Star Wars: Visions, one of the best and most creative Star Wars TV shows, returns for season 3 on Disney+ next month. Star Wars has long been celebrated for its ingenuity. Still, over the years, as the franchise has developed and cemented its lore, its storytelling has become understandably constrained by the galaxy’s rules and narrative legacies.

That’s what makes the animated anthology series Star Wars: Visions such an exciting prospect, as it’s allowed audiences to view this decades-old franchise through several new perspectives. In each season, various animation studios and artists from around the world produce a new “vision” of Star Wars, interpreting the galaxy’s lore through different cultures, story angles, themes, and genres.

Star Wars: Visions has been a huge success for Star Wars, scoring an overall Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score of 98% and now returning for a third season. That’s not all, though. One Star Wars: Visions story from season 1, “The Ninth Jedi,” has become so well-regarded that it will be continued in Star Wars: Visions season 3 and in a spinoff series, set for release in 2026.

There’s truly no better time to immerse yourself in the weird and wonderful world of Star Wars: Visions.

Star Wars: Visions Seasons 1 & 2 Deserve Their RT Score

Not only are the diverse animation styles showcased in Star Wars: Visions gorgeous – from traditional Japanese anime to claymation and everything in between – it also celebrates Star Wars‘ long history with animation as a storytelling medium. Since the days of Genndy Tartakovsky’s Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003), animation has been an undeniable part of Star Wars’ idenтιтy.

For a franchise that relies on fantasy, movement, and special effects as much as Star Wars, animation has allowed it to flourish in ways it wouldn’t have been able to by sticking solely with live-action. The creativity on display in Star Wars: Visions, especially during some of its more intricate lightsaber duel scenes, is undeniable.

These scenes match anything you’ll have seen in shows like Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels. The duel between Ronin and the Sith Bandit Leader in Star Wars: Visions season 1, episode 1, “The Duel,” for instance, is just as dynamic and energetic as the fight between Ahsoka Tano and Maul in The Clone Wars season 7.

The stunning artistry on display in Star Wars: Visions isn’t the only reason its critical acclaim is so well-deserved. The stories, told in episodes of roughly 15 minutes, are тιԍнтly-paced and well-rounded, introducing incredibly cool, out-there characters and storytelling concepts. What if lightsabers changed color in real-time, depending on the wielder’s temperament? What if the Force could be harnessed through song?

Why Star Wars: Visions Is Unmissable (Even If It Isn’t Canon)

Since the release of Star Wars’ divisive sequel trilogy, the franchise has largely been playing it safe, sticking to well-known characters and eras to rebuild its brand. Star Wars: Visions is one of the few recent Star Wars productions, alongside the first season of The Mandalorian and Tony Gilroy’s Andor, that has genuinely introduced something new to Star Wars; something exciting and unexpected.

Star Wars: Visions‘ stories may not be considered canon, unlike Andor and The Mandalorian, but they expand our understanding of what Star Wars could be, just as those two shows have done. There are so many genres, ideas, and concepts to play with in Star Wars. If you’ve ever felt that the franchise needs to do something more, Star Wars: Visions provides a visually stunning feast of creativity.

Star Wars: Visions Volume 3 premieres exclusively on Disney+ on October 29.