Close Menu
  • Login
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    Cosmic Spider-Man card details

    [EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW] The Spider-Man Set Gets A 5-Color Legendary Spider

    09/02/2025
    Lee Corso from College Football GameDay in EA Sports games

    EA Sports Always Understood Lee Corso’s Legacy

    09/01/2025
    Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2 But Why Tho 10

    Spider-Man Is Coming To Magic And It’s Just Like The Comics

    08/29/2025
    Star Wars Visions Volume 3 Black

    ‘Black’ Sets The Tone For A Bold New Mixtape In ‘Star Wars Visions: Volume 3’

    08/28/2025
    Olivia Colman in The Roses

    ‘The Roses’ Is A Reimagining, Not A Remake, And That’s Why It Works So Well

    08/27/2025
  • Indie Games
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Apple TV+
But Why Tho?
Home » Books » ADVANCED REVIEW: ‘Star Wars: Ronin: A Visions Novel’ Is A Samurai-Style Star Wars Story

ADVANCED REVIEW: ‘Star Wars: Ronin: A Visions Novel’ Is A Samurai-Style Star Wars Story

Collier "CJ" JenningsBy Collier "CJ" Jennings09/28/20214 Mins Read
Star Wars Ronin A Visions Novel - But Why Tho
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

Star Wars Ronin A Visions Novel - But Why Tho

Star Wars: Ronin: A Visions Novel is a novel written by Emma Mieko Candon that takes place within the world of the Star Wars: Visions short “The Duel.” The mysterious Ronin—a former Sith—and his trusty droid B5-56 travel from planet to planet, hunting down his fellow Sith and taking the kyber crystals in their lightsabers. Driven by a voice in his head, the Ronin travels to the planet Rei’izu—where the Sith uprising took place—and is accompanied by a collection of unlikely companions. They face threats including Jedi warriors and the might of the Empire.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

“The Duel” was one of my favorite shorts in all of Visions, not only because it served as a homage to the films of Akira Kurosawa, the filmmaker whose work has had a major influence on the Star Wars universe, but because it took from the perspective of a Sith. While Sith Lords such as Darth Vader and Darth Maul have been compelling characters in their own right, the Ronin is a far different figure. He’s haunted by his past actions and even though he’s unsure if he can truly achieve redemption, he continues his travels across the galaxy. Candon begins to peel back the layers of Ronin’s past with each chapter, revealing a man forged by loss and rage. Given his demeanor and design in “The Duel,” I can’t help but imagine the late Toshiro Mifune playing the Ronin in another life.

In addition to the Ronin, Candon fills the book with characters that perfectly fit into this world. During his travels, the Ronin finds passage aboard a ship called the Poor Crow, whose pilot Ekiya distrusts him—to say nothing of the elderly passenger Chie, who has more than a little knowledge about battling Force users. It’s the mysterious Traveler that stands out the most. Garbed in a fox mask and gifted with an odd sense of humor, as well as a talent for storytelling, they accompanies the Ronin and has knowledge that a mere storyteller shouldn’t be privy to. Like the Ronin, their past is slowly revealed over the course of the novel and it not only ties into the overarching story, it hits with the emotional weight of a freight train.

Candon also brings more elements of Japanese culture to Ronin, especially in characters’ choices of clothing and how the starships are designed. Characters eat dishes including miso soup and bowls of rice with pickled vegetables; the interior of a Star Destroyer has rooms that resemble a tatami room; kimonos are common garb. Even the lightsabers wielded by the Ronin and other Jedi resemble katanas more than the traditional form in the main Star Wars films. But the biggest switch-up has to be the fact that the Jedi are working for the Empire. This is a nod to Samurai warriors serving under Japan’s emperor in jidaigeki stories, yet it’s still shocking to see Jedi—usually considered the “good guys” in Star Wars—working for the Empire. And yet it lends more dimension to this take on the Sith. They rebel less out of evil and more out of wanting to forge their own path in life. Candon doesn’t shy away from interrogating the Jedi’s method of taking children away from their homes at a young age and how that influences the Sith rebellion.

Ronin expands upon the world of “The Duel,” crafting a Star Wars tale that’s heavily influenced by Japanese culture. Viewers of Visions will definitely want to add this novel to their collection, as it’ll continue to scratch the itch for Star Wars anime content-at least until another season of Visions is greenlit.

Star Wars: Ronin: A Visions Novel will be available to purchase on October 12, 2021 wherever books are sold.

Star Wars: Ronin: A Visions Novel
5

TL;DR

Ronin expands upon the world of “The Duel,” crafting a Star Wars tale that’s heavily influenced by Japanese culture. Viewers of Visions will definitely want to add this novel to their collection, as it’ll continue to scratch the itch for Star Wars anime content-at least until another season of Visions is greenlit.

  • Buy now via Bookshop.org

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleREVIEW: ‘Robin’, Issue #6
Next Article REVIEW: ‘Justice League,’ Issue #68
Collier "CJ" Jennings
  • Website
  • Facebook
  • X (Twitter)

Born and raised in Texas, Collier “CJ” Jennings was introduced to geekdom at an early age by his father, who showed him Ultraman and Star Trek: The Next Generation. On his thirteenth birthday, he received a copy of Giant Size X-Men #1 and dove head first into the realm of pop culture, never looking back. His hobbies include: writing screenplays and essays, watching movies and television, card games/RPG’s, and cooking. He currently resides in Seattle.

Related Posts

Jedi Battle Scars - But Why Tho

ADVANCED REVIEW: ‘Star Wars Jedi: Battle Scars’

02/22/2023
The Battle of Jedha - But Why Tho

REVIEW: ‘Star Wars: The High Republic: The Battle of Jedha’

01/04/2023
A Day of Fallen Night

ADVANCED REVIEW: ‘A Day of Fallen Night’ Is An Epic Tale

12/03/2022
High Republic Convergence - But Why Tho

REVIEW: ‘Star Wars: The High Republic: Convergence’

11/22/2022
Sensory Life on the Spectrum - But Why Tho

ADVANCED REVIEW: ‘Sensory: Life on the Spectrum’

10/17/2022
Star Wars: The Princess and the Scoundrel

ADVANCED REVIEW: ‘Star Wars: The Princess and the Scoundrel’

07/26/2022

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
Cosmic Spider-Man card details Features

[EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW] The Spider-Man Set Gets A 5-Color Legendary Spider

By Kate Sánchez09/02/2025Updated:09/02/2025

An exclusive look at a new 5-Color Spider entering Magic: The Gathering’s Spider-Man set, and Cosmic Spider-Man is going to be a tough one to take on.

Hololive EN at Radio City Music Hall Events

Hololive EN At Radio City Music Hall Was A Pure Expression Of Fandom

By Adrian Ruiz08/31/2025Updated:09/03/2025

Hololive EN turned Radio City in New York City into the pure expression of fandom: chants, penlights, and community in perfect sync.

Karl Anthony Towns in NBA 2k26 But Why Tho
8.5
PS5

REVIEW: ‘NBA 2K26’ Brings Basketball To Life

By Kyle Foley09/03/2025

NBA 2K26 combines improved visuals with some important tweaks to keep the series feeling fresh in the latest yearly release.

Cronos: The New Dawn Nest
8.0
PC

REVIEW: ‘Cronos: The New Dawn’ Does Post-Apocalyptic Psychological Horror Right

By Mick Abrahamson09/03/2025Updated:09/03/2025

While not particularly sacry, Cronos: The New Dawn is a lot of fun as a survival horror that puts you in the futuristic armor of the Traveler.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here