Series Scan: RWBY

I am a SLOW binge-watcher (and reader). Two hours is about my limit, after which I need processing time. I also enjoy watching online reviewers, and reactions to things that I’ve previously watched, so why not take the time during a slow binge to chronicle my own reactions and speculations?

RWBY. I’ve heard good things. Only looking at RWBY Volume One here. Too much on the plate already, but I wanted to make time for at least this, given what I’ve already been exposed to tangentially. Plus Scott D very nicely leant me his disc, so I don’t have to burn any additional online bandwidth (I’ve been going over lately, don’t have unlimited).

Already interesting is there’s a “watch as movie” option. I’m going to go by Episode though, even if they are only about 10 minutes (which makes sense since this started as a web series). How stand alone are they? Let's find out. (Hm, the menu looks the same as “Scene Selection” here... well, we’ll see if I want to stack chapters later.) For those unaware, "Stream of Consciousness" is me typing into a file as I watch, "Thoughts and Theories" is written before I continue on.

Chapter 1: Ruby Rose

Stream of Consciousness:
-Hope ignites change, yay. Dusted? It’s a decent narrative setup. Nice crystals, er, dust. Yeah, Red can’t really hear with those on. Wrong thing to say? Nice scythe. Hah, the guy’s reaction. A *shooting* scythe, Fate (of Nanoha) would be envious. Air travel, level of tech, gauged. Hm, blonde’s got skills. Ooh, I kind of love magic circles, I won’t lie. Battle scene. Ooop, Red’s in trouble. Silver eyes, okay, relevant? Fast cookies! So there’s a history there. Huntress desires, Red talks so fast but I’m okay with this. “Nice to meet you”, hehah. Yellow’s the older sister, interesting. Right, a normal desires angle is typical, also Red’s extra smart. Your name is kind of an Oz throwback there, eh blonde? It jumps from there to an AMV for Ruby... oh, wait this is the OP, new track, I’ll come back to that.

Thoughts and Theories:
 Really good way to handle setup. Protagonist powers (cool scythe), world powers (magic circles!) an antagonist, a setting, a couple characters (why are the sisters’ last names different??), and off we go. One can learn from this. ^_^ I’m guessing we’ll spend a couple chapters assembling the cast and building back up to this level of threat again.

Chapter 2: The Shining Beacon

Stream of Consciousness:
-OP: That’s interesting. I like it. There’s the primary four, the villains, the secondaries (I wonder why they linger on the guy), the school. Interesting art choice, just shadow outlines for the non-main characters. Red went Chibi. O>o;; Clever way of reverting. Yeah, kind of agree with Red too, weapon as extension of self... “Crescent Rose”, okay. Heh, Yellow has shadow friends. White is bossy rich? Sneeze was telegraphed. Oh, it’s Black. Dropping exposition. Liking her. Even if she was fleeting.
-Oh, hi Jaune. So it was him on the ship. (Jean Arc?? How French.) “So I got this thing” hahaha. Um, is Jaune the comic relief? ^^ “Wouldn’t it weigh the same” hahaha. Strangers cliche. “Nice quirky girl” in the background there? Yeah, White is annoying. (That really didn’t seem like much of an explosion before??) Interesting speech. Yellow, oh my, such interests. Ruby has decent friend math. Oh my, Yellow again. “I don’t know help me” hahaha! Okay, actual names now. Good point on the reading, I’m liking Black too. Oooh, bonding! Interesting animation choice there. Aaand White is back, fade out.

Thoughts and Theories:
That gets the main characters in, and you know who they are, because they’re not “background shadows”. But we all have to start somewhere, and I’ve done worse in my comic. Ruby’s nice, energetic, the young one trying to fit in. Weiss is an annoying prima donna, but my own character Carrie was like that, so we’ll see where they go with it. Blake’s the “smart one”, who keeps to herself. Yang is outgoing and I need to stop my eyes wandering with her. >.< They all have various personalities, I’m looking forward to seeing how their weapon elements fit in. I feel like Ruby’s the specialist there.

Chapter 3: The First Step

Stream of Consciousness:
-OP again (guess having it back is a difference from the movie view, but I like it). Orangehair-heart-girl speedtalks like Ruby. (Nora, ok.) So you can’t plan teams? Sister squabbles. Yang has that weird asymmetry leg thing going on. Milk, sure, eyeroll. Jaune IS the comic relief, nice conversation wipe. Pyrrha, she was in the OP! Weiss sucks up? Jaune interjects. “Hello again”, hah, liking Pyrrha. D’awww, she got marshmallow cereal. And a spear.
-More silhouettes in line. Hmmm, they can’t rotate teammates for the best synergy? Weird system. Eye contact? Death, huh, I feel like there were waivers signed?? Heh, no questions then. Sunglasses, natch. Yang, you are having too much fu-- pffft, was that an ad lib? Pyrrha also has gun abilities, oooh, the transforms. OMG, that was sweet, kinda love Pyrrha. We all know who you’ll end up with, Ruby (though comic bow-kittenish Blake thought is fun). Weiss, you are ridiculous. (I like how the reversal was done though.) Ruby, you’re trying too hard. Oooh, glowy eyes. Wait, wtf is it?

Thoughts and Theories:
I don’t see Weiss warming up any time soon, or Ruby toning down, and that seems to be the central conflict. Kind of hope we’ll see Yang and Blake friction, I may find that more fun. Loving these weapons (which was a major selling point for me trying the series out), we’ll be seeing those soon. Guessing the hunt/protect thing will end with the next Chapter? (Still major villains out there too.) Of the new characters, I’m all over Pyrrha, guess she’ll end up with Nora (less a fan) and her crush too.

Chapter 4: The Emerald Forest

Stream of Consciousness:
-I wonder about the statue in the OP. Oh, sweet, Yang. “Nope”, heh. Okay, she’s got fight gloves. What does it take to phase her? OH. THAT. ‘K. And Blake has an extendo whip thing? Weiss, seriously, posture? Okay, the hilt sword thing is neat-- oh, Ruby, sheesh. Can either of you “team”? Oh brother, you’re both clueless. Pyrrha, you’re very wordy. Aura drop info is handy. With a neat action scene. Guh, okay, Lie’s badass. Jaune is Aura-man for skill then. Weiss is dragging Ruby down. >.< Yay, fave pair is back. Chess? That’s a monster, isn’t it. Yuuup. And Ruby falls in what now?

Thoughts and Theories:
Well, the show’s good at the little cliffhangers. Not fond of Ruby/Weiss, they’re not even trying to learn about each other. (Weiss ice AND fire thing is interesting though.) The rest fare better. (I note more than 8 people were launched out there, and am okay with the focus, as long as they don’t forget.) I figured we’d be further along, but they’re giving Jaune some character, so alright. Pretty sure they’ll all have to work together now?

Chapter 5: Players and Pieces

Stream of Consciousness:
-Context, maybe? Ruby, sigh. Oh Jaune, bad aim. Nora, Nora no. Blake, you’re awesome. Yang’s got the red eyes once more. “She’s gonna fall.” Uh, Jaune, who’s got you? “Now we can die together”, well, the comedy’s working. Ruby, learn how to team! Ooh, feather attack. THANK you, Weiss (good call on having her get the save, she needed redemption). You are kinda trying to show off, Ruby. “Run and live.” Didn’t call it but I like it.
-Nora fires hearts, of course, and W. T. F?! Redeems herself there with that weapon. Blake, I didn’t even see all of that, whoa. They’re... not doing great at the protection thing. Their jumping works though. Pyrrha, that’s badass. Nora, HOW IS IT YOU CAN PHYSICS? Yang’s miffed at bird. Weiss magic circles, oooh. Ooh, ooh, that’s ooh. Okay, damn. Music cut out at just the right time too. “That was a thing”, hahahaha. (Oh yay, they’re acknowledging other people.) So, JNPR, Juniper, plus RWBY. An interesting year indeed. Back to evil, natch. City of Vale? Hmm.

Thoughts and Theories:
So, the team leaders seem to be the people who can think while under stress. Doesn’t mean they’re necessarily people persons. I’m still lukewarm on Weiss and Ruby (and Jaune), but I like what they did there, and I like their weapons. Actually, the people I’m hesitant on have the coolest weapons (NORA HOW CAN YOU PHYSICS?) and vice versa. Like, Yang’s fist things, meh, Nanoha StrikerS vibe (granted, same from Nora), but her attitude, OMG, lovely. Plotwise, they’ve set the stage very well in the first half; will Evil be trying to recruit from the school next, maybe? Or could just be a random encounter like in Chapter 1. Don’t really have enough data yet.

Chapter 6: The Badge and The Burden

Stream of Consciousness:
-Ruby, what IS wrong with you? It’s morning. “Unpack and clean,” Blake’s becoming my fave. (Ninjas of Love? I saw that, Blake.) School outfits are kinda neat. How am I feeling bad for Weiss now? Why are they ALL going to be late to class?? Vale, and three other kingdoms are safe havens, ooh, nice exposition cloak. Why is Beowolf up there? And Death Stalkers? (Oh, that’s the scorpion.) And Nevermore? (The raven, eh?) Now he digresses. Ruby, really? Yeah, I’m with Weiss now. Blake has a pennant, hee! I feel like there could be collateral damage in class. Ooh, that’s not good. Well, Ruby’s kind of trying to help? Ooh, I wonder about the different coloured magic circles for Weiss.
-Oy, more Weiss/Ruby butting heads, and Weiss isn’t going for the easy mark of Ruby not being disciplined or scheduled, she’s on about youth and leadership, sigh. Also “I deserve better” doesn’t help. It’s not making me like Ruby more, it’s pulling Weiss back down. Uh, now sucking up to teacher? “That’s preposterous.” The headmaster Ozpin’s kinda cool. Needing to perform at best. “Poor attitude”, yeah Weiss. Interesting intercuts. Weiss is a night owl? She brings coffee, okaaay? “That’s wrong, by the way” coupled with “wanting bunk beds”, I’m back to warming up to Weiss! (Are those credits different?)

Thoughts and Theories:
I suppose that was a necessary arc, I commented myself on the leadership issue last time. But I feel I’m back at square one, like my character expectations were lowered only to be reset. It’s not that I wanted action, I figured we’d pull back from that, but... maybe I really want to know more about Blake, and I’m bitter we’re not getting that. Or background on the weapons. (We did get some on the geography though.) Next?

Chapter 7: Jaunedice

Stream of Consciousness:
-Jaune, you need tactics. Pyrrha’s nice. It’s been weeks, eh? (Hey, where’s mah Blake?) Lie, you are a good counterpoint to Nora’s hyperness. Dream, HAH. Wait, this is a a JAUNE ep?? Aw, cute bunny. Cardin name drop, locker thing is weird. Cute BRITISH bunny (wait, they’re real ears? Faunus what now?). Coffee teacher is on coffee. There was a war? That’s cool history. (Real clever way of getting this stuff across.) Ooh, BLAKE, throwing shade! Teacher’s kinda cool, if proverby. Jaune roof humour. Aw, Pyrrha! Shocking reveal? He LIED, oh, whoa, explains a lot but must be more to it. Pyrrha’s still so nice. Jaune’s self-aware, that’s something - but he’s not Pyrrha aware. Oh, Cardin, THIS won’t end well. Yeeeah.

Thoughts and Theories:
Blake is becoming my runaway favourite with her little sidebars. MOAR BLAKE! And Pyrrah’s edging out Yang... I didn’t expect quite this much development for JNPR this early on. I guess it means the “big villain” angle is being shunted aside - after all, gotta show that they can handle SMALL villains before moving into the big time. Right? I presume? Do we even get to first year graduation by the end? There WAS a time skip here... dammit, more Blake, please.

Chapter 8: Forever Fall

Stream of Consciousness:
-It’s the JNPR group, and Pyrrah is less happy. Oh, Ruby gets a chance to help Jaune? It’s not coming here that was the bad idea, dude. “You’re a leader you’re not allowed to be a failure”, that’s not bad. Heh, okay, decent pep talk. Which didn’t work? How does a “Forever Fall” forest work, where do leaves come from? (Professor Peach what?) Jaune, do the right... dammit. They’re gonna pour sap on Jaune? Nora, you goof. Cardin, you jerk. You’re making HIM do it? Jaune, you are nuts, for even thinking about it. Kinda predictable result.
-Dammit Nora! Ooh, Jaune, did you aura? Ursa Major. Everyone’s in it now. Pyrrah knows what’s up. Uh, should Jaune be... ooh, nice. “What?” is a cool reaction. Polarity! Pfft, “magnets are cool too”. (So Pyrrah can control his weapons?) Well, that is a nice conclusion there. Ooh, oooh, better conclusion with Pyrrah coming! Yessss, oooh, I DO like her. (Yeah, these closing stills ARE different each time.)

Thoughts and Theories:
I guess we’re looking at two episode mini-arcs. I’ve decided I don’t like Nora, but her interactions with others are clever. Meanwhile, Lie and Blake, they’re the “we don’t really know you” ones in the background, figure they’ll likely stay that way to the end of this set. I guess there’s some final scholastic test coming up? We’ve gotta be switching back to RWBY for something epic, right? (Probably something that’ll make me want to watch Volume Two... I don’t know how popular this was when it first came out.)

Chapter 9: The Stray

Stream of Consciousness:
-Based on the OP, Blake’s totally a ninja. Party town? Guy on the ladder’s not a shadow, hmm. Vinyl festival? (Oh, Vytal.) Heh, Ruby. Visitors at the docks? Blake, my fave, quite the observer. Police investigation? At dust shop? Not for money, oooh. White Fang name drop. They’re misguided faunas? (Are they ninjas like Blake?!) They want to wipe out humans, huh? Blake has a point but now I wonder about her. (Is her bow cat ears thing a misdirect?) Connection back to Chapter 1. Fauna prejudice! Nicely set up previously - now lampshaded with theft? Oh, stowaway. Monkey boy. Kind of a jerk. What was that with Blake? OMG, this is a Blake ep?? Observation excuse. Nora? Or, no, just, girl on the ground. Penny. Sure. HAHA, have I said I love Blake and Yang? I do. Ruby’s so matter of fact about friendship.
-Penny’s back, oh, I see where this is going. Her teammates are funny. HAH, NICE self-aware Ruby/Weiss moment, HAH. Tournament? OMG, combat skirt, OMG, Blake, you make everyone better. (Now I’m looking at Blake’s outfit more.) Weiss can’t take a clue. She’s not wrong about the monkey necessarily but she’s generalizing, oh, the White Fang thing is a bad thing to pull in. Oooh. Go, Yang? Maybe do something instead? Oh, so that lasted into the night. Blake makes good point. Weiss has a history?! Family war, oh dear. Because of the dust. Ticking off her Dad. Okaaaaay, Blake dropped in the “We” there. Good speed, Blake. And to the statue. The ribbon DID hide ears! O.o OMFG. Was that Jaune? Or the monkey guy? Back to Ruby. Gone away. Nice that they’re searching. “You wanna know more about me”, YOU THINK? Closing stills are fauna this time (Penny’s gotta be one, right?) so that’s clever.

Thoughts and Theories:
This isn’t the “epic” that I thought it would be (nice little misdirect on the police case, I figured that was coming out of the background, but no), but man, I love it. As I bet you knew I would from reading earlier. Blake’s awesome metre is rising fast, but Weiss isn’t totally irrational either... of course, the fact Weiss needed redemption early on is (for me) giving Blake the high ground. The dynamics of the RWBY team are kind of crazy. Related, Blake and Yang, I ship them now. Also, wait, does Blake have REAL ears too, because... wouldn’t they notice? (Cosmetic surgery?) Uh... anyway. I guess the end of Volume One is them coming together as a full team at last (they’ve gotta pull Blake back in, right?). We’ll get Blake’s story, like why she’s in hiding, and then she’ll have to make a choice, maybe White Fang are even being set up by the big villain guy. Seems like a lot to do in 15 minutes. Whelp.

Chapter 10: Black and White

Stream of Consciousness:
-Nothing wrong with two days of weird looks I guess. “Holier than thou creeps” from the stowaway? Born into it, hm, meant to be a symbol of peace. This is kind of an amazing analogy. OHMIGAWD CHIBI YOUNG BLAKE. New leader, new problems, ahhh, that’s where the Weiss thing comes in. Respect versus fear problem, nice that she’s principled. OHHH, she can make the bow twitch. OHHH. Yang has a good idea. Penny also sneaky. Yang vs. Tumbleweed, Yang loses, HAH, oh no, TUNA? Ruby vs. Tumbleweed, it’s still winning. So they ARE trying to crack the case. Monkey-boy is kinda using logic? Hm, then Weiss logic. And Ruby trying to explain things. “Is she a man?” Oy oy.
-Crates. Blake still principled. Air, no tumbleweed? Oh dear. “Deep down I knew”. Oh, but there’s more to this now, nice callback. “Oh for fu--", heh. Blake’s pretty bold. Memo? Blake’s in trouble now. AH, I hope her reflexes... whoa, nice. Uh oh, monkey boy may get hurt. He has a weapon though, okay. Blake’s back, what is she using? Numchuck staff? Cool. Yup, Red’s back. Penny’s as bad as Nora. Penny W. T. F?!?!? I like how her blades look like the snowflake symbol. AN ENERGY WEAPON TOO? And strings, and uh, uh, uh, uh. Good question, Ruby. Aaaand the villain gets a good line.
-Weiss... ooh, she was thinking? Aww, yeah. Even uses “someone else” versus a slur. I’m not sure how I feel about Monkey either, to tell the truth. Penny is part of a secret organization? Headmaster’s eavesdropping. I can’t believe they did all that in UNDER 15 minutes. Lots of “thanks” there in the credits, that’s actually seriously cool. The song’s not bad either. NOW comes the setup, natch. Oh, and there’s a woman behind it, who can make fire. That makes sense, more girl power.

Thoughts and Theories:
Everything was well constructed. Like, REALLY. They couldn’t sensibly do the Blake stuff until they had enough world building, and they used that time to flesh out the secondary characters. While Weiss, the most difficult personality (and with her dust company, key to the big plot), was handled first. (Yang did get short shrift, as they relation shipped her with Ruby and had her flip out about her hair but little else.) They also had the villain nicely bookend things (except of course, he’s not the MAIN enemy).
I feel it got a bit rushed at the end though. The Penny stuff might have been better left for another volume - except it was badass, so I can’t fault it. I guess she’s an artificial intelligence? (It would explain some of her mannerisms and wherever she was hiding weapons.) Actually, does she run on dust, maybe? (I’m still not clear on technology in a world that has air vehicles and transforming weapons but not skyscrapers.) Is that why the bad guys want said dust so much, they’re building more of her? (Villain-guy wasn’t triggered by Penny, but he probably doesn’t know the end game.) Well, that’s my theory for now. I wonder if it’s only happening in Vale, or if it’s all over.

Quick extra word about the voice acting too, because you can have a great script and decent animation but if you don’t have the voices, that can torpedo things - and this didn’t. They seem to understand their characters well enough. (I still wonder if Yang’s quiet “nailed it” was some sort of ad lib.)
Well, the world is built (oh, and nice parallels with the faunus racism) the characters are likeable, time to see if they can dance? I’ve heard that Volume 3 is where things go totally nuts. Having taken a look at the "extra features" I think I can also extrapolate to Ruby being taken in by Yang's family, so there's probably pathos from that too.

I’ll probably try to find time to stick with this, if I can? The chapters are short. Not sure if anyone would care to see my thoughts as I go beyond though. Let me know. It does take extra time to format these... in fact I’m pretty sure I’ll drop “Stream of Consciousness” and only go with the Thoughts afterwards.
If you liked this post, previous Series Scans have included looking at the To Aru "Sisters Arc" in both "Index" and "Railgun" simultaneously, and where "Erased" went wrong with time travel. Or simply feel free to drop a comment below (ideally avoiding spoilers). Thanks for reading!