Hello Shiquers and welcome back to Nerdy Shique Universe! Today is another review but this time it’s based on an animated series that ended its latest season and that’s RWBY!

RWBY Volume 5!

Disclaimer: This review is based on thoughts and opinions of the lead writer of this blog! Please respect her thoughts and warning there might be spoilers for anyone who hasn’t seen the series nor this volume. If you haven’t seen the series, I highly recommend and you can find all of the volumes on YouTube!

Synopsis: In this volume, we catch up with Team RNJR and Qrow finally reaching Mistral in order to find Huntsmen and Huntresses to join their team to fight the evil Salem. Once reaching Mistral, they meet Oscar, the new body of the deceased Ozpen who can switch between himself and Ozpen in order to bring advice and train them for the oncoming battles ahead. Meanwhile, Yang goes and finds her mother, Raven, to find her uncle and sister, Ruby, in order to get answers to questions that have been bothering her for a while now. While confronting her mother, she reunites with Weiss and gets a warning of walking away from Qrow in order to save herself from anything that may hurt her. And finally, Blake and Sun are still in Minagery in order to get the Faunus to fight Adam and the White Fang before they head off to Mistral in order to destroy the tower so their kind can rule again. Will Sun and Blake be victorious or will the White Fang capture her and take her to Adam? And what’s up with Cinder and her crew when it comes to finding the Spring Maiden to retrieve the Spring Relic? A lot of things happen in this volume as the twists and turns to keep the world safe gets even darker.

Thoughts: I have so many thoughts especially from Gondras since he had to play catch up in the end due to school and work. The story pacing in this volume lagged because it basically told everything taking place with Yang and Weiss and then a good part of it with Blake and Sun, and not so much with Team RNJR especially after talking to Leo Lionhart about what’s going on. A good chunk of this volume was dedicated to Blake and continuing what happened with her and Sun during Volume 4 which was good and all but that should’ve been resolved in the last volume than using a good part of this one for her. I understand that it shows how she grows as a character and what she needed to do but it could’ve been used to extend Volume 4 and then focus more on RNJR for this one since we find out what had happened with Ozpen’s spirit.

I found it interesting with what had happened with Ozpen since now it seems that he always reincarnates when he dies due to a curse casted by Salem. They’re saying with all of this story that Salem is trying to cause a lot of things in the world and one thing is getting not only the Four Maidens, which she had Cinder, but their Relics too and this volume was where they went to Haven Academy in order to get the Relic of Knowledge which is for the Spring Maiden. Apparently, Ozpen is also the one behind the original maidens which if you remembered that tale told back in Volume 3 it did play a big significant role. Anyone new?

Basically the tale is that four sisters who represent the seasons visit a hermit and bestow upon him their gifts. Winter tells him to meditate and reflect, Spring, the second one, revitalizes his garden by bringing fruit and flowers, the third, Summer, convinces him to step outside and embrace the world, and finally, Fall, encourages him to be thankful for what he has. The man gives the four great powers as thanks to the four in return.

Apparently, according to Wikipedia, the Maiden storyline didn’t really come to mind until halfway through Volume 2 and that is how Volume 3 came to be with what had happened to Amber, the previous Fall Maiden. I would suggest watching Volume 3 for that explanation of how it starts which leads up to what’s going on this volume.

So, with now knowing that Cinder is after the Relics for Salem, who knows what’s going on as in what does Salem want the Relics for? I know she has Cinder to work for her and looking for Spring in this volume in order to get the Relic from Haven but it’s not explained if it’s take over the world or something. I am hoping this comes up more in Volume 6 because I’m wondering if things will start coming out. As in, will we see the other two Maidens which the remaining two that haven’t been revealed are Summer and Winter.

Gondras thinks that Salem is Winter since she can use magic but during this volume it is revealed that she is the main big bad and that she wants all the Maiden stuff. Yes, she may know about all the stuff behind them but is she using Cinder and the Relics for something bigger? Yes, she can create Grimm and did make Cinder part Grimm in order to heal her but is Cinder also betraying Salem? Why do I ask that? During Chapter 12, “Vault of the Spring Maiden,” Cinder tried to kill Vernal in order to get the Spring powers thinking she can have more than one Maiden power. I don’t think that’s how it works because how a Maiden transfers their power is based on the last person in their thoughts and I liked how it was expanded when Yang asked her mom if Spring did trust her in her thoughts when she got the powers. So, I’m thinking another part of the transfer may be based on trust besides seeing that person in the final thoughts and the reason why someone can’t have more than one is due to how greedy a person can be? That’s my own thoughts about that!

Now onto Blake’s story! Again, it should’ve been resolved in the last volume or just done it with one or two chapters rather than extending it to Chapter 10. I love Blake but she’s not the only character in this entire series. Yes, it leads up to her being with her teammates again but it would’ve been easier if they shorten her spats with Ilia and the White Fang and then go to Mistral from there to meet up with Adam at the tower at Haven Academy. I do have to say that the end fight between her and Ilia was beautiful though! Rooster Teeth did an amazing job and Monty Own would be proud if he saw the fight. I did like how they did a “Behind the Scenes” thing based on it because it does take a lot of work in many fight scenes. I even have a hard time putting them together myself in text but how they animated it was well-done and with the Raven versus Cinder fight too. That put the powers of Fall and Spring to the test! But back to Blake, I wish they could’ve explained her relationship with Adam a little more when she was with the White Fang. I can see why he was obsessed with her especially with how he wanted her brought to him but I feel like he was forcing it and his attitude a bit too much. I loved how the actor over acted as Adam but there were some parts that could’ve been fleshed out especially the motive in getting Blake back. I did like how Blake stood up to him though towards the end of this volume. I have a feeling that we’ll be seeing more of the Faunus in future volumes because it seems like they were able to work with humans very well despite the past. The question is will they be trusted by the human race or will they trust them in future volumes? Time will tell!

Plus, with Adam being let go, this is going to be an even more interesting add on to the story. With him running off, the question is where will he go and did any of the White Fang follow him? Ilia did state that he may have been betrayed due to him running off and leaving everyone behind but when you look at it, a bad guy can always get new teammates and the question is that will he find Mercury and Emerald to form a new team or will he end up running into Salem? There are so many possibilities when it comes to what may happen next for him. I am now wondering what will Salem do next? There are many things that can happen due to the attack on Haven was thwarted by our main cast and characters but who knows what else she has up her sleeves. Leo did reveal to her that Ruby was among the ones who arrived at Haven before he was killed and I have a feeling she was satisfied to know that Ruby is alive after what had happened to Cinder all thanks to her eyes. Which brings me to the next point…

What Should Be In Volume 6!

1. Better Pacing: Yes! Rooster Teeth has acknowledged that the pacing int his volume was very slow. I can see how it was not the best due to coming off of what took place in Volume 4 and building up the story from Monty’s original idea of how the series is supposed to go. Yeah his brother is doing great since he did pick up as Ren but definitely the story pacing should be worked on. Next volume should be slightly longer if the pacing is worked on better.
2. More Stuff Involving Ruby! Since the pacing was off, we didn’t get to do much with Ruby herself. In the first four volumes we got to see her more and how she grew in those volumes as a character. The first was of course her being her usual young self and going to Beacon with her sister Yang and being a little wild due to being new. The second one we got to see how she interacts with her team more and even trying to get along with Weiss a little more and then the other students. Yeah, they do go on a big adventure with the one professor who has a coffee cup that turns into a bazooka, not kidding and Gondras wants to cosplay him, but we did see how the team got to grow and interact. Then the third volume comes around and that’s when crap goes down! And four, that is when she starts to grow and understand that survival in order to beat Salem is huge! Volume 5…I don’t know! I know that Ozpen/Oscar talk about her as if she was the best student but Ozpen does say she is a hard fighter and that’s it! Yeah we get to see her fight well towards the end but not much interaction with Ruby and she is the main character of this entire thing! Now I’m looking at my Ruby figure from my lunchbox and thinking, Can we see more interactions with you than Ruby Chibi? Yeah, if you seen that cartoon shorts series with all the characters, you see more of Ruby shorts than this volume!
3. What Happened to the Pyrhha Visions!? If you have seen Volume 4, in the beginning of the volume Jean and Ruby had dreams of Pyhrra and they haven’t happened since. I am still convinced that her spirit is trying to give them a message, especially Ruby since she did watch Cinder kill her! I’m hoping something gets mentioned about that because that was something that wasn’t explained yet.
4. A Love Fight Between Yang and Ilia! I know it sounds weird but during this volume, Yang and Ilia clearly have something for Blake and they both have the same reaction of, “Why doesn’t she look at me with those eyes?” Clearly there is something there but I know Blake may end up with Sun due to how well they worked out. Even thought it would be funny between Yang and Ilia next volume if they were to interact with each other.
5. Summer and Winter Revealed! Okay Rooster Teeth, five volumes down and we need to see Summer and/or Winter because things are definitely going down, especially with the criptic message from Ozpen about going to Atlas. It would be interesting to see which Maiden Salem wants next but I have a feeling one of them is in Atlas and it might be the next Relic location. It does make sense with Ironwood being involved with the whole Maidens thing after keeping Amber alive in Atlatian tech under Beacon in order to transfer the rest of her power. Who knows how that will happen but I definitely want to see Summer and/or Winter in the next volume after Raven being revealed to be the newest Spring Maiden.
6. Salem Revealing Why She Needs the Relics! Throughout this volume, Salem hardly revealed why she wants the Relics and since she has cursed Ozpen who knows why he wants him alive or kill him permanently since he has to be the one to get rid of her according to earlier in the volume. Who knows what Salem has in store for Volume 6 but I want to see what her plan is exactly and what’s the next phase? Will it be going to Atlas or seeing about Cinder being alive unless her power was transferred to someone as Fall Maiden? Hoping that is told in the next one.
7. Fall Relic Being Revealed! In this volume, Ruby asked Ozpen if his cane was the Fall Relic which is the Relic of Choice but Ozpen says it’s not and that it’s hidden away for good due to Cinder not being able to find it when she got her powers. It does make sense after Cinder being defeated by Ruby and how she ended up like she had in Volume 4, who knows what had happened to the Relic of Choice after the fall. Maybe Glenda Goodwitch sent it away or it might be found by someone who may have gotten Cinder’s powers if she had been killed because we don’t see her body in the Spring Vault anymore, we do only see Vernal’s.
8. The Silver Eyes! Throughout Volumes 4 and 5, Gondras and I have been wondering, same with the fans I hope, what is it with the Silver Eyes? In the Maidens Wiki for the RWBY Wiki, it says that Cinder was defeated by Ruby’s eyes and it’s not sure that is how a Maiden is defeated. It does show that a Maiden can be killed by normal means. It is a good question to ask since of course it is said that Ruby’s mom, Summer Rose, did have the same eyes so that means the same power. Gondras thinks that Ruby and Summer’s people were the ones who brought on Remnant. It is a good theory to think about but this is still unclear to what Ruby’s eyes stand for and hoping they get to explain it or that she uses the power again in Volume 6. Or maybe Salem might capture her and take an eye out, I don’t know but it is one of those things that should be explained.
Rating: 3.5 Star Paw Prints Out of 5! I would have given this a higher rating but the pacing kind of dropped the rating to this. I feel as though that the story could’ve been better and that we would have more RNJR moments since they are the surviving team from Beacon until now with RWBY reuniting. The fight scenes were beautiful, the music was amazing, however the story with this one was a bit off. I did like the Raven as Spring Maiden being a surprise since you didn’t expect it until she reveals it! I did like how they made Cinder think Vernal being the Maiden but of course got to love the decoy idea. I was wondering if Jessica Nigiri was replaced as Cinder because she was a little off in her voice throughout the volume. I understand that Cinder did have a long recovery and had a hard time getting her voice back but at least the tone came back towards the end of this volume. I am glad Rooster Teeth knows that they need to fix the pacing for Volume 6 bit jeu at least they know! Now onto the bests!

Best Song: “This Life Is Mine” and “This Time In Shadows Part 2!” If you haven’t heard the music from RWBY, well more of the rock/operatic music you’re missing a lot! “This Life Is Mine” is pretty much the extension of the song that was heard in the one episode in Volume 4 where Weiss’ dad asked her to perform at a benefit event he put on to raise money for something. In this one you hear more of that song where she is on the airship and it was amazing! I would say listen to the entire song and you will see why! While the other one, “This Time In Shadows Part 2” was used as the ending theme for this volume but it was glorious and the best song to end the volume on!Casey and Jeff Williams do major justice with the music for this entire series and this song to end the volume made it even better! I can’t wait for what they will bring to the next one!

Best Character: Yang! I give Yang Best Character this time because she has grown so much throughout this volume! The actress even did a really good job doing it! I can see why Qrow refers to her as Firecracker because in the beginning she was stubborn and easy to start a fight but now after regaining her arm all thanks to Atlas, she changed a lot! I did like how she confronted Raven at the end of this volume because it shows that Yang may be scared of facing Salem but she is still willing to fight! Way to go Yang!

Best Voice Performances: Chermie Leigh-Kune as Ilia, Aaron Dismuke as Ozpen/Oscar, Barbara Dunkleman as Yang, and Anna Hullum as Raven! This season had four strong voice performances and I will explain why. Cheramie as Ilia was one of her best performances next to Airi from Erased (if you haven’t seen it I highly recommend it), Lucy from Fairy Tail, and and many more but this role fit her very well! You enver suspect her at first but when you listen closely, it is her using her Seagland voice from Dragonaut. Even though her character was a little confused in this volume, she did come out on top even with how Sun paid her back for hurting him. Aaron Dismuke was amazing as Ozpen/Oscar which I do phrase it like that since he did have to do double duty in this series. It felt like you were watching FMA all over again since Vic is Qrow in this one but now as the wise character in this one than Ed. As in, what if they had Al be more of the character of wisdom than Ed. Brenda as Yang, again, she made her into a strong character for this volume and how she interacted with Raven even made it better. I am hoping she keeps this performance up because it was beautiful this volume! And Anna as Raven, at first she sounded slightly forced since she hasn’t seen Yang in so long even though she did appear during Volume 2 to help. Towards the end the performance got better and her interactions with Yang made it even more memorable. I can’t wait to see what happens with Raven and I am wondering when Qrow will know what really happened to the Spring Maiden which reminds me that he doesn’t know yet and can’t wait to see how he reacts to it. Still, it was a beautiful performance for Raven.

Well, that is it for this review of RWBY! I can’t wait to see what Volume 6 brings since this one ended with a very rounded ending. I know there is supposed to be RWBY Chibi if they keep making that but Volume 6 should be stronger and the story should pace a lot better.

So, what’s next? Another Access Tech post on a device that is gaining some popularity! Until next time!