Nintendo made a Star Fox anime 10 years ago, and you can watch it for free on YouTube

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie crash-landed in theaters on April 1. But even before this frenetic sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie was released, Nintendo and Universal Pictures unveiled a character poster for Fox McCloud, the protagonist of Shigeru Miyamoto’s Star Fox video game series. This was a surprise for all fans. How would the anthropomorphic pilot from a completely different Nintendo franchise slot into the Mario verse? And does this mean a Star Fox movie is in the works? Probably not, but in the meantime, you can watch an animated Star Fox short for free on YouTube.

Yes, this animated short, titled Star Fox Zero: The Battle Begins, came out a few days before 2016’s Star Fox Zero release for the Nintendo Wii. A 3D rail shooter that drew heavily from its predecessors, Star Fox Zero received mixed reviews for its awkward game controls and lack of a coherent plot line. This absence of narrative originality, however, didn’t stop it from becoming a best-selling title worldwide, even though it failed to perform well in Japan. The animated short, which was produced by Wit Studio (Attack on Titan, Vinland Saga) and Production I.G (Ghost in the Shell), with Miyamoto acting as supervising director, is based on the events of the 2016 game.

While Star Fox Zero: The Battle Begins is a sweet walk down nostalgia lane, the short is also accessible to complete newcomers. The team is introduced as Fox McCloud, Falco Lombardi, Peppy Hare, and Slippy Toad embark on an exciting adventure while en route to the verdant planet of Corneria. The young members laze around to discuss food and sightseeing in Corneria, but the elderly Peppy, who was friends with Fox’s late father, James, reprimands them for their carefree attitudes. Just then, an alert is sounded — a distress signal from Corneria’s leader, General Pepper. With the city under attack by military commander Andross and his forces, the Star Fox team hatches an impromptu plan to protect Pepper and help save the day.

The short, which is just under 15 minutes, does an excellent job of reminding us why the Star Fox games are so beloved. A lot of love went into this quick promotional tie-in, in which 3D computer graphics were used for the character models to convey dynamic movement. These 3D elements blend well with the 2D backdrops, keeping the animation fluid during high-stakes action sequences with a lot going on. There are plenty of nods to the game, including a well-timed shout of “Do a barrel roll!” and Falco playing a version of the original SNES game at the beginning of the short. For newcomers, there’s a lot to glean from this fun little adventure.

Fox McCloud plays a significant role in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, but is it enough to reinvent the Star Fox franchise? While it is too early to deduce whether 2026 will be the Year of the Star Fox, there’s hope that we haven’t seen the last of our expert Arwing pilot.