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STAR WARS: VISIONS VOLUME 2 – A CULTURAL CELEBRATION OF STAR WARS MYTHOLOGY
Disney Plus’ Star Wars: Visions animated anthology series is pushing the boundaries of the franchise by removing any ties to an established canon. The recently released Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 is filled with nine brilliant and unique episodes that showcase the studios behind them and their cultural specificities.
What sets Volume 2 apart from the first is how each episode feels like a celebration of a particular culture, giving the series a distinctive, cohesive and experimental feel, true to the heart of Star Wars mythology. The studios behind Volume 2 include Indian (88 Pictures), Irish (Cartoon Saloon), British (Aardman), Spanish (El Guiri), Chilean (PunkRobot), French (Studio La Cachette), South African (Triggerfish), and South Korean (Studio Mir).
In the past, Star Wars has drawn inspiration from various cultures worldwide to create fictional alien societies within the franchise. The tradition continues in Visions Volume 2, where almost every aspect of the individual tales is steeped in cultural signifiers that make it unique.
Each vignette is shot through with cultural signifiers that feel integral to the identities of each story, and not like mere set dressing. “The Bandits of Golak,” produced by Ishan Shukla from 88 Pictures, tells the story of a family searching for a safe haven. It is an Indian-coded family risking everything to evade the Empire by catching a train.
Cartoon Saloon’s “Screecher’s Reach” is a haunting Irish fairy tale about a young girl and her dream for a better life. Triggerfish’s “Aau’s Song” and “The Pit” produced in partnership with D’Art Shtajio and Lucasfilm, are focused on the catastrophic environmental damage that comes with strip-mining land.
The use of the Force in Visions Volume 2 explores more than the traditional concept of it being a mysterious space magic used by Jedi. In El Guiri’s “Sith,” the force is expressed through visual arts, and in PunkRobot’s “In the Stars,” it connects specks of dust and people to the stars burning in deep space.
Disney and Lucasfilm have been churning out Star Wars movies and TV shows over the past few years, which has flooded the zone with Star Wars content. With Visions Volume 2, it is a reminder of the vast horizons that Disney and Lucasfilm can navigate, keeping die-hard fans and newcomers engaged.
Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 premiered on Disney+ on May 4th, 2022, and is a must-watch for all Star Wars enthusiasts.
Sources:
– Variety: https://variety.com/2022/tv/reviews/star-wars-visions-volume-2-disney-plus-1235232381/
– Engadget: https://www.engadget.com/star-wars-visions-volume-2-review-130052395.html
