When I first heard of this show I never thought I would watch it beyond just curiosity at this indie passion project, let alone review it professionally. I was barely interested in the first volume, but the more I watched the more the setting and cast captivated me. In fact, the sheer grandeur of the most recent volume convinced me to actually review it. I will admit that I wasn't impressed by RWBY's start, but honestly, when it started who expected this indie web series to become the astounding masterpiece it is now?
Story: The story starts out very straight forward but gets deeper and more complex as time goes on. It has a way of taking very common storylines/themes and while sticking to the typical guns with them in a lot of ways the show provides a unique spin on them. A big way it does this is with the characters, which definitely fit certain archetypes but have a depth and emotional connection strong enough to make any used plot line feel fresh and new. It's a high fantasy that methodically unveils the secret history of the world through multiple characters and at different points in the plot. All in all, RWBY is one of the greatest western fantasies of all time, with spectacular action to boot. The action is also quick but easy to follow, none of that minute-long inner monologue during the fight garbage.
Art: I was not a fan of the early volume's art style, however the later volumes are some of the best in western animation. But the show doesn't have enough sakuga scenes. When it does shine, though, it does so nigh-perfectly. Action packed moments that are animated well in the show are great, and its Monty and the RoosterTeeth animators doing their job right.
Character and world-building: The characters designs are great. The characters themselves are constantly growing and each offer a unique perspective, whilst the world-building is simply phenomenal and really differentiates itself from the lazy world-building in modern western animation. There is a huge learning curve for the main characters, and you are really able to see them grow in terms of ability and character. All the characters learn and grow through their character arcs which is incredibly relatable. Ironwood is an amazing character and his philosophical dissension with Oz is wonderful.
Music: The music is god-tier and fits every moment perfectly. The opening and closing credits also contain excellent songs and imagery that change to match the tone of each arc. The intro's and outro's, rather than being a jumble of random scenes like most shows, give subtle hints as to how the story will unfold. Only as you progress will you be able to appreciate how much thought and intelligence went into making them. Plenty of shows make a custom soundtrack for the show, but RWBY is the best and Jeff Williams masterfully incorporates the show's themes and the character's psychology into the soundtracks.
Criticism: RWBY has a really slow start, I only watched the whole thing by accident. But I do appreciate the attention to detail in the early volumes, I only caught most of the mythological and fairy tale allusions and foreshadowing on my second viewing. Many viewers don't understand the character interactions, world-building and set ups in the early volumes, leading them to drop or hate the show. The arcs are also very long for how short each volume is, and some viewers might have already lost interest or forgotten vital information foreshadowed before by that point. It's necessary for the pay offs later but many viewers might have already dropped the show and missed its greatness.
I just wish Monty could see the fruits of his passion project, thank you for creating this GOAT show.
