Re-Watch Podcast | Special Edition

Star Wars Visions Vol. 1 & 2
"The Bride" & "Screecher’s Reach"

🚀 Welcome back, spacefarers! Thanks for tuning into another episode.

This time, I’m joined once again by my awesome baby brother as we revisit Star Wars: Visions. If you haven’t checked out this incredible anthology series yet, you’re seriously missing out!

For those unfamiliar, Visions is a unique take on the Star Wars universe. Lucasfilm partnered with top Japanese anime studios, giving them complete creative freedom to craft original stories, characters, and settings—all in their own distinctive art styles.

Obviously, these studios jumped at the chance to showcase their work on Disney’s platform. But it does make me wonder—how much crossover exists between Star Wars fans and anime lovers?

Growing up, thanks to our dad, my siblings and I were exposed to a variety of films beyond the usual Disney classics. Sure, we watched animated favorites, but we also got a dose of ‘50s alien invasion flicks, ‘80s sci-fi horror, and ‘90s Japanese anime. While our mom didn’t always approve, these experiences shaped our taste to this day.

It’s well-documented that George Lucas was heavily influenced by Akira Kurosawa’s films. So much so that certain shots from Kurosawa’s movies were directly lifted and integrated into Star Wars. Now, things have come full circle—Star Wars has left its mark worldwide, and now it’s being reinterpreted by the cultures it originally drew inspiration from.

Mike and I sat down to rewatch two specific episodes:
🎭 The Bride (his pick)
👁 Screecher’s Reach (my pick)

Even though we had both seen them before, it was fascinating to compare our perspectives. The Bride didn’t initially excite me, but on a second watch, I appreciated how it builds its own mythology within the Star Wars universe. I even spotted clear nods to Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke.

Compared to Visions Vol. 1, Visions Vol. 2 leaned more into the dark side. While the first volume had Sith vs. Jedi battles, the second introduced protagonists who willingly embraced the dark side. Take Daal from Screecher’s Reach—at first glance, she doesn’t look villainous. Compare that to Darth Vader, always clad in black with a red saber, or even Anakin, whose dark cloak foreshadowed his fall.

I won’t spoil Screecher’s Reach, but let’s just say—the ending is perfect.

If you haven’t watched Visions yet, do yourself a favor and check it out. And fingers crossed for a Visions Vol. 3 in the near future!

🎙 Thanks for listening!
—Luca

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