Star Wars: Clone Wars Vol. 1 (2003/2004) Review

 

Star Wars: Clone Wars Vol. 1 (2003/2004)

Set in between the events of Episode 2 and 3, Clone Wars Volume 1 follows the Jedi Order who are fighting the Separatists on multiple fronts, with the Sith luring Anakin into a trap with a dangerous new foe.

I have been a huge proponent of this show for as long as I can remember and what set it apart, at the time, was it’s characterization. For a 20 episode first volume of 3 minute long episodes (8 for the finale), it did a fantastic job of not only shining lights on preexisting characters, that prior had no characterization, but it also introduced new characters to the fold. You get an understanding of why Jedi like Kit Fisto and Mace Windu are Jedi masters—they are unbelievably badass and seemingly unstoppable. You also get a sense of just how dangerous General Grievous is, unlike his bumbling, coughing, shell of a self in Revenge of the Sith.

I must also mention that the entire episode/sequence with Anakin and Ventress is phenomenal, excellently meshing their two styles with the stormy weather and saturated hues to give off a wild feeling anger and hatred. Goes a long way in foreshadowing Anakin’s turn to the dark side too.
Due to it’s short format, dialogue is held to a minimum, action at an all time high, and visuals acting as the emotional cues to tell a fast-paced, war thriller. I love the animation style here, being done by the creators of Samurai Jack. It’s 2D style and unbridled symmetry fit so well with the tone of Star Wars, especially considering just how heavily they were inspired Akira Kurosawa’s films.

We get a great vocal cast of eventual Star Wars legends in Tom Kane, Anthony Daniels, Mat Lucas, and James Arnold Taylor. As I mentioned above, dialogue was held to a minimum, but when it did make its presence, people like Taylor really shone, as he would also go to do in the later Clone Wars show.

Clone Wars Volume 1, directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, is a masterclass in Star Wars content, that does so much with so little, acting as an excellent followup to the rather dull Attack of the Clones and going a long way in redeeming these characters (and making them cool at that).

9.5/10