TV series: Star Wars: Visions

Star Wars can feel adrift in space as a franchise.

Without an ongoing movie series to anchor it all in place, everything feels a bit loose.

Yet, as this new series currently showing on Disney+ proves, it has lost nothing in its power to inspire.

If you like your Force tales untethered from the lore, Star Wars: Visions is light relief.

Seven anime studios have come up with nine short films, most under 20 minutes, that inject some new energy into Force matters.

It makes sense for business. Netflix has cornered a lot of the anime market, though with this being Disney, it is unlikely to be playing catch-up much longer.

Of course, it is also fitting that much of the original Star Wars had a Japanese influence.

Some of these tales work better than others - whether it is because of the animation style or flat voice acting.

But for the most part, there is an enthusiasm that can be felt in each episode, whether you became a fan with the original trilogy or jumped on board with Clone Wars or even The Mandalorian.

FAMILIAR

You will see some familiar sights, lightsabers, Star Destroyers, R2D2 beeps and chirps, the hyperspace effect - but these are original tales without a Skywalker or Vader in sight, thankfully.

Much revolve around the Lucasfilm de facto samurai, the Jedi and the Sith - even T0-B1, which can be most accurately described as Astro Boy, becomes a Jedi.

To be honest, the stories do not often amount to much, but it is the visuals that keep you fascinated.

There is a wealth of styles from the gritty Akira Kurosawa-styled opener The Duel, to the pop kinetic motion of The Twins' all-out Force battle.

The voice talent on board is impressive. David Harbour gives it his best Harrison Ford in The Elder - though not everyone hits their vocal mark.

Overall, Star Wars: Visions is fun. It is non-committal and you do not need to know much backstory.

Like anime has a tendency to do, you will be told all the exposition you need as it happens.

This is a nice way to check in on the Star Wars universe without feeling you have to invest a huge amount of time.

More than that, it reminds you that Star Wars can still be fun.

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SERIES: Star Wars: Visions

STARRING: Simu Liu, David Harbour, James Hong, Henry Golding, Kyle Chandler, Alison Brie, Neil Patrick Harris

THE SKINNY: This anime anthology series features some of the world's best anime creators' short films based on the universe created by George Lucas.

SHOWING ON: Disney+

RATING: PG

score 3.5/5