‘Star Wars Visions’: The A-List Voices You’ll Hear In the English Dub
Move over Luke Skywalker, a new cast of characters is about to enter the Star Wars galaxy. The highly anticipated anime series from Lucasfilm just released a sneak preview trailer of Star Wars Visions. The nine-series anthology will premiere on Disney+ on September 22, 2021.
The project brings together the visionary work of seven Japanese anime studios, with the dialogue spoken in their native tongue. A star-studded cast of American actors will provide their voice talents for the English dub.
Episode 1 – “The Duel”
The first episode will focus on the mysterious character of Ronin, a wandering samurai who gets involved in an awful fight.
Brian Tee, a series regular on NBC’s Chicago Med, will voice the lead character. Lucy Liu, who will dub The Bandit Leader, is known for her work in Kill Bill and Charlie’s Angels. At only 11-years of age, Jaden Waldman has an extensive voiceover portfolio. He will voice the Village Chief in “The Duel” and also the robot in “TO-B1.”
‘Tatooine Rhapsody’
‘Tatooine Rhapsody’ is being touted as a rock opera in space, classic anime style. We aren’t sure what instrument Joseph Gordon-Levitt will play, but if his work with HitRecord is any indication, it should be a pretty cool collaboration when he voices Jay, the lead character.
Joining his band is SNL comedian Bobby Moynihan voicing Geezer and Shelby Young from American Horror Story voicing the character of K-344. Marc Thompson, who has narrated several Star Wars audiobooks, will do the English dub for Lan.
Temuera Morrison, who plays Boba Fett in The Mandalorian, will reprise his role for Star Wars: Visions. Here’s hoping Jabba the Hutt makes an appearance.
‘Star Wars Visions’: ‘The Twins’ and ‘The Elder’
Director Hiroyuki Imaishi announced “The Twins” and “The Elder” will come from Studio Trigger. According to Inverse, he explained the episodes will “bookend the existing Star Wars canon.”
Neil Patrick Harris of How I Met Your Mother and Alison Brie from GLOW will voice the twins Karre and Am. From the Dark Side of the Force, Jonathan Lipow, the voice of Darkwing Duck, will be on hand to dub B-20N.
“The Elder” voiceover cast will include David Harbour, better known as Sheriff Hopper on Stranger Things, as Tajin. Jordan Fisher from Disney’s Teen Beach Movie will dub Dan, and James Hong, who has appeared in more than 600 films, will voice The Elder.
Other actors included in ‘Star Wars Visions’
The Star Wars website announced “The Village Bride” will include Karen Fukuhara from Suicide Squad and Christopher Sean, who plays Paul Narita on the Days of Our Lives soap opera. Mortal Kombat actor Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa will voice Valco. Andrew Kishino, who was the voice of Saw Gerrera in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and The Bad Batch, will voice Izura and Juroin The Ninth Jedi.
Anna Cathcart, star of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, will voice Lop along with Hiromi Dames as Ocho in the “Lop & Ocho” episode. She will be joined by Paul Nakauchi, from Carmen Sandiego as Yasaburo.
“Akakiri” will include the voice talent of heartthrob Henry Golding from Crazy Rich Asians fame. Legendary Star Trek actor George Takei will voice Senshuu, joined by Big Hero 6 actor Jamie Chung as Misa. Keone Young from Men in Black 3 and Lorraine Toussaint, the award-winning actor from Orange is the New Black, round out this who’s who in Hollywood cast.
Inverse describes “TO-B1” as a “feel-good story about a droid who discovers what he’s truly capable of.” Kyle Chandler, from Friday Night Lights glory, will voice Mitaka.
Voltron actor Neil Kaplan will narrate The Ninth Jedi, the final episode in the Star Wars: Visions anthology. Simu Liu, who is starring in the new Disney movie Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, will dub Zhima. The first Asian superhero will also work with Masi Oka from NBC’s Heroes.
