Episode 1: 7.5/10
For a one episode short, this was simple and effective. Very entertaining, but certainly not groundbreaking. A good intro for the show.
Episode 2: 5/10
This one was OK. It had its moments - like a certain fan-favorite character chasing down the protagonists - but everything outside of that was pretty lackluster. Enjoyable, but very mediocre and leaves a lot to be desired.
Episode 3: 7/10
There are a lot of people giving this episode crap. If you can suspend your disbelief, and let go of the whole that’s not how physics works thing (which, being real, has never been a staple of Trigger) this one is pretty enjoyable. Visually, this one stands out the most and it’s just a fun mess. Still has its faults though. It does get caught up in being super flashy, and it is difficult to suspend your disbelief on some of the things it reaches for.
Episode 4: 9/10
This episode stands out as a favorite. It has a simple story, good pacing, beautiful scenery, a clear escalation, grounded characters, and the music really moves this episode. This one resonates emotionally, and really sends a tingle down the spine in the last act. While it's tough to care to see more of these characters, more episodes of this type from this studio would be a welcome treat. For a one off, this was perfect.
Episode 5: 9/10
Another highlight. Didn’t have the same emotional high as episode four, but just a very solid episode. Interesting premise and it felt like Star Wars while also feeling fresh. It had a genuinely surprising twist that keeps the viewer on their toes, and has a good pay off at the end with the main character. Unlike episode four, this one also sets up in an interesting way for more episodes. This is going to be an easy one for a lot of people to latch onto and enjoy.
Episode 6: 6/10
Some people will like this episode more than others. It plays off as fine and it's easy to appreciate the homage to Astro boy, but the old man’s character arc and the animation both leave something to be desired. To avoid spoilers, everything that happened with the old man, feels very rushed (sure, it’s a 13 minute episode, so that’s par for the course, it leaves a LOT to be desired - mores than other episodes), and while the animation wasn’t bad, one can't help but feel like it had a lot more potential. (SPOILER ALERT) Also, like Rey, it's tough to get behind somebody picking up a light saber for the first time and beating a far more experienced opponent on merit of unearned skill.
Episode 7: 7/10
this one had a lot of good things going for it. The scenery was interesting, and there's a really engaging character dynamic between the master and the apprentice. For all the build up to the fights, the actual fight sequences feel short and anti-climactic. It's a bit of a letdown to not see more impressive animation or at least more exciting fight sequences for what is essentially a showcase of the studio's capabilities. Very interesting lore-wise though. It would be great to see more of this.
Episode 8: 7/10
This one is pleasantly surprising. The only thing that’s holding this back from being an eight or nine, is the fact that they really crammed a lot into a short amount of time and the story simply isn't suited for such a short episode. Interesting premise and characters, but a story like this one really needed more time for relationships and character arcs to be fleshed out, resulting in bigger payoffs at the climax. The furry element will be pretty off-putting to some viewers, but it's tough to deny that this was a good episode and a remake of this story laid out over the course of a few episodes or even a season instead of one 23 minute installment, could really bring out this episode's potential
Episode 9: 3/10
This might be the most controversial rating given. A lot of people seem to like this episode, but it feels weird. This episode may be a slow burn that has to be digested once or twice, but the third act feels very rushed and it's hard keeping up with what the writer's were trying to go for at the end until it's spelled it out. Additionally, the animation on this one will not appeal to all audiences. The art style is fine, but the light saber movements feel very odd and staggered. Overall, this one just doesn't land very well.
Summary:
This series had highs and lows and everything in between. Overall, it's exciting to see Star Wars in anime format. It would be great to see some of these more fleshed out because the short form really hurt a lot of episodes with much more potential than what was realized here. Still, there are a few great episodes here that are must sees for any Star Wars fan. Here's to the hope for more Star Wars anime in the future.
