The second anime slot goes to a heavyweight name doing something it hasn't done before. Star Wars: Visions is back, and this time it's stretching one idea into a full story.
## The premiere Star Wars: Visions returns with 'The Ninth Jedi,' premiering August 5, 2026 on Disney+ and Hulu. The final trailer is already out, and this entry isn't a one-off short like most of the anthology. It's a full series arc, the boldest expansion the project has attempted.
## What Visions is Since it started, Visions has done one thing better than almost anything in the franchise: hand the galaxy to anime studios and let them tell Star Wars their own way, off the main timeline, with their own art and their own rules. Some of the best-looking Star Wars ever made came out of that freedom, and 'The Ninth Jedi' was a standout short fans wanted more of.
## Why the expansion is a big deal Taking a beloved short and building it into its own series is a bet that the audience wants depth, not just a highlight reel. It gives the studio room to actually develop characters and a world instead of racing a clock. For a fanbase that argues about canon constantly, a swing this size is going to move the conversation.
## The timing It lands August 5, the day after we tape, which makes it a clean thing to point viewers at. Big name, big reach, and a premiere close enough to feel immediate.
The anthology that let anime run wild with Star Wars just took its longest shot yet. Worth a watch.
## Sources - Anime Corner - anime news, August 2026: https://animecorner.me/category/news/anime-news/ - Anime Corner - Anime Expo 2026 recap: https://animecorner.me/anime-expo-2026-recap-all-news-announcements/ - Anime News Network: https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/

