There is little doubt that all of the episodes of Star Wars: Visions have been visually stunning and worthy of praise but only one of them has garnered an Emmy nomination. The Duel, which also happens to be the first episode of the anthology series, has been nominated for Outstanding Short Form Animated Program.
So why did the producers choose The Duel above all of the other Star Wars: Visions episodes? In an interview with Deadline, executive producer James Waugh opened up about the decision to push the Kamikaze Douga production for the Emmy consideration.
“The Duel was one of the first pitches that we got back and there was this arresting image which is just the ronin and this droid with this amazing straw hat, and it just felt so much in line with the cinematic language of all the films that inspired George [Lucas], all the films we’d watch in film school,” Waugh said.
“It just felt like they were really playing with not only the aesthetic of their inspirations, but also with cinematic devices. In many ways it’s actually a love letter to cinema and a love letter to George,” he continued. “We lucked out and we got an embarrassment of riches, but this one really felt like it encapsulated our vision of the anthology, as an expression of Star Wars that you couldn’t do in live action.”
The Duel followed a nameless Ronin who saves a small village from bandits who are led by a woman claiming to be a Sith, not knowing that the Ronin himself is a former Sith. The episode is directed by Takanobu Mizuno and produced by Kamikaze Douga.
For now, Star Wars: Visions Season 2 has not yet been given an official release date. Stay tuned for more updates on this story.
Related: Star Wars: Visions Season 2 EP Shares Update on Non-Anime Episodes