Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi Trailer Reveals a Full Anime Series for Kara’s Next Quest
Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi has revealed its first official trailer, giving fans a major look at the next chapter of one of the most beloved stories from the Star Wars: Visions anthology.
The new limited anime series will premiere on August 5, 2026, on Disney+ and Hulu. It will consist of eight episodes and continue the journey of Lah Kara, the young heroine first introduced in the original The Ninth Jedi short from Star Wars: Visions Volume 1.
Produced by Lucasfilm and Production I.G., the series marks a major expansion for the Star Wars: Visions project. Instead of presenting another standalone short, The Ninth Jedi is now becoming a longer serialized story under the new Star Wars: Visions Presents banner.
The trailer teases a darker and more dangerous adventure for Kara, who continues training in the ways of the Jedi while searching for her missing father and escaping the threat of Jedi Hunters.
A New Chapter for One of Star Wars: Visions’ Most Popular Shorts
The Ninth Jedi originally debuted as part of Star Wars: Visions Volume 1 in 2021. Directed by Kenji Kamiyama and produced by Production I.G., the short quickly became one of the anthology’s most discussed episodes.
Its premise immediately stood out. Set in a future where the Jedi have nearly disappeared and lightsabers have become rare, the story followed Kara, the daughter of a legendary sabersmith named Lah Zhima. Her father created a set of special lightsabers intended for a new group of Jedi, but the mission soon became far more dangerous than it first appeared.
The short mixed classic Star Wars themes with the structure and energy of Japanese anime. It featured Jedi, Sith, secret identities, lightsaber duels and a hopeful young heroine stepping into a conflict much larger than herself.
The story later continued through The Ninth Jedi - Child of Hope in Star Wars: Visions Volume 3. Now, the new limited series will follow Kara beyond those events and give her story room to grow across eight episodes.
What Is Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi About?
The series follows Lah Kara as she continues her journey in a galaxy where the Jedi and Sith have faded from open existence, but the Force remains alive.
Kara is still learning what it means to follow the Jedi path. Under the guidance of Margrave Juro, she trains while searching for her father, Lah Zhima, whose knowledge of lightsaber construction makes him an important figure in the effort to rebuild hope across the galaxy.
However, Kara’s journey is not only about finding her father. The trailer makes it clear that she and Juro’s small fellowship of Jedi-in-training will face a growing threat from Jedi Hunters, mysterious enemies determined to prevent the return of the Jedi.
The central conflict appears to combine personal emotion with galactic stakes. Kara wants to rescue her father, understand the Force and discover her place in a fractured world. At the same time, the return of the Jedi could change the balance of power across the galaxy.
Like the original short, the series seems ready to explore what happens when the idea of the Jedi survives even after the Order itself has nearly vanished.
The Trailer Brings Back Kara, Juro and the Jedi-in-Training
The first trailer presents Kara as a more experienced but still uncertain heroine. She is no longer simply delivering lightsabers or discovering the truth about the people around her. She is now moving deeper into a larger conflict connected to the future of the Jedi.
Juro also returns as a central figure. In the original short, he was introduced as a mysterious Margrave whose connection to the Jedi was not immediately clear. His role now appears to be more direct, serving as a mentor and leader for the young Force-sensitive characters gathered around him.
The trailer highlights Kara’s continued training, suggesting that her connection to the Force will become stronger throughout the series. It also shows new characters, new enemies and several moments of intense lightsaber action.
One of the most striking elements is the presence of masked threats and Jedi Hunters. These enemies give the series a strong sense of pursuit, making Kara’s mission feel urgent and dangerous.
A Full Anime Series Instead of Another Short
The most important difference between Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi and earlier Visions episodes is the format.
Star Wars: Visions is known as an anthology. Each episode is usually a self-contained story created by a different animation studio, often with its own visual identity and interpretation of the Star Wars universe.
The Ninth Jedi is different. It is the first major project under the Star Wars: Visions Presents label, which allows selected Visions stories to continue in longer form.
This gives the creative team more space to develop characters, expand the setting and explore Kara’s emotional journey. Instead of compressing the story into a single short film, the new series can build relationships, introduce new conflicts and show how the galaxy reacts to the possible return of the Jedi.
For fans who wanted the original short to become a complete series, this is exactly the kind of expansion they had been hoping for.
Production I.G. Returns to the Galaxy
Animation production is once again handled by Production I.G., one of Japan’s most respected anime studios.
The studio produced the original The Ninth Jedi short and helped define its clean action, cinematic framing and polished character animation. Returning to the same story gives the new series a strong sense of continuity.
Production I.G. has a long history with science fiction, action and dramatic storytelling. Its experience makes it a natural fit for a Star Wars anime built around lightsaber duels, space travel, mystery and emotional coming-of-age themes.
The trailer suggests that the series will preserve the visual identity of the original short while expanding the scale of the story. There are more characters, more locations and more opportunities for elaborate action sequences.
Kenji Kamiyama Serves as Supervising Director
Kenji Kamiyama, who directed the original The Ninth Jedi short, returns as supervising director for the limited series.
Kamiyama’s involvement is important because he helped establish the foundation of Kara’s story. His original short successfully combined Star Wars mythology with the tone and structure of anime, creating a world that felt familiar but also fresh.
For the new series, Shunsuke Tada serves as director, while Mitsuyasu Sakai is credited as writer.
This creative structure allows the series to continue under the guidance of the person who shaped the original concept while also giving the new episodes their own directorial voice.
Confirmed Creative Team
The main creative team for Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi includes:
- Animation Production: Production I.G.
- Director: Shunsuke Tada
- Writer: Mitsuyasu Sakai
- Supervising Director: Kenji Kamiyama
- Executive Producers: James Waugh, Jacqui Lopez, Josh Rimes, Justin Leach and Mitsuhisa Ishikawa
- Producers: Hitoshi Ito and Kanako Shirasaki
- Co-Producer: Caroline Keller
The production brings together Lucasfilm’s Star Wars experience and Production I.G.’s anime storytelling, continuing the collaborative spirit that made Visions stand out from other franchise projects.
The English Dub Cast Brings Back Familiar Voices
The English dub will feature several returning cast members from the earlier Ninth Jedi stories.
Kimiko Glenn returns as Lah Kara, once again leading the story as the young heroine at the center of the series. Andrew Kishino returns as Juro, while Simu Liu returns as Lah Zhima, Kara’s father and the sabersmith whose disappearance drives part of the new plot.
The returning English voice cast includes:
- Kimiko Glenn as Lah Kara
- Andrew Kishino as Juro
- Masi Oka as Ethan
- Patrick Seitz as Homen
- JP Karliak as Gramps
- Simu Liu as Lah Zhima
- Neil Kaplan as The Narrator
The new English voice cast includes:
- Feodor Chin as Gennoh
- Young Mazino as Nawaam
- Chase Sui Wonders as Tafflah
- Keone Young as Kwana
The mix of returning and new performers suggests that the series will preserve the emotional core of the earlier shorts while introducing several important new characters.
The Japanese Voice Cast Also Returns
The original Japanese cast will also return for the new series.
Chinatsu Akasaki reprises her role as Lah Kara, while Tetsuo Kanao returns as Juro and Shinichiro Miki returns as Lah Zhima.
The returning Japanese voice cast includes:
- Chinatsu Akasaki as Lah Kara
- Tetsuo Kanao as Juro
- Hiromu Mineta as Ethan
- Hinata Tadokoro as Homen
- Cho as Gramps
- Shinichiro Miki as Lah Zhima
- Akio Otsuka as The Narrator
The return of both English and Japanese casts reinforces that this series is not a reboot. It is a direct continuation of the story that began in the original Visions short.
Kara’s Search for Her Father Remains Central
Kara’s relationship with her father, Lah Zhima, has always been one of the emotional anchors of The Ninth Jedi.
Zhima is not only her father. He is also a sabersmith whose craft is tied to the return of the Jedi. In this version of the galaxy, lightsabers are not common weapons carried by an established Order. They are rare and deeply meaningful objects connected to belief, identity and the Force.
The original short made Kara’s mission urgent by placing her father in danger while also revealing the importance of the weapons he created. The new series appears to continue that emotional thread, with Kara searching for him while learning what kind of Jedi she wants to become.
This gives the story a personal goal that supports the larger mythological stakes. Saving Lah Zhima is not only about rescuing one person. It may also be essential to the future of the Jedi themselves.
Jedi Hunters Add a New Threat
The trailer introduces the danger of Jedi Hunters, enemies who appear determined to stop Kara and Juro’s group before the Jedi can return.
The idea fits naturally into the world established by The Ninth Jedi. If the Jedi and Sith have disappeared from public view, then those who still understand the Force may become targets for groups that fear or exploit them.
Jedi Hunters also create a different kind of tension from traditional Sith villains. They may not all be dark side warriors, but their mission places them directly against anyone trying to revive the Jedi path.
This expands the conflict beyond a simple duel between Jedi and Sith. Kara’s enemies may include political forces, mercenaries, former Force users or organizations that believe the galaxy is better without the Jedi.
The Series Could Explore What It Means to Rebuild the Jedi
One of the most interesting questions in The Ninth Jedi is not simply whether the Jedi can return. It is what kind of Jedi should return.
Star Wars stories often explore the fall, survival and rebirth of the Jedi Order. This series approaches the idea from a different angle because it takes place in a future where the old structures have already faded.
Juro and Kara are not restoring the Jedi inside a familiar institution. They are trying to revive a way of life that has become rare, misunderstood or forgotten.
That gives the series room to ask important questions. What does it mean to be a Jedi without a Jedi Temple? How should new students learn when there is no large Order to guide them? Can the mistakes of the past be avoided when the Jedi return?
Kara’s training may therefore become more than a path toward strength. It may become a test of whether the Jedi ideal can survive in a galaxy that has moved on.
Why The Ninth Jedi Was the Perfect Visions Story to Expand
Several Star Wars: Visions shorts inspired fans to ask for sequels, but The Ninth Jedi was especially suited for a larger story.
Its original episode ended with a strong sense of possibility. Kara had discovered more about herself, Juro had gathered new allies and the galaxy still contained many unanswered questions about the Jedi, the Sith and the future of lightsabers.
The short functioned well on its own, but it also felt like the beginning of a larger adventure. That is why many viewers responded to it as if they had just watched the first episode of a full anime.
The new limited series now allows that potential to be explored properly. Instead of rushing through the aftermath, the story can show Kara’s growth, the challenges facing the new Jedi and the enemies who do not want them to succeed.
Star Wars: Visions Presents Opens a New Door for the Franchise
The launch of Star Wars: Visions Presents could be just as important as the series itself.
Visions began as a place for studios to tell experimental, self-contained Star Wars stories. The anthology format gave creators freedom to explore the galaxy without being tied too tightly to the main continuity.
By expanding The Ninth Jedi into a limited series, Lucasfilm is showing that some Visions stories can grow beyond the anthology format.
This does not mean every short needs a sequel. Part of the appeal of Visions is that many episodes work as isolated artistic interpretations. However, The Ninth Jedi proves that the strongest concepts can support longer storytelling when the audience and creators are interested in continuing them.
If the series succeeds, it may encourage future expansions of other popular Visions stories.
A Star Wars Anime With Room to Breathe
The eight-episode format gives the new series a major advantage.
A short film can introduce a world, but it has limited time to develop character relationships, explain history or build emotional consequences. A full limited series can do all of that while still keeping the story focused.
Kara’s training, her search for Lah Zhima, Juro’s role as mentor and the threat of the Jedi Hunters can each receive more attention than they could in a single episode.
The format also allows Production I.G. to create larger action sequences while giving quieter moments time to matter. Star Wars is often remembered for its battles, but its strongest stories also depend on mentorship, fear, temptation, hope and personal choice.
The Ninth Jedi has the potential to use anime’s visual energy while preserving those emotional foundations.
What Has Not Been Revealed Yet?
Although the trailer and cast announcement provide many important details, several questions remain unanswered.
The official episode titles have not been revealed. The full list of directors, animation supervisors, music staff and theme song performers has also not been announced.
The trailer suggests the presence of new villains and new allies, but the exact roles of Gennoh, Nawaam, Tafflah and Kwana remain unclear.
It is also not yet known whether the series will connect only to the Ninth Jedi shorts or whether it will include references to other Star Wars: Visions stories.
Because Visions traditionally allows creators broad freedom, fans should be careful about assuming that the series will follow the same rules as the main Star Wars canon.
When Does Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi Premiere?
Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi premieres on August 5, 2026, on Disney+ and Hulu.
The limited anime series will include eight episodes and continue the story of Kara, Juro and the young Jedi-in-training who may represent the future of the Jedi.
With Production I.G. returning, Kenji Kamiyama supervising, Shunsuke Tada directing and Lucasfilm expanding the Visions concept into longer storytelling, the series is already shaping up to be one of the most important animated Star Wars releases of 2026.
The Ninth Jedi began as a single short about a girl carrying lightsabers through a dangerous galaxy. Now, Kara’s journey is becoming a full anime series about faith, family, self-discovery and the fragile hope that the Jedi can rise again.
