Star Wars: Visions, a platform for experimental storytelling within the franchise, is giving its most compelling narrative its own dedicated series. "The Ninth Jedi," originally a standout episode from the first volume of the anime anthology, will return as an eight-episode series titled Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi. The show is set to premiere on August 5 on Hulu and Disney Plus.
The first trailer for the upcoming series, revealed at Anime Expo, offers a glimpse into this future iteration of the Star Wars universe. The series continues the story of Kara, building upon her narrative from the volume 1 episode "The Ninth Jedi" and its volume 3 follow-up, "Child of Hope." This marks a significant milestone, as it is the first time a Star Wars: Visions story has been expanded into a full television series.
Animation for the series is handled by Production I.G., known for their work on "Ghost in the Shell" and "Psycho-Pass." Kenji Kamiyama, the supervising director of the original "The Ninth Jedi" episode, returns to the project, with Shunsuke Tada taking the helm as lead director. Their previous collaborations on acclaimed anime, including "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex" and "Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War," suggest a strong foundation for the new Star Wars series.
The original "The Ninth Jedi" episode distinguished itself by imagining a Star Wars galaxy long after the events of the Skywalker Saga. In this era, the Jedi have largely become figures of myth, lightsabers are exceedingly rare, and Kara's father, a master lightsaber craftsman, may hold the key to restoring balance. The new trailer indicates that the series will amplify this narrative with imposing new antagonists, intense lightsaber duels, and expansive set pieces, including a striking black hole visual reminiscent of "Interstellar."
The series aims to explore the mystical dimensions of the Force and the fundamental nature of what it means to be a Jedi or a Sith. The striking blend of samurai cinema, science fiction, and kinetic action that defined the original short is expected to be a central element of the expanded story. This development signifies a potential new direction for Lucasfilm's engagement with anime, moving beyond standalone anthology entries to develop promising concepts into larger, ongoing narratives. The success of "The Ninth Jedi" series could pave the way for other popular Visions shorts to receive similar treatment.