Star Wars: Visions 2

The galaxy opens up like never before with a brand new set of animated tales, set within the Star Wars Universe.  From animation studios across the globe come 9 stories of hardship, loss, sacrifice, love and wonder.  From exiles looking for a second chance to desperate Rebels striking back against impossible odds to wild and wacky adventures on the frontier, these beautifully animated tales a must see for animation enthusiasts and die hard Star Wars fans alike.  You’ve never see a galaxy far, far away quite like this before.

While the first volume of Star Wars Visions was a dream come true for those who’ve always wanted to see Star Wars and Anime married at last, it did leave a lot to be desired.  There was plenty of Jedi vs. Sith and spectacular Lightsaber action sequences for sure.  But for those looking for space combat, pod racing, or even some of the more politically charged drama seen in shows like last years fan favorite series Andor, it came up short.  This new Volume of Animated Short Stories works to correct the shortcomings of its predecessors and while a lot of it can seem familiar from a storytelling point of view, Star Wars: Visions 2 more than makes up for it by taking the visuals beyond the power of Anime and giving Animation Studios across the globe a shot at adding to the epic created by George Lucas.  In those terms, the results are nothing but spellbinding, a rare instance where the sequel might very well be better than the original.
 
But first, as I always do with Anthology series like this, let’s breakdown these animated offerings.  First up is Sith by El Guri Studios which features a beautiful former Sith uses her force powers for art instead of destruction.  Next is Screecher’s Reech by Cartoon Saloon Studios, where a young girl and her friends confront a supernatural entity with terrifying powers.  In the Stars by Pinkrobot Studios tells the tale of two sisters, the last of their kind, as they try to evade and survive the wrath of the Empire on their ruined home world.  I Am Your Mother by Aardman Studios (Wallace and Gromit) follows an aspiring pilot and her lovable mother taking part in a family themed academy race hosted by Star Wars favorite Wedge Antilies.  Journey to the Dark Head by Studio Mir (The Legend of Korra and Voltron: Legendary Defender) sees a gifted Engineer and a tormented Jedi teaming up to destroy a landmark that could turn the tide of the Jedi/Sith conflict. Then, in The Spy Dancer by Studio La Cachette, a beautiful dancer dazzles the Imperials that come to her club while also working as a spy for the Rebellion.  The Bandits of Gloak by 88 Pictures Studios finds a brother hurrying to escort his Force sensitive sister to a sanctuary on Gloak.  In The Pit by D'Art Shtajio and Lucasfilm, a group of stranded slaves struggle to escape a death sentence after the Empire leaves them to die in a miles deep pit once filled with Kybar Crystals.  And finally, in Aau’s Song by Triggerfish, the voice of a young girl has a strange resonation with Kybar Crystals poisoned by the influence of the Sith.
 
Now after looking through those mini synopsis, you can see that a lot of Visions 2’s stories follow very similar beats and themes.  You have multiple families (usually siblings) trying to keep a low profile after their families and homes are decimated by the Empire or the Sith and somehow they have to overcome the odds to beat them back before having to make a near impossible choice about their futures in the end.  Screecher’s Reech, The Bandits of Gloak and Aau’s Song all reach the same conclusion but with different outcomes though none quite hit the same level of heartbreak as Screecher’s Reech, it’s a gut punch of an ending.  It tends to make some of the shorts a tad predictable.  It should be noted that as opposed to the wealth of Lightsaber combat in Vol.1, of these 9 stories, only three feature Lightsaber Duels but all but two feature Force sensitive individuals as main players.  Visions 2 is trying, even if some writers and studios still have the same ideas that they really want to bring to life.  In spite of repetition and familiarity, there’s plenty still working in its favor.
 
Giving Star Wars to the rest of the Animated Community beyond Anime is an inspired choice and each story is a sight to behold.  While it doesn’t start things off quite like Akira Kurosawa inspired The Duel in Vol.1, Sith’s grandiose art showcase is an excellent way to kick off the marathon with colors literally exploding onto the screen and making the viewer question how much of this is taking place mentally and how much of it is influencing the real world around Lola.  From then on, no two stories ever look the same.  You’ve stop motion, Claymation, handdrawn, CGI.  There isn’t a single story that doesn’t leave you going “Wow” from the visuals alone.  You can also see a lot of cultural infusion incorporated into each tale, such as the very French hand drawn movements of  The Spy Dancer or the Music of India in The Bandits of Gloak or the very British humored I Am Your Mother from the studio that gave us the legendary Wallace and Gromit…WE GOT A WALLACE AND FREAKING GROMIT STYLE STAR WARS STORY!!!  This is arguably the most diverse Star Wars has looked in a very long time and for their animation contributions alone, all of Star Wars: Visions 2 deserves applause. 

What also helps Visions 2 stand out is the action.  Lightsabers are still a thing, it’s Star Wars and despite popular belief they might not be the most important part about it but they are still a big deal.  And the three aforementioned duels we do get are all great, though again NOTHING tops The Duel, though Sith comes pretty damn close with its literal explosions of color.  But you get to see battles happen without those fan favorite weapons and even The Force is used in new and unique ways such as thorough music in The Bandits of Gloak and Aau’s Song.  However, the best action comes in The Spy Dancer, which I can only best describe as Star Wars Cirque Du Soleil.  There’s no Jedi or Force Powers at work here, just a gorgeous dancer beating the mess out of Stormtroopers with elegant movement and a couple of kick ass arm blades.  One character in Journey to Dark Head relies on her tech skills (and a pair of gloves that look very similar to those of Asami Sato from The Legend of Korra) to aid a Jedi in accomplishing their mission.  The Force is strong and comes in handy plenty.  But Visions 2 proves you don’t need it all the time to keep fighting the good fight. 
 
I should also note that all of these tales feature a female protagonist.  Even if theyre paired up with a male co-lead, those are just that, co-leads.  This is the most Girl Power Star Was has been and arguably does it better than with Rey in the divisive Sequel Trilogy.  You’ve got your sexy bad asses like Lola from Sith and Lol’e from The Spy Dancer and you have your adorable but strong willed kid leads like Aau from Aau’s Song and Tichina from In the Stars.  And for good family fun measure you’ve got the instantly loveable Mother/Daughter duo of Kalina and Anni in I Am Your Mother.  It’s good to see the franchise let the girls have the center stage and central focus for once.  Also, there are a few big name actors and actresses lending their voices to the preceedings, including: Angelica Huston (The Addams Family), Daniel Dae Kim (Hawaii Five-0), Lambert Wilson (The Matrix Reloaded), Daveed Diggs (Hamilton), Anik Noni Rose (The Princess and the Frog) and Steve Blum (Star Wars Rebels).  Plus, Dennis Lawson reprises his fan favorite role of Wedge Antilies in I Am Your Mother.  And yet the Star Power isn’t even the most notable part compared to everything else I’ve bragged about in this review.
 
Star Wars: Visions 2 is a worldwide celebration of George Lucas’ amazing vision and a huge step above the already impressive, Anime centric first Volume.  Every tale looks different, even if they share some plot DNA.  The female leads are all amazing and really deserve some spin offs of their own.  And there’s really no end to the sense of wonder and awe you feel starting from the first frame of each new short story.  Theyre all well paced, well told and a couple are some of the best Star Wars stories I’ve ever seen in my lifelong span as a Star Wars fan.  I’ll be honest, for all my love of Volume One Star Wars meets Anime combo, I kind of want to take a point away from it because it’s not close to as good as Star Wars: Visions 2 is and that is saying quite a lot.  Maybe Volume 3 can give us some more Anime tales too but hopefully doesn’t forget to allow the rest of the world to jump into the Tatooine sandbox too.  The Force is Stronger than ever with This One.
 
9.5/10