Written by Expanding the scope of Star Wars has always been a benefit of the Disney+ shows. While Andor and The Clone Wars have become fan favorites, they’ve also introduced new visual aesthetics and challenges for the future to live up to. Star Wars: Visions — The Ninth Jedi continues this trend with the anime approach first explored in two episodes of the anthology series of the same name. With more room to breathe and eight episodes to explore the story of Lah Kara (Kimiko Glenn), The Ninth Jedi shines as an example of what the franchise could be in the right hands.
What’s Star Wars: Visions — The Ninth Jedi about?
The Ninth Jedi first appeared as two parts in the Star Wars: Visions series (Seasons 1 and 3). The series continues the adventures of Lah Kara, a young padawan learning to control her Force powers under the tutelage of Margrave Juro (Andrew Kishino). Kara’s father is Lah Zhima (Simu Liu), the only known lightsaber crafter in the galaxy. However, Zhima has been kidnapped by the nefarious Nawaam (Young Mazino).
The series picks up as a Sith apprentice, Gennoh (Feodor Chin), pursues Kara and Juro. With the help of former Jedi Homen and Ethan, the group splits up to keep an eye on Nawaam while seeking allies to fight him. Accompanying them on their missions are the sarcastic droid Gramps (J. P. Karliak) and the silly droid 99-99. However, as Kara digs deeper into the mission to save her father, she discovers his mysterious past is tied to his kidnapping.
The blending of anime traditions with Star Wars results in a winning combo.
Director Kenji Kamiyama picks up from his previous short to further explore the story. Building on the foundation he laid, he pushes the visuals further than before. While the characters he’s established are already rich, three-dimensional figures, the larger scope gives him a chance to embrace the spectacle of Star Wars in ways even his first foray into the franchise could not. Kamiyama continues to show an impeccable ability to craft visually stunning shows despite working within the confines of IP storytelling.
It would be one thing to use anime visuals to craft a tale in the Star Wars universe. However, what makes The Ninth Jedi far more than simple anime cosplay is a willingness to engage with themes and concepts from the medium. Allowing the emotion of its characters to shine falls more in line with Andor and Rebels in this regard, both of which highlighted the importance of maintaining your connection and empathy to others even when the fight appears hopeless.
By giving the characters an earnest nature that is often considered “cringe” in American media, The Ninth Jedi takes a step forward for the franchise. It also allows some long-ignored tropes of the franchise, including its Seven Samurai and Shintoism influence, to take center stage. While selfless heroes have been integral to Star Wars since its inception, audiences have tended to lambast morally grey characterizations when they come from fan favorites. Within the Visions side of the canon, everything feels new and can be experimented with in ways that actually allow growth for Star Wars.
The voice acting is also superb in The Ninth Jedi. The star of the show remains Broadway legend Kimiko Glenn, whose experience as a voice actress has already manifested in great characters like Peni Parker. Here, she gives Kara the charisma and energy to lead the mini-series. Additionally, vocal performances from Simu Liu and Young Mazino give the series two rock-solid young performers. We love to see them with roles this meaty, and they each deliver stunningly nuanced performances.
Perhaps the only real flaw in The Ninth Jedi is the continued repetition of some Star Wars tropes. There’s a massive weapon on the edge of the galaxy, which is used by a dark, masked figure with interesting ties to our protagonist. Many story beats are parallel to the ones Luke Skywalker faced on his journey, but Kamiyama subverts several of these ideas. Even so, it’s hard not to feel like the show could have used an extra degree of separation in its narrative choices from the original 1977 film.
Is Star Wars: Visions — The Ninth Jedi worth watching?
Yes, The Ninth Jedi is absolutely worth watching. The mini-series expands Star Wars in the right ways, opening storytelling avenues that would not be possible in live-action without a $400 million budget. With brilliant spectacle and an emotion-first story, Star Wars: Visions — The Ninth Jedi is a welcome addition to the series. Most importantly, it continues to allow animators like Kenji Kamiyama to build on their already impressive resumes.
Star Wars: Visions — The Ninth Jedi releases on Disney+ on August 5, 2026. Eight episodes were provided for this review.
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