Summary
Animated projects have been a major part ofStar Warssince 2008, and I am tired of them being overlooked. Despite some earlier efforts that fell flat,Star Warsanimation came to life with 2008’sStar Wars: The Clone Wars. Thetimeline ofThe Clone Warsplaced it between the latter two installments of the prequel trilogy, and while I admittedly did not watch the show until the late 2010s, it kickstarted an important phase ofStar Warsstories being told via animation.
UpcomingStar WarsTV showswill likely continue reflecting this importance, with more animated shows expected in the near and distant future.Star Wars’upcoming movieswill see the franchise return to its cinematic roots, but I am equally as excited about new animated projects being announced. Unfortunately, I do not find this excitement replicated by large sections of theStar Warsfanbase. While there are certainly those who respect Lucasfilm’s animated projects as much as me, theranking ofStar WarsTV showsand movies often sees live-action projects being favored, and those that are animated overlooked.
Every Star Wars Movie, Ranked Worst To Best
Looking at all nine Skywalker Saga entries and three spinoffs, we crown the best Star Wars movie in our full ranking of the galaxy far, far away.
Star Wars Animation Is Some Of The Franchise’s Best Content
Star Wars' Animated Shows Ranks Among The Best Stories In A Galaxy Far, Far Away
The main factor in my annoyance thatStar Warsanimation gets overlooked is that some of the stories told in this medium exceed the best in live-action. Of the 10 highest-rated individual TV episodes in the entireStar Warsfranchise on IMDb, eight of them belong to animated shows. FromStar Wars: The Clone WarstoStar Wars Rebels, some of the best storytelling that best captures the spirit of George Lucas exists outside of live-action. Although these high ratings may go against my point,Star Wars' animated shows receive less overall attention, with that lesser attention being skewed more positively.
As alluded to,Star Wars: The Clone WarsandStar Wars Rebelstell some of the more fascinating stories in the franchise. They include some ofStar Wars' best original characters too, from Ahsoka Tano and Captain Rex to Kanan Jarrus, Ezra Bridger, and the rest ofStar WarsRebels' Ghost crew. The exploration of character in each show is second to none, and both include explorations of the Force and the Jedi in a way live-action rarely gets to delve into.
Star Wars' animated shorts, Tales of the Jedi, include some of the most succinctly profound, important aspects of the Skywalker Saga.
Aside from these two stories, there are heartwarming family tales likeStar Wars: The Bad Batch, a spin-off ofThe Clone Wars.Not only doesThe Bad Batchprovide the necessary context for major Skywalker Saga plot points, but it also tells an emotional story about the cost of war, found family, and fighting for what is right in a way George Lucas would be proud of. Then there isStar Wars: Visions,a non-canon animated show that showcases the best of what animation studios across the world have to offer, giving endlessly fascinating insights into howStar Warsis perceived from other perspectives.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Cast
Star Wars: The Clone Wars is an animated series that explores the intense conflict between the Republic and the Separatists. Featuring a mix of loyalty shifts and alliances, it delves into complex mysteries of the Force and showcases pivotal moments for characters like Anakin Skywalker and Master Yoda.
Animation Is Always Overlooked In Favor Of Live-Action
Live-Action Shows Always Receive More Attention Than Animated Projects
Unfortunately,I am left with the disappointing fact that the quality ofStar Wars’animated projects does not bleed over into exposure. It remains the case that animation is often overlooked in favor of live-action, a reality that is not limited solely to theStar Warsfranchise. Where the general audience is concerned, live-action will always take precedence over animation. One way this is evident is in theories that were raised before the release of live-action shows likeAhsokaandObi-Wan Kenobi.
Rather than accept that these scenes have already happened, audiences wanted them recreated in live-action. Why? Likely because live-action is regarded as more worthy…
For the former, many theorized a recreation ofStar Wars Rebels' season 2 finale would be included, in which Ahsoka fought Darth Vader and figured out his identity as her old master, Anakin. RegardingObi-WanKenobi, the same was theorized for the titular character’s climactic showdown with Maul fromStar Wars Rebels. Rather than accept that these scenes have already happened, audiences wanted them recreated in live-action. Why? Likely because live-action is regarded as more worthy of people’s time and respect than animation; a sad reality that not onlyStar Warsfaces.
Animated or Live-Action
598,000
120,000
237,000
174,000
113,000
124,000
60,000
57,000
7,800
25,000
I Wish This Wasn’t The Case, But It Always Will Be
Star Wars Animation Will Never Receive The Exposure & Respect It Deserves
While I detest this reality,Star Wars' animation will always serve as second-best to live-action in the eyes of the general public. It remains the sad reality that live-action is simply taken more seriously than animation. The latter medium is often dubbed as being solely for children, and thus it holds no mature storytelling that makes it as worthwhile as live-action in regard to storytelling. This is evidently not the case, withStar Wars: The Clone Wars, for example, including some of the single-most mature stories ever told in the franchise.
This is not an issue reserved solely forStar Warseither, with many holding the view that animated properties are geared more toward children and that adults can enjoy them, but should not hold them in as high regard…
Despite this fact, animation will continuously be overlooked. This is not an issue reserved solely forStar Warseither, with many holding the view that animated properties are geared more toward children and that adults can enjoy them, but should not hold them in as high regard. If an animated project wants to tell a mature story, like Amazon Prime’sInvincible,the gore and language and mature themes must be overtly prevalent to overcome the hurdle that is the lesser respect the medium receives. Unfortunately,Star Warsis no different.
Star Wars Animation Is Some Of The Franchise’s Best - So Why Is Disney Ignoring It?
Star Wars animation is some of the best parts of the franchise, but it seems likely that Disney is ignoring it in favor of other successful titles.
