By Ben Wright (@iamzavagno | www.xgeeks.co.uk)
This review is spoiler-free.
Set during the High Republic era, hundreds of years before the events of Episode One: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures focuses on a group of three younglings and a would-be pilot as they take their first steps into a larger world…
There is no getting away from the fact that this show was designed for younger children, and not in the way The Clone Wars was. The intention is very clear, to have an entry point into Star Wars for real-world younglings to get their teeth into. Speaking as someone in their mid-30s and with no parental instincts, I am taking a guess on this next part, but I believe that this will be a great show for parents with young children to experience together – especially if you’re a parent who loves Star Wars! While the audience demographic is targeted at younger children, the aesthetics, lessons, and messaging within the series all stay true to what we know Star Wars to be all about. This will be perfect as the audience ages up and transitions into other Star Wars media.
With the show being set during the High Republic era, the outfits, equipment, and overall aesthetic match the time period, which helps to clearly establish itself on the Star Wars timeline. We have a younger Master Yoda (Piotr Michael), but that’s not saying much, and he still feels very much the Yoda we all know and love! As for the new characters and stars of the show, we have younglings Kai Brightstar (Jamaal Avery Jr.), Lys Solay (Juliet Donenfeld) and Nubs (Dee Bradley Baker) with young pilot Nash Durango (Emma Berman) completing the main cast. It’s always great to have Dee Bradley Baker involved, but for me the real stand-out character was Nash. While I think all these characters could be built upon in future series or other mediums, Nash Durango is a very interesting character and one who could transition well into the young adult market – a PG Doctor Aphra of sorts.
The animation style and music are polished and vibrant, which helps with enhancing the storytelling of the episodes. Speaking of which… I felt that the stories were well executed and didn’t ‘age down’ as much as I thought they would. There are some very interesting themes explored in multiple episodes, and these are executed in a fun and engaging way for younger audiences. The stories themselves still feel VERY Star Wars, and the humour is playful, but not overtly silly. So, the blend is perfect for a family audience.
Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures is a fun and exciting entry point for the next wave of Star Wars fans to enjoy! The entertaining storytelling and vibrant animation will be a treat for young children and families alike.
X-Geeks 