“ ‘Don’t lean predominately on known characters as the lead. “We wanted them to tell their Star Wars story using whatever elements from the galaxy, or reinterpret elements that inspired them,” remarks Waugh. Loose guidelines were given to the anime studios. Different artists are doing different things.” “A big part of selecting the anime studios was that we were fans of a lot of their work and also wanted to make sure this anthology showcased all of the different styles and storytelling types that are being done in the medium,” explains Waugh. The anime styles are diverse, ranging from the film-grain-ink illustrative quality of “The Duel” to the ‘Jedi Astro Boy’ in the Disney Pinocchio hybrid “T0-B1,” to the Studio Ghibli-flavored “The Ninth Jedi.” With the exception of “Tatooine Rhapsody,” which features Boba Fett, Bib Fortuna and Jabba the Hutt, the characters are making their Star Wars debut, whether it be a roaming and masterless samurai in the vein of Yojimbo, portrayed by Toshirô Mifune (who was the first choice to play Obi-Wan Kenobi), or a lightsaber-wielding, furry-tailed creature, or a singing padawan who wants to keep rockin’ across the galaxy.
Hired to do the animated shorts ranging from 13 to 22 minutes are Kamikaze Douga, Geno Studio (Twin Engine), Studio Colorido (Twin Engine), TRIGGER, Kinema Citrus, Production I.G and Science SARU.