Star Wars is navigating a turbulent period, with recent projects like The Mandalorian and Grogu underperforming at the box office and others, such as Ahsoka season two and The Acolyte, facing delays or cancellations. Amidst this uncertainty, The Ninth Jedi, an anime originally developed by Production I.G. for the Star Wars: Visions anthology, emerges as a potential revitalization for the storied franchise. The series offers a stylish and emotionally resonant take on Star Wars, infusing iconic elements with a new vitality that stands apart from years of focus on the Skywalker Saga.
The narrative of The Ninth Jedi is set in a distant future where both the Jedi and Sith orders are diminished. Jedi Master Margrave Juro, voiced by Andrew Kishino in the English dub, endeavors to rebuild the Jedi Order to confront the formidable warlord Nawaam, portrayed by Young Mazino. Central to this endeavor is sabersmith Lah Zhima, voiced by Simu Liu, who possesses the rare knowledge required to craft lightsabers. However, Zhima has been captured by Nawaam, who intends to exploit his skills to construct a kyber crystal cannon capable of subjugating the galaxy.
The decision to set the story in the far future effectively disconnects The Ninth Jedi from established lore, while simultaneously amplifying the overarching theme of the perpetual conflict between light and dark. Nawaam's ambition is to disrupt this cycle through conquest, presenting himself as a twisted figure seeking to impose nothingness, a concept mirrored in his reimagining of the Death Star as a black hole that tears through spacetime. The devastating impact of even failed tests of this weapon is illustrated by a planet left scarred and burning.
A Fresh Approach to Familiar Tropes
Writer Mitsuyasu Sakai and directors Kenji Kamiyama and Shunsuke Tada draw upon the strengths of Star Wars while learning from its past missteps. The series revisits characters like Kylo Ren, adopting elements of his design and motivations, but utilizes its eight episodes to craft a cohesive and impactful narrative without resorting to abrupt tonal shifts. Similar to Darth Vader, Nawaam's presence immediately elevates tension, his authority established early as he addresses his forces and challenges any who dare oppose him. The show consistently reinforces his menace, exemplified by the palpable sense of impending doom as he moves through the Jedi vessel he infiltrates, seemingly extinguishing light with each step.
While the notion of Star Wars being solely for children has sometimes been used to excuse narrative shortcomings, The Ninth Jedi demonstrates that young protagonists do not necessitate juvenile storytelling. Zhima's daughter, Lah Kara, voiced by Kimiko Glenn, embodies a blend of Ahsoka Tano and Luke Skywalker's characteristics. She is a Force prodigy, deeply committed to the Jedi mission, even as she confronts difficult truths and endures profound loss. The series also cleverly nods to the Ewoks from Return of the Jedi, though it streamlines the more whimsical elements of that film. Instead, it employs endearing alien creatures to underscore Kara's resilience and the high stakes of her struggle.
Not all characters achieve the same level of depth. Homen, portrayed by Patrick Seitz, a character who appeared in the original Ninth Jedi short as an aspiring Jedi awaiting a lightsaber from Zhima, feels underdeveloped in the new series. This is particularly noticeable as he is one of the few explicitly alien main characters. Rather than utilizing classic Star Wars species, the anime's creators have introduced characters who resemble elves and dwarves, whose personalities largely conform to archetypes found in fantasy literature.
Despite these minor criticisms, The Ninth Jedi successfully captures the potent combination of pathos and action that defines the best Star Wars narratives. Grand-scale space battles unfold alongside perilous escapes and dynamic lightsaber duels between characters with unresolved conflicts. These elements converge to create a rich, multi-layered story rather than a fragmented one. The action sequences are visually spectacular, yet the creators also understand the power of restraint. A single destroyer droid poses a significant threat because the Jedi must ingeniously devise ways to counter its weaknesses in real-time. The fusion of anime's visual spectacle and emotional depth proves to be an ideal match for the space opera epic George Lucas pioneered by drawing inspiration from Akira Kurosawa's films.
Animation has a history of bolstering Star Wars during challenging times. Before assuming leadership at Lucasfilm, Dave Filoni played a crucial role in redeeming the prequel trilogy with The Clone Wars, enriching the backstories of Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. The Ninth Jedi, alongside Matt Michnovetz's noir-inspired Maul – Shadow Lord, which debuted in April, represents a bold new direction for the franchise, particularly as Lucasfilm's live-action projects encounter difficulties. Just as the heroes in The Ninth Jedi strive to restore the Jedi Order, the series itself serves as compelling evidence that Star Wars can maintain a vibrant future through the infusion of fresh creative talent.
The Ninth Jedi is currently available for streaming on Disney Plus.