“Star Wars: Visions Vol. 3” feels like both a return and a revelation. It’s a cosmic reflection on everything that makes “Star Wars” endure: myth, emotion, artistry, and reinvention. For the first time, the anthology delivers direct sequels to fan-favourite shorts, expanding those worlds into fully realised continuations.
Each short, brought to life by some of Japan’s most inventive studios, approaches the galaxy through a distinct cultural and visual lens. From Kamikaze Douga’s ink-brushed samurai noir in “The Duel: Payback,” to Production I.G’s haunting space opera “The Ninth Jedi: Child of Hope,” to Kinema Citrus’s gentle spiritualism in “The Lost Ones,” the volume celebrates animation not as a medium, but as a language of the Force.
It’s an anthology about memory and rebirth. There’s introspection in the light side and the dark, and the way the Force echoes across different corners of existence. Whether through a fallen Ronin seeking atonement, a girl carrying the legacy of the Jedi, or a lone wanderer reconnecting with hope, “Visions Vol. 3” attempts to ask questions. What remains when the myth fades, and all that’s left is the soul behind the lightsaber?
The Animation Studios Behind “Star Wars: Visions Volume 3”
Like the previous two volumes, “Star Wars: Visions Volume 3” continues Lucasfilm’s experiment in collaborations. Of course, they unite Japan’s most exciting animation studios to reinterpret the galaxy far, far away through their own creative lenses. Unlike Vol. 2, the line-up goes back to the original idea, and is composed entirely of Japanese studios, many of which are returning from previous instalments.
Kamikaze Douga, the studio behind the first-ever Visions short “The Duel”, returns, this time joined by ANIMA, to expand the Ronin’s saga in “The Duel: Payback.” Kinema Citrus, known for “The Village Bride” in Volume 1 and acclaimed series like “Made in Abyss” and “The Rising of the Shield Hero”, brings not one but two entries: “The Lost Ones” and “Yuko’s Treasure.”
Production I.G also makes a celebrated return with “The Ninth Jedi: Child of Hope.” TRIGGER, beloved for its bombastic flair in “The Twins” (Volume 1), offers “The Smuggler.”
WIT Studio, returning from Volume 2 (“The Spy Dancer”), contributes “The Bounty Hunter.” Known for “Attack on Titan” and “Ranking of Kings”, WIT brings cinematic scope and fluid action to a morally grey corner of the galaxy.
Among the new additions are Polygon Pictures, Project Studio Q, and David Production. Polygon previously contributed to “Star Wars: Resistance”, so they’re definitely not new to this galaxy.
Together, these eight studios make Volume 3 both a return to the roots of anime and a bold leap into uncharted creative territory.
“The Duel: Payback” (Studios: Kamikaze Douga / ANIMA)
Serving as a direct sequel to the first-ever Visions short “The Duel,” this episode brings back the Ronin (Brian Tee) and his droid companion B5-56 for another brushstroke of Kurosawa-inspired Star Wars mythmaking.
The short expands on the Ronin’s mysterious history as a former Sith who now hunts others of his kind. This time, he forges an uneasy alliance with a Twi’lek Sith named Aneé-san (Suzy Nakamura) to face a new enemy. It’s a corrupted former Jedi known as the Grand Master (Will Sharpe). The episode revisits the monochrome, ink-wash aesthetic of the original, accentuated with splashes of vivid red and blue to evoke moral contrast.
“The Duel: Payback” pushes further into “Star Wars’” central tension between light and dark. They do not come as absolutes, but as shifting currents within a single being. The Ronin, like the galaxy he wanders, remains balanced on the edge of redemption and vengeance. The inclusion of Ewoks, AT-ATs, and a lightsaber prosthetic leg roots the tale in familiar iconography, while the inventive fight atop an upturned walker underlines the series’ flair for cinematic experimentation.
“The Song of Four Wings” (Studio: Project Studio Q)
“The Song of Four Wings” channels the charm and optimism of classic adventure anime, centring on Princess Crane (Stephanie Hsu), who uncovers the ruins of a village destroyed by the Empire. Amid her exploration, she finds a Force-sensitive Gigoran child named Woopas (Aki Toyosaki). This awakens maternal instinct reminiscent of the Din Djarin–Grogu bond in The Mandalorian.
What follows is a parable about nurturing hope in the ashes of oppression. The “song” of the title refers to the interconnected harmony of life. It’s a motif echoed in Crane’s efforts to protect Woopas from the Empire. Its brisk pacing, light humour, and vibrant animation evoke the tone of a Saturday morning serial, yet beneath that simplicity lies a meditation on innocence as resistance. Therein lies the idea that compassion itself can be a weapon against tyranny.
“The Ninth Jedi: Child of Hope” (Production I.G)
As the second chapter in The Ninth Jedi saga, “Child of Hope” picks up where Kara (Kimiko Glenn) left off. Now drifting alone in space, she’s pursued by Jedi Hunters after her father’s capture. She’s rescued by a curious droid named Teto (Freddie Highmore), who introduces her to a massive ship hiding a poignant mystery.
This episode shifts the focus from external conflict to Kara’s internal growth. It’s the struggle to truly become the Jedi others already believe her to be. The “child of hope” is as much Kara herself as it is the new generation of Force sensitives she symbolises.
“The Bounty Hunters” (WIT Studio)
In “The Bounty Hunters,” Sevn (Anna Sawai), a mercenary betrayed by a Jedi, crash-lands on an industrial world controlled by mogul Jin-Sim (Joseph Lee). He offers her repairs and credits in exchange for hunting down a rebel cell. However, the surprise twist beckons as Sevn discovers they’re freedom fighters opposing Jin-Sim’s exploitation of slave labour.
Alongside her unpredictable droid partner IV-A4 (Ronny Chieng), whose shifting personalities add humour and unpredictability, Sevn must choose between self-preservation and morality. The episode riffs on Star Wars’ recurring bounty hunter archetype but reframes it around conscience and agency. It explores how mercenaries can still embody rebellion through empathy.
“Yuko’s Treasure” (Kinema Citrus)
Set on Tatooine, this lighthearted tale follows orphan Yuko (Liam Karlsson) and his droid guardian BILY (Harvey Guillén), a towering, teddy bear-like protector with a heart to match his size. Soon enough, a treasure hunter, Fox-Ear (Steve Buscemi), abducts BILY to unlock a vault tied to Yuko’s late family. As such, the boy joins forces with a scrappy street kid, Sola (Julian Paz Fedorov), to mount a rescue and uncover the truth about his past.
Blending a storybook tone with soft, painterly visuals, “Yuko’s Treasure” delivers a gentle moral about family, legacy, and emotional wealth. The treasure, in the end, isn’t gold or relics, but memory and love — a reminder that what endures isn’t what we own, but what we share.
“The Lost Ones” (Kinema Citrus)
A continuation of “The Village Bride,” this short revisits Jedi wanderer F (Karen Fukuhara), now aiding refugees on a world ravaged by the Empire’s carbonite mining. When their ship is intercepted by the Star Destroyer Oppressor, F surrenders to save the others, however, she encounters her long-lost master, Shad-Rah (Mark Strong).
The reunion tests F’s resolve as both warrior and survivor, forcing her to confront her guilt and reassert her purpose. While more subdued than its predecessor, “The Lost Ones” captures the melancholy beauty of Kinema Citrus’s art. It blends watercolour skies and muted tones with meditations on redemption, grief, and faith in the Force.
“The Smuggler” (Trigger)
Compact and fast-paced, “The Smuggler” follows Chita (Emma Myers), a roguish pilot. She’s indebted to a cantina boss, who accepts a dangerous job: escorting an elderly woman, Gleenu (Judith Light), and a young boy, Arluu (Tanner Buchanan), through an Imperial blockade. When Chita learns Arluu is a prince and Gleenu a retired Jedi, her simple payday becomes a moral crossroads.
Trigger’s trademark kinetic animation fuels a story that plays like a compressed remix of A New Hope, with Chita in Han Solo’s role. Its core question is what keeps this episode grounded in Star Wars’ oldest truth. What does freedom cost? It’s that rebellion often begins with one reluctant act of courage.
“The Bird of Paradise” (Polygon Pictures)
Rendered entirely in CG, “The Bird of Paradise” stands apart as an introspective vision quest. Nakime (Sonoya Mizuno), a blinded Padawan, awakens after battle to find herself in a liminal dreamscape between life and death. Guided by a cryptic, toad-like creature (voiced by George Takei), she must learn to “see” through the Force to regain her sight — both literal and spiritual.
The short uses surreal imagery, light, and motion to visualise the Force as perception itself. The “bird” becomes a symbol of transcendence. It’s a rebirth through surrender and trust. It’s a stunning example of how this project can turn abstract philosophy into visual poetry.
“Black” (David Production)
Volume 3 closes with its boldest experiment yet. It’s a wordless, jazz-infused descent into the fractured psyche of an Imperial stormtrooper on the edge of collapse. Told through flashes of surreal imagery and erratic rhythm, “Black” transforms war into an endless loop of chaos and memory. Soldiers are swallowed by the very machines they serve.
It’s abstract. It’s swirling ink, sharp contrasts, and visual syncopation. The trooper’s dissolution of self in a war among the stars is explored, and yet is interpretive. “Black” becomes less a story and more a sensory reckoning. Truly, it embodies “Visions’” purpose: to reinterpret Star Wars not through narrative, but through emotion and art.
Looking Ahead: The Future of “Star Wars: Visions”
With “The Ninth Jedi: Child of Hope” ending on a tantalising “To Be Continued,” it’s clear that Lucasfilm sees “Star Wars: Visions” as more than just an anthology. It’s a living, creative playground where new corners of the galaxy can take shape beyond canon. What began as a one-off experiment has evolved into a multi-season celebration of global animation. And “Volume 3” marks a confident return to Japanese artistry.
This volume also feels like a statement of intent. “Star Wars” storytelling doesn’t need to be bound by continuity or familiar faces to feel authentic. Each short, from Kamikaze Douga’s moody ronin duel to David Production’s surreal descent into the Imperial psyche, reflects a different emotional truth about the galaxy. Because it’s about grief, hope, rebellion, rebirth.
If Volume 3 is any indication, “Visions” is far from running out of ideas. They’re already showing us that they’re willing to continue these stories, and we’re all here for them!
“Star Wars: Visions” is currently streaming on Disney+.
