Polygon's review of The Ninth Jedi, a Star Wars anime series from Production I.G., presents it as a much-needed creative highlight for a franchise currently under strain, following the box-office failure of The Mandalorian and Grogu, the postponement of Ahsoka season two to 2027, and the cancellation of The Acolyte. Expanding on the original Star Wars: Visions short, the eight-episode series is set in a distant future where both the Jedi and Sith have faded, and the review praises it for reworking familiar Star Wars imagery into something that feels fresh rather than derivative, while still speaking to the saga's core themes.

The story follows Jedi master Margrave Juro, who seeks to rebuild the Jedi Order to oppose the warlord Nawaam, while sabersmith Lah Zhima, held captive by Nawaam, is forced to help construct a galaxy-conquering kyber crystal weapon resembling a black hole. The review singles out Nawaam as a genuinely menacing villain in the mould of Darth Vader, and praises Zhima's daughter Lah Kara as a well-drawn young Force-user, though it notes that the alien character Homen is underused and some new species feel thinly sketched. Overall, the review concludes these are minor flaws in an otherwise vital and well-crafted addition to the franchise.