
A childhood mistake turned into a major creative decision for Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi.
Originally introduced in the first volume of Star Wars: Visions, Lucasfilm and Production I.G’s The Ninth Jedi follows Lah Kara as she goes on a mission to rescue her father. The story created several spinoff titles, such as a sequel titled Child of Hope, in Volume 3. Now, Kara’s journey will continue in Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi, a brand-new limited anime series premiering exclusively on Disney+ and Hulu.
One of the defining elements of Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi was inspired by an unexpected source. The creator of the limited series, Kenji Kamiyama, revealed that a misunderstanding about how lightsabers worked contributed to the show’s take on the iconic weapons.
Kamiyama explained during the Disney+ series’ Anime Expo panel that the color-changing lightsabers originated from a simple mistake he made while watching the original Star Wars films as a kid. He admitted that the first time he watched the original trilogy, he was under the impression that lightsabers automatically changed colors depending on who was using them rather than each one having its own designated color.
While he eventually realized that was not how lightsabers function in established Star Wars canon, he never forgot the idea. Years later, while developing The Ninth Jedi for Star Wars: Visions, the creator transformed that specific childhood memory into one of the story’s major concepts.
In The Ninth Jedi, lightsaber blades change color based on their user’s connection to the Force. Instead of remaining permanently tied to a crystal’s color, the weapons change depending on who is using them. This element makes the limited series stand out from other installments of the massive Star Wars universe, giving audiences a fresh take on one of the franchise’s most recognizable features.
The trailer and artwork for Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi were also released during the series’ panel at Anime Expo. The show will have eight episodes total. It will bring back the voices of Kimiko Glenn (Kara), Andrew Kishino (Juro), Masi Oka (Ethan), Patrick Seitz (Homen), JP Karliak (Gramps), Simu Liu (Lah Zhima), and Neil Kaplan as the narrator. There are also several new cast members including Feodor Chin (Gennoh), Young Mazino (Nawaam), Chase Sui Wonders (Tafflah), and Keone Young (Kwana).
All eight episodes of Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi will release on Disney+ and Hulu on August 5, 2026, at 3:00 AM ET and 12:00 AM PT.