REVIEW: ‘RWBY: Ice Queendom,’ Episodes 1-3

RWBY: Ice Queendom is an action/fantasy anime produced by Shaft. Ruby Rose has one dream. She strives to become a Huntress like her mother and help make her world a better play by defeating the evil monsters known as Grimm. But she has a long road ahead of her before she can make that dream come true. And if the Grimm doesn’t get her, her newfound classmates at the Beacon Academy just might.

The first three episodes of this retelling of the long-running series RWBY does a great job of introducing its main cast, the world they inhabit, and plenty of cool, stylish action to the viewer. While all of these elements come through brilliantly in the show’s opening chapters, it is the depth of personality given to the four members of the series’ titular team RWBY that truly make this story stand out. 

Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang form the core of this series’ narrative. Having been thrown together during the Beacon Academy initiation trial, these girls each bring their own strengths and weaknesses to the team. With the exception of Ruby and Yang who are sisters, the girls come from drastically different worlds and their outlooks differ greatly from each other. While these character clashes provide RWBY: Ice Queendom with a generous portion of drama, the show is careful never to push any of the personality conflicts too far. As someone who finds anime angst often passing into the realm of annoying I was pleasantly surprised to see the amount of restraint in the series Whether it’s the high-spirited Ruby or the often cold Weiss, each girl gives the viewer a reason to appreciate where their views are coming from, even if they don”t agree with them. 

Playing second string to the RWBY: Ice Queendom’s core cast in focus for these episodes is the world-building. There is a lot of detail woven into the background and structure of the world the show strives to introduce the viewer to. These introductions are paced skillfully, with the details tied into relevant moments in the story, allowing the series to avoid any overly-long explanations. 

The show does a particularly good job of establishing the series’ primary threats, the Grimm. Both in reputation as well as on-screen appearance, the Grimm delivers a variety of threats and challenges for our heroes to face. While an explanation of what the Grimm are is present, it is clear that there is more to the monsters than has been told, which adds an element of mystery to the creatures. 

Lastly, let’s talk about the animation. The numerous fight sequences that are scattered through RWBY: Ice Queendom’s first three episodes are visual treats to behold. With loads of style and flourish to the battles, the animation delivered by Shaft is sure to wow any audience. With high-flying acrobatics reminiscent of the Fate franchise, the battle sequence never fails to deliver a hearty helping spectacle. With each of the major characters utilizing their own unique weapons and styles, the combat manages to be as diverse in its presentation as it is gorgeous.

When all is said and done, RWBY: Ice Queendom is off to a magnificent start. The characters, world, and combat all provide their incentives to not only watch the show but to get truly invested in it. I can’t wait to see what comes next for team RWBY.

RWBY: Ice Queendom is streaming on Crunchyroll till June 26th. It will return on July 3rd for its official release.