Star Wars: Path of the Lightsaber, the New Kenny Ruiz Manga That Expands the Galaxy

The Star Wars universe keeps expanding across every possible format, and now the iconic galactic saga will have a new manga adaptation. Star Wars: Path of the Lightsaber is the title of this story that will join the franchise's official canon and will be illustrated by the talented Spanish artist Kenny Ruiz. Viz Media will handle its publication throughout 2025, and a first promotional illustration has already been shared, generating great excitement among fans.

Plot: between the Jedi legacy and the search for identity

This new story will be set between the events of Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, exploring a period that has been little developed in the franchise's lore. The protagonist, Nioka, is a young inventor who dreams of following in the footsteps of the legendary Luke Skywalker. His fate changes when, while exploring the remains of an abandoned ship, he finds a lightsaber. However, his discovery will not go unnoticed, as other forces with darker intentions are also after the artifact.

Additional details about the plot and its connection to the rest of the Star Wars universe will be revealed during Star Wars Celebration 2025, which will be held in April in Japan, an event where Lucasfilm usually presents major announcements.

Manga and Star Wars: an increasingly close relationship

Manga has been a recurring medium for expanding the mythology of Star Wars. From adaptations of the original trilogy, such as Star Wars: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi, to original stories like Star Wars: Lost Stars and Star Wars: The High Republic: The Edge of Balance. Recently, The Mandalorian: The Manga has shown that the format is an excellent way to bring the saga to a new audience and offer fresh perspectives on already known characters. In Spain, many of these titles have been published by Planeta Cómic.

Kenny Ruiz: Spanish talent serving the galaxy

The choice of Kenny Ruiz as the illustrator for this work has been met with enthusiasm. Born in Alicante, Ruiz is a veteran of comics and manga, with a career that includes work for Disney and the publication of standout works such as Le Chasseur d'Éclairs and El cazador de Rayos. His popularity within Spanish manga was cemented with Dos Espadas, originally published by Ediciones Glénat and recently reissued by Norma Editorial.

His ability to fuse Western narratives with the visual dynamics of manga has led him to work on projects as diverse as Soum, based on Malefic Time by Luis and Rómulo Royo, and Infinity: Outrage, inspired by the Infinity miniatures game, with a script by Víctor Santos. He has also contributed to specialized magazines such as Tezucomi and Planeta Manga.

His most recent work, Team Phoenix, has been a collaboration with Tezuka Productions, in which he reinterprets classic characters by the "God of Manga," Osamu Tezuka. Published in Bessatsu Shônen Champion since 2021, the series concluded with five collected volumes, four of which Planeta Cómic has already released in Spain, with the fifth scheduled for February 12.

Expectations and what's to come

With Star Wars: Path of the Lightsaber, Kenny Ruiz not only takes his talent to a new level but also strengthens the presence of Spanish manga in the international market. The combination of his dynamic style with the Star Wars universe promises to deliver a visually striking experience with an engaging narrative.

Fans of Star Wars and manga can expect a story full of action, exploration of Jedi mythology, and a protagonist who will seek his own place in the galaxy. Without a doubt, this release will be one of the most anticipated of 2025.