Review: Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 – Another View of the Galaxy

The first season of Star Wars: Visions have fans a new look into a galaxy far, far away. Bringing together multiple animation studios to create short stories that highlight the essence of Star Wars and the key elements of its appeal was a genius idea that worked out very well. But does the second run recreate the success of the first season? Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 gives viewers more new stories that reinterpret what Star Wars was and is, but not always in a way that will appeal to everyone. There’s an astounding amount of creativity and beautiful visuals on display here, but some people might not connect with what they’re seeing. That doesn’t outright make the second season of the series bad, but just not everyone’s cup of Star Wars.

There’s a total of nine episodes in Volume 2 for Star Wars: Visions, each done by a different animation studio from around the world in their unique style of storytelling and visual presentation. This time, it’s not solely Japanese animation studios, but it works to the season’s advantage. Even before you get into the quality of the tales being told, the visuals of each short are some of the best the Star Wars franchise has seen.

While none of these stories are canonical to the main story of the Star Wars franchise, each story pulls upon different parts of the ingredients that made other popular Star Wars media connect with fans around the world. From the dynamic use of colors and cinematography to the clever use of music and dialogue spoken by characters we meet in each short, every studio for season 2 has something to show and explore with their love of Star Wars. You can really tell that the people behind these studios have a genuine affinity for a galaxy far, far away.

But while the artistry of each episode in Visions Volume 2 is clear, not every story will connect with viewers for one reason or another. Just like any piece of art or creation won’t generate a response from every person that views it, the same can be said for this new season of Star Wars: Visions. Episodes like Sith, In the Stars, and Journey to the Dark Head will have the action and emotion that some fans will love about Star Wars in various ways, while other episodes they probably won’t care too much for. The shorts for Screecher’s Reach, I Am Your Mother, and The Bandits of Golak play with and switch up ideas about the Jedi and Sith, along with how The Force is viewed by different people. But these episodes won’t have the same kind of pacing or excitement that some are accustomed to seeing in a Star Wars story.

This doesn’t make the stories bad, but you’ll have to put aside any preconceived notions about Star Wars and instead let yourself be immersed in the story the shorts present. It’s their unique take on what Star Wars is or can be. That isn’t always easy because how some of these stories may feel boring to watch at various points, but sticking with them to the ending will help you understand the vision each studio was aiming for. Sometimes it’s successful, other times it isn’t.

The best visuals of Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 are definitely from the shorts titled Sith, Journey to the Dark Head, and Aau’s Song. These three shorts not only have unique art styles from one but also put on display some truly gorgeous imagery that can stand as paintings or murals for any Star Wars fan. Sith is the story about a woman who faces the dark side inside herself and a Sith Lord, Journey to the Dark Head follows a young woman trying to help the Jedi in their battle against the Sith, and Aau’s Song focuses on a young girl’s connection to Kyber Crystals.

Whether the plot of each short is enjoyable to watch or not will be different for everyone, and yet each one is by far the best-looking of the bunch in Volume 2. Whether it’s presenting the force through the lens of painting on a canvas, seeing the galaxy through a plush-looking lens, or basking in the majesty of anime action; these look very good. More than likely, you won’t see the look of these characters or their part of the galaxy going away any time soon because of cosplay or fan appreciation. 

Unfortunately, the weakest short in this volume of Star Wars: Visions is the one titled The Pit. The story follows a young man that is a prisoner of the Empire, who tries to help his people escape by trying to get help from nearby Imperial citizens. It’s an interesting take on a perspective from the common person under the rule of the Empire, but it doesn’t have the same momentum or visual finesse as the other shorts. Its conclusion hints at something related to the Jedi and how their world will change, but the lead-up to it might not be as good to follow.

Some people may feel that shorts like I Am Your Mother or Screecher’s Reach will be not as good, but those shorts at least have better action and a visual presentation that people will connect with. In addition, those two shorts have parts of Star Wars that are not as often explored in some of the canon movies and series, which will appeal to fans more.

While it’s not as good as the first season, Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 still has some good things going for it. You’ll need to put aside some of what you know about Star Wars to fully accept what each of the shorts is getting into, especially when it’s so different from what we’re accustomed to seeing from a galaxy far, far away. Not every story in here will be a hit, at least not as much as the first season was able to land. But the artistry you see and the emphasis on great-looking visuals are still just as strong as it was before. Because the shorts don’t take a lot of time to watch, you can run through each episode in one sitting. More importantly, however, even with the shorts you might not like as much, none of it feels like a waste of time.

Are you a big fan of Star Wars: Visions and curious about Volume 2? What is your favorite short from the first season of the series? Tell us about it in the comments down below!