This Is The May - From Shadow Lords to Baby Yodas

Today in a galaxy far, far away...

It is May the 4th once more, or as I like to call it, 'Secular Star Wars Day'. 'Orthodox Star Wars Day' being May 25th of course, the actual day the first Star Wars film was released. 

Nonetheless, this is the day we Star Wars fans celebrate George Lucas' creation; a universe of strange aliens, clever droids, fantastic creatures, distant planets, and of course, The Force.

This year, there is a lot to celebrate too, as we currently have the animated series Maul: Shadow Lord and will be getting The Mandalorian and Grogu on May 22th, the first Star Wars film in theaters in 7 years. 

As the date approached, I started to get an idea for a Star Wars RPG that leaned even more heavily into the cinematic, often over-the-top nature of things like the Star Was computer and video games, the animated series such as the current and awesome Maul: Shadow Lord, and one of my personal favorite projects, Star Wars Visions. 

A few weeks ago (roughly), I had the chance to play in a game of Outgunned, a rules-lite cinematic 'Action Film' RPG by a company called Two Little Mice. The one-shot was run, quite excellently, by my friend Nick, a member of my Wednesday evening group. I liked it, a lot, though I couldn't resist the desire to tweak and modify the game for an even greater potential. One thing I wanted to be able to do with it was adapt it to other genres and settings such as...hmmm.

The day after the game I started writing up some notes for an Outgunned powered Star Wars game. While the official supplements for Outgunned, Action Flicks and Action Flicks Vol. 2 respectively, each contain Star Wars-like setting options and additional rules for 'Star Raiders' and 'Star Knights', I decided to try building my version of Outgunned Star Wars from scratch. Sort of.

I did read through the Action Flicks homage versions and they did indeed inform some of my ideas and choices going into the project. I also used Twitter's Grok AI to see what different variations of my proposed adjustments would be like. In the end, I'm pretty happy with what I've got. It isn't a full-on new game by any means but rather a functional way of using a particular set of already established rules to run an already established setting. It's the work of a fan of two things hoping to merge them together. 

I'll be making a series of posts across the month of May - Star Wars Month! - detailing my ideas under the working title...

Happy May the Fourth and beware Revenge of the Fifth.

Remember, The Force will be with you, always.

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Barking Alien

Blurry VISIONS

Star Wars: Visions is perhaps my all time favorite production to have come out of the 'Disney Era' of the franchise, even when not every entry is an absolute banger. This is because they experiment, take chances, do things differently, and don't worry about the $@^%ing canon. 

The newest iteration, Volume 3, is no different and yet it kind of is.

Having watched each of the episodes at least twice now, here are my thoughts...

WARNING: SPOILERS INCOMING

Switch all power to front deflector shields!

Star Wars: Visions Volume 3 returns to Japan for nine short form film/episodes that are not directly linked to each other, though all are set in the Star Wars universe of course. In fact, although adherence to canon isn't a major factor, this time out the series seems to feel the most traditionally 'Star Wars-y' so far. You've got familiar aliens, droids, X-Wings, and other bits and bobs that just say 'this is Star Wars' loud and clear.

One unique feature this time out is that we have several sequels to installments first seen in Volume 1. The Duel, The Ninth Jedi, and The Village Bridge all get continuations. This is great to see but it highlights one of the weaknesses of this Volume.

Volume 3 feels less fresh and new. With perhaps two exceptions, most of the entries this time around are not experimental, they're not taking chances, and they're really not doing things all that special or unique. This doesn't mean there aren't some really great pieces here but it feels safer, more packaged, and more what you might expect from 'Star Wars by Anime Artists'. 

I also feel that overall the music wasn't particularly great. Maybe it's my computer but on more than half of the episodes the music is too quiet, too low in volume (even after adjusting it), and generally comes off as something I either didn't notice at all or found just audible enough to be distracting at times. Your light years may very. I am not much of a music guy these days.

My final criticism is that while most of the entries are very good and I liked them, with none that I would consider truly bad in any way, it's equally true that none are so grand, so ground-breakingly amazing that I can say I've found my new favorite. They're all just really good, though some still better than others.

What follows are my opinions on each and what elements stand out to me for whatever reason. I am always looking at media through a Gamemaster's eye, so there may be some gamer talk but for the most part I'll save the RPG discussions for a separate post.

Title: The Duel: Payback (8.5/10)

Studio: Kamikaze Douga/ANIMA

Director: Takanobu Mizuno

Writer: Jumpei Mizusaki[

The first short film in the first volume of Visions was The Duel and I scored the original a 10 out of 10. It was incredible. It still is. It looked unlike anything we'd seen before, especially in the context of Star Wars - black and white with pops of strategically placed color, a rough, sketchy, almost unfinished illustration style, a familiar universe reinterperted as Feudal Era Japan, and a main character who was both the hero and a villain. 

Here we revisit that same world and as such, while possibly the best of the bunch this time out as well, it isn't something completely unexpected. It's more of the same, though the 'same' is really excellent. The new characters, the set pieces, and the fleshing out of the Ronin were welcome additions. Great imagery continues in the tradition of the first.

The music in this one was probably some of the best too, though at lot of it was derived from the films (particularly the Prequels I think). 

Title: The Song of Four Wings (8/10)

Studio: Project Studio Q

Director: Hiroyasu Kobayashi

Writer: Yoji Enokido

I'm just going to put this out there right up front; I really liked this one! I say it that way because I've looked about the internet and a lot of reviewers see this one as 'nothing special'. It seems a good number of Star Wars Youtubers didn't find The Song of Four Wings to be anything to write home to Coruscant about. 

I get that. At least I can see why some might feel that way but for me it was really fun. First, it was very Star Wars. It had a heroic Princess with a cool Astromech Droid riding a classic looking Speeder Bike across an Ice Planet to save a cute little alien from Snowtroopers and AT-ATs. C'mon! If you're a Star Wars fan, what is there not to love about that?

Simultaneously, it's VERY Japanese. Very Anime and Manga. It combines Star Wars with three major tropes of Japanese media culture; Mecha, Magical Girls, and Origami. No story with transforming Walkers, a plucky girl's droid becoming an X-Wing battle suit, a Force Sensitive, big-eyed furbunny, and traditinal Japanese paper cutting art could be anything less than awesome. 

The music here should have been better. It's OK but missing something. Crane's personal tune is kinda neat but since music is actually an element of the character, I would think Project Studio Q would've made it stand out a little more. The background music is likewise a bit lackluster. None of it sucks but none of it soars either.

It's probably a 7.5 episode but its an 8 to me. Perhaps not the best of the entries but definitely a personal favorite of mine.

Title: The Ninth Jedi: Child of Hope (7.5/10)

Studio: Production IG

Director/Writer: Naoyoshi Shiotani

This was a good episode of a typical Anime Action Show but a slightly weak entry in not only the Star Wars: Visions series but as an installment of The Ninth Jedi as well.

One of my favorites from the original Visions Volume 1, the first incarnation of 'The Ninth Jedi' had an interesting take on the Star Wars setting, charming characters, and a very cool story twist. This one...doesn't have those things. The droid Teto that they introduce is very cute and cool but there is no twist and very little that advances the world-building of this far future(?) version of the familiar galaxy far, far away. It was both well done and somewhat disappointing.

Also the starship designs were...strange. I think they were going for a more futuristic Star Wars aesthetic but instead it looked more like knock-off Star Trek. As an Anime fan I expected a little more from Production IG.

Title: The Bounty Hunters (7/10)

Studio: WIT Studio

Director: Junichi Yamamoto

Writer: Hiroshi Seko

This is a tough one. I liked The Bounty Hunters but it wasn't all that much to speak of. A predictable story. Pretty standard villain. Good art if a little simple and solid enough animation. Like The Song of Four Wings, this one isn't shaking anyone to their core but damn if it wasn't fun. I liked the main character but thought the split personality droid was a really cool and clever idea and his look was neat. Additionally, I thought this was one of the few episodes this volume to feature cool ship designs. 

Title: Yuko's Treasure (7.5/10)

Studio: Kinema Citrus Co. 

Director: Junichi Yamamoto

Writer: Hiroshi Seko

Another very fun entry with a strong 1970s to early 1980s Anime feel. There was an era in Japanese Manga and Anime that saw stories of this type all the time. Classics like Doraemon, Dr. Slump, Magical Princess Minky Momo, and others feature many of the tropes you see in this episode: really young protagonists, a cute looking but surprisingly tough 'Pet' Robot, over-the-top masked villains and their goofy minions, and running gags like the one where the monster and villains repeatedly fall down a hole. Like Pokemon's Team Rocket blasting off to become a twinkle in the sky at the end of each episode of that show. 

This one was not only fun but I could definitely see this being an easy entry point into the Star Wars universe for many elementry school age children. While a tad silly and having a very child friendly art style, even adults can get a chuckle from this one and feel the timeless charm fused into it.

The ship shown at the end is pretty adorable and quite Star Wars appropriate so it gets a thumbs up. 

Title: The Lost Ones (8/10)

Studio: Kinema Citrus Co.

Director: Hitoshi Haga

Writer: Hitoshi Haga and Takahito Oonish

In Star Wars: Visions Volume 1 we got The Village Bridge, a very pretty episode with an intriguing setting and a character I really wanted to see more of, the female Jedi known only as 'F'. The Lost Ones sees her return, facing off against a cataclysm that drove people off their world and the return of her former master now turned to the Dark Side of The Force.

I liked this one, quite a bit, but I felt it had some of the same flaws as its predecessor. There is a story about a planet and its people as their was in The Village Bride but just like in that previous episode, it doesn't connect directly to F or her facing off against her ex-mentor. I mean, the two stories cross over each other and there are characters that connect the two during the episode but it just feels like she could have been anywhere else and the story might have progressed the same way. 

The Jedi Master turned Sith (maybe an Inquisitor?) and their ship comes looking for F, not the planet, the people, or anything else. So why tell us all about the plight of these folks? Again, its not that the two plots are completely disconnected but they're not intrinsically related either. 

I really like F. I'm not even sure why. There is just something about her. Cool design, a real survivor, and a good person at heart. I hope we see another outing of hers that deals more directly with what she does to survive in the Rebellion Era and how true she stays to herself.

Music good. Nothing especially stand out-ish but good. 

Title: The Smuggler (8/10)

Studio: Studio Trigger

Director/Writer: Masahiko Otsuka

A big fan of Studio Trigger I was hoping I'd like this one and I very much did. This one felt like a group of Player Characters doing the initial mission that forms their party. A smooth mix of classic Star Wars and modern Anime/Manga ideas the results in just the kind of short I imagine would result from a Star Wars Visions project.

The Smuggler appeals to me for the same reason The Bounty Hunters and The Song of Four Wings does. Nothing groundbreaking but a fine example of what you can do when you cross pollenate Japanese Anime tropes with those of Star Wars. 

The ships here are very Anime but they do reveal some Star Wars DNA in them, especially the bounty hunter fighters that show shades of TIE fighter on what is otherwise a 1990s Japanese Animation design. On the flipside, the Landspeeder in the episode is spot on Star Wars. 

Title: The Bird of Paradise (7.5/10)

Studio: Polygon Pictures

Director: Tadahiro Yoshihira

Writer: Tadahiro Yoshihira and Makoto Uezu

This one. Hmm. This one is tough to review.

Absolutely beautiful looking art, excellent animation, and a story that is quite intriguing thanks to the blending of Japanese spiritual beliefs with the Force. It makes for an atypical approach to the traditional Jedi vs Sith stories we're accustomed to. 

I can't emphasize enough that the visuals are just stunning. I was particularly fond of the Sith characters' design and the look of the Dark Side version of the main character. Unfortunately...

The drawbacks to this entry that prevent me from fully enjoying it are two fold: First, the female protagonist is quite pathetic and whiny for a good portion of the episode. The change toward a stronger and more positive attitude is very subtle at first, which could be a testament to good storytelling, but because I'd already grown to dislike her it was hard to me to notice or appreciate it. Second, we don't get to spend much time on each of the days of her journey of self-reflection and discovery. As a result and as noted before, the change from her being weak and bratty to being more centered seems abrupt, though it wasn't meant to. 

The episode also has a less than satisfying ending in my opinion. We never return to the battle that starts the story rolling and have not idea what became of the main character's Master, the Sith adversary, or her really cool droid, Daruma. We never get to see our heroine face the enemy after her 'rebirth' so we are told what she learned but don't see it in action. 

The music here, it works. It fits and does what it needs to do.

Title: BLACK (6.5/10)

Studio: David Production

Director/Writer: Shinya Ohira

If any of the shorts could be legitimately called disappointing it would be BLACK. 

Hailed as a masterpiece when it was shown at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France back in June, the buzz around this one was intense. A very different take on not only Star Wars but what could be done in animation, supposedly paired with a righteous jazz score reminiscent of Cowboy Beboy made it one of the most anticipated pieces in Vision Volume 3.

Problem is...it just doesn't work. At least not for me.

The imagery is chaotic, designed to show the madness of an Imperial Stormtrooper going through some sort of psychotic PSD episode. A very intriguing idea but one that becomes tiresome to watch as it runs on too long without any sort of narrative. I watched it twice but the second time I was more often listening to it than watching it. My eyes got tired of the random visual noise. 

The music, which I expected to really like as a fan of this kind of Jazz and of Cowboy Beboy, was sorely lacking. The vast majority of the episode's run you can barely hear it. The rest of the time it doesn't quite match with what is going on in the animation. The visuals and the score seem almost at odds instead of complimenting each other. 

It was cool that they went for it with this one, that they tried to do something really different but in the end it is definitely the short I enjoyed the least.

As you can see, not a single one of these was rated a 9 out of 10, let alone a 10/10. The guy who is a huge Star Wars and Anime fan didn't gush about how awesome any one of the entries were. Cool? Sure. Well done? Mostly yes. Amazing! Well, that's going a little far. 

If you haven't watched Star Wars: Visions Volume 3 yet and for some odd reason read this first, I would go with the advice of Major Partagaz from Andor and 'Calibrate your enthusiasm' before checking it out. 

That doesn't mean it was great to have another volume of VISIONS or that it didn't inspire some Star Wars TRPG ideas. I am still extremely excited for the upcoming The Ninth Jedi ongoing series and hopeful for a potential Volume 4. 

フォースとともにあらんことを

Fōsu to tomo ni aran koto wo

May The Force Be With You

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Barking Alien

A Fourth To Be Reckoned With

A very Happy Star Wars Day to all!

This has been a very interesting year for Star Wars fans, with the Star Wars Celebration fan convention of 2025 having taken place in Japan from April 18-20. While news from the show may not have been abundant, much of what was announced was intriguing to say the least. 

We got updates on the next two films, The Mandalorian and Grogu and Starfighter, as well as an announcement of the new Star Wars Animated Series Maul: Shadow Lord. Plus, there's Tales of the Underworld, a six episode limited series releasing, wait...Today! Nice!

 

What intrigued me the most, not surprisingly, was the information about Star Wars VISIONS Volume 3 and the introduction of Star Wars VISIONS Presents...

For those unfamiliar with this project, Star Wars Visions is an animated anthology series created and produced by a variety of international animation studios. Volume 1 featured studios that were all from Japan. Volume 2 had a world wide collection of animators from countries such as England, Chile, France, Ireland, and South Korea to name a few.

Volume 3 returns to Japan with 8 Studios and 9 Episodes including 3 that are continuations of characters and stories first seen in Volume 1! I am incredibly excited for this, especially the 'reoccurring VISIONS'.

Heheh. See what I did there?

Kamikaze Douga/ANIMA are returning to the black and white + a shock of color world of DUEL, featuring a Sith Ronin hunting other Sith in a galaxy heavily influenced by Japanese Samurai films. The new installment is called 'Payback' and looks to be easily as insane as the original. 

Production I.G., the venerable Anime studio behind Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Kaiju No. 8, brings back The Ninth Jedi, arguably the most popular episode of the first VISIONS. 'Child of Hope' is a sequel to the entry that so many found intriguing that...hold on. Not yet. I don't want to ruin the surprise.

 

The Ninth Jedi: Child of Hope

Lastly, 'The Lost Ones' features the young female Jedi introduced in The Village Bride. While that a fine episode, it wasn't one of my favorites. That said, I absolutely thought the Jedi was cool and wanted to see more of her. Now we will thanks to the work of Kinema Citrus, Co. 

In addition to these follow-ups there are several brand new stories including:

• Yuko's Treasure - Another entry by Kinema Citrus, Co. 
• The Smuggler - By Studio TRIGGER (who do my beloved Delicious in Dungeon!).
• The Bounty Hunters - By WIT Studio
• The Song of Four Wings - By Project Studio Q
• The Bird of Paradise - Polygon Pictures
• Black - David Production

The first two VISIONS Volumes contain some of my all time favorite examples of Star Wars content. I absolutely love the mix of art styles, cultural elements, and creative alternate takes on that galaxy far, far away. Really looking forward to seeing what Volume 3 brings. 

As for Star Wars VISIONS Presents, it's a new Star Wars animation 'imprint' in which one of the stories from VISIONS is expanded beyond the original, beyond a sequel episode, and into a full one animated series! The first of these continues the story of The Ninth Jedi from Volume 1. So after this year's sequel 'Child of Hope', we'll get an entire season of stories set in this variation of the Star Wars universe. Honestly, this new blew me away. Can hardly wait for this!

 

Since you're on the Barking Alien blog you've probably figured out that a major factor in my desire to see this new anthology is that I'm hoping to incorporate components of Star Wars VISIONS Volume 3 (and its predecessors) into some far, far away gaming. I've been trying to figure out how best to merge elements of the Japanese TRPG 'Space Ship Story' with the awesome Star Wars D6 game by West End Games. 

And I think I've done it...

This and other Star Wars gaming thoughts coming soon. In the meantime go watch Tales from the Underworld, Andor Season 2, and as always May The Force Be With You!

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Barking Alien

Kessel Spice and Everything Nice

In the early days of the Star Wars Artists Guild (SWAG) I came across the work of a regular contributor who went by the username of 'Reverend Strone'. In real life, Reverend Strone is none other then Daniel Falconer, a New Zealander who has worked as a concept artist and designer for some of the top projects by WETA Workshop, including the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the Narina film series. 

Daniel and I chatted online a few times, the most common subject discussed being a Star Wars D6 RPG campaign he was part of from which most of his fan art originated. I don't recall if he was a player or the GM but the idea behind the game was awesome to me. It took place solely on Tatooine and the PCs rarely left the desert world. The campaign focused on these people living on a world in the Outer Rim who ran a ranch (I forget if they were Nerf or Bantha Herders) and had to deal with rustlers, gangsters, sand people raids, family drama, and the limited resources of Tatooine. 

Imotta the Hutt getting a massage.

A small time crimelord operating a smuggling ring and a legitimate restaurant, 

Imotta is a nephew of Jabba the Hutt.

 

Art by Daniel 'Reverend Strone' Falconer.

If The Mandalorian is a Star Wars 'Space Western' version of the Rifleman, then this campaign was a Star Wars version of Bonanza.

This sounded so cool to me for a variety of reasons but the main one, the element I want to focus on for this post, is the idea of a campaign where you 'live in the Star Wars universe'. The idea of a Star Wars Sandbox without galaxy threatening stakes sparks my creativity in a way that's hard to explain. A story about people just trying to make a living on a frontier planet puts me in a cozy, warm, and very inspired state of mind. I want to sit down, grab a cup of hot blue milk, and jot down ideas for what might be out there to challenge the PCs. 

This concept, common in Anime/Manga and Japanese TRPGs, is what the Japanese call kuki-kei (Airy-Themed Systen) or nichijo-kei (Daily System or Everyday Life System). The genre centers around [relatively] normal people going about their [relatively] normal lives. In Anime and Manga the characters are usually young girls (of course) and a common phrase for the genre is 'Cute Girls doing Cute Things'. This has greatly expanded in recent years, with series that focus on male and female characters trying to exist peacefully in a setting that is often strange and dangerous. 

I've probably mentioned this before but I am absolutely fascinated by the juxtaposition of the strange with the mundane. What is it like to be professional Pet Walker on Coruscant? What does a middle management Imperial Officer do all day?

Imagine being a Jawa Droid Mechanic who has a regular customer on the outskirts of Mos Taika on Tatooine. He combs the Dune Sea and bordering areas for Astromechs of all kinds and knows that this Human will buy them. Problem is, there hasn't been anything decent in weeks. The Jawa pulls up the ol' Sandcrawler to a Power Station to trade for some provisions.

The PCs work at the Power Station (picture it like a 1950s Gas Station mixed with the Tatooine aesthetic) and know this Jawa. He seems down and desparate and the gang offers to help. Maybe one of them knows about a starship wreckage kinda far to the South that might have some droids. Closing shop early to the dismay of some locals and a guy with a podracer, the team heads out to the shipwreck. Perhaps they find some vehicle parts they can use in the garage as well. 

What will they run into? Competing group of Jawas? The Pirates who downed the ship looking for salvage? A Stormtrooper who survived and has been living in the destroyed vessel for months? Who knows! The point is that the planet isn't at stake, the galaxy isn't doomed, and the Sith Warlord isn't your father. You are just a person who lives on Tatooine (or wherever) doing a local acquaintence a solid. Reward? Hopefully you'll find some good gear and your Jawa buddy will owe you one. 

The Japanese TRPG Mamono Scramble is all about this, which is one of the reasons I'm so interested in it. Like Ryuutama for Star Wars, ya know? More Star Wars: Outlaws and less Star Wars: The Acolyte. 

And anything that's less Star Wars: The Acolyte is OK by me. 

May The Force Be With You,

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Barking Alien

While I know this is a Star Wars post, I'd like to take this moment to wish everyone a Happy Star Trek Day! Here's to 58 years of exploring The Final Frontier. 

Star Wars VISIONS - The Roleplaying Game

Bright Sun's and Happy Star Wars Weekend everyone!

In celebration of May the 4th and 5th, I wanted to share an idea I've been developing in my...um...I was going to say 'spare time' but we all know that isn't a real thing, now don't we?

I recently found out that the next Star Wars Celebration event in 2025 will be in Japan. How cool is that! It got me to thinking about my favorite pieces of Star Wars content from the last few years: Star Wars VISIONS. 

A key element making many of the installments of the Star Wars VISIONS anthology so amazing is the fact that they don't have to be connected to the greater Star Wars canon and in fact, aren't.

The 'Ninth Jedi' takes place in a distant (though undefined) future. 

'Journey to the Dark Head' seems to be set in the Old or High Republic. Again, seems.

'Aau's Song', 'Akakiri', and 'Screecher's Reach' take place in indeterminate times and places.

In my opinion, this is a major factor in why these entries are so awesome. 

Looking back on my many Star Wars campaigns, all the best ones were run in the real world era wherein we didn't have any 'canon' beyond the original film trilogy. Everything else - from the books, to the comics, and of course the West End Games RPG - were myths and legends describing someone's own take on a galaxy 'Long Ago and Far, Far Away'. 

For some time now I've been thinking, 'I wish I could go back to that time.' Essentially, I'd like to run a TRPG campaign in the Star Wars universe but not necessarily in the Star Wars canon. Would that work nowadays? Could it?

These thoughts led me to postulate how I could use a system other then my beloved Star Wars D6 to give such a campaign both a distinctly different feel and, simultaneously, imply a separate 'non-canon' version of the setting. 

Star Wars D6 is, for me at least, 'real Star Wars' as far as Star Wars tabletop RPGs go. It was the only widely shared and accepted source on information about the Star Wars universe for years. It informed Timothy Zahn's 'Heir to the Empire' trilogy, the Prequels, and even some content that was actually good (Ooh! Not he didn't!) like the Rebels episode 'Wings of the Master', based on the WEG adventure 'Strikeforce Shantipole'. (He did by the way. I read it again to make sure). 

So, the idea is that using another game for Star Wars automatically makes it a another kind of Star Wars for me. Does that make sense to anyone else? It makes sense to me but I know sometimes I think oddly. lol The question then becomes, 'What game and what sort of Star Wars am I considering?' Well...

I'd like to use the Japanese Doujinshi TRPG 'Space Ship Story' to run a Star Wars VISIONS: The Roleplaying Game. I'm thinking lots of Anime/Manga influence, kinetic combat, melodrama, and of course lots of cool art/visuals. 

Star Wars VISIONS 'Original Manga' 

Art by Tomohiro Shimoguchi

More on this as it develops but I really believe this idea will work. Fingers (and maybe Lightsabers) crossed.  

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Barking Alien

VISIONS Quest

After watching Star Wars: VISIONS Volume 2 I had some thoughts and ideas for Star Wars role playing that are a little different from what I've done in the past. Well, sort of. I'll clarify in the post.

The biggest revelation I had after watching the VISIONS Volume 2 is that Star Wars' canon is hurting it more than helping it.

That may be a strange conclusion to come to in the minds of many, especially given the fact that VISIONS Volume 2 - much more so than Volume 1 - features a number of episodes clearly set in the period of the Galactic Civil War. The forces of the Imperial Empire are front and center as antagonists in at least four of the nine episodes.

Still and all, only one of these, 'The Spy Dancer', directly refers to The Rebellion. None of them address Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, the destruction of the Death Star, or the seemingly ever present desert world of Tatooine.

The creatives behind the various VISIONS installments can go virtually anywhere and do anything, adding brand new characters, worlds, species, droids, and a whole host of other elements and ideas to the increasing familiar Star Wars setting. 

Some of the most interesting episodes in the second 'season' are those not directly (or at least clearly) connected to the established canon of the Star Wars universe. You could certainly place any of the episodes somewhere in the official timeline with little difficulty but it isn't necessary. In fact, one of the things that makes episodes like 'Aau's Song' or 'Journey to The Dark Head' so great is that they can easily be taking place long before 'The Phantom Menace' or long after 'The Rise of Skywalker'.

They could also be happening somewhere outside of established Star Wars space/time. Star Wars is not, as I always attest, a traditional Science Fiction setting. It isn't a What If? exploration of our own reality. It is a Fairy Tale in Space. It's Science Fantasy. Its depictions need not keep an 'accurate' chronicle as one would for real life current events. Star Wars is for spinning adventure yarns and spreading legends of a time long ago, in a far, far away galaxy.

VISIONS tells stories that are both very Star Wars and generally separate from the events and people that make up the fictional history of its universe as we the fans know it. That flexibility and freedom, IMHO, is what Star Wars live action and gaming has been missing. Be assured first and foremost that you are telling a great story and that the story feels like Star Wars. Whether it fits into the overall timeline should be a tertiary concern.  

The VISIONS series (Volume 1 and 2) has inspired me to start working on yet another crazy side project that I definitely don't have time for. More details will be forthcoming once I have a handle on exactly what it is I'm doing but the basic idea is:

A great Star Wars RPG feels like Star Wars. If you want to create a different feel, use a different system and apply its vibe to Star Wars. For example, using Traveller to play Star Wars (as I've tried in the past) adds a level of detail,  texture, and (dare I say) realism that makes the atmosphere of the setting more Science Fiction-y. 

My thought is, 'How do I add more of a mythic, legendary quality to Star Wars?'. I want to focus on the fairy tale aspect I mentioned above. To assist with this I think I need a Fantasy RPG but one that's more interested in emulating folklore and focused on narrative than the typical War Game/Tactical Combat descended games.

What game is that? I've said numerous times in the past that most Fantasy RPGs don't feel particularly fantastic to me. D&D and its ilk, for example, come off as technical, almost scientific, most notably in their names and terminology and the 'naturalistic' way they describe monsters. Not what I'm going for. 

Hmm. I think I might have something...

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Barking Alien

Force VISIONS

May the Fourth Be With You! Happy Star Wars Day everybody!

Except that...oops...it's already the 6th. I've running behind dang it! That makes me angry and anger leads to

Hey out there in a galaxy far, far away! Welcome back!

My favorite Star Wars production of the past few years - beloved more than The Mandalorian, Andor, and...well...what else was there to enjoy really? I guess Bad Batch was OK. Hmm. Where was I? Oh yes! - my favorite Star Wars thing has been the Japanese Anime Anthology series called Star Wars VISIONS.

Now we have a Volume 2 and it hits different!

This time out, we're going global! 

For VISIONS Volume 2 Lucasfilm has assembled a Jedi Order of animation studios from 9 separate countries. Nine individual episodes by studios from Chile, England, France, India, Ireland, Japan, South Africa, South Korea, and Spain.  

Check out this line-up:

This is a staggering collection of talent and the results speak for themselves. Be that as it may, I'm going to speak for them anyway! What follows is a mostly 'Spoiler Free' review of each of the episodes by yours truly, pointing out particular elements I found particularly worth noting for one reason or another.

I say mostly Spoiler Free because I will likely mention some basic plot elements of each. If that's too much of a Spoiler for you I totally understand. Go check out the series for yourself and take a look at this after you're done.

Cool? Great! Let's continue on then shall we?

I will be doing a follow up post that will DEFINITELY contain Spoilers in the form of key episode details and how they can be applied to Star Wars tabletop gaming. There was a lot of great world building material in these shorts as well as some other stuff that really has the turbines spinning. 

Like I did for the first Volume, I will post my personal rating next to the title of each episode. The rating goes from 1 to 10 where one is Very Bad and ten is Totally Awesome. A 5/10 means it's Meh; it was OK but particularly likeable or unlikeable. 

Title: “Sith” (8.5/10)

Studio: El Guiri (Madrid, Spain)

Writer/Director: Rodrigo Blaas

I loved this one and in some ways it is my favorite of Volume 2. Like 'The Duel', the first entry in Volume 1, this is a visually dazzling tale that centers around a Sith protagonist. I find it interesting, perhaps even odd, that both Volumes of VISIONS open with such distinct, artistic shorts. It is very cool don't get me wrong and gets your attention right away but it handicaps all the ones that follow. The rest of the series rarely meets or tops the pure aesthetic spectacle of these first installments. The remainder all get compared to the first ones and since they're so bold in style and color the others can pale in comparison. An odd choice of placement in my opinion.

That said, I found the character and her story very intriguing. I would love to see more of her and that is high praise indeed.

Title: “Screecher’s Reach” (9/10)

Studio: Cartoon Saloon (Kilkenny, Ireland)

Writer: Director: Paul Young

Another one I very much enjoyed was this homage to Irish folklore with a Star Wars twist that I did not see coming. Whereas 'Sith' scores more points for visuals, 'Screecher's Reach' gets brownie points for having an excellent story. Furthermore, it's an excellent story well told. Great voice acting and direction. The art is quite charming and the animation is good but this one is really about the narrative. 

The ending, which I will not discuss here (just go watch it) is definitely one of its great strengths and drummed up thoughts in me that I will go into in greater depth in a follow up post. Most profound. 

Title: “In the Stars” (8/10)

Studio: Punkrobot (Santiago, Chile)

Writer/Director: Gabriel Osorio

An intriguing aspect of Volume 2 is that many of the entries seem to take place around the time of the Galactic Civil War and battle of the Rebels against the Empire. This is definitely true of this episode and yet it seems to take place in a timeless period of desperation independent of the greater Rebellion. This story occurs in that eternal dark place of struggle between indigenous peoples and greedy foreign invaders.

The art style, a form of Stop Motion/Claymation is a cool choice and the designs are awesome but in the context of the overall series I found it peculiar how many of the episodes used this sort of art. It made the episode feel, at least to me, less unique and special than it could have, though still excellent. 

Title: “I Am Your Mother” (7/10)

Studio: Aardman (Bristol, England, U.K.)

Director: Magdalena Osinska

As a huge Wallace and Grommit fan I was ecstatic to learn that Aardman would be participating in this new season of VISIONS. The episode itself was charming, humorous, and even a bit irreverent. I liked it very much. At the same time, I can't help but feel it wasn't as great as it could have been. I hate to feel this way but there is just something missing from the episode that could have put it over the top. I can't put my finger on what. I almost feel like they should have leaned even harder into everything they did but shortened each sequence making each one punchier (and therefore funnier).

Some of the background alien and droid designs are really cool and I wish we'd gotten to see more of them up close. Overall a positive and hard-warming short worthy of a few chuckles.

Title: “Journey to the Dark Head” (7.5/10)

Studio: Studio Mir (Seoul, South Korea)

Director: Hyeong Geun Park

The entry that most resembles the first Volume in both its look and narrative is 'Journey to the Dark Head'. The art, animation, and narrative are cool but the dialogue, voice acting, and character development were a tad weak and as such the episode wasn't executed to its fullest. I wonder what the original Korean dub sounded like if indeed there was one. 

One thing I found intriguing about this short was its setting, which seems like it could take place in canon or perhaps a bit beyond it. It postulates an interesting 'era' of the Star Wars universe, possibly one akin to the Old or even near High Republic. It could also be taking place further into the past or far into Star Wars' future (like Volume 1's 'Ninth Jedi').

Title: “The Spy Dancer” (8.5/10)

Studio: Studio La Cachette (Paris, France)

Writer/Director: Julien Chheng

'Sith' may be my favorite episode but the one that impressed me most was actually 'The Spy Dancer'. A well crafted and suitably melodramatic work of espionage fiction (Spy Opera?) that I must say felt quintessentially French. 

The look of it, the characters, the plot were all engaging, exciting, melancholy, and practically perfect. The pacing was spot on and the ending just magnificent. It also feels like you get a lot of it for its runtime. Another entry to Volume 2 that I would very much like to see continue. There is definitely room for more of this story. 

It doesn't hurt that the main protagonist reminded me of my friend Lynn's character, Kashpa. 

Title: “The Bandits of Golak” (6.5/10)

Studio: 88 Pictures (Mumbai, India)

Director: Ishan Shukla

It is a difficult to give a review of this one. I found myself wanting to like it more than I did and make no mistake, I thought it was interesting and quite well done. The look of it is beautiful, with a fascinating depiction of the culture of a far off planet inspired by Indian history, fashion, mythology, and architecture.

Unfortunately, the design and CGI animation are remarkably similar to the latter seasons of the Clone Wars, especially in the way they depicted some of the technology and alien species. Almost a little too much so. The villain of this one is one of the most menacing I've seen from a design standpoint but he didn't amount to being especially dangerous.

The biggest weakness of this episode for me is the young girl who serves as one of the two key protagonists. She is portrayed as either much younger and less mature than her image makes her out to be or she's simply very foolish, bratty, and even dumb. Her personality and attitude made the finale feel undeserved. It was as if the dim and self-concerned were rewarded with enlightenment while the steadfast and pure-hearted is left behind, which didn't feel quite right for an Indian folktale or a Star Wars tale. It just didn't work for me. 

Title: “The Pit” (6/10)

Studios: D’art Shtajio (Tokyo, Japan) and Lucasfilm Ltd. (San Francisco, California, USA)

Writer/Director/Executive Producer: LeAndre Thomas and Co-Director: Justin Ridge

My least favorite of Volume 2, this short simply didn't make a lot of sense to me. I mean I got what they were going for, what they wanted to say but too much of it is just 'Assume this all works the way we say it does, OK?'.

A lot of the episode shows how terrible the Empire is, how they don't value Human life, and how little they care about those who they used to achieve their ends. Then in one sequence a group of Stormtroopers with Blasters don't open fire on an incoming group of rich people attempting to free the mistreated because...unknown. No reason is given for this. The episode has a lot of that. You can't climb out of the titular Pit until...one guy can. Why? Because he can. 

The art and animation on this one was fine, a bit underwhelming actually, but the real issue is the writing and direction. Maybe it was rushed.

Title: “Aau’s Song” (8/10)

Studio: Triggerfish (Cape Town, South Africa)

Writer/Directors: Nadia Darries and Daniel Clarke

The final short is the extremely endearing 'Aau's Song', which I really liked a lot. It's just the kind of story that is very much in my wheelhouse. It doesn't have a villain, doesn't feature any battles, but it has wonderful world building, a breath-takingly beautiful setting, great character designs, and shows what can be done with the Star Wars universe without wars and stars. I mean, I love me some stellar battles but its nice to focus in on a distant world doing a neat thing every once in a while to say, "this too is Star Wars".

Another Stop Motion Animation project, this one distinguishes itself with its puppet-like figures, brilliant colors, and amazing backgrounds. I want to play a Korbian in a Star Wars game now. 

Korbian? Korban? Korbanian? Oh well.

Those are my reviews, such as they are. Excited to share further thoughts and ideas brought on my this series.

See you soon,

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