“The Mandalorian & Grogu” A Grand Space Attraction (Spoiler-Free Impressions)🌌

I went to see the movie "Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu" first thing on its opening day. 🛰️A summary of my impressions is at the end of this post.🛰️

Speaking of Star Wars, it is not only about the mythical story of the Skywalker family, but also the story of the battles of the people living in the galaxy🌌. This time, the story depicted the love and bond between the lone bounty hunter, the Mandalorian, and Grogu, also known as Baby Yoda, throughout their mission journey.

The protagonist, the Mandalorian, was that boy who lost his family in Episode II - The Clone Wars, Attack of the Clones, Din Djarin. A war orphan born amidst the war between the Republic's Jedi and the Separatist Count Dooku. An impressive scene after justice had collapsed🎬—it was only a fleeting bit of foreshadowing, but another story had begun from there. It is quite an ironic tale. The galaxy is likely not something that ends with simple good versus evil.

The Mandalorians are called bounty hunters; they are a separate lineage from the Jedi, cannot use the Force, and live hiding their true faces and scars under their armor—they felt somewhat close to modern people. Personally, I like the protagonist, the Mandalorian. He is not a hero chosen by gods, he cannot use the Force, he does not carry a lightsaber, and he does not belong anywhere completely. Yet, he is a person who possesses strong ethics and beliefs to survive.

Grogu, known as Baby Yoda, is very cute and is a child of the same species as Yoda. While being targeted as an experimental subject by the Empire, he met the Mandalorian through a mission. However, he chose to protect Grogu over the bounty, and gradually became like a guardian. It was also a story of lonely individuals slowly becoming a family.

As long as Grogu is there, the lone wolf Mandalorian should not be completely alone. However, even within that parent-child-like bond in the work, there is a somewhat unavoidable sadness drifting due to the differences in lifespan and existence between the Yoda species and humans. Even so, I felt that the belief itself, like "if I'm going to die anyway, I will fight without giving up until the end," was their pride. And perhaps that symbol is the Beskar armor.

Another character that left an impression was the Hutts, who also appeared during the Clone Wars era. They are a massive mafia crime family in the Star Wars world, and while they look like giant slugs🐌, they are quite dangerous beings who control the galaxy's underworld. This time, it was also a story where the Mandalorian side gets caught up in a commotion surrounding Rotta the Hutt (a rebellious and spoiled mafia prince). I will refrain from saying more as it would be a spoiler, but it is a work that feels quite like a "space gangster" movie.

Also, the power of the starships that appeared, such as the Razor Crest, was amazing. However, I feel a little sympathy for the miserable end of the long-legged AT-ATs every time.

In a word, the journey of the two fighting this time was like a perfect warrior duo that transcends parent and child. In the Star Wars world, it is typical of the Mandalorians that they are neither "all-encompassing light" nor "absolute darkness," and the sense of refreshment after watching it was strong.

The theme song that played at the end was also impressive; it started as a grand symphony like a space hero drama, then suddenly changed to a folk-like atmosphere at the end, or sometimes had a light and fun air like a Disney work. Perhaps the movie was quietly calling out to us, "The grand space attraction ends here, please return to reality now."🌏

The movie as a whole is not the type of story that digs into mythical depth, but the movie felt quite like James Bond (mission execution) + Iron Man (Marvel-style hero) expanded a million times to an incredible space scale. It is a bit harsh and I apologize, but... as an attraction-style sci-fi that you bathe in with your whole body, it was a masterpiece, and the impact from the monster's perspective was also perfect. I think this is a work that should be seen in IMAX Laser."

On Friday at TOHO Cinemas Shinjuku, it seemed they were screening it simultaneously on at least 5 screens, and they had IMAX Laser, IMAX Laser 3D, MX4D, Dolby Atmos, and both subtitled and dubbed versions available! I was happy to receive a limited poster as well.

I am usually the type who is drawn to the space mythology side of Star Wars, so I don't have a strong passion for watching movies in theaters, but I thought I should use a ticket that was about to expire... so I went to see it. The merchandise line was huge from the morning, so I gave up on buying goods.🌌

The IMAX Laser was truly wonderful, and it was a fun entertainment time where I felt like I was bathing in space with my whole body🌌🛸❣️

Summary of impressions👇

🛰️A story of love and bonds through a mission journey; strong ethics and beliefs for survival are their pride
🛰️Rather than digging into mythical depth, it is a sci-fi movie packed with monsters, gadgets, and space wars
🛰️A work that should be seen in IMAX Laser, feeling like James Bond-style mission execution + Marvel-style hero expanded a million times to a space scale

Postscript 2026.5.23

Since it is a story in a different series from the main Skywalker Saga, and the saga-like mythical elements are somewhat weak, personally, I feel that the title "The Mandalorian & Grogu — A Star Wars Movie" fits the position of the work better. It is truly another Star Wars story.

However, if it is made to look too much like a spin-off, it likely affects the box office. Perhaps the intention is to leverage the popularity of the Mandalorian and Grogu while simultaneously pushing it strongly as a "Star Wars movie."