Studio Trigger has been killing it in recent years. The animation house has produced critically acclaimed hits such as Little Witch Academia and Brand New Animal while also delving into the upcoming adaptation of Cyberpunk 2077. It’s been banger after banger, but the one project that has truly defined this studio is Promare.
Acting as its first feature film, Promare is a wonderfully queer animated adventure that features shirtless firefighters, magical twinks, mech battles, and lots and lots of pizza. It’s a brilliant, indulgent collage of eccentric characters and fluorescent colours that is fully aware of how ridiculous it wants to be. It’s also endlessly passionate, endearing viewers to its central heroes and their eventual growth in a way that few anime films before it have managed. Many view it as a modern classic, and now it seems Studio Trigger wants to expand upon it with a Star Wars crossover of all things.
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The announcement came last week as Disney confirmed it was working with seven Japanese studios on distinct pieces of animation, all of which aim to tell their own stories with their own characters. In a universe so guarded, it’s surprising to see Lucasfilm introduce an anthology that can so freely toy with existing lore. But with The Mandalorian, The Bad Batch, and Jedi: Fallen Order all feeding into this new vision of a galaxy far, far away, it was only a matter of time until it also began to break down cultural barriers. So now we have a bunch of Star Wars anime on the way, and Studio Trigger sits at the forefront of why that’s so exciting.
Seven Japanese anime studios bring their unique talent and perspective to #StarWarsVisions, a collection of animated Original Short Films, streaming September 22 on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/vnPLgETmMg
— Star Wars (@starwars) July 3, 2021
Coming this September, ‘The Twins’ is a short that will follow two young Jedi who were raised on the Dark side of the Force. In a tale that seems to take inspiration from the relationship between Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia, the two will find themselves struggling with allegiances as they come to terms with what the Galactic Empire is capable of and whether or not shifting to the Light side is in their best interests. Outside of this wider moral conflict, the brother will also embark on a journey to rescue his sister from circumstances that are yet to be unveiled. We know nothing else about it, but the character designs basically cement this as high-budget Promare fanfiction.
The brother’s design is identical to Lio Fotia, one of Promare’s central characters who is capable of wielding a mythical fire known as Burnish. Not only is his hair colour identical, but his facial features, eye details, and general stature are exactly the same. It’s basically him dressed up in stylish Jedi garb and wielding a lightsaber, like Studio Trigger has transplanted him into a universe far larger than he was ever intended for. This is no bad thing, and also isn’t too surprising given the habits of the company which is known for iterating upon existing designs and storylines in vastly different ways.
Promare protagonist Galo Thymos bears a striking resemblance to Gurren Lagann’s Kamina, with both their personalities and visual profiles making deliberate references to one another. Studio Trigger is passionate about its growing legacy and the interconnected universe shared by many of its properties, so in a way it makes perfect sense that it would manage to squeeze a bunch of motifs into its Star Wars project. Sure, it’s a third-party affair, but the fact it’s being given the freedom to craft things in such a malleable way can only be a good thing. I’m not expecting a sequel or narrative expansion with The Twins, but knowing that Promare will live on even indirectly is a cause for celebration.
The film is also absolutely batshit in terms of its visuals, narrative, and characters. If Disney is willing to provide Studio Trigger with the leeway to inject Star Wars with a similar level of excess, we’ll be in for a potential masterpiece. You can only do so much with a short of this calibre, so it’s likely The Twins will aim to be punchy and concentrated, ensuring its overall thematic message sticks the landing alongside melodramatic storytelling and over-the-top action that help sell what these animators are capable of to a much wider audience. All eyes will be on Star Wars Visions, and I can see this alternate universe of Promare, or whatever you want to call it, standing out above the rest.
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