Star Wars: The Disney+ Empire Strikes Again and Again and...

I found the animation style on The Clone Wars to be a nigh-insurmountable barrier to entry for years. I'm glad I finally pushed through my aesthetic objections because it's the best filmed SW thing since The Empire Strikes Back imo. And the animation improves considerably as the show progresses.

I see there's another character from the Clone Wars Bad Batch story arc that is now part of the team.

Same for me, OL. In fact, watching this trailer now, I'm thinking it looks great visually, whereas five years ago I probably wouldn't have thought much of it! I'll watch this

First episode of The Bad Batch was actually pretty good

i guess technically they couldn't call it Clone Wars Season 8, given that the wars end in the first episode, but that's what it is

Yeah both of the first two episodes were sharp, I thought. My hope is that we move from specific callbacks/return appearances more.

this is most insane thing ive seen on tik tok pic.twitter.com/8RREvCvqEe

— chris (ツ) (@Iameaschris) May 9, 2021

glad that's getting around, it's incredible

My first reaction was "that's hilarious" but then I started to feel it was actually pretty mean

It's creative and well executed, but a lot of work for a "haha Star Wars nerds don't have girlfriends" joke that was stale 15 years ago.

he deserved memification, but why add public mockery to poor brittany's suffering?

i know i posted it in the star wars thread but this guy's delivery was what deserved memeification, the sci-fi context is almost purely incidental to the cringe

Okay I'll admit that I didn't even consider that the first one was earnest until now. I assumed the entire thing was a joke.

Guess I’m officially too old, I cannot parse the layers of meta-textuality or whatever is going on.

Okay I'll admit that I didn't even consider that the first one was earnest until now.

If the original video was a goof I retract my claim that it was mean but I assumed they were all making fun of an awkward guy in a "so not gonna happen" kind of way

I have no idea! I'm just so skeptical of viral stuff that I assume everything is a bit. I didn't even think about the possibility that the original video was earnest.

So anyway who else has been watching Bad Batch regularly? While the feature-not-bug of the galaxy apparently consisting of twenty people that keep running into each other remains in full effect, the show’s set up some great visuals and set pieces and the easy chemistry of the Batch and Omega always charms. Last week’s episode and this week’s were both really sharp, all the sneaking around ruins and firing up old equipment like the cruiser engine.

Yeah I’m enjoying it. Big credit to Dee Bradley Baker who’s basically voicing every single character.

I (ahem) might be in the process of chronologically working my through the prequel-era novels and comics atm, so a rewatch of TCW followed by TBB is impending.

I like it more than I expected based on how I felt about them in the clone wars appearance, but I always like the filling in of details about timelines between films and what I know

With the bounty hunter connections and the bandages i was wondering if somehow crosshair ends up as dengar because while I realize the character most likely has a complete existing backstory I know nothing about it

Just caught up. Yup, Bad Batch is good stuff, happy to have it.

And one Bad Batch episode to go, with a second season already in the works. It's pretty generally clear what the final episode will involve, I'd guess -- last minute escape, off to new adventures, etc etc. -- but it's been a nice little resolving on what happened with Kamino exactly in classic 'hm, yeah, let's tie that up' fashion with the SW universe. Read a little guess or two that this could also tie in long term with some of the bio research stuff we saw in The Mandalorian, who knows? Anyway, good first season, look forward to the next.

So Bad Batch ended well enough and we'll see about next season. Enjoyed some of the big set pieces over the last couple of episodes, and the teaser/cliffhanger of sorts ending, I like it.

Meantime, next month

Reimagine the galaxy with #StarWarsVisions, an Original Series featuring stories from seven visionary Japanese anime studios, streaming September 22 on #DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/YfeBv5Lpru

— Disney+ (@disneyplus) August 17, 2021

“The Duel” — Animated by Kamikaze Douga, who also made the Batman Ninja movie. The voice cast includes: Brian Tee (Ronin), Lucy Liu (Bandit Leader), Jaden Waldman (Village Chief).
“Lop and Ochō” — Animated by Twin Engine’s Geno Studio. Voice cast: Anna Cathcart (Lop), Hiromi Dames (Ocho), Paul Nakauchi (Yasaburo), Kyle McCarley (Imperial Officer).
“Tatooine Rhapsody” — Animated by Twin Engine’s Studio Colorido, who also did the movie adaptation of Burn the Witch. Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Jay), Bobby Moynihan (Geezer), Temuera Morrison (Boba Fett), Shelby Young (K-344), Marc Thompson (Lan).
“The Twins” — Animated by TRIGGER, known for Tenga Toppen Gurren Laggen, Kill la Kill, Promare, and many other anime. The voice cast includes: Neil Patrick Harris (Karre), Alison Brie (Am), Jonathan Lipow (B-20N)
“The Elder” — Also by TRIGGER! The voice cast: David Harbour (Tajin), Jordan Fisher (Dan), James Hong (The Elder)
“The Village Bride” — Kinema Citrus. The voice cast includes: Karen Fukuhara (F), Nichole Sakura (Haru), Christopher Sean (Asu), Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Valco), Andrew Kishino (Izuma), Stephanie Sheh (Saku).
“Akakiri” — Animated by Science Saru, who made the incredible Keep Your Hands of Eizouken! TV series. Voice cast: Henry Golding (Tsubaki), Jamie Chung (Misa), George Takei (Senshuu), Keone Young (Kamahachi), and Lorraine Toussaint (Masago).
“T0-B1” — Also by Science Saru. The cast includes Jaden Waldman (T0-B1) and Kyle Chandler (Mitaka).
“The Ninth Jedi” — By Production I.G, which has done Ghost in the Shell, Psycho Pass, Moriarty the Patriot, and so much more. The voice cast includes: Kimiko Glenn (Kara), Andrew Kishino (Juro), Simu Liu (Zhima), Masi Oka (Ethan), Greg Chun (Roden), Neil Kaplan (Narrator), Michael Sinterniklaas (Hen Jin).

ahhh two shorts by TRIGGER is truly a gift

I hope there’s at least an option for Japanese language tracks

Well, Star Wars: Visions is out, there is an option for Japanese tracks, burned through them all yesterday and that was a damned good effort all around. The various behind the scenes short videos for each are also good to watch. I don't know I have a specific favorite given the stylistic and thematic range but the two TRIGGER shorts are great for sure. Absolutely loved "Tatooine Rhapsody," and was especially interested in "The Ninth Jedi" since Kenji Kamiyama's on deck for the LOTR anime in a couple of years, and clearly he's on a good roll here.

Will definitely give credit to Science SARU for having two of the most tonally different shorts as well.

Why yes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOJ1cw6mohw

Gonna wait to watch this one with the kid at home tonight, he was just asking when this was on the way.

I totally forgot about this whole thing. (No Mando costumes last night; saw a few good other SW ones, though.)

So Boba remains Fetting re the first episode -- pretty logical extension of The Mandalorian's general tone but I appreciated the even sparser dialogue approach. Plus Matt Berry playing a droid because why not.

it was pretty good
fight scenes were kinda bland & overly choreo’d but that is my only ~slight~ negative, not a dealbreaker

Found it so dull I frequently found myself looking at other things in the room. No connection to the supposed “no disintegrations” contract killer he was supposed to be.

He was a younger, more impulsive Fett then

Fettlife

Not much “magic of Star Wars” in ep 1 for me (low midichlorian count?)

Boba Fett is definitely a character I am not v.interested in getting to know - he was best as a mysterious badass and not sure this show can do anything but diminish what was cool about him in the first place.

But I watched it happily enough.

This Was Fine. Rodriguez direction goes a long way for me.

It replicates the texture and atmosphere of The Mandolorian well enough, but is sadly lacking a central dynamic anywhere near as compelling as Mando & Child. Temura Morrison is not the most charismatic actor. I'll carry on watching though.

Pivoting

This character is cool because you know nothing about him

to

This character is cool because you now know everything about him

Is a tough ask.

Couldn't stop thinking he was Bezos Fett

Emsworth otm

I bet it will get better too

We all enjoyed it

Watching this now, a few beers in… I LOL’d as soon as it cut to the in-Sarlaac footage.

The Sarlaac looked extremely easy to bust out of.

Yes, like hey Stormtrooper with the full body armour and the air supply Fett needed …

shit sorry I don’t know how to spoiler tag, but I guess not egregious

Even having watched the episode, there are certain plot points I would appreciate having “spoiled” (as they make little sense).

It seemed this focused more on the action and especially choreographed fight sequences, which were handled rather expertly I thought.