Star Wars: Hanransha-tachi
Star Wars Rebels

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This is my first review here on MAL, and as a lifelong Star Wars fan, and newcomer to manga, this feels like the perfect place to start. This is a manga adaption of the Star Wars Rebels animated show, and in my opinion it does an excellent job of that. Currently there is only one volume available in English, with a second on the way in Sept 2021, and there seems to be some form of production holdup in Japan currently, sadly, so who knows if or when we will see more volumes.

The story is basic, and is meant to act as a stepping stone ... into the world of Star Wars. You're introduced to a fourteen year old street rat, Ezra Bridger, who knows nothing about anything, other than how to survive in his harsh, Imperial-occupied homeworld of Lothal. As he slowly meets new people and sees new places, learns new things, you do too. It really is a beautiful way to be introduced to Star Wars, and I think this manga may very well be a good enough adaption that someone could pick it up and get into the franchise for the long-term.

As a huge fan of the show, I can tell you that this adaption follows it fairly closely, but leaves enough room for writing and art to shine in its own way, separate from the show's take on the characters and world. Of course much of it is the same, but we see some more from certain characters, and the exaggerations in expressions and actions really help to bring out a lot of what may otherwise be lost in the original 3D animation. At rare times, panels can be hard to decipher, with too much information crammed into a small cut-away, but other times, there's a beautiful spread that gives a wonderful feel of motion and helps you feel the impact of the actions going on.

So in summary, go check this out, the first volume at least, and see if you can get into it. If you're a fan of the show, definitely give it a read. And if you have tried reading this but couldn't quite enjoy it, I highly recommend the show!