Rwby: The Next Web Sensation?

By Mike LaPorte

Live Wire Staff Writer

Web-based television providers are quickly rising in popularity, and are predicted to overtake cable subscribers rather soon. Shows like the Netflix originals Orange is the New Black and House of Cards are being talked about as some of the most popular series, and can easily become number one on this list now that AMC’s Breaking Bad has finished its final season. But there is one show that may hit it big in only its second season, and it does not need Netflix to succeed.

Austin, Texas-based Rooster Teeth Productions’ RWBY is a rising star in the web series phenomenon. The western anime was created by already popular animator Monty Oum, who made the outstanding Dead Fantasy series as well as a very well done Halo/Metroid crossover animation called Haloid.

The story centers around a group of teenage girls who attend a legendary academy created to train hunters and huntresses on how to fight monsters and dangerous criminals. During their journey, they discover the importance of growing up, teamwork, and circumstantial differences in lifestyle, as well as ideological clashes and the importance of strong leadership.

Critical response to this production has been incredibly positive. Oum has said several times that the wave of positivity in response to RWBY has been mind-blowing. He writes on his blog, “A momentous day for me with far too many thanks to give and far more to say that I will such hold off to saying till a later date.”

Oum and fellow series writers Miles Luna and Kerry Shawcross said they intend for a lot of the show’s future to include community submitted ideas. Their first contest was for an official movie poster for season one, and their second contest is to design a clothing scheme for a character that is currently somewhat minor, but is said to play a bigger role in season two.

Fans of the series were excited when post-production supervisor and voice actor Gray G. Haddock announced that Oum, Luna and Shawcross had already begun production on season two.

“Everyone here is constantly blown away by the art and stories and cosplay and RP-gaming and… well, let’s just say it means a lot to us,” he wrote.

The first episode of RWBY season two is scheduled to premiere at RTX 2014 July 4-6, 2014, at the Austin Convention Center.