We know the animation will be striking, but what about the characters?
Over the last couple of days, StarWars.com deployed the big guns, namely writers Dan Brooks and Kristin Baver, as Lucasfilm began the final countdown before the drop of Star Wars: Visions on Disney+.
Star Wars: Visions is an anime-style animation anthology series that features nine shorts from some of the world’s most renowned creators. The show debuts on September 22.
Firstly, the veteran Star Wars scribes broke the series down to brass tacks (or, better yet, “Savi’s scrap metal”) over the space of two posts, one about heroes and the other about villains.
Secondly, and caution, both pieces contain spoilers (and so does this synopsis).
We’ve chosen one hero and one villain, as profiled by StarWars.com, all with the intention of sending you to the Mother Ship to see much, much more about the show.
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Still here, good. Moreover, let’s learn more about “The Duel.”
The Duel: A Hero and a Villain
“Ronin is a wanderer, an anti-hero, a mysterious warrior directly influenced by Toshiro Mifune and Kurosawa films like Yojimbo,” [executive producer Josh] Rimes explains. “He exists in a realm where old Kurosawa films, manga, Westerns, and Star Wars all collide in a feudal-style world full of stormtrooper remnants and alien bodyguard squads — and his sidekick is a killer droid in a straw hat. Everything about this character feels so right for Star Wars: Visions and the kinds of stories and influences we wanted to explore.”
Ronin, “The Duel” posted by Dan Brooks
An homage to the Japanese tradition of female samurai warriors of feudal Japan called “Onna-Musha,” the Sith Bandit Leader from “The Duel” is “a cool and cunning assassin reminiscent of the famous female warrior from Japanese cinema in the ’70s, Lady Snowblood,” [co-executive producer Justin] Leach says… At first glance, it’s clear that this woman is a force to be reckoned with, a powerful presence realized through careful line work. “[Designer] Okazaki-san’s passion and love for Star Wars comes across clearly in his designs and The Bandit Leader in no exception,” Leach notes, a skillful combination of traditional Japanese culture and Star Wars mythology.
Sith Bandit Leader, “The Duel” posted by Kristin Baver
BTW: Did you know you’ll be able to continue Ronin’s adventure? Check out the upcoming novel by Emma Mieko Candon (on October 12).
The Trailer Sold Us Early
Meanwhile, the clips alone sold me on this show a long time ago. However, the explanations of the characterization give me a new hope about the quality level of this upcoming show.
Finally, be sure to read both stories at StarWars.com. Stay tuned, Force wielders.
