What do you recognize a Star Wars aficionado? The number of aftershocks he or can she cite by heart? To his collection of objects or to his increased knowledge of all the news of the Lucasfilm franchise? All that, at the same time. Of April 18 to 20, 2025Disney organized its now traditional Star Wars Celebration in Tokyo. Next to 100,000 visitorsfrom 125 payssurveyed the corridors of the Center of Convention of the Japanese capital. We were on site to cover this meeting with pop culture. A Great first for the WorldOfSoftwarebut also for me, a bottleded film at the Space Opera by George Lucas, but never skipped the step of participating in this kind of events other than for professional reasons. I was wrongly thought that only unconditional fans were invited to the party.
Various community, but even passion
In costume or not, the arms loaded with collectible objects or last Lego, Hasbro and Hottoy innovations, is always a smile on the lips and the bright eyes of enthusiasm that participants of the Star Wars Celebration. Whether they are 10 or 90 years old, fans of the saga congratulate themselves for their choice of costumes, exchange homemade stickers, but also and above all discuss the announcements made earlier. In the lines of expectations, several hours long, we sing and we dance to the rhythm of the original music of John Williams.
But the most blatant, apart from the multiplication of present cultures and nationalities, is above all the way in which the saga managed to find the way to everyone. While the costumes of Chewbacca, Dark Vador or Palpatine are omnipresent, we also meet a lot ofAhsoka, De Neel (Skeleton Crew) and even small BD-1 droids (Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order). Video games, animated series and even novels, all supports and universes are represented and have the same importance for the community.
Several of the visitors will say it, to support Star Wars For years, Lucasfilm should no longer speak only to those who discovered the first adventures of Luke Skywalker in 1977 in the cinema. Even if it means offending his most fervent admirers, The stamp multiplies approaches and tones. It can be said clearly, each of these proposals has found its audience. Even The Acolyteyet largely denied by a part of the public, raised the voices of the public on the scene of the Celebration Live when Manny Jacinto appeared with his brand new helmet, Hasbro gift. This fervor is beneficial for many actors and actresses, sacrificed on the altar of the Fandom in the early 2000s.
We obviously think of Hayden Christensen whose performance in The attack of the clones et Revenge of the Sith was not unanimous, but which ignites the Star Wars Celebration has each of its appearances. Recorded by spectators and worshipers of the original trilogy, it represents a monument of popular culture for children from the 2000s. The Star Wars Celebration is thus an opportunity to shed light on this face of the stamp, too long rejected by a part of the community. It even looks like the controversial choices of the most recent trilogy do not only have detractors, it only takes a look at the many Cosplay of Rey Skywalker to understand that the heroine still has many admirers.
Great show
In addition to the prospect of being able to afford the new features in terms of derivative products and to put on its most beautiful cosplay, visitors also hope and above all have the exclusivity of images from the next Star Wars projects in the cinema and on the small screen. Lucasfilm is not mistaken, reserving the very first sequence of The Mandalorian and Grogu Only spectators of the Celebration Stage. In the immense building, a few thousand fanatics of Star Wars could see Dave Filoni and Pedro Pascal go on stage and present the one that everyone expected firmly … The Rogu puppet. Sigourney Weaver was also there, the interpreter of Ellen Ripley was acclaimed for her first foray into this emblematic franchise.
It must be admitted, it is also very difficult not to chant the names of the characters And to get into the game of this unique show. Disney is definitely able to do it. If we obviously feel that the firm arrives in conquered terrain, we are seriously starting to doubt that a “fatigue Star Wars” Never was felt. The Acolyte et Skeleton Crew have not fulfilled their hearing objectives, or even critical reception, the print of the good god was given to the uncompromising god after having attended the various panels for which some are ready to wait more than five hours.
The announcement of the arrival of Ryan Gosling obviously recalls that of the return of Robert Downey Jr to Marvel, with the same welcome spotlight on the future of the franchise. If some American media had already sold the wick, there were many hiccups in the assembly and the sequence. We even surprised to be enthusiastic, even though the future of Star Wars We seemed particularly dark. The Star Wars Celebration is also that, makes each advertisement a big show and an event not to be missed. The formalization of Maul : Shadow Lord Make the spectators jump and the change in the animated stable was on everyone’s lips.
A new hope?
After more than a decade of disappointing productions in the cinema and anecdotal series on Disney+, Star Wars appear to be a turning point. The announcements of the Star Wars Celebration 2023 are almost no longer topical and we can feel a certain hesitation on the side of Lucasfilm. After reaching summights of profitability with L’Ascension de Skywalker In 2019, is the saga capable of reproducing such a miracle? Have Disney+ series already tired the spectators? Can video games make sure more than reason convince?
At the end of a weekend rich in ads and meetings, I found myself seeing a glow in the very dark tunnel of the very distant galaxy. In the midst of passionate and exciting people, we remember that Star Wars It is also and above all that, an invested community (sometimes too much) and which makes the saga live far beyond the simple cinematographic or television proposals. We spread our eyes when he saw the suitcases of derivative products that some spectators hang out, the beating heart of Star Wars From the start. They are enthusiastic, whatever the announced product, the proposed series or the promoted film. While we often tend to say that the imagination of George Lucas has not interested anyone since his visit to Disney, it is clear that he captivates at least 100,000 visitors from around the world.
However, these same fans, are often a brake for stamping. Between the Review Bombing, some of which have been victims, harassment against the actors and even the propensity of Lucasfilm and Disney to make the slightest desire for its audience a reality, I was rather convinced that the saga was entangled in a toxic relationship with its most fervent admirers.
Yes, Lucasfilm often listens to his fans too, yes they often know the license better than the creatives to the project manager but yes, the license can still have something to tell. The broadcast of the first episodes ofAndor Convinced me that the immensity of the very distant galaxy had not yet completely explored. It will probably be necessary to wait until 2026 and the release of The Mandalorian & Grogu To find out if the mutation of the cinema license is on the program. On Disney+, we will bet that the simple existence ofAndor is proof that there is still something to have hope. A new hope?
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