Star Wars Visionsis phenomenal. Theanimated anthologyStar Warsseriesshowcases a plethora of different animation styles from various cultures. Season one isamong the best season’s ofStar WarsTV, and its focus on different anime styles from many Japanese animation studios like Studio Colorido, Geno Studio, and Kamikaze Douga gave theStar Warsfranchise a breath of fresh air.
Season two only enhances our love for the anthology series. The show’s second season delivers some of the best stories inStar Wars, and the many different animation styles are a lot more accessible to audiences, especially to those who don’t necessarily connect with anime.
With studios like Aardman, Cartoon Saloon, Punkrobot, El Guiri, and Studio Mir all contributing with their brands of anime, 3D animation, and stop-motion animation, season two may bring in some new fans to the series. Much like season one, the second season came with nine episodes that are all brilliant. However, as with anything, some are better than others. So, to that end, here is our ranking of every episode ofStar Wars: Visions season Two.
9The Pit - D’art Shtajio
This season ofVisionsshowcases many stories and tales that are quite tragic, and “The Pit” is among the most tragic of them. “The Pit” revolves around a group of Imperial slave workers who attempt to mine for Kyber Crystals in a very deep pit. However, after finding enough Kyber Crystals to satisfy the Empire, the workers are free from their slave duties, but what they didn’t anticipate was that the Empire wasn’t going to free them from the pit. As a whole, the story does resemble that ofThe Dark Knight Rises, as for the slaves to be free, one of them must climb out, but what happened as a result was completely unexpected and impacts the story and the audience.
The episode is free of any action, and allows us to sit with the characters and the story, making for a deeply personal tale. D’art Shtajio displays their gorgeous animation style, accentuating the story and the characters we fall in love with.
Related:Star Wars: Visions: Which Episodes Deserve Their Own Series
8The Bandits of Golak - 88 Pictures
88 Pictures, alongside Lucasfilm, created a short in 3D animation, which is very reminiscent of the animation style found inThe Clone Warsseries. Therefore, this does a great job at drawing audiences to the series who previously weren’t too keen on the animation styles of the show, but we’re big fans ofThe Clone Wars.
“The Bandits of Golak” tells a compelling story of a brother protecting his force-sensitive sister from the Empire and the Inquisitors. The relationship we build with the two characters is incredibly endearing,which will make you tear up by the end. The blend of Indian culture into theStar Warsuniverse is a wonder to behold. The Indian architecture and costume design infused withStar Warsis a perfect blend that made us love the episode so much more.
7Aau’s Song - Triggerfish
The final episode of the season, if you watched them in order, is a sweet tale about a child who just wants to sing. However, her stern yet loving father forces her to stay quiet, as her voice could have catastrophic effects on the crystals in the nearby mines. To go along with the sweet, yet heart-breaking tale, are the stunning visuals presented by Trigger Fish. Opting for stop-motion, Trigger Fish uses bright and vibrant colors to bring the world and characters to life, accentuating the beauty of this tale.
6In the Stars - Punkrobot
“In the Stars” is stunning. Like many of the shorts on the list, it combines beautiful storytelling with crisp animation that had us in love from the first frame. Punkrobot’s short tells the tale of two sisters and their survival against the Empire on a barren planet, poisoned by the pollution of an Imperial Facility. All while they both mourn the death of their mothers in different ways.
This tragic, poignant, and at the same time, beautiful story coincides with the gorgeous, yet at times, bleak stop-motion animation. The two leads are endearing, even if the younger sister is irritating at times, however, this only strengthens the sister’s relationship, making for a bittersweet end.
Another anime-inspired feature short comes from Studio Mir, which tells the story of a young, disillusioned Jedi and a mechanic, who team up in an attempt to turn the tide of the galactic war. However, an old enemy of the Jedi gets in the way. The story of this one is engaging enough, but seeing two mismatched characters go on a dangerous quest is always a recipe for success. On top of that, the action is epic. Studio Mir enhances the thrilling action with the stunning visuals, creating another phenomenalStar Warsshort.
4Sith - El Guiri
Season two kicks off with a bang, and tells the story of a former Sith as she is hunted down by herformer Sith Lord masterin order to fulfill her destiny. The stunning visual style has us hooked from the start, which slightly resembles the animation styles ofInto the Spider-Verse, Mitchells vs the Machines, andPuss in Boots: The Last Wish.The characters are awesome and the visual design of said characters, mainly the Sith master, was fantastic and added to the episode’s visual flair. All the elements of a great story, stunning visuals, and awesome characters all come together and make for a masterfulStar Warsepisode.
3I am Your Mother - Aardman
This Aardman animated shortis as colorful, delightful, charming, and hilarious as you may expect. The animation is pristine and there are so many laughs to be had in the little amount of time. However, it’s the heartwarming story about a mother and daughter relationship that really had us hooked. While, “I am Your Mother” didn’t make us cry like other episodes on this list, the episode was just an incredibly fun time from start to finish.
2Screecher’s Reach - Cartoon Saloon
“Screecher’s Reach” is perhaps the story many fans are most excited about. Cartoon Saloon, responsible for many Academy Award-nominated feature films and short films, did this episode. To hear they were making a short in theStar Warsuniverse had us immediately giddy with excitement. Thankfully, Cartoon Saloon delivers its usual brand of heartfelt and impactful storytelling, along with its gorgeous visual flair.
However, what we did not expect was how haunting most of this short is. The animation and sound design of the ghost of “Screecher’s Reach” made for a pretty terrifyingStar Warsexperience, making us want so much more.
Related:The Beauty of Cartoon Saloon’s Irish Folklore Trilogy
1The Spy Dancer - Studio La Cachette
As an episode we didn’t expect to blow us away as much as it did, “The Spy Dancer” is a phenomenal episode ofStar WarsTV, that we hope we get more of. The story, character arcs, and overall aesthetic catapult “The Spy Dancer” to the top. “The Spy Dancer” tells the story of a talented dancer at a famous Imperial-frequented cabaret, who uses her skills to spy on the Empire for the Rebellion. However, during a daring mission, she feels the presence of a mysterious officer who threatens to derail her mission.
The episode’s synopsis may not be anything too special, but the episode unfolds in many unexpected emotional and impactful ways that will leave audiences' jaws dropped. On top of that, the visuals, as expected, are simply flawless.
