Star Wars Visions

[DarthDementous 1,059]

So, Season 1 of the Japanese animated anthology series Star Wars Visions just landed in its entirety on Disney Plus. What are people's thoughts on the shorts?

For me it was a mixed bag, which was exactly what I was expecting from an anthology series from completely different studios. There were three I thought were quite good: 'The Duel' by Kamikaze Douga (Batman Ninja), 'The Ninth Jedi' by Production I.G. (Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex), and 'The Elder' by Studio Trigger (Kill La Kill). This was followed by two which I thought were just good: 'Lop and Ocho' by Geno Studio, and 'The Village Bride' by Kinema Citrus (Made in Abyss).

It was especially cool seeing a bunch of different Japanese (for the most part) composers try their hand at scoring Star Wars. While some took a significant departure from the soundscape others did a downright brilliant job of working with the Star Wars sound, creating an almost vintage orchestral feel to it that would've felt right at home in the Original Trilogy. It was especially amusing to see Kazuma Jinnouchi's name pop up, for those that don't know he was co-composer and composer for Halo 4 and 5 respectively, and his music has been critiqued as sounding more like Star Wars than Halo at times - so pretty great he finally got a chance to score Star Wars! He was a really good fit. I would genuinely love to hear more Star Wars music from some of these composers, as some of these pieces put even some of the regular Western composers on the series to shame. Fingers crossed there will be some kind of album release at some point.

Either way, I hope this ends up being a huge success and we get a second season with a whole new round of studios. Star Wars has felt incredibly stagnant as a series for a while now, and although not everything hit the mark I thoroughly enjoyed seeing this injection of creativity into the franchise with a traditional Japanese flair, that fits quite well considering the foundations Star Wars is built off. My absolute dream would be for Studio Khara (Evangelion Rebuilds) to make a short, apparently some work on Season 1 was out-sourced to them so there's already some kind of tie. The head of that studio, Hideaki Anno, while being an incredible director, is also a huge fan of the Original Trilogy so I think it would be a match made in heaven.

[mstrox 6,643]

Watched the first two tonight.  The Duel was excellent.  Tatooine Rhapsody was whatever. It felt exactly like what I picture in my head when somebody says “anime” that makes me never want to watch anime.   Seems like this will be the mixed bag I expected, but I’m excited to find out over the next week or so.

 

Hopefully the  scores will be available to buy on Friday.

[DarthDementous 1,059]

49 minutes ago, mstrox said:

Watched the first two tonight.  The Duel was excellent.  Tatooine Rhapsody was whatever. It felt exactly like what I picture in my head when somebody says “anime” that makes me never want to watch anime.   Seems like this will be the mixed bag I expected, but I’m excited to find out over the next week or so.

 

Hopefully the  scores will be available to buy on Friday.

Yeah I was eh on Tattooine Rhapsody, I like the premise of an Order 66 Jedi trying to eek out a new life as a musician but the execution was pretty weird.

 

Just having it be regular rock was immersion breaking, what I like about the in-universe music of Star Wars is that it’s utterly bizarre and uses instruments that don’t always have a real world equivalent. Nary a kloo horn in sight! Blasphemy I tell you

Well this is exciting, apparently The Duel is getting a book based off it in October! 

A mysterious former Sith wanders the galaxy in this stunning Star Wars tale, an original novel inspired by the world of The Duelfrom the Star Wars Visionsanimated anthology.
 
The Jedi are the most loyal servants of the Empire. 
 
Two decades ago, Jedi clans clashed in service to feuding lords. Sickened by this endless cycle, a sect of Jedi rebelled, seeking to control their own destiny and claim power in service of no master. They called themselves Sith. 
 
The Sith rebellion failed, succumbing to infighting and betrayal, and the once rival lords unified to create an Empire . . . but even an Empire at peace is not free from violence. 
 
Far on the edge of the Outer Rim, one former Sith wanders, accompanied only by a faithful droid and the ghost of a less civilized age. He carries a lightsaber, but claims lineage to no Jedi clan, and pledges allegiance to no lord. Little is known about him, including his name, for he never speaks of his past, nor his regrets. His history is as guarded as the red blade of destruction he carries sheathed at his side.
 
As the galaxy's perpetual cycle of violence continues to interrupt his self-imposed exile, and he is forced to duel an enigmatic bandit claiming the title of Sith, it becomes clear that no amount of wandering will ever let him outpace the specters of his former life.

 

[artguy360 1,843]

The mysterious Sith in The Duel is a cool new character. I really enjoyed the short and want to learn more about this new character. The third short is really wild and fun. Completely over the top in a very good way.

 

[DarthDementous 1,059]

19 minutes ago, artguy360 said:

The mysterious Sith in The Duel is a cool new character. I really enjoyed the short and want to learn more about this new character. The third short is really wild and fun. Completely over the top in a very good way.

 

I agree about Ronin in The Duel, good thing he’s getting a novel next month

[Brónach 1,301]

Me: no star wars, we're past the need for star wars

 

Also me: shit, I'm going to have to watch this

[Manakin Skywalker 4,890]

On 22/09/2021 at 7:35 PM, DarthDementous said:

It was especially amusing to see Kazuma Jinnouchi's name pop up, for those that don't know he was co-composer and composer for Halo 4 and 5 respectively, and his music has been critiqued as sounding more like Star Wars than Halo at times - so pretty great he finally got a chance to score Star Wars!

 

My thoughts exactly... I've been saying since 2012 that Kazuma would be a perfect fit for a Star Wars score... I'm glad 9 years later I've finally been proven correct!

[j39m 75]

On 22/09/2021 at 5:35 PM, DarthDementous said:

Kazuma Jinnouchi

 

I've not heard this name before, but after seeing The Ninth Jedi and the reception here, I think I'll be paying more attention

 

I'm a huge sucker for allusion, and I sat up straight when

Spoiler

the Margrave starting swinging his saber and the fast brass triplets played something that sounded an awful lot like one of the Naboo Battle motifs from TPM.

 

Am I right or am I overthinking it?

[mstrox 6,643]

A little bummed to not find anything from this in the iTunes Store on new release day.

[Arpy 4,145]

The score for The Twins by Michiru Ōshima had some very nice Williams-isms that were for the most part buried quite low in the mix. 

 

After watching all nine, I think several would be great to see series expanded from them and that's the sense I got - these are essentially pitches or pilot episodes for potential seasons.

 

If you're not a fan of anime, these wouldn't appeal to you at all.

[Manakin Skywalker 4,890]

According to Nobuko Toda on Facebook "the soundtrack will be announced soon".

 

8 hours ago, j39m said:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

the Margrave starting swinging his saber and the fast brass triplets played something that sounded an awful lot like one of the Naboo Battle motifs from TPM.

 

Am I right or am I overthinking it?

 

It sounded like it started with a bit of Scherzo from TLC which then seamlessly transitions into a rendition of Droid Battle. Definitely noticed that right away!

[DarthDementous 1,059]

In The Duel there’s a section where Ronin is talking to the villagers where a very similar phrase to Leia’s theme plays, particularly in the instrumentation

[Arpy 4,145]

Anyone else notice 'I have a bad feeling about this' line is referenced in each short? I wonder if Disney gave each studio a list of things they could include, or had to include...

[j39m 75]

7 hours ago, Arpy said:

I wonder if Disney gave each studio a list of things they could include, or had to include...

 

Lucasfilm has taken care to state repeatedly that they gave studios a free hand in creating these shorts. If they let canon go freewheeling here, I can't imagine they would micromanage tonal hits like "I have a bad feeling about this." Therefore I believe the answer to that question in the general is "no":

Quote

One thing Lucasfilm did not do, however, was be a stickler about “Star Wars” canon — either way. If a studio wanted to step far outside the established story — like Trigger did with “The Twins,” about a pair of Sith siblings genetically engineered to keep the Empire in power — Lucasfilm gave its blessing. If a studio hoped to draw from existing characters — like Studio Colorido’s “Tatooine Rhapsody,” about a rag-tag rock band that runs afoul of Boba Fett and Jabba the Hutt — Lucasfilm stepped in with their help and expertise, too.

 

[Luke Skywalker 1,792]

Now then... these japanese studios cant make the EU stories!

[mstrox 6,643]

Even if “I have a bad feeling about this” was some sort of studio mandate, why would that be so nefarious?  Some variation of the phrase is in each movie, IIRC, and it’s not like Lucasfilm mandated strict adherence to timelines, canon, or even any sort of house style.  

[Arpy 4,145]

It was a harmless jab at Disney, folks. I never said it was some nefarious thing. Jeez. It's just a line in every episode that felt a little repetitive after eight other episodes is all (I watched all back-to-back).

 

If I have a real criticism of Visions is that, apart from a couple of the episodes, they had zero time to tell proper stories, and critical character development was condensed to one or two short scenes.

[j39m 75]

Film Music Reporter reports that the music will be up for sale from today.

 

Qobuz has already got them all up and ready — e.g. The Ninth Jedi, The Village Bride.

[mstrox 6,643]

Bought the first three today.  $8-10 apiece for nine scores to animated shorts is too rich for my budget, so I’m spacing it out over time.

[Manakin Skywalker 4,890]

This flew completely under my radar! Wow, a separate album for each episode, so I assume all the music is probably released! But still, about $10 per episode, yikes...

[Tom 4,633]

7 minutes ago, Manakin Skywalker said:

 I assume all the music is probably released! 

Evidently Disney heard that we are interested in getting complete SW scores.  I believe we are now expected to say "thank you, " and praise them.  

[Arpy 4,145]

1:51 - 2:10 is a wonderful Williamsism. The score for this episode was probably my favourite of the bunch in the way it emulates some of JW's style.

[MedigoScan 324]

When I watched the episodes the one from The Village Bride stood out the most to me, even if I wouldnt exactly call it a Star Warsian score.

The score for Episodes 3, 5 and 8 are also quite fun and excellent.

The best episode for me is probably The Duel tho. Talk about setting a high bar.

[DarthDementous 1,059]

So glad the soundtrack is finally out, I'm a big fan of this track from Keiji Inai, particularly in the latter half it captures classic Star Wars perfectly: 

 

[Faleel 5,330]

 

[j39m 75]

I completely mistook the score for The Twins to be synths all the way down, but the composer's Twitter and VGMdb both name the Budapest Symphony Orchestra for these recordings. Did anybody else make my mistake, and is there a term to describe the sonic nature of the recording? (It's a bit like Giacchino's Trek and Rogue scores — "steely?")

[DarthDementous 1,059]

10 minutes ago, j39m said:

I completely mistook the score for The Twins to be synths all the way down, but the composer's Twitter and VGMdb both name the Budapest Symphony Orchestra for these recordings. Did anybody else make my mistake, and is there a term to describe the sonic nature of the recording? (It's a bit like Giacchino's Trek and Rogue scores — "steely?")

I think I know what you mean, they’re both very ‘dry’ mixes and that is most noticeable for me in the sound of the brass

 

I think the issue is that the sound is too clean, like it has been recorded in a vacuum, and as a result it sounds artificial to our ear. ‘Wetter’ mixes tend to have more imperfections which we identify as realistic, because the recording isn’t as clean, which tends to be the case with analog recordings versus digital ones

 

I don’t know, I’m kind of talking out of my ass a bit. Can someone who is far more educated on this stuff correct me if I’m horribly wrong 

[Faleel 5,330]

I would call it dry roomy bright.

[Brónach 1,301]

On 16/10/2021 at 6:26 AM, Arpy said:

1:51 - 2:10 is a wonderful Williamsism. The score for this episode was probably my favourite of the bunch in the way it emulates some of JW's style.

 

I love her stuff

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

It's funny how the SW side project score is ten times better than the bigger budget live action ones for Kenobi and Boba Fett.

[DarthDementous 1,059]

23 minutes ago, Not Mr. Big said:

It's funny how the SW side project score is ten times better than the bigger budget live action ones for Kenobi and Boba Fett.

There’s a lot of seriously talented and traditionally trained orchestral composers in Japan, I’m amazed it took this long for any of them to have a short at scoring Star Wars

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

32 minutes ago, DarthDementous said:

There’s a lot of seriously talented and traditionally trained orchestral composers in Japan, I’m amazed it took this long for any of them to have a short at scoring Star Wars

Yeah, anime really seems to have western tv/film beat for music 

[artguy360 1,843]

Some of the visions music was quite good. I'm glad more composers are working in the Star Wars galaxy.

 

Edit: this music from the short The 9th Jedi is probably my favorite music from Visions. So beautiful, flowing, and perfectly SW.

 

https://youtu.be/uykp3XDaOWE

[Arpy 4,145]

On 08/06/2022 at 10:07 AM, Not Mr. Big said:

Yeah, anime really seems to have western tv/film beat for music 

There's anime scores that have an energy, inventiveness and liveliness to them that western television scores sorely lack and I blame the Zimmerites for this downfall. 

 

 

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

6 hours ago, Arpy said:

There's anime scores that have an energy, inventiveness and liveliness to them that western television scores sorely lack and I blame the Zimmerites for this downfall. 

 

 

I blame the "less is more" fallacy.  

[Faleel 5,330]

I blame musical illiteracy.

[DarthDementous 1,059]

56 minutes ago, Counterparts said:

I blame musical illiteracy.

Unironically that may be part of it. The impression I get is that there's far more classically trained Japanese composers as a result of the more traditional culture and strong Western 'elite' influence. The way I understand it is that being classically trained holds with it more prestige than it would with Western culture these days. It would certainly fit with how other artforms are treated, such as the incredibly competitive and highly trained voice acting industry they've cultivated over there that also comparatively puts the West to shame

Would love to hear anyone more educated on the culture get into this with more specificity

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

53 minutes ago, DarthDementous said:

Unironically that may be part of it. The impression I get is that there's far more classically trained Japanese composers as a result of the more traditional culture and strong Western 'elite' influence. The way I understand it is that being classically trained holds with it more prestige than it would with Western culture these days. It would certainly fit with how other artforms are treated, such as the incredibly competitive and highly trained voice acting industry they've cultivated over there that also comparatively puts the West to shame

Would love to hear anyone more educated on the culture get into this with more specificity

I think there's also just better musical literacy there too

[TheAvengerButton 175]

On 07/06/2022 at 1:00 AM, j39m said:

I completely mistook the score for The Twins to be synths all the way down, but the composer's Twitter and VGMdb both name the Budapest Symphony Orchestra for these recordings. Did anybody else make my mistake, and is there a term to describe the sonic nature of the recording? (It's a bit like Giacchino's Trek and Rogue scores — "steely?")

 

I...kinda love modern score mixes. I think they are very pleasing to listen to. The instruments are very "present", I can hear what all the instruments are doing. It makes the quiter songs easier to digest and the more action heavy cues punchy and vibrant.

 

Something like the score for Revenge of the Sith sounds very grand, like a concert hall recording with more mics added to the sonic signature, but to me it can get a little muddy sounding.

[DarthDementous 1,059]

2 hours ago, Not Mr. Big said:

I think there's also just better musical literacy there too

Yeah, I think if something is valued high in a culture there's going to be more people striving towards it and thus more proficiency

[JNHFan2000 2,943]

 

 

Aardman doing Star Wars!!! That is so cool!

[Disco Stu 15,495]

That is very cool.  I'd love to see Laika do one too.

[Holko 9,499]

Cartoon Saloon!!!

[Tom Guernsey 2,280]

2 hours ago, JNHFan2000 said:

 

 

Aardman doing Star Wars!!! That is so cool!

Given Star Wars’ predilection for single terrain planets, I will be most put out if it’s not set on Planet Wensl’yyydale…

[Raiders of the SoundtrArk 2,429]

I didn't care for the previous season, but I'll definitly be watching the aardman's episode

 

[artguy360 1,843]

It's too bad Studio Ghibli isn't going a full length short.

[Stark 310]

There should be some very interesting music with all these worldwide studios involved!

[JNHFan2000 2,943]

 

[DarthDementous 1,059]

There’s some really promising stuff in there, I’m keen

[JNHFan2000 2,943]

I agree. It looks more interesting then S1 to me personally.

And I'm really excited to see who's gonnan do the music for all the different episodes