RWBY: Ice Queendom : Episode 1

Current Episode Score: 7

I’ve always been a RWBY fan, been watching the series for awhile and always enjoyed. So learning that they were getting an anime adaption, I just had to watch it. And first impressions are really mixed. As a general package it is much better; visually it looks better, they are setting up the story better, introducing more and a variety of characters that will play roles in the future. It is just a much more complete and well rounded show than the original was.

But I can’t help but walk away kinda disappointed. I feel like it is lacking so much of the charm that the original web animation had. It doesn’t have the same fight fluidity and style that Monty brought to the original. The voice actors just feel off and wrong, I’m watching a reverse dub essentially when I hear the characters talk. And the biggest sin is they changed the music, or at least didn’t use the original soundtrack. Which was a solid 40% of what made the original web animation so good was the amazing Jeff Williams soundtrack that was backing up all the fights.

So as a complete package, it is much better. But as a fan of the original, I come away disappointed. I will stick with it, and kinda want to see how closely they follow the original. It also has convinced me to go re-watch the original.