Star Wars Visions: Akakiri (2021) Review

 

Star Wars Visions: Akakiri (2021)

Akakiri follows the Jedi Tsubaki, who, amidst haunting visions of his destiny, reunites with his love to help defend her kingdom from the Sith who killed her father. 

Feels only fitting with the last episode of the first season of Visions, to go back to the roots of Star Wars and George Lucas’ inspirations for the series, in this meta exploration of the dark side. This episode is very steeped in being a Japanese space Western that focuses on the idealized, centralized inciting ark of the Skywalker Saga, feeling greatly inspired by the likes of Revenge of the Sith and The Hidden Fortress. There’s a reason why Jedi shouldn’t love, because in the end, it is a weakness and path to the dark side, where, much like Anakin before or after Tsubaki, it only ends in one way—pain and suffering. While this ended only slighter better (if such a thing can be said) than Anakin and Padme’s fate, it’s still a grim realization when it’s revealed that, only through the Sith, can Misa be saved. 

While this is certainly a bit better than Science Saru’s first attempt this season, once again I’m left somewhat confused by the art style and distractingly atrocious sound design/score. So much of it feels unfinished in terms of the art style (though admittedly it looks better in a Western setting), which OK if that’s your particular style, but it comes off as very storyboard-y. And I swear, while it’s been awhile since seeing their first outing, the score is almost identical in it’s annoying and out of place-ness, bringing a thematically interesting episode down a ton. 

Akakiri, created by Science Saru, is an improved, if not greatly darker outing from their first attempt but it’s an unfinished and soulless quality to the short (and god-awful score) that brings it down a notch in the end. 

5.9/10