Entertainment

RWBY Is Turning Into An Anime Series

Cast of RWBY: Ice Queendom Team RWBY Project
By Cristina Alexander/

When "RWBY" premiered in 2013, many fans have considered it an anime series because of the all the characters' physical traits, despite its full-blown computer animation style. On Friday, March 25, Rooster Teeth announced the show is being turned into an actual anime dubbed "RWBY: Ice Queendom." It's not exactly a reboot, since the original series is still ongoing. Rather, "RWBY: Ice Queendom" is an anime spinoff that's being produced in collaboration with Shaft, the Japanese animation studio behind the critically-acclaimed magical girl anime "Puella Magi Madoka Magica" — or "Madoka Magica" for short.

According to Anime News Network, Crunchyroll published a statement saying that both the Japanese and English dubs of the anime will premiere on the service on the same date. That statement has since been deleted, so the anime's actual premiere date is unknown. However, it did reveal that the original cast of "RWBY" will reprise their roles, including Lindsay Jones as Ruby Rose and Barbara Dunkelman as her older sister, Yang Xiao Long.

Details about "RWBY: Ice Queendom"

RWBY Volume 8 cover art Rooster Teeth

The plot for "RWBY: Ice Queendom" is more or less the same as that of the original web series. The original series takes place in the world of Remnant, comprised of four kingdoms where magic and science work together to eliminate the invasion of the Creatures of Grimm. Ruby Rose becomes the youngest Huntress in training and leader of Team RWBY after enrolling into Beacon Academy two years early, working with her classmates — one of whom is her half-sister, Yang Xiao Long — to keep the vicious creatures at bay. In the anime spinoff, Remnant is under the threat of eternal winter a la "The Snow Queen," and Teams RWBY and JNPR are donning not only the clothes they've worn in Volumes 1 through 3, but also stylish winter clothes to stave off frostbite as they fight the forces of evil. Plus, Blake's got some purple hair underneath her black locks and Pyrrha's back from the dead.

"RWBY: Ice Queendom" is being directed by Toshimasa Suzuki at Shaft, and he commented on the anime's official website that he's very happy to be given the privilege of producing the anime while "respecting the charm" of the original series. Huke, illustrator for "Black Rock Shooter," came up with the concept art for the characters, and Gen Urobuchi — the man behind "Madoka Magica" and "Psycho-Pass" — is credited with coming up with the anime's concept. More details will be revealed at AnimeJapan 2022 on Saturday.

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