‘RWBY’: Volume Nine Blu-Ray Review – A Unique, Interior Diversion For The Long-Running Series

In this new installment of adventures, the Huntresses are pulled into an unknown world, where new adventures await and before long, they quickly realize the Ever After is not all they believed.  As they journey to find a way back home, they’ll have to overcome some of their toughest challenges yet – the struggle of their own identities, and whether they’re equipped to stop Salem.

For previous thoughts on RWBY, please check out our Blu-Ray reviews of Volume Seven and Volume Eight. 

For thoughts on RWBY: Volume Nine, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic: 

[youtube https://youtu.be/Kzb-KRvQnOg?si=0f3-2jwdsYbM_b4h&t=4227]

Video Quality

RWBY: Volume Nine arrives on Blu-Ray with a resplendent 1080p transfer in 1.78:1 that captures the series well. The colors on display in this transfer radiate off the screen with a wide range of hues saturating the frame. This visual dynamism is where the series truly shines. Black levels are also quite robust with no hint of compression artifacts or unintended digital anomalies of the sort. The animation style does not allow for terribly complex textures and detail, but it is in line with the intended aesthetic. While not as seamless as other productions, the series has become more technically adept since its early days. This is a top-notch Blu-Ray presentation that fans will enjoy having on their shelves. 

Audio Quality

This release serves up a powerful DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that executes the sonic intentions famously. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear without getting drowned out by any competing sound effects or score. The low-end delivers a significant amount of heft during the fight scenes and other kinetic moments. The soundscape engages all of the channels with panning effects and unique sounds within this new world which allow you to get lost in the story. Warner Bros. has delivered a tremendous audio presentation that brings this series to life as well as you could dream. There are optional English SDH and French subtitles provided. 

Special Features

• Audio Commentary: Various writers and directors come together for every episode to discuss the show in general terms as well in more episode-specific details in a way that is very fun for fans. Hearing these discussions only broadens your appreciation for the show. 

• Script To Screen: A ten-minute comparison that shows various chapters from the show in script form, early animation, and final animation states simultaneously.

• RWBY Chibi: Nine installments of the web series are provided totaling nearly 13 minutes which offers a humorous spin on the franchise. 

• • Cool As Coco (2:00)

• • Love Life (1:08)

• • Tai The Sub (1:22)

• • True Blue (0:52)

• • Cardin’s Club (1:11)

• • Master Thief (0:59)

• • He Does It All (1:34)

• • Behind The Scenes (1:43)

• • Bad Criminal (1:30)

• RWBY Fairy Tales: Six episodes are provided of the series featuring the stories included in the book RWBY: Fairy Tales of Remnant.

• • The Hunter’s Children (7:04)

• • The Shallow Sea (5:58)

• • The Indecisive King (7:11)

• • The Girl In The Tower (5:26)

• • The Grimm Child (5:15)

• • The Warrior In The Woods (6:32)

• RWBY Round Table Complete: A great 43-minute discussion that features Kerry Shawcross, Eddy Rivas, Lindsay Jones, Erin Winn, and Barbara Dunkelman. This offers a deep exploration of the season which fans will really appreciate. 

• RWBY Volume 9 Art Gallery: A five-minute look at some of the designs from the season in the early stages of creation. 

Final Thoughts

RWBY: Volume Nine is a unique chapter in this long-running story. Instead of expanding on the rich lore that has been built up over the last decade, this journey proves to be a more character-driven endeavor. Less forgiving types might be apt to call this a throwaway season, but that would do a disservice to the time taken to flesh out the interior lives of our characters, even if we may not always approve of the direction taken. We hope this story continues to evolve and deliver what we love in future seasons, but this season is satisfying for longtime fans. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray featuring a favorable A/V presentation and a significant amount of special features. Recommended 

RWBY: Volume Nine is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.