In the early 2000s, production companies were trying to discover the best way to take advantage of the possibilities that the internet afforded them. Rooster Teeth was one of the companies that saw an opportunity in the creative landscape and established itself as a powerhouse production company with legions of dedicated fans. The company launched their flagship series Red Vs. Blue in April 2003, and the rest is history. That particular series is still going strong and has allowed the company to spawn countless animated and live action projects, video games, podcasts and even an annual convention. One of their most popular series, RWBY, sprung forth from the mind of Monty Oum near the end of working on the tenth year of Red Vs. Blue. This story had long been a passion project for Oum, and in 2012 he finally felt like he had the resources available to him to tell his story, along with the anime-inspired style he wanted to implement. Oum tragically passed away in 2015, but his crew has kept moving the show forward to become one of the most popular web series around.
For the uninitiated, RWBY takes place in the world known as Remnant, a land where monsters called Grimm are a constant source of danger. Grimm thrive on the fear and chaos they bring to the people. One of the ways the citizens try to fight back is by the training of young warriors called “Huntresses” or “Huntsmen” at each kingdom’s local academy. It is the Beacon Academy in the kingdom of Vale where we meet our titular heroes; Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Ruby’s half-sister Yang XiaoLong. Team RWBY are one of the greatest hopes to defeat the ancient sorceress named Salem, who is the source of the Grimm. To achieve this, the team must unite the four relics left behind by the former Gods. In addition the the battles with Salem and the Grimm, RWBY must contend with the internal politics of each land they must visit, which is easier said than done. There have been many thrilling and heartbreaking developments over the first six seasons, and with the recent season eight and nine renewal, this is a show that has many stories left to tell.
Since the beginning, the show has evolved in many interesting ways. As the seasons have progressed, the stories have moved along at a much more rapid pace. This far into the show, they expect fans to be familiar with what is occurring from episode to episode without needing to constantly reset for people to play catchup. With six years of episodes already in our rearview, we have also seen these characters develop from kids with distinct personality traits to fully fleshed out characters with deep emotions and complicated journeys. The success of the series also means an increase in the budget at their disposal, which has led to a significantly sleeker and more elegant animation style. RWBY is a fully realized property filled with dense storytelling, compelling characters and some truly visceral action scenes. The series is anchored by an animation style that fuses Japanese anime style with American animation practices. The toon-shaded two-dimensional look mixed with the three-dimensional production can be a bit difficult to get used to, but is really quite fascinating to behold once you immerse yourself in it.
RWBY is not a show that is easy to just jump into at any point. If you are coming into volume seven hoping to catch up as you go, you will find yourself missing out on a lot of the rich character development that has been laid out the prior six years. There are so many characters and dynamics at play at any given time that I would doubt it would be an enjoyable experience if you had not gone on the journey with these characters. Season seven finds RWBY arriving in the hardscrabble city of Mantle below the kingdom of Atlas. Much of the season hinges on the uncertainty of the allegiance of General Ironwood, who is deeply paranoid following the fall of Beacon. The show employs multiple subplots that keep you tuned into the characters, perhaps at the expense of a more streamlined story. This season is filled with great character growth and interesting dynamics, but it does feel a bit convoluted in the end. This season largely matches the high points of the previous installments, so fans who have not watched the latest season should find themselves properly entertained.
Video Quality
RWBY: Volume Seven comes to Blu-Ray with a dazzling and vibrant 1080p transfer in 1.78:1. The colors present in this transfer are practically leaping off the screen with the wide range of hues permeating the frame. This vividness is where the series truly shines. Black levels are very strong with no hint of compression artifacts or digital anomalies of the sort. Due to the animation style, textures and details are not the strongest. One of the oddities of the series is the lack of fluidity when it comes to character movement. These are aesthetic choices, though, and not a fault of the transfer or encode. This is a stunning Blu-Ray presentation that should more than please fans of the property.
Audio Quality
This release boasts an immersive DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that really packs a punch throughout these thirteen episodes. There is a significant amount of activity in the low-end due to the various fight scenes and other kinetic moments. Dialogue comes through clearly without getting overwhelmed by any competing sound effects or score. The track engages all of the channels with panning effects and sounds of explosions that really makes you feel like you are in the thick of the action. Warner Bros. has delivered a crackerjack audio presentation that brings this series to life quite nicely.
Special Features
- Commentary: Various cast and crew members show remotely due to COVID to discuss the show in general terms as well in more episode-specific detail. Hearing some of these tidbits helps me appreciate what the show accomplishes a bit more.
- Production Breakdowns: Five videos totaling seventeen minutes are included here which give you a detailed look at some of the most exciting sequences from the season. Three of the five videos include commentary to give you greater insight into what you are watching. These storyboards are really cool to get a look at in comparison to where it ends up.
- RTX 2019 – RWBY Panel: The hour-long RWBY panel at the annual Rooster Teeth convention featuring Miles Luna, Joe Clary, Barbara Dunkelman, Arryn Zech, Kara Eberle and Lindsay Jones. This is a fantastic addition to the disc, as it is so wonderful to see the real-life dynamics play out of the course of this panel. I love all of the playful ribbing and corny jokes.
- Concept Art Gallery: A selection of early artwork from the series.
- CRWBY Photos: An assortment of photos from the crew members who worked to make this show. These people are often unsung, so it is great that they are getting this small spotlight.
- Anim Jam: Five videos totaling fourteen minutes are included here which showcases some truly funny and inventive shorts from the Rooster Teeth family. All of these brought me joy, but Human Beans probably made me laugh the most. This collection of videos is by far my favorite supplement on this set.
- Trailers: A fourteen-minute selection of trailers primarily from the Rooster Teeth family.
Final Thoughts
The seventh volume of RWBY maintains the quality of the previous installments as it delves into the depths of paranoia. These characters are wonderfully nuanced and complex in a way that makes the show really watchable. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has provided a Blu-Ray with a spectacular A/V presentation and some noteworthy special features. Those who are fans of the series will find a lot to love in this package. Recommended
RWBY: Volume Seven will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray and Digital on October 13, 2020.
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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
