Star Wars: Visions – Ranking The Shorts

Before we dive into this article, it’s incredibly important to stress the fact that each of the shorts that make up the animated anthology of Star Wars: Visions are worth checking out, and they range from solid to absolutely fantastic, making for some great additions to the franchise that started a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. With the premiere season of the anthology series bringing together a number of animation studios to help in creating nine new stories in the world of Jedi and Sith, we thought we’d rank the shorts based on what we most enjoyed.

The nine shorts include The Duel, Tatooine Rhapsody, The Twins, The Village Bride, The Ninth Jedi, TO-B1, The Elder, Lop and Ocho, and Akakiri, with each offering a unique story in the franchise along with some dynamic artwork to create a stellar first offering for Star Wars within the medium of anime. While a second season hasn’t been confirmed, the feedback from fans of Star Wars definitely makes it seem as if Disney+ has another hit on its hands.

What was your favorite short from Star Wars: Visions? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of the Jedi and the Sith.

9.) Akakiri

Studio: Science SARU

Akakiri is definitely the darkest entry in Star Wars: Visions but it is also one of the most frustrating, not just thanks in part to some of the characters and story beats, but also thanks in part to some spotty animation along the way. Normally, these issues wouldn’t be as much of a distraction, but when comparing the short to the other master class works, it does tend to fall short. While having a short with a darker ending definitely sets this story apart, there are a few too many holes in the boar when it comes to the final entry in the anthology series. 

8.) Tattoine Rhapsody

Studio: Studio Colorido

Tattoine Rhapsody is a lot of fun, albeit a little breezy when it comes to the story of a former Jedi finding himself, and this story feels like it could have definitely taken place during the original trilogy. Colorido is the perfect choice for this tale of “Star Waver” as it is able to capture the energy of Jay and his bandmates but this didn’t feel like a short that had us thinking about it once the credits began to roll. 

7.) Ninth Jedi

Studio: Production IG

This might be our most controversial pick of the list, as for many, Ninth Jedi appears to be one of the top shorts, but for us, the heavy exposition and traditional story weren’t able to knock it out of the park and resonate with us when the short came to a close. There are definitely some jaw dropping scenes here, especially when it comes to the chase scene, as well as some killer action beats, but when compared to some of the other shorts, the Ninth Jedi falls short. 

6.) Lop & Ocho

Studio: Geno Studio

Lop & Ocho throws in a number of big twists, while introducing some interesting, three dimensional characters to the Star Wars lore, with the short not pulling any punches when it comes to the dynamic of a family that is torn apart by the Empire. This short by Geno introduces an interesting argument, wherein the Empire can simultaneously be seen as a threat and a savior at the same time. Lop & Ocho feels like the entry that is most deserving of a sequel story and we’re crossing our fingers that we can see these characters return should Visions return for a season two. 

5.) Twins

Studio: Studio TRIGGER

TRIGGER’s animation on “The Twins” is simply jaw-dropping, with the studio behind the likes of Promare, Kill la Kill, and BNA: Brand New Animal proving that they are a titan within the world of anime. While The Twins’ story is somewhat cut and dry, the frantic energy of the battle between these two siblings torn apart by the light and dark sides of the force is well worth the price of admission. If you wanted to sell fans of Star Wars on the idea of a Star Wars’ anime, I think The Twins would be the short to show them. 

4.) The Elder

Studio: TRIGGER

Unsurprisingly, TRIGGER adds another top-tier short to Star Wars: Visions, with a “The Elder” that manages to squeak by “The Twins” not only thanks to its animation and story, but thanks to its unique villain and tension building fight scenes. The Elder feels like a story that is part of an ongoing series, following along with a Jedi Master and his padawan encountering a terrifying elderly Sith whose biggest enemy is time. It’s a great entry in the series and while it’s animation might not be as frantic as the story of the siblings, it’s story hits harder for us. 

3.) The Village Bride

Studio: Kinema Citrus

While watching The Village Bride, it evokes a feeling that you are watching a short produced by Studio Ghibli, with the story having the best soundtrack of the anthology hands down. Kinema Citrus is able to pull off some rather dynamic animation here, while also introducing a thought-provoking story at the same time. The Village Bride is a feast for the eyes and definitely earns its place in the top three. 

2.) The Duel

Studio: Kamikaze Douga

The Duel is the first short to introduce viewers to the style of Star Wars: Visions and it easily earns its place as one of the top shorts of the anthology. The story of an unlikely protector saving a besieged village is nothing new when it comes to Star Wars, or spaghetti westerns, but the segment itself is dripped with atmosphere and throws in some major surprises that definitely threw us for a loop. The style by Kamikaze Douga is unlike anything else presented as part of the series and would easily take the number one spot, if there wasn’t another…

1.) T0-B1

Studio: Science SARU

When putting together this list, we came up with a number of different criteria for what would differentiate all of these outstanding shorts from one another. Was the short able to stick with the aesthetic of Star Wars while offering a new story and animation style that hadn’t been seen before? Did the short leave an impression on us when it ended? T0-B1 does all of these and more, presenting us with the heartfelt story of a droid grappling with his dream to become a Jedi while also struggling with the death of his creator. With the short feeling reminiscent of Astro Boy and other entries of anime’s past, the story of this young droid makes its way to the top of our list.