Star Wars: Guardians of the Whills – The Manga (Volume 1, often listed as v01) is a 2021 manga adaptation published by VIZ Media. It was released in the US on August 10, 2021 (though some early announcements mentioned a May 4, 2021 date, it shifted).
This is a single-volume manga (not part of a multi-volume series) that adapts the novel Star Wars: Guardians of the Whills by Greg Rucka. It serves as a prequel story to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, focusing on the fan-favorite characters Chirrut Îmwe and Baze Malbus before they join the Rebellion.
Key Details
- Story Summary: Set on the holy moon of Jedha, it follows Baze and Chirrut as Guardians of the Whills protecting the Kyber Temple amid rising Imperial occupation and local tensions. They face moral dilemmas about maintaining peace versus getting involved in resistance efforts (including interactions with Saw Gerrera), exploring themes of faith, guardianship, and compromise.
- Adaptation: Script/adaptation by Jon Tsuei, with artwork by Haruichi Subaru (also credited as Subaru in some listings).
It’s praised for bringing the characters’ backstory to life in a visually dynamic manga style, with expressive art that captures the spiritual and action elements well. If you’re a Rogue One fan, it’s a great way to dive deeper into Chirrut and Baze’s origins.
