Tsukumo is a self-contained Manga that dwells on philosophy, offers story with fascinating droid lore, and could benefit from more backstory depth.
The article DOES NOT contain story spoilers.
A lone Jedi Knight, survivor of Order 66, is trying to lead two desperate droids to a rumoured planet where a mythical Droid Paradise is supposedly located. He must do so before the poison in his body takes away his last strength.
The trio is on the run from the Empire’s vicious pursuers, including a prototype Jedi Killer droid. How will this perilous journey end? We find out in the new standalone manga Star Wars Visions: Tsukumo.
A natural spin-off
When Kathleen Kennedy announced Star Wars: Visions back in 2020, no one was more excited than me! I have always loved short films. I have always loved anthology series, and anime has been a part of my life since I can remember.
And now we were about to get an anime anthology series? In the Star Wars universe? Done by some of the best Japanese studios?
Each written and directed by different talented creatives, given free rein to explore the endless possibilities of Star Wars through their own creative prism? Give their own spin to our beloved galaxy, telling stories out of the Canon continuity? Wow, this sounded too good to be true! And yet… it was!
Even back then, before the release of Volume 1, I had no doubt whatsoever this would lead to some original manga spin-offs in Star Wars publishing. What I didn’t suspect at all was how long that would take.
Long have I waited…
Episodes “The Elder,” “Lop & Ochō,” “The Ninth Jedi,” and “The Twins” were all adapted into a Japanese manga series published in Square Enix’s Big Gangan magazine in 2022, and it took Viz Media two years to collect them and publish them in a single English-language volume.
Also in 2022, “T0-B1” was adapted into the Golden Books reader T0-B1: The Droid Who Became a Jedi, while “I Am Your Mother” and “Aau’s Song” from Visions Volume 2 were collected in the Screen Comix graphic novel.
Additionally, the world of “The Duel” and The Ronin expanded across multiple formats: Emma Mieko Candon’s novel Ronin: A Visions Novel was published by Del Rey in 2021, followed by two Marvel Comics prequel one-shots by Takashi Okazaki – one in 2022 and one in 2024. Marvel Comics also released an original one-shot, Visions – Peach Momoko 1, written and illustrated by Peach Momoko in 2023.
But where was the original manga I had expected straight from the beginning?
After all, VIZ had announced a yet-untitled Star Wars: Visions Original Manga at New York Comic Con all the way back in 2022. During the panel, the publisher had also shown us initial art by creators Eiichi Shimizu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi of Ultraman fame.
Years passed without any update on the matter, and many had forgotten about the project or suspected it had been cancelled. That is, until in 2025 Shimizu and Shimoguchi revealed on social media that they were making progress on the title. Later that year, a cover was revealed at NYCC. Soon after that, pre-orders were open.
Star Wars Visions: Tsukumo premiered in July 2026.
What is Tsukumo all about?
Tsukumo is the name of the main character – runaway survivour of the Jedi Purge Nagi Tsukumo may look as if he has something in common with elite troopers such as Captain Phasma or Sergeant Kreel, but he is one of the good guys! We find that out in the very beginning in the form of “the story so far” type of introduction that feels as if it could have been done as the traditional Star Wars crawl with the four dots at the end.
The reader gets to know that Nagi never abandoned his Jedi ways and continued to help those in need. While aiding the population on a distant planet, he was betrayed – tempted by the bounty offered for his head, the locals poisoned him.
Although Tsukumo managed to escape, he was not treated and the poison has weakened his body. Even so, he continued his crusade to do good and is now in the company of EE-TEN and DEE-SEVEN – two masterless droids, looking for the fabled Droid Paradise. Does that place even exist? Can a sick Jedi and two abandoned mechanical beings make it out alive with the Empire hot on their trail?
All I can say is that the outcome is both unexpected and inspiring.
Where does it fit?
I know many fans don’t pay much attention to non-canon storytelling, as if official lore is the only thing that matters. To me, creativity and good storytelling always comes firts, weather or not it fits a certain continuity is not the most important thing.
I’ve always loved the Elseworlds titles by DC Comics, those What If type of reinventions, so I really dig the Star Wars Visions label.
As I mentioned in the beginning, Tsukumo is a self-contained story. It is not directly connected to anything, it does not bring us back to the realm of any of the Star Wars Visions shorts.
But at the same time, one could easily imagine it fitting within the Canon or the Legends continuity, as it is filled only with all-new characters and planets, but stays true to the overall events and design of the Rise of the Empire era. It is another post-Order 66 Jedi adventure which does not contradict anything we know of.
Was it worth the wait?
For better or worse, Star Wars Visions: Tsukumo is a really quick read. Even if you savor the panels and linger on particular moments, you will finish those 208 black and white pages before you know it. That is not necessarily a bad thing, but it does leave you thirsty for more.
Dialogue is snappy, even when it goes into the realm of philosophy and explores the Jedi code and the eternal battle with the Sith, it does so without being verbose. It reads and feels as something that could have been a 12-15 minute short film.
The plot does some jumping back and forth, but is generally easy to follow and flows nicely. It offers some unusual points of view, such as the reasoning of the Imperial Jedi Assassin droid who’s being fed anti-Jedi programming and is absorbing memories and information (which, by the way, features a nice throwback at the Prime Jedi mosaic from Ahch-To).
This is where Star Wars Visions: Tsukumo truly shines. It does new things with droids, it gives us a nice conflict between programming and personal motivation, between imposed aims and true purpose.
The plot is not what you expect it to be after reading the back cover summary or even the first chapters. It is still very much Tsukumo’s story, but looking back at it, from a certain point on, it is the story of the Jedi’s impact on others.
However, I cannot help but wish this one was at least some 50 pages longer. I realize the main story arc is all here, but I wish Eiichi Shimizu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi had shown us how Nagi was betrayed and how he met his droid friends.
Instead of just telling us about it in the intro text, these scenes could have been shown at key moments, even in the form of quick sequences of disjointed panels, strings of memories, flashing through the mind of the Jedi when he faces mortal danger. It would have made me care more for the characters and be more emotionally invested.
The themes Tsukumo presents could have been explored more. The idea of a Droid Paradise and conflicted programming is so juicy, there are some Blade Runner-ish vibes here and there, and I feel that there is just much more that could have been done!
Overall impressions & Review Card
Star Wars Visions: Tsukumo is a really satisfying volume. It left me surprised; it was fresh and different, and it features some really cool character designs.
Actually, now that I mention character design – there are two pages at the end, showing us really neat sketches and explorations of Nagi and the Jedi Assassin droid, and I wish the bonus materials were more extensive, cause I am a sucker for character design and concept art!.
It also has some small nods to both the prequel and the sequel films, which makes it feel well-integrated within the trilogies.
The manga balances well between quiet moments of contemplation and dynamic action scenes. You get your peaceful tea-drinking as well as your frantic saber-swinging.
But most of all, Star Wars has always been about the choices we make, light or dark, selfish or selfless, and Star Wars Visions: Tsukumo fits into that tradition while bringing in its own exciting twist.
Star Wars visions: TSUKUMO
Format
Manga
ERA:
Publisher:
VIZ Media
RELEASED:
July 14, 2026
volume:
1 of 1
LENGTH:
208 pages
Story and art by:
Eiichi Shimizu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi
For:
Manga Fans,
Star Wars: Visions fans
Similar:
Star Wars: Visions – The Manga Anthology
Strengths
Self-contained
Fascinating droid lore
Dwells on philosophy
Weaknesses
Could benefit from more backstory depth
Very quick read
Ratings
Final Verdict
4.0
Average of the first 5 Categories
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