Star Wars has inspired a countless number of creative minds from around the world. As such, it's no wonder that when the call went out to make an anime anthology based on the franchise, many notable names from the anime industry would flock to the project. Star Wars: Visions brought in numerous studios, giving them a chance to share their vision of what a galaxy far, far away looks like.
Still, while many of the creators behind Star Wars: Visions are established professionals in the anime realm, many viewers may encounter certain artists for the first time through the compilation. For those looking to find more from the minds of their favorite Visions short, here is a guide to the studios responsible for each one, as well as an introduction to some of their other popular works.
Kamikaze Douga - "The Duel" (Star Wars: Visions Episode 1)
Star Wars: Visions' first short, "The Duel," is a hardcore homage to the works of Akira Kurosawa. With its fast-paced sword-slinging action and mostly monochromatic aesthetic, it drips with style while subtly conveying a narrative through visual storytelling. Accordingly, it may surprise fans to find out that Kamikaze Douga, the team responsible for it, has done relatively few complete anime projects. Perhaps its best-known serial is the absurdist comedy Pop Team Epic, which provides an over-the-top parody of pop culture.
That said, Kamikaze Douga has quite a bit of experience in providing complementary animation, having done opening and ending animations for series like Jojo's Bizarre Adventure and TERRAFORMARS. It is clear the team's extensive experience with choreography and expressive animation contributed greatly to the techniques used in "The Duel." Director Takanobu Mizuno worked on animations for video games like MegaMan X8 and Shin Megami Tensei: Persona, while writer Takashi Okazaki helped with character design for Mamoru Hosoda's Summer Wars.
Studio Colorido - "Tatooine Rhapsody" (Star Wars: Visions Episode 2)
Star Wars: Visions' second short, "Tatooine Rhapsody," brings together a group of interstellar misfits, including the son of Jabba the Hutt, to form a punk rock band. Though the actual plot development of this vignette is more simplistic, its premise is also considerably more unique than its mostly action-focused peers. This originality may be partially due to the fact that Studio Colorido, the group that spearheaded it, made a name for themselves through extensive work on Pokémon: Twilight Wings, a project with a similar anthological concept using the setting of Pokémon Sword and Shield as a backdrop.
Furthermore, the studio has been responsible for a few notable anime films. Among them are the supernatural romance A Whisker Away and the film adaptation of Tite Kubo's Burn the Witch. Aside from being in charge of "Tatooine Rhapsody," director Taku Kimura's most notable work was as Assistant Director for six episodes of A Place Further Than the Universe.
Studio Trigger - "The Twins" and "The Elder" (Episodes 3 & 7)
Studio Trigger is arguably the best-known name on the roster for Star Wars: Visions. Therefore, it makes sense that it is the first studio in this guide to be entrusted with two entries for the collection. The over-the-top spectacle of the fights in "The Twins" in particular are particularly reminiscent of the studio's hit anime projects Kill la Kill and Promare. Likewise, the short's director Hiroyuki Imaiashi, one of the animation company's founding members, made a name for himself with the modern classic Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, which bares the same unmistakable aesthetic.
While Studio Trigger's second short "The Elder" may not resemble many of its previous works as closely, director Masahiko Otsuka is similarly accomplished. Not only was he credited as an episode director for several episodes of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, he also served as assistant director on the Studio Ghibli film Whisper of the Heart. Trigger has also been responsible for anime series such as Darling in the Franxx and Little Witch Academia.
Kinema Citrus - "The Village Bride" (Star Wars: Visions Episode 4)
One particular inclusion to Star Wars: Visions garnered a considerable buzz among audiences. "The Village Bride," which was Kinema Citrus's submission to the anthology, drew viewers in thanks to its engrossing storyline and breathtaking animation. Disney considered it to be such a strong entry that it even submitted the short for consideration for the 2021/2022 Academy Awards, though it did not ultimately receive a nomination for Best Animated Short Film.
Still, the studio's pedigree makes it clear that the episode's quality was no mistake. Prior to "The Village Bride," director Hitoshi Haga worked as second unit director on Made in Abyss, which itself was a product of Kinema Citrus. On top of this, Citrus was also behind the anime The Rising of the Shield Hero and Is the Order a Rabbit??, among several others.
Production I.G. - "The Ninth Jedi" (Star Wars: Visions Episode 5)
Possibly the most conventional Star Wars story of the anthology, "The Ninth Jedi" offers a glance at the continued drama of the Jedi and Sith in a particular corner of the galaxy with a satisfying twist partway through. The short's creators at Production I.G. have shown off their skills in series including xxxHolic, Kuroko's Basketball and Psycho Pass. Additionally, they have provided animated cutscenes for many video games, including Persona 5 and the Tales series of JRPGs.
Kenji Kamiyama, who both wrote and directed the short, has been creating with Production I.G. for years. He is known for his work on films like Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade and Blood: The Last Vampire, series like Eden of the East and other projects like 2020's original net animation series Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045. Kamiyama is also currently working as the director for the upcoming anime film, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.
Science SARU - "T0-B1" and "Akakiri" (Episodes 6 & 9)
"T0-B1" and "Akakiri" are two Star Wars: Visions shorts that harken back to a more retro style of anime. "T0-B1" in particular pays homage to the work of Tezuka Osamu and is highly reminiscent of his most famous creation Astro Boy. Meanwhile, "Akakiri" greatly resembles the oeuvre of Leiji Matsumoto, borrowing from series like Captain Harlock and Galaxy Express 999, as well as early productions from Tatsunoko Production. With such diverse and experimental styles of animation driving it, animation company Science SARU is the perfect fit.
Science SARU has brought many anime series and films over the years. Similarities in the gritty style of "Akakiri" can be seen in Devilman Crybaby, while the more whimsical aesthetic driving "T0-B1" can be found in Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken and movies like Lu Over the Wall. Both shorts' directors -- Abel Góngora ("T0-B1") and Eunyoung Choi ("Akakiri") -- worked for Science SARU under Masaaki Yuasa on several projects, including Ride Your Wave and The Night is Short, Walk On Girl. Yuichiro Kido, who wrote for both of the entries, has written for series such as Dr. Stone and The Seven Deadly Sins.
Geno Studio - "Lop and Ocho" (Star Wars: Visions Episode 8)
As one of the shorts that fused the iconic sci-fi of the Star Wars franchise with traditional Japanese elements, "Lop and Ocho" tells the story of a mixed family as they are both brought together and torn apart. Geno Studio, the team responsible for the episode, has only a few works to its name, with its best-known anime project being Golden Kamuy.
Much of Geno Studio's staff consists of former creatives from the animation company Manglobe, which was known for Samurai Champloo, Deadman Wonderland and The World God Only Knows. The first of those three is a good example of action similar to that found in "Lop and Ocho." The short's director, Yuki Igarashi, contributed to the animation department in stylistically savvy works Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken and Mob Psycho 100.
