Zen: Grogu to Makkuro Kurosuke

A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.

When Ghibli announced that they were going to be collaborating with Lucasfilm, speculation immediately grew about what these two juggernauts of their respective mediums could do when teamed up. From a movie to a new Visions episode, many ideas were thrown around including that of a Grogu based short - an idea backed up by the pre-existing rumour of just such a thing coming out on the third anniversary of his debut. Within a day we had our answer: Grogu was indeed being animated by Ghibli, and just a few short hours later it had been ... released to the astoundment of many. However, for all the potential and excitement that this collaboration offered, the question became would this measly three minute short be able to deliver an experience worthy of the collaboration? And the answer to that, I'm afraid, is a resounding no. Though it may be disappointing to hear, this short is no Spirited Away or Star Wars. But ultimately, it was never meant to be. Instead, it is an enjoyable little glimpse into what these companies can create; a joyous celebration of two industry icons condensed into a bite-sized burst of fun. Stylistically, it overwhelmingly resembles the classic Ghibli style (though in an incredibly simplified form) and brings the cuteness and tranquility that their style evokes to a character very fitting of it. While this is obviously not the outcome that many were hoping for and is certainly nothing too deep or impactful, to me it simply inspires hope as to what the future could potentially hold for Ghibli and Star Wars. After all, isn't hope what Star Wars is all about?