How to Watch Star Wars Animation: An In-Depth Guide

Star Wars animation is a vast world teeming with weird and wild tales, alien species, exotic planets, and loads of lore. It contains some of the most thrilling storytelling in the Star Wars galaxy. It has Jedi and Sith, pirates and droids, battles, rebellions, and insurrections.  Plus, clones and witches, holocrons, and hidden temples!  Oh my!

Depending on the show, it can be heartwarming or gut-wrenching. If you’ve watched the final episode of The Clone Wars, “Victory and Death,” you’ll know what I mean.

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With Star Wars animation, there’s something for everyone: kids, grownups, and those in between. Trust me, it’s a blast!

Why Watch Star Wars Animation?

You may be wondering if Star Wars animation is really worth your time. Aren’t the movies better? Well, that’s like comparing a Zillo Beast to a rancor or saying Mustafar’s more exciting than Hoth. They’re all awesome! And, if you love Star Wars, they’re absolutely worth checking out.  

Star Wars animation expands the known Star Wars galaxy in truly meaningful ways. Creators can work out of the box with epic battles, prominent alien characters, and a plethora of exotic planets, made possible without live action's financial and technical constraints. 

Animation fills in storylines between the movies and key events, giving us greater insight into our favorite characters while also introducing us to important new ones like Anakin’s Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, or rebel insurgent Saw Gerrera. Beloved characters have fleshed-out backstories and heart-wrenching character arcs. We learn more about Boba Fett and the clones, Darth Maul, Anakin, and Padmé.

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Star Wars animation dives deep. It gets mystical with Jedi visions, intra-dimensional journeys,  and strange worlds that would be hard to translate into live action. It also braves the dark side and the Empire, exploring their evil machinations in greater depth than the films.  

Plus, it’s bursting with thrilling action. There’s zinging blaster fire, lightsaber acrobatics, hand-to-hand combat, and starfighter battles galore. And, beneath it all flows a current of hope and friendship.

Best of all, Star Wars animation has more than double the content of live-action Star Wars. It can keep you entertained for eons.

About this Guide

When it comes to Star Wars animation, there’s so much content that figuring out what to watch can be daunting. Episodes range from half an hour to less than a minute when you include shorts and micro-shorts. Some series have a continual storyline. Others are episodic, so you can jump in at any point and watch in any order. Some feature the dark side, battle, and death, while other gentler shows are for the littles amongst us, though that doesn’t keep adults from watching them too!

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So, where to begin? This guide will explore the rich catalog of animated shows so you can decide what interests you, whether you’re a youngling, Padawan, or wizened elder.

Continuous Stories in Star Wars Animation

‍Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008-2020) 

“The Clone Wars saved my life.” These were the words a bookseller told me in 2020, during the heart of the COVID lockdown. It was a difficult time for me (and the world), and his words inspired me to dip my toe into the galaxy of Star Wars animation. The Clone Wars was my entry point, and holy stars, did it take me on a deep, immersive journey into Star Wars storytelling.

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When it comes to Star Wars animation, some of the most moving and incredible storytelling can be found in The Clone Wars. This seven-season series from creator Dave Filoni is phenomenal, with action-packed battles and high-stakes excitement. At its heart, it follows Anakin Skywalker, his Padawan Ahsoka Tano, and Obi-Wan Kenobi. We also closely follow various clones, coming to love them as they help the Jedi fight the separatists and seek to protect the Republic. 

There is so much lore and storytelling here. Not only do we explore the main characters and clones, but we also learn more about Padmé, R2-D2, C3P0, Yoda, Mace Windu, and Darth Maul! We even meet the Night Sisters and Asajj Ventress.  

The Clone Wars originally aired in 2008, and the earlier seasons' more dated animation style reflects this. But with each year, the animation grows even better. 

Here’s the Intel:

Rated: PG

Set during The Fall of the Jedi Era and the Prequel Trilogy  

Tie in:  The Mandalorian and The Bad Batch  

Seasons:  7

Episodes:  133, averaging 27 minutes

Available on Disney +

Star Wars:  The Clone Wars: The Final Season (2020)  

While season seven of The Clone Wars is included above, this CGI animated season deserves special mention. When Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2014, The Clone Wars was canceled after season six before filming its final episodes. Yet the public’s desire for the story’s conclusion was so strong that Disney and Lucasfilm took notice and, six years later, in 2020, premiered the final and most powerful season of all.

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These 12 episodes center around Ahsoka Tano. They shed light on Anakin’s fall to the dark side of the Force and the implementation of Order 66. Season seven also introduces Clone Force 99, which will reappear in The Bad Batch. I won’t give any spoilers, but the final season centers around Ahsoka’s growing connection with Rex, Bo Katan, and Darth Maul.  

The Clone Wars animation keeps getting better each season, and the last episode, “Victory and Death,” is especially gorgeous.

For more on the Clone Wars, check out Youtini’s Essential Guide to The Clone Wars!

Star Wars: The Bad Batch (2021-2024)  

The Bad Batch is one of my favorite animated series. This PG-rated show begins where TCW ended with the implementation of Order 66. Clone Force 99 — Hunter, Tech, Crosshair, and Wrecker — are defective clones who discover a young girl clone named Omega on the planet Camino. For some mysterious reason, the Empire has dark plans for her. Other beloved clones make appearances, such as Rex and Echo.

The action is tight and the animation fresh. The Bad Batch fights to protect Omega from the Empire while growing ever closer to her and becoming a true family in the process. We see Omega learn from some of the best warriors in the galaxy, growing into a formidable warrior herself under the watchful eye of her brothers.

The Bad Batch sheds light on the early years of the Empire as these disenfranchised clones take missions as mercenaries. We watch the crew splinter and struggle to survive, not only from the Empire but from other clones, their own brothers, who now fight with the Imperial Army. We witness the destruction the ruthless Empire wreaks upon worlds. We learn more about the Empire’s fledgling attempts at cloning a vessel strong enough to hold Darth Sidious, which ties into The Rise of Skywalker. Not only do we witness the fate of Kamino, but we meet Fennec Shand and Cad Bane and discover how Rex and Echo become members of the Rebellion.

In season one, some viewers weren’t huge fans of Omega’s youthful animation style, but with each additional season, she grew more beloved and badass. Dave Filoni and the creators of Star Wars animation are nothing if not adaptable. They constantly evolve their art and storytelling, and with each season, The Bad Batch's animation grows ever more exquisite.

The Bad Batch was created by Dave Filoni, Carrie Beck, and Simon Kinberg. 

Here’s the Intel:

Rated: PG

Set during The Reign of the Empire Era 

Tie in:  The Clone Wars and The Rise of Skywalker

Seasons:  3

Episodes:  47,  averaging 27 minutes, with a 51-minute season finale

Available on Disney+

For more about The Bad Batch, check out Youtini’s podcast Bounty Hunt.

Star Wars Rebels (2014-2018)  

Rebels aired seven years before The Bad Batch, which shows in its animation style. But it takes place 15 years after Order 66, during the Reign of the Empire Era.

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This CGI animated series centers around the force-sensitive orphan Ezra Bridger and the crew of the Ghost: former Jedi padawan Kanan Jarrus, Twilek pilot Hera Syndulla, the Lasat Jeb, Mandalorian Sabine, and the grumpy but ever-so-wonderful astromech droid Chopper. They run dangerous missions for the fledging Rebellion while evading Imperial inquisitors intent on hunting down sentients strong in the Force.  

This show is a definite fan favorite. Ahsoka Tano returns as Fulcrum, a spy for the Rebellion who will face her former master in an epic battle. Thrawn plays a major role in his first-ever screen appearance as the Imperial officer hunting down the Ghost crew. Darth Maul tempts Ezra Bridger to the dark side and faces Obi-Wan Kenobi in a final, moving encounter.  Bail Organa and Princess Leia make appearances, and Force creatures abound, like the Loth-wolf, space whales, and the enigmatic Bendu. As if that’s not enough, Rebels introduces the Darksaber!

Rebels was created by Dave Filoni, Carrie Beck, and Simon Kinberg.  The animation style has a youthful, cartoon-like look but grows ever smoother as the show progresses.    

Here’s the Intel:

Rated for children 7 and older

Set during The Reign of the Empire Era  

Tie in:  Ahsoka and The Mandalorian

Seasons:  4

Episodes:  74,  averaging 24 minutes, with a 48-minute season finale

Available on Disney+

Although it’s rated for kids, it has heavy themes about the dark side and loss, so adults will love it, too! 

Four Star Wars Rebels Shorts episodes are also available on Disney+.

Star Wars Rebels shimmers with lore, mysticism, excitement, and action.  For more about it, read Youtini’s Essential Guide to Star Wars Rebels!

Star Wars Resistance (2018-2020)  

This 3D animated series hit the scene in 2018 and tells the story of Kazuda Xiona, a young pilot sent undercover as a spy by Poe Dameron to seek intel on The First Order. Along the way, he has wild adventures and gets into heaps of trouble with his friends.

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Creators Dave Filoni, Carrie Beck, and Kiri Hart designed the series with cartoon-like anime-styled visuals, which is fitting as it’s rated for kids. However, I know adults who are crazy about Resistance, too.

Here’s the Intel:

Rated for children 7 and older

Set during The New Republic Era  

Tie in:  The Sequel Trilogy

Seasons:  2

Episodes:  40,  averaging 26 minutes

Available on Disney+

Star Wars:  Young Jedi Adventures (2023-present)

Let’s hyperjump back in time, centuries before A New Hope, to the era of the High Republic when the Jedi were at their prime. Younglings — Kai, Lys, Nash, and Nubs — travel the galaxy as they learn to become Jedi. Along the way, they experience new worlds, creatures, and plenty of challenges. Yoda is here, too!

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Young Jedi Adventures, created by Michael Olson, is lavishly colored and a bright delight with sleek starships, exotic planets, alien creatures, and wild adventures. Even if you’re not a youngling, Young Jedi Adventures is a treat. It’s the first show to bring us the High Republic, which ties into the live-action series The Acolyte. It expands the lore and immerses you in a galaxy of friendship, exploration, and the Force.

Here’s the Intel:

Rated for children of all ages

Set during The High Republic Era  

Seasons:  2 (season 2 debuts August 14, 2024) 

Episodes:  25:  averaging 27 minutes 

Available on Disney+, Disney Junior on YouTube, and starwarskids.com.  

Young Jedi Adventures Shorts, 5-minute episodes, are also available. 

For more on The High Republic, check out Youtini’s High Republic HQ!

Star Wars Animated Episodic Series

You can jump into an episodic series at any place or time. Kind of like making random hyperspace jumps without getting lost or utterly disintegrating.  

Star Wars: Droids: The Adventures of R2-D2 and C-3PO (1985)

General Leia Organa once said, “Never underestimate a droid,” and this series will prove it!Droids takes place between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. Years before Artoo and Threepio ever meet Luke Skywalker, they have their own crazy adventures and run into loads of trouble.

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Droids has become a cult classic, with Anthony Daniels voicing C3PO and special appearances by Boba Fett and IG-88.    

Here’s the Intel:

Rated for children 7 and older

Set during The Reign of the Empire Era  

Seasons:  2

Episodes:  14,  averaging 24 minutes with a 48-minute season finale

Available on Disney+

Ewoks (1985) 

Considered the sister story to Droids, Ewoks centers around Wicket on the forest moon of Endor and takes place before A New Hope. It is full of Ewok adventures and even features the Death Star!

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Here’s the Intel:

Rated for children 7 and older

Set during The Reign of the Empire Era  

Seasons:  2

Episodes:  26,  averaging 24 minutes 

Available on Disney+

Star Wars Anthology Series

Anthologies bring us stand-alone stories, usually with new settings and characters in each episode.  This means you don’t have to watch a series from the beginning in order to know what’s going on.  That being said, the Tales anthologies do follow certain characters for multiple episodes.  You don’t have to watch from the beginning, but doing so can be especially satisfying.

Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi (2022) 

In 2022, showrunner Dave Filoni brought back his beloved creation, Ahsoka Tano, for three episodes in Tales of the Jedi. But that’s not all. Three more episodes feature Count Dooku and his relationship and growing split with the Jedi Order.

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Tales of the Jedi occurs during The Fall of the Jedi Era and offers meaningful insight into some of our favorite characters, particularly Ahsoka Tano, voiced by Ashley Eckstein. If you have ever been astounded at Ahsoka’s capacity to battle Darth Maul and Darth Vader, the episode “Practice Makes Perfect” will relieve any doubt. In it, Anakin’s training of Ahsoka is so hardcore it makes the clone troopers uncomfortable. It brought me to tears to discover that Anakin’s very training is what gave Ahsoka the ability to survive Darth Vader.  

Tales of the Jedi brings Yaddle to the screen and devotes an entire episode to her! She is the other mysterious Jedi from Yoda and Grogu’s species and has been written about in both Canon and Legends novels.  

Here’s the Intel:

Rated PG

Set during The Fall of the Jedi Era

Tie in:  The Clone Wars and the Prequel Trilogy

Seasons:  1

Episodes:  6,  averaging 16 minutes 

Available on Disney+

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire (2024)  

In 2024, Dave Filoni brought us Tales of the Empire, expanding upon the characters of Morgan Elsbeth (The Mandalorian and Ahsoka) and Barriss Offee (The Clone Wars). The first three episodes span Morgan Elsbeth’s life, beginning as a young girl on Dathomir and leading up to her mysterious encounter with Ahsoka in The Mandalorian (S2E5 “Chapter 13:  The Jedi”).

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The final three episodes feature Barriss Offee, former Jedi Padawan and friend of Ahsoka Tano.  During the Clone Wars, Bariss was imprisoned for crimes against the Republic. In Tales of The Empire, we learn what the Empire has in store for this powerful force user who betrayed the Jedi. Will she join them to become a ruthless Inquisitor? Or will she resist the dark side and redeem herself?

Here’s the Intel:

Rated PG-13

Set during Fall of the Jedi and Rise of the Empire Eras  

Tie in:  The Clone Wars, The Mandalorian, Ahsoka 

Seasons:  1

Episodes:  6,  averaging 15 minutes each

Available on Disney+

Star Wars: Visions (2021-present)

Star Wars: Visions is a series of shorts set in alternative timelines, introducing characters and worlds we’ve never met before. These stories aren’t Canon. Instead, they’re portals to exotic alternative galaxies.

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With Visions, Lucasfilm wanted to invite the world’s best anime studios to play in the Star Wars galaxy. Season one focuses on seven studios from Japan, while season two expands to studios in Spain, France, South Korea, Chile, the UK, India, Japan, South Africa, and Ireland.

The result is an eclectic array of styles and storytelling from various cultures, with art ranging from anime to expressionism. Some pieces are dark and beautiful, others are fun and cute, but none are ever dull!Star Wars is a global phenomenon, and watching these talented studios interpret the Force and themes of Star Wars through their own creative and cultural lenses is fascinating.

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If you are an ardent fan of animation and love to see Star Wars expressed in unique and creative  ways, Visions is the show to watch!

Here’s the Intel:

Rated PG

Set during alternative timelines 

Seasons:  2

Episodes:  9,  averaging 15 to 20 minutes long

Available on Disney+

Star Wars Shorts and Micro Shorts

As if that isn’t enough animation to keep you entertained for eons, there’s even more out there to explore. Micro shorts are little blasts of animation lasting 3 minutes or less. They’re usually aimed at younger audiences, but there’s always a Star Wars devotee who’s watched them all.  

If you’ve got little ones or you want to watch everything ever made in the Star Wars universe, then check the following out:

Star Wars: Clone Wars (2D Micro Series)  (2003)

Genndy Tartakovsky created his award-winning Clone Wars in 2003, five years before Dave Filoni’s CGI version came out. The series occurs between Star Wars episodes 2 and 3. It follows Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, various Jedi, and the clones as they battle the Separatists and their droid armies. It also introduces Asajj Ventress for the very first time!

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This series has a total running time of two hours and 14 minutes. It originally aired on the Cartoon Network for three seasons, totaling 25 episodes. It’s now available in two volumes.  Volume One: Chapters 1-20 contain two- to three-minute episodes. Volume Two: Chapters 21 - 25 has 12-minute episodes.

Tartakovsky’s Clone Wars won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program and led to The Clone Wars of 2008. Truth be told, the animation style is dated. But, if you want more of the Clone Wars and Anakin Skywalker, you won’t want to miss it.   

It’s rated for children 7 and older. You can watch it on Disney+

Star Wars Forces of Destiny (2017-2018) 

This series of shorts features the heroines of the Star Wars universe. All our favorite heroines are here:  Leia Organa, Padmé, Rey, Sabine, Ahsoka, Qi’ra, and more!  

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Two seasons contain 16 three- to five-minute episodes each. It’s rated for ages 7 and up.  You can find it on Disney+ and YouTube.

Star Wars Galaxy of Adventures (2018) 

This collection of micro shorts is an absolute gem. The animation is bright and stylized. The music is powerful and moving. Galaxy of Adventures retells iconic moments from the Star Wars films in short bursts of animation with sound and dialogue from the actual movies. All our favorite characters are here: Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Obi-Wan, Anakin, Padmé, Dooku, Rey, Yoda, the Millenium Falcon, our favorite droids, and plenty more!

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Episodes average around one minute, though some are longer. They are available on the Star Wars Kids YouTube Channel and starwarskids.com.

Star Wars Roll Out (2019)

Roll Out is for the little ones. It features characters from the sequel trilogy as adorable characters shaped like BB-8. Rey, Finn, BB-8, Maz Kanata, Chewie, and the Porgs roll their way to exciting adventures. It even features a young Ben Solo! The animation style is simple and bold. There’s no dialogue but lots of sound effects to enjoy.

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There are 17 episodes available on Star Wars Kids YouTube and starwarskids.com. Most episodes average around 2 minutes.  

Star Wars Galaxy of Creatures (2021-2023)

This show is a delight! We accompany droid SF-R3 (Aree) from the Galactic Society of Creature Enthusiasts as he travels the galaxy to study fearsome and exotic creatures. There are ice spiders, puffer pigs, moon dragons, rancors, mynocks, and plenty more.

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The animation is a bright blast of fun, and the little ones are especially going to love it. 

There are 17 episodes available on Star Wars Kids YouTube and starwarskids.com. Most episodes average around 2 minutes. 

Star Wars Galactic Pals (2022)

Galactic Pals is the sister show to Galaxy of Creatures. Droid M1-RE (Miree), with the Galactic Guide of Creature Enthusiasts aboard the Youngling Care Space Station, studies the behavior of younglings from across the galaxy. From Wookiees to Ewoks, Jabbas to Jawas, there’s never a dull day aboard this space station!  

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Well over a dozen episodes, averaging 1 to 2 minutes in length, are available on Star Wars Kids YouTube and starwarskids.com.   

For more on microshorts, check out Youtini’s Star Wars Archives podcast, episode 54, “Animated Shorts.”

LEGO Star Wars

And then there’s LEGO Star Wars. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but diving into the Holiday Special lifted my spirits and had me laughing all the way through. LEGO Star Wars is ridiculously fun. They’re for kids, but they’re witty and smart, and adults love them, too.  

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There are so many of them that they warrant their own guide. You can find 14 of them on Disney+. Some fun ones include Terrifying Tales, All Stars, Droid Tales, and the Holiday Special.

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The upcoming LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy will debut on September 13, 2024. 

And There’s More!

As if that weren’t enough content to keep you enthralled for ages, there’s even more.  

On Disney+, you can find Zen -Grogu and Dust Bunnies, Star Wars Rebels Shorts, Young Jedi Adventures Shorts, and loads of the LEGO shows.

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Star Wars Kids and YouTube have Young Jedi Adventures Shorts, Relax, Blips, and LEGO Star Wars.

Conclusion

Star Wars animation is a world that thrills with excitement, magic, and lore. It has something for everyone and every mood. Some series take you on heart-wrenching journeys, while others offer a fun, light-hearted ride. With Star Wars animation, prepare to embark on a captivating adventure filled with epic friendships, gripping battles, and the power of the Force in a galaxy far, far away.