Anime Review (with spoilers!):
RWBY Volume 5
Rating: 9 out of 10 stars
Overview
Pros
- Memorable heroes
- Effective villains
- Unique weapons and apparel
- Interesting character naming rules
- Phenomenal fight scenes
- Interesting setting
- Original music
- Attractive intro
- Balance of comedic and dark moments
- Groundbreaking American Anime
- Beautiful art style and animation
Cons
- No specific cons, just overall felt like a 9 star volume.
Observations
- Animation much better than in early seasons
Review
First off, I want to say that the cover art from this volume, shown above is beautiful. There is only one part I don’t like about it and that is the fact that Blake is several times the size of the other characters – that seems to make the whole image somewhat asymmetrical. A small complaint for an attractive piece of cover art.
RWBY Volume 5 was released in 2017 and was created by Rooster Teeth. Rooster Teeth teased this volume by saying:
The huntresses of Team RWBY continue to search for answers on their individual journeys toward Haven Academy. Will the four finally reunite? What fate awaits the broken world of Remnant?“
Rooster Teeth
Where pros or cons were too similar to the information in reviews for previous seasons, I did not include details. See other reviews for more information.
Spoilers beyond this point!
It is so refreshing to see Weiss finally escape the trap of her family home by airship. The pilot is not just an extra–although he remains nameless and is killed off quickly. His refusal to help people in need is very human, but he is not just one note.
Weiss vs. the Lancers is an interesting battle to watch, with Weiss utilizing the cargo of dust to obliterate her enemies. The crash is unfortunate but not unexpected, and the pilot’s subsequent death is not shown. I think that it should have been shown or at least alluded to, even though it can be implied since Weiss is the only one to emerge from the wreckage.
I also like that Oscar Pine’s first words to Ruby are “You have silver eyes.” If you remember, those are also Ozpin’s first words to Ruby. This underscores the similarities between Ozpin and Oscar and points to the fact that eventually their souls will merge and become one. While tragic, I found this choice to be creative and to raise the sense of loss that permeates the RWBY series and rears its head from time to time, such as in the death of Pyrrha.
Adam’s coup was also well-executed and tragic. Sienna Khan, the head of the White Fang, was interesting–I wish we had seen more of her. There is a trailer that shows her in action a bit more, but that’s about it. Hazel is exceedingly polite when he deals with Sienna, and is clearly disappointed when Adam kills her.
I love Vernal’s name because it suggests Spring. All signs point to her being the Spring Maiden, so when Raven is revealed to be the Spring Maiden instead, it comes as a shock.
We get to learn more about the semblances of the heroes. Ren can mask emotions, while Nora can channel electricity into power. She discovered her semblance by accident.
Struck by lightning, didn’t die. Crazy Thursday.
Nora Valkrie
Jaune’s semblance is only revealed when he heals Weiss by amplifying her aura. He can do the same with his own. It is great to see Jaune developing in power and character.
I love how Blake tells Sun that she tries to understand people by a single word representing what they stand for. For Ruby, “purity.” For Weiss, “defiance.” For Yang, “strength.” Adam is harder for Blake to pin down and understand. At first, she thinks he represents “justice.” Then she amends that to “passion.” Finally, she if forced to admit that Adam embodies “spite.”
Illia’s crush on Blake is sweet and poignant, but makes their rivalry even more intense. It is good to see some representation of LGBTQ+ characters.
Weiss truly realizes who she is as a person when she defies her family and leaves them for good.
I am more than a name.”
Weiss Schnee
The final battle between Raven and Cinder is epic. Yang confronting her mom is one of the best scenes too.
You might be powerful, but that doesn’t make you strong.”
Yang Xiao Long to Raven
The songs in Volume 5 are not as good as some of the others from the earlier seasons, but they are still fun to listen to. Posting some good ones from Volume 5 below.
The trailer is beautiful and exciting, using the song “The Triumph.” It definitely got me interested in what was to come.
Overall, I would recommend this volume and RWBY in general to anyone who enjoys anime and epic battles. I would say that the overall series is best for ages 13 and up, even though this particular volume might be okay for people who are younger. This my not my favorite volume, but I still found it very enjoyable.
Links
The Queer Schizophrenic 