The eight-episode anime series based on the popular Visions short arrives on Disney+ and Hulu on August 5, 2026.
Star Wars: Visions has been one of the most creative projects in the Star Wars franchise since it began in 2021. The anthology series gave different anime studios the freedom to tell their own Star Wars stories without being tied to the main continuity. Among all the shorts, one stood out as having the most potential for a longer story: The Ninth Jedi.
Now that short is getting a full series. Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi is an eight-episode limited anime series from Lucasfilm and Production I.G. The show expands the story of Lah Kara, the daughter of a lightsaber smith, as she continues her Jedi training and goes on a quest to save her father.
Episode 1 Release Date and Time
Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi Episode 1 releases on Wednesday, August 5, 2026.
The entire first season, consisting of eight episodes, will be available on the same day. This is a full-season drop rather than a weekly release schedule.
The series will premiere on August 5, 2026 at 12:01 a.m. PT. For viewers in different time zones, here is when the episodes become available:
- Pacific Time: 12:01 a.m. PDT
- Mountain Time: 1:01 a.m. MDT
- Central Time: 2:01 a.m. CDT
- Eastern Time: 3:01 a.m. EDT
- Greenwich Mean Time: 7:01 a.m. GMT
Where to Watch Episode 1
The series streams exclusively on Disney+ and Hulu worldwide.
This marks the first time a Star Wars: Visions project has been released on both platforms simultaneously. Previous Visions volumes were available only on Disney+.
The show is part of a new Star Wars: Visions Presents banner that Lucasfilm created specifically for longer-form storytelling within the Visions universe.
A Disney+ or Hulu subscription is required to watch the series. The episodes will be available in Japanese with English subtitles as well as an English dub option.
What Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi Is About
The series is set in the distant future of the Star Wars galaxy, long after the Empire and the Rebel Alliance have faded into history. The Jedi have become legends, and the galaxy has entered a new era of conflict.
Lah Kara is the daughter of Lah Zhima, the only known sabersmith in the galaxy. This makes both the lightsabers he creates and Zhima himself extremely valuable. When Zhima is captured by Jedi Hunters, Kara must leave her home and find allies to rescue him.
Kara trains under Margrave Juro, a mysterious figure who is trying to revive the Jedi Order. Together with a small group of Jedi-in-training, Kara goes on a journey across the galaxy to save her father and stop a powerful warlord.
The official logline for the series states: “Kara and her ragtag Jedi crew seek out to find worthy Jedi to fight against an increasingly powerful warlord”.
The Original Short and Its Legacy
The Ninth Jedi originally appeared as a short in the first season of Star Wars: Visions, which released on September 22, 2021. The short was directed by Kenji Kamiyama and produced by Production I.G.
The original 22-minute episode followed Kara as she delivered newly forged lightsabers to Juro’s temple while being pursued by dark forces. The short was praised for its animation, its connection to classic Star Wars themes, and its intriguing concept of lightsabers that change color based on the user’s connection to the Force.
Many viewers considered The Ninth Jedi one of the best shorts in the entire Visions anthology. The story felt like it had room to grow, and the world Kamiyama built seemed designed for further exploration.
A sequel short, titled The Ninth Jedi: Child of Hope, was released as part of Visions Volume 3 in 2025. The new series picks up not long after the events of both shorts.
Episode 1 Plot Details
The first episode of the series is set in the distant future. According to the official episode description:
“In the distant future – long after the Empire and the Rebel Alliance, when the Jedi have faded into legend – Lah Kara, the daughter of Lah Zhima, leaves her home alongside new Jedi allies to free her father from the clutches of Jedi Hunters. Kara’s father is the only known sabersmith in the galaxy, making the lightsaber – and Zhima himself – an invaluable asset.”
Early reviews from the Anime Expo premiere suggest that Episode 1 moves quickly. Kara faces a powerful enemy who can survive a fatal encounter with a black hole, yet she still confronts him directly in the first episode.
The Cast and Production Team
The series is produced by Production I.G in collaboration with Lucasfilm.
Kenji Kamiyama, who directed the original The Ninth Jedi short and The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, returns as supervising director. Shunsuke Tada, known for Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These, serves as the series director. Mitsuyasu Sakai wrote the scripts.
The executive producers include James Waugh, Jacqui Lopez, Josh Rimes, Justin Leach, and Mitsuhisa Ishikawa. Hitoshi Ito and Kanako Shirasaki are producers.
English Dub Cast
- Kimiko Glenn as Lah Kara
- Andrew Kishino as Juro
- Masi Oka as Ethan
- Patrick Seitz as Homen
- JP Karliak as Gramps
- Simu Liu as Lah Zhima
- Neil Kaplan as The Narrator
- Feodor Chin as Gennoh
- Young Mazino as Nawaam
- Chase Sui Wonders as Tafflah
- Keone Young as Kwana
Japanese Voice Cast
- Chinatsu Akasaki as Lah Kara
- Tetsuo Kanao as Juro
- Hiromu Mineta as Ethan
- Hinata Tadokoro as Homen
- Cho as Gramps
- Shinichiro Miki as Lah Zhima
- Akio Otsuka as The Narrator
Early Reactions and Reviews
The series premiered early at Anime Expo 2026 in Los Angeles on July 1, 2026. The panel featured supervising director Kenji Kamiyama, director Shunsuke Tada, and producer Hitoshi Ito, who presented the first trailer and teaser poster.
The original The Ninth Jedi short from 2021 received widespread praise. One reviewer called it “the best out of the anthology in terms of remaining true to Star War’s themes”. Another said the short “brought back the feelings of awe and joy I had when I first watched Star Wars”.
The expansion into a full series has generated interest among fans who wanted to see more of Kara’s story. The series represents the first time a Visions story has been turned into a longer-form series.
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Why You Should Watch This Series
Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi offers something different from other Star Wars shows. It is not tied to the Skywalker Saga or any existing continuity. The creators had the freedom to build their own era of Star Wars, set long after the events of the main films.
The series combines anime storytelling with Star Wars mythology. The mix of samurai themes, Jedi lore, and the concept of lightsabers that change color based on the user’s connection to the Force creates something that feels both familiar and new.
For fans of the original short, this series answers the question of what happens next for Kara and Juro. For newcomers, the series serves as an entry point into a fresh corner of the Star Wars galaxy.
The animation from Production I.G, known for works like Ghost in the Shell and Psycho-Pass, promises high-quality visuals. The voice cast features both established actors and rising stars.
With all eight episodes releasing on the same day, viewers can watch the entire story at their own pace.
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