“Rise of the Bounty Hunters” is broken into two episodes starting with “The Holocron Heist” (Episode 1) and ending with “Cargo of Doom” (Episode 2).

The premiere season episodes feature the bounty hunter Cad Bane (who we saw in last season’s cliffhanger), and his crew of various mercenaries set upon wreaking havoc among the Republic.

Cad Bane is hired to acquire a Jedi holocron which contains the identities of children with the force. According to George Lucas, the Cad Bane character was influenced by gunslingers in Westerns, and that type of character has been influential to the Star Wars universe since the first theatrical film.

From the looks of the trailers the new season definitely appears to be much darker than the previous season, which according to USA Today had an audience of 3.3 million viewers. Check out one of the previews posted on YouTube below (be sure to click the HD button for higher quality):

The “Halo Legends” stories will explore the “Halo” universe, a place set hundreds of years in the future which chronicles battles with alien invaders known as the Covenant . The game’s hero, Master Chief, discovers the aliens are setting up “Halos” across the universe which could eventually lead to its elimination.

“Halo Legends” will officially be presented today at Comic-Con San Diego. Microsoft’s 343 Industries (who published “Halo”), will produce the series with creative direction from Shinji Aramaki (Appleseed”) and Mamoru Oshii (“Ghost in the Shell”).

“The opportunity to work with talents such as Shinji Aramaki, Mamoru Oshii and others from some of the greatest anime studios is a very rare opportunity for Microsoft,” said Frank O’Connor creative director for 343 Industries.

No doubt the anime series will be produced in high-definition. A preview of select “Halo Legends” episodes will make their first appearance on Xbox LIVE this Fall, through a new “Halo” focused portal called Halo Waypoint.

Microsft says Warner Home Video will distribute the episodes as a collection, with no other schedules or details revealed.