While Lucasfilm has had many celebrated animated shows in the past, it only feels like just right now—ever since the Disney Investors Day event where they announced 10 new projects—that Disney is really trying to turn their $4 billion investment into a bigger cultural juggernaut in the way Marvel is. That means a wave of new live-action shows, some movies getting back on their feet and exploring new ways to give “Star Wars” new life. One of those attempts will be “Star Wars: Visions,” which is very much unlike the animated shows largely overseen by David Filoni and made in-house at Lucasfilm Animation. “Star Wars: Visions” is made in the singular style and tradition of Japanese anime, and it tapped many famous Japanime studios to make and conceived of the stories in an anthology show.
While Lucasfilm already gave us a taste of “Star Wars: Visions” earlier this summer, today a trailer has arrived which reveals some of the American stars doing some of the English-dubbed voice work (Yes, they’re done with traditional Japanese voices for those markets and then dubbed over for the U.S.). Some of the names involved include Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Alison Brie, Neil Patrick Harris, Boba Fett himself, Temuera Morrison, Lucy Liu, David Harbour, Henry Golding, and more.
Here’s the official synopsis:
Lucasfilm is partnering with seven of the most talented anime studios in Japan to bring their signature style and unique vision of the Star Wars galaxy to this inspired new series,” says James Waugh, executive producer and Lucasfilm Vice President, Franchise Content & Strategy. “Their stories showcase the full spectrum of bold storytelling found across Japanese animation; each told with a freshness and voice that expands our understanding of what a Star Wars story can be and celebrates a galaxy that has been such an inspiration to so many visionary storytellers.”
The English dub cast includes the voice talents of returning Star Wars actors and talent new to the Star Wars universe:
The Duel: Brian Tee (Ronin), Lucy Liu (Bandit Leader), Jaden Waldman (Village Chief)
Tatooine Rhapsody: Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Jay), Bobby Moynihan (Geezer), Temuera Morrison (BobaFett), Shelby Young (K-344), Marc Thompson (Lan)
The Twins: Neil Patrick Harris (Karre), Alison Brie (Am), Jonathan Lipow (B-20N)
The Village Bride: Karen Fukuhara (F), Nichole Sakura (Haru), Christopher Sean (Asu), Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Valco), Andrew Kishino (Izuma), Stephanie Sheh (Saku)
The Ninth Jedi: Kimiko Glenn (Kara), Andrew Kishino (Juro), Simu Liu (Zhima), Masi Oka (Ethan), Greg Chun (Roden), Neil Kaplan (Narrator), Michael Sinterniklaas (Hen Jin),
T0-B1: Jaden Waldman (T0-B1), Kyle Chandler (Mitaka)
The Elder: David Harbour (Tajin), Jordan Fisher (Dan), James Hong (The Elder)
Lop & Ocho: Anna Cathcart (Lop), Hiromi Dames (Ocho), Paul Nakauchi (Yasaburo), Kyle McCarley (Imperial Officer)
Akakiri: Henry Golding (Tsubaki), Jamie Chung (Misa), George Takei (Senshuu), Keone Young (Kamahachi), Lorraine Toussaint (Masago)
Disney+ also revealed a look at the cast voicing the shorts in Japanese, which includes a multitude of veteran voice actors:
The Duel: Masaki Terasoma (Ronin), Akeno Watanabe (Bandit Leader), Yūko Sanpei (VillageChief)
Tatooine Rhapsody: Hiroyuki Yoshino (Jay), Kōusuke Gotō (Geezer), Akio Kaneda (Boba Fett), MasayoFujita (K-344), Anri Katsu (Lan)
The Twins: Junya Enoki (Karre), Ryoko Shiraishi (Am), Tokuyoshi Kawashima (B-20N)
The Village Bride: Asami Seto (F), Megumi Han (Haru), Yūma Uchida (Asu), Takaya Kamikawa(Vaan), Yoshimitsu Shimoyama (Izuma), Mariya Ise (Saku)
The Ninth Jedi: Chinatsu Akasaki(Kara), Tetsuo Kanao (Juro), Shin-ichiro Miki (Zhima), Hiromu Mineta (Ethan), Kazuya Nakai (Roden), Akio Ōtsuka, (Narrator), Daisuke Hirakawa (Hen Jin)
T0-B1: Masako Nozawa (T0-B1), Tsutomu Isobe (Mitaka)
The Elder: Takaya Hashi (Tajin), Kenichi Ogata (The Elder), Yuichi Nakamura (Dan)
Lop & Ocho: Seiran Kobayashi (Lop), Risa Shimizu (Ocho), Tadahisa Fujimura (Yasaburo), Taisuke Nakano (Imperial Officer)
Akakiri: Yū Miyazaki (Tsubaki), Lynn (Misa), Chō (Senshuu), Wataru Takagi (Kamahachi),Yukari Nozawa (Masago)
The studios creating the nine shorts include Kamikaze Douga – “The Duel”; Geno Studio (Twin Engine) – “Lop and Ochō”; Studio Colorido (Twin Engine) – “Tatooine Rhapsody”; TRIGGER – “The Twins” and “The Elder”; Kinema Citrus – “The Village Bride”; Science Saru – “Akakiri” and “T0-B1”; and Production I.G. – “The Ninth Jedi.”
The new trailer provides a glimpse of the captivating tone and stunning visuals from each of the animated shorts, which can all be viewed both with the original Japanese voice cast or the English dub cast when the series launches on Disney+ on September 22. Watch those two trailers below.