‘Star Wars: The Ninth Jedi’ Anime: Release Date, Cast, Plot and Everything We Know

Star Wars is finally getting the full-blown anime treatment it’s been teasing for years, and it’s happening through a story fans already fell in love with. The anime is set to release on August 5, 2026, on Disney+, as announced (via official X):

— Production I.G (@ProductionIG) July 28, 2026

Star Wars: The Ninth Jedi started life as a single short in Star Wars: Visions back in 2021, got a sequel in Volume 3, and is now being spun off into its own eight-episode limited series under a brand-new banner called Star Wars: Visions Presents. If you’ve been waiting for Production I.G and Lucasfilm to give this universe the anime scale it deserves, here’s everything worth knowing before it lands.

Star Wars: The Ninth Jedi Anime – Global Release Date and Time

Mark your calendars for August 5, 2026. That’s when all eight episodes of Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi hit streaming at once, rather than a weekly drip. In US terms, the show goes live at 3:00 am EDT and 12:00 am PDT on release day (via website). For anyone in India, that translates to roughly 12:30 PM IST on August 5, so you won’t need to stay up late for this one. It’ll be worth checking your local time zone conversion if you’re outside these regions, but the underlying drop is simultaneous worldwide the moment Disney+ flips the switch.

Based on the aforementioned time and date of the episode’s official release, here is a listing of every major US and global time zone for the upcoming anime:

TIME ZONE	RELEASE DATE	RELEASE TIME
Pacific Daylight Time (PDT)	Wednesday, August 5, 2026	12:00 am
Mountain Daylight Time (MT)	Wednesday, August 5, 2026	1:00 am
Central Daylight Time (CDT)	Wednesday, August 5, 2026	2:00 am
Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)	Wednesday, August 5, 2026	3:00 am
Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT)	Tuesday, August 4, 2026	11:00 pm
Brasilia Time (BRT)	Wednesday, August 5, 2026	4:00 am
British Summer Time (BST)	Wednesday, August 5, 2026	8:00 am
Central European Summer Time (CEST)	Wednesday, August 5, 2026	9:00 am
Gulf Standard Time (GST)	Wednesday, August 5, 2026	11:00 am
Indian Standard Time (IST)	Wednesday, August 5, 2026	12:30 pm
Philippine Time (PHT)	Wednesday, August 5, 2026	3:00 pm
Japanese Standard Time (JST)	Wednesday, August 5, 2026	4:00 pm
Australian Central Standard Time (ACST)	Wednesday, August 5, 2026	4:30 pm

Where to Watch Star Wars: The Ninth Jedi?

No surprises here: the series is a Disney+ and Hulu exclusive (as mentioned on the official website), streaming in both regions simultaneously. You’ll be able to watch it in the original Japanese with English subtitles, or in the English dub, depending on your preference.

Given that this show is animated entirely by the Japanese studio Production I.G behind it, many fans are leaning toward the subtitled version to preserve the original vocal performances, but the dub cast is stacked enough that it’s a genuine toss-up. Speaking of dub, let’s look at the voice cast of the series.

The Full Cast and Crew of Star Wars: The Ninth Jedi

The creative team behind the original short is largely sticking around for the full series, which should reassure anyone worried about tone shifting too much for a longer format. Production I.G is once again handling animation duties, the same studio that brought the original short to life in Volume 1. In terms of production;

• Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) returns as supervising director and series script supervisor, having helmed the original short.
• Shunsuke Tada (Kuroko’s Basketball) directs the new series.
• Mitsuyasu Sakai handles the writing.
• Hitoshi Ito produces, alongside executive producers Jacqui Lopez and Josh Rimes for Lucasfilm, plus James Waugh, Justin Leach, and Mitsuhisa Ishikawa

Here’s the Japanese cast of the upcoming anime series:

• Chinatsu Akasaki as Lah Kara.
• Tetsuo Kanao as Juro.
• Shinichirō Miki as Lah Zhima.
• Hiromu Mineta as Ethan.
• Hinata Tadokoro as Homen.
• Chō as Gramps.
• Nao Ōmori as Nawaam.
• Hiroshi Naka as Dunbay.
• Maaya Sakamoto as Tahoola.
• Nobuyuki Hiyama as Kwana.
• Hiroki Takahashi as Jedi Hunter.
• Akio Ōtsuka as the Narrator.

Here’s the English cast of the upcoming anime series:

• Kimiko Glenn as Lah Kara.
• Andrew Kishino as Juro.
• Simu Liu as Lah Zhima.
• Masi Oka as Ethan.
• Patrick Seitz as Homen.
• JP Karliak as Gramps.
• Feodor Chin as Gennoh.
• Young Mazino as Nawaam.
• Chase Sui Wonders as Tafflah.
• Keone Young as Kwana.
• Neil Kaplan as the Narrator.

Is There a Trailer For Star Wars: The Ninth Jedi?

Yes, and it dropped during a dedicated panel at Anime Expo 2026, where Kamiyama, Tada, and Ito all showed up to talk through the project with fans in the room. The footage leans hard into the fellowship angle of the story, showing Kara alongside a ragtag group of Jedi hopefuls as they move through unfamiliar, dangerous territory. There’s a strong sense of urgency running through it, with glimpses of Kara evading what the trailer frames as Jedi Hunters while trying to stay one step ahead of a looming threat.

The most striking beat is the reveal of the series’ antagonist’s plan: an enemy faction looking to weaponize kyber crystals on a massive scale, essentially threatening to reshape the balance of power in the galaxy through the same material that powers lightsabers. There’s also a clear visual nod toward a new, imposing villain who carries serious “commanding presence” energy, without giving away too much of what he actually is. The trailer was released in both Japanese and English versions, and if you want the full breakdown shot by shot, Star Wars News Net has a solid rundown worth checking out.

What is Star Wars: The Ninth Jedi About – Everything We Know

The story picks up not long after the events of the two existing shorts, “The Ninth Jedi” from Volume 1 and “The Ninth Jedi: Child of Hope” from Volume 3. For anyone catching up, the original short introduced Kara, daughter of lightsaber maker Lah Zhima, who crafts sabers that change color depending on who wields them. She was sent to deliver those blades to Margrave Juro, a warlord attempting to rebuild the Jedi Order from scratch during a period when the galaxy has drifted far from the era of the Empire and the Rebellion.

The new series continues Kara’s training under Juro, but shifts gears into a rescue mission. Her father has gone missing, and Kara sets off with a small fellowship of fellow Jedi-in-training to track him down, all while navigating a galaxy where the line between ally and enemy isn’t nearly as clean as it used to be. Expect themes of found family, mentorship, and the slow, uneasy process of becoming a Jedi in a world that’s largely forgotten what that even means anymore.

What to Expect from Star Wars: The Ninth Jedi Episode 1?

The opening episode actually got an early screening at Anime Expo 2026, shown in Japanese with English subtitles ahead of the full August 5 release. Based on that preview and everything the creative team has said since, episode one looks like it’s going to function as a soft reintroduction to this corner of the galaxy rather than assuming everyone remembers every beat of the two shorts. Expect it to reestablish Kara’s dynamic with Juro, likely reintroduce Ethan, Homen, and Gramps as part of her circle, and start planting the seeds for just how serious the threat around her father’s disappearance really is.

Given how the trailer teases new antagonists like Nawaam and the Kyber Crystal weapon plot, it wouldn’t be shocking if episode one ends on some kind of gut-punch reveal about the scale of what Kara’s actually walking into. It’s a lot of ground to cover in one episode, but with Kamiyama back in the writer’s chair alongside Tada directing, the tone should stay consistent with what made the original short resonate in the first place.

TITLE	Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi
CREATOR	Kenji Kamiyama
PRODUCTION COMPANY	Production I.G/Lucasfilm
RELEASE DATE	August 5, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH	Disney+, Hulu

Are you excited for Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi? We’d love to know your thoughts and opinions in the comments below.

Star Wars: The Ninth Jedi releases exclusively on August 5, 2026, on Disney+ and Hulu.