying her friends that she left behind. The final chilling image of Daal’s face as she looks back on everything she leaves behind shows just how bad her choice is. Tonally, visually, and thematically, this is perhaps the darkest episode, with a haunting atmosphere, and a warning of what may happen when one chooses the easy and more seductive path.      

 

#6 “Tatooine Rhapsody” (Ep: 2 from S1) 

Set on the planet of Tatooine, and during the Timeline of the original “Star Wars” trilogy, we see a youthful Rock Band calling themselves Star Waver, who are about to go on a galaxy wide tour. Unfortunately, after being chased by the masked Bounty Hunter Boba Fett, the band’s leader, a Hutt named Gee, is taken prisoner, and turned over to known gangster Jabba the Hutt. One of the band members, a former Jedi named Geezer, purposes to put on a live performance for the slimy crime lord, and if successful, they’ll have their friend back. 

As far as lighthearted animated “Star Wars” anthology offerings are concerned, I found this one to be a real joy. Joseph Gordon-Levitt delivers a committed performance as the lead Jedi band player, and it features a fun ensemble of distinct characters. It’s also the only short to be set in a familiar location, and populated with classic characters like Jabba the Hutt, Boba Fett, and even those attractive female alien dancers from the special edition of “Return of the Jedi”, which is great. I also found it welcoming that Temuera Morrison reprised his role as Boba Fett from the live action shows in this short. 

In general, I’m glad this series didn’t rely on too many familiar characters, but it’s nice to have at least one with recognizable favorites. Aside from that, I simply found this to be the most cheerful episode, with up-beat song numbers, likable characters, and a refreshing break-away from the familiar Jedi formula. I can certainly see some fans being turned off by a band concert episode … but for me, I really enjoyed it, and it’s the only short that just leaves me smiling from ear to ear.

 

#5 "Journey to the Dark Head" (Ep: 14 from S2) 

A former young monk, now mechanic named Ara believes that statues on her home planet, representing both the light and dark sides of the universe, have a degree of control of how much good or evil can roam the galaxy. Thus, along with a young Jedi named Toul, they set out to destroy the dark statue and potentially rid the galaxy of evil force wielders. Along the way, they’re pursued by a ruthless Sith Lord called Bichan, who engages our heroes in a fierce battle. 

In the end, everyone realizes that both light and dark evenly flow between both statues, making it impossible to destroy. As such, while both our heroes defeat their enemy, they must cope with the fact that there will always be good and evil in the galaxy. The message is decent enough, but along with the imagery, characters and lightsaber action on display, I simply find this one of the most comforting shorts, as it just feels like classic “Star Wars”. The animation is wonderful, along with some gorgeous lighting, and the duel is one of the best of the shorts.

 

#4 “The Bounty Hunters” (Ep: 22 from S3) 

An orphan girl named Sevn grows up as a contracted hunter and assassin, and is constantly on the run from enemies, while also looking for a Jedi, who she blames for all her losses. Her only companion is a droid called IV-4A, who has a muti personality problem, switching between a loyal service machine, to an unhinged assassin … which is a great set-up. The two are hired by a seemingly nice businessman, who task the pair with apprehending a group of local Rebels. 

In a twist, the rebels are the parents of children who’ve been captured and utilized as slaves. Thus, our two assassins for higher contemplate between their need to get paid, and their loyalty to family ties. Of all the shorts, I find this the most straightforward and “fun” of the segments, with a colorful group of leading characters, thrilling action, and while the narrative beats are expected … it still makes for a highly engaging outing with some really cool new characters.    

          

#3 “Lop and Ocho” (Ep: 8 from S1) 

During the reign of the Empire, a female alien slave named Lop … who resembles an anthropomorphic rabbit … has escaped her bondage and is taken in by a loving young girl named Ocho, along with her father, the Chief leader of the planet Tau. Seven years later, the Empire occupies their homeland, and the Chief, along with his foster daughter Lop want them off the planet. 

Unfortunately, the once loving sister Ocho has gone bad, and has joined the Empire … oh, and she bites her thumb and uses her blood as new eyeliner … that’s how bad she’s gone. In light of this betrayal, the Chief passes down the family’s lightsaber to his adopted doubter, who leaves on her own personal mission to not only liberate her planet, but to also bring her broken family back together. I never knew I wanted an anthropomorphic girl bunny with a lightsaber in the “Star Wars” universe … but I’m glad I have that now. 

This short boast’s my favorite design of the whole show, as it’s not overly stylized, but it’s rich with detail. The backgrounds look like they came right out of a Makoto Shinkai picture, with character designs that feel like they came right out of a Studio GhibliI film. I also feel this short has the most compelling characters, all of whom I’d love to see explored in other “Star Wars” media.

 

#2 “The Ninth Jedi” saga (Ep: 5 & 21 from S1 & S3) 

Set during a time when the Jedi order is mostly extinct, a mysterious call is made for any surviving Jedi to meet at a secret temple embedded in an asteroid. Seven force wielders arrive, with a young boy among them who’s eager to expand his knowledge of the force. Meanwhile, on the planet below, a lightsaber forger, and his young daughter, have finished crafting seven blades for the arriving Jedi. 

Tragedy strikes when a group of hunters attack their house, taking the forger captive, and forcing his daughter Kara to flee with the lightsabers. These two-story threads collide in a deeply thrilling finale, in which secret heroes and enemies are revealed, and an all-out lightsaber brawl ensues between valiant Jedi and evil Sith Lords. This short was directed by Kenji Kamiyama, and the studio helming this short was Production I.G, the same Anime company that brought us the “Ghost in the Shell” franchise, as well as that animated segment from 2003’s “Kill Bill Volume 1”. 

Had this short been a piolet episode for a multipart mini-series, as opposed to a segment in an anthology, this could have potentially been one of my favorite products in all of “Star Wars”. The set-up was intriguing, the world building was fascinating, and it felt like it was properly expanding on the mythology of the universe, without going too far into outlandish territory. 

Naturally, being a Production I.G segment … it looks amazing, with gorgeous backdrops, and kinetic movement. There’s a beautifully animated chase through the woods, which ends in a fight on a frozen lake, and it makes for a terrific set-piece. This short got a terrific sequel episode in season 3 titled "Child of Hope", which further highlighted that "The Ninth Jedi" saga could very well have its own spin-off.

 

Before I reveal my number one favorite short, here are some quick honorable mentions … 

"Sith" (Season 2)

“The Song of Four Wings” (Season 3)

"The Spy Dancer" (Season 2)

“The Elder” (Season 1)

“The Smuggler” (Season 3)

 

#1 “The Bird of Paradise” (Ep: 26 from S3) 

While many of these shorts are quite enjoyable, this was the only one that made me say afterwords … "Wow, that was something special!”. We open with a young female Jedi and her master in a deadly battle with a ruthless Sith adversary. Taken by rage, the young Jedi overestimates her enemy and makes a mistake resulting in the loss of her eyesight. In the aftermath, she awakens alone in the woods, and spends several days wandering in darkness, slowly succumbing to hunger, fear and anger. 

Each day, she finds herself receiving a mysterious force vision to guide her way and also help her face her faults, regrets, and hopefully … she’ll find a light in her new state of dark surroundings. While this short as things to pick at, like awkward facial features, and inconsistent voice acting, the sheer beauty on display, both from its artistry and themes, are really something to admire. 

A story about someone coping with a new handicap would have been compelling, but it went that extra mile in exploring one’s inner faults and trials, which along with the astonishing animation and music land this short as an exceptional piece of work, and not just a back door pilot for a potential spin-off. It’s easily my favorite short of the series, and if you haven’t watched any of “Star Wars Visions” … this is the short that gets my highest recommendation.  

 Overall, I can’t bring myself to place “Star Wars: Visions” among my absolute favorite “Star Wars” content, but I love that it exists, and I hope this anthology opened the door for future Anime productions to come from this universe. Its reception has been a rousing success, with fans enjoying it, and critics giving it wide acclaim. I certainly liked this anthology series overall, and maybe I’ll even get some follow-ups on the episodes I liked most. For whatever content comes out next in the “Star Wars” franchise … I’m deeply thrilled to say that Japanese Anime has finally become part of the saga.

Thanks for reading my review of the 2021 Anime series “Star Wars: Visions” … and continue to enjoy the shows you love!              

The Lost Boys (1987) (Movie Review)

 Two of my favorite movie categories are comedy and horror … and combining such polar opposites genres into one movie can either be disastrous or result in something unique and special in its own right. The 1987 teen vampire picture “The Lost Boys” is one such picture that playfully blends both laughs and thrills, but it also has its own distinct style and voice that makes it stand out. It’s hard to put the film into words, but it’s almost like a coming-of-age teen adventure but laced with elements of classic monster movies and stylized music videos. It’s one of my favorite horror products of the 1980’s, and for this October, I wanted to finally give this film the attention it deserves. 

  Michael and Sam are brothers who just moved with their mother to a seaside town in California called Santa Carla. The place is bustling with activity and fun, but you can tell right away, there’s some dark and twisted things lurking underneath the town’s sunny appearance. Older brother Michael finds himself smitten with a young girl named Star, who’s fallen in with a bad group of rebellious teens that only come out after dark ... nothing suspicious there. The more Michael tries to pull the girl out of their club, the more he gets himself pulled in … until it’s too late. Much to Michael’s dismay, he realizes that he’s slowly becoming a Vampire, but the transformation won’t be permanent until he makes his first kill. Meanwhile, his little brother Sam seeks help from the local Frog Brothers, who run their own comic book shop, while secretly hunting the vampires that terrorize the boardwalk. Thus, Sam and the Frog brothers set off on a mission to kill the gangs head vampire, and free Michael from his curse, before the thirst consumes him. 

  There really isn’t much to the characters on the written page, but the strength comes from this dynamic cast of young 1980’s talents, who all bring these players to life with personality and charisma. Jason Patric is the face of the film, playing the lead teen Michael, who’s a shut-in, but tries to be outgoing. 

Jason Patric’s performance gets us to sympathize with him as goes through his transformation and his need to fight the urge to kill anyone. Corey Haim plays his brother Sam, who at times is a little too animated for the characters own good, but he sure has the funniest lines in the movie … “You’re a Vampire Mike, a real blood sucking Vampire … ewe, just wait till mom finds out!”. Michael and Sams mother Lucy is played by Dianne Wiest, and she is infectiously lovable as a woman trying to not only be there for her kids, but also just make a life for herself. Jami Gertz is the pretty love interest named Star, and her performance is exactly what you’d expect from a teen with a name as simplistic as “Star”.  

  One of the most memorable players is Corey Feldman as Edgar Frog, who talks in an overly serious tough guy voice, which perfectly contrasts him reacting in panic when things get dangerous. Of course, the big one to highlight is Kiefer Sutherland as the lead vampire David. Just like the best vampires, he comes off as charming and seductive first, and then relentless and monsters second. While I’ve seen Kiefer Sutheralnd in a number of movies like “A Few Good Men”, “The Three Musketeers”, “Dark City” and “Stand by Me” (which also stared Corey Feldman), I’ve always remembered him best for his leading Vampire role here in “The Lost Boys”. Everyone looks like they’re having a great time acting in this film, and that fun transcends on me every time I watch this.  

  That’s really the main take away from this film … it’s not a perfect script, nor dose if feature the most complex characters … but the experience as a whole is just plain FUN! Honestly, my standards for a comedy and horror hybrid focusing on teen vampires is … I want it to be cool and fun, which is what this movie excels at. It also knows how to juggle its various tones … when it wants to be funny, it’s hilarious, and when it wants to be dark, it can be suitably creepy. 

The fictional setting of the seaside town Santa Carla is also chalk full of personality, with quirky inhabitants … "One thing about living in Santa Carla I never could stomach...all the damn vampires!". My favorite funny highlight involves our hero boys stopping at a church to collect holly water as a means to combat the vampires, all while a baptism is in progress. There’s something really cool and humorous about seeing these boys fill little squirt guns with water that works as a weapon against their attackers. The final confrontation is a riveting showdown in a house full of boobytraps, resulting in all kinds of nasty yet awesome and amusing vampire deaths, including … “Death by Stereo”. Think of it as “Home Alone” meets “Evil Dead 2”, which are great things to combine together.

 The rousing soundtrack and music video style editing also helps keep things engaging and cool, as well as help when transitioning from frights to laughs. There’s a moment when the gang goes riding out into the night on motorcycles set to Lou Gramm’s “Lost in the Shadows”, and it gets me hyped every time I watch it. The films soundtrack in general is on par with movies like “Top Gun” and “Rocky 4”, in which it characterizes most of the picture, and for me is one of my favorite movie soundtracks of the 1980’s. Other musical highlights include “I Still Believe” by Tim Cappello, “Don’t Let the Sun go Down on Me” by Roger Daltrey and the music score by Thomas Newman likewise compliments the style and tone of the picture. The most famous music theme from this movie of course is “Cry Little Sister” by Gerard McMann, which subconsciously lingers in my mind as my definitive vampire music theme.   

  The title of the movie is obviously a play on the titular Lost Boys featured in J. M. Barrie's “Peter Pan” stories, who … just like vampires … are immortal youths that never grow old. The screenplay was written by Janice Fischer, Jeffrey Boam and James Jeremias, the latter of whom is quoted for taking initial inspiration from the Anne Rice novel “Interview with the Vampire” (this was before the Brad Pit and Tom Cruise movie of the same name made a splash in the early 1990’s), which featured a 12 year old girl, who was really 200 years old. Also, being a fan of “Peter Pan”, an immortal child who can also fly and only comes out at night, an idea came about to merge elements of the two together. While Peter Pan is never directly referenced in the film, you do still feel the influence, especially with the Vampire hide-out looking like the Transylvania equivalent of Neverland.  

 The last ingredient to the puzzle was the late director Joel Schumacher, who’s creative vision for the film gave “The Lost Boys” a distinct look and personality that separates it from other similar vampire flicks of the decade, like "Fright Night". You may not have liked director Joel Schumacher’s 1990’s “Batman” movies, but after watching “The Lost Boys”, there’s a good reason he was hired to take over the franchise after Tim Burton. Personally, even though the late Joel Schumacher proved himself a credible director for dramatic films, serious thrillers, and an okay film adaption of the musical “The Phantom of the Opera”, I still look back on “The Lost Boys” with the most fondness of his collective works. The film spun off into a series, with a string of comic-book tie-ins and Corey Feldman reprising his role as Edgar Frog for two sequels … although, none of them were as fresh or fun as the first.

  Whereas the majority of vampire movies have a similar look, tone and feel, “The Lost Boys” was one of the first to put vampires in a modern setting as opposed to a Gothic period piece, and gave them their own unique flavor as rebellious teens. On that note, for better or worse, it certainly paved the way for teen vampire flicks, which became insanely popular in the decades since. To this day, it’s sustained a status as a cult classic, and it’s one of my personal favorite vampire movies. Despite being a very obvious product of the 1980’s, it’s still got a signature “cool factor” that’s all its own. It’s ripe with style, originality, memorable characters, and awesome theme music. The whole film feels like a twisted music video mixed with classy vampire action, and what’s not to like about that?

Thanks for reading my review of the 1987 vampire flick “The Lost Boys” … and continue to enjoy the movies you Love!