Grimm Tidings Studio recently launched “Dust Queen,” a fan-made animated series set in the world of RWBY. Its first chapter, “Growing Pains,” debuted last weekend on June 1. It’s worth noting that this project is a fan creation and is not officially endorsed by Viz Media, the owners of RWBY.
RWBY is an American web series set in Remnant, a fictional world where young warriors known as “Huntsmen” and “Huntresses” train to protect humanity from creatures called Grimm. The series is celebrated for its dynamic action and engaging characters.
“Growing Pains” follows original team members Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long as they approach the end of their second year at Beacon Academy. Their journey takes an unexpected turn when a mission goes awry, setting them on a new, unforeseen path.
The voice acting also impressed me. When the group first gathers at the academy, the voice work is so close to the original that I initially thought the studio had brought in the actual voice actors. The performances truly felt in character.
What made me particularly happy was the spot-on dynamic between Blake and Yang. Specifically, I loved Blake again with a personality and Yang acting like a big sister, not only to Ruby but to team RWBY. Another one was the original accuracy of Ruby being a self-proclaimed dork when it comes to weapons.
From a visual standpoint, “Dust Queen” is exceptional. As an eleven-year RWBY fan, I can attest to the dedication evident in this project. The character movements and expressions are skillfully rendered, with Ruby’s portrayal particularly capturing her early-volume energy.
Watching it felt like stepping back in time to experience the early RWBY volumes for the first time, but with a fresh, upgraded animation style. To me, it’s also SO weird but equally awesome seeing Volume 1 and 2 fight choreography animated in the V3+ style!
The series also successfully recaptures much of the humor from the early volumes, and subtle nods motivate “shippers” (fans who support romantic pairings) without feeling forced or pandering.
A moment that made me audibly react was Yang’s “Thanks for the save, KitKat” to Blake, who responded with an eye-roll and a shoulder bump, retorting with a smile, “Don’t call me that.”
One minor issue is a sudden character reset for Weiss Schnee. Given that “Dust Queen” is an alternate universe (AU) story set during Team RWBY’s second year at Beacon, Weiss’s character development appears to revert to nearly Volume 1, Episode 1 status. This stands in contrast to a memorable early episode where Weiss accepts Ruby as their team leader. While this regression in Weiss’s arc is a bit off-putting, it does not significantly detract from the overall enjoyment of the series.
As a fan who enjoys character relationships, I would’ve appreciated that romance wasn’t a central focus for these characters until later volumes in the official series. While I personally support “Whiterose” (Ruby and Weiss) and “Bumblebee” (Blake and Yang), my preference is for team RWBY to be portrayed as a close-knit second family. I hope the creators of this fan series ensure that romantic pairings don’t overshadow the main storyline in later chapters.
I very much enjoyed the drawbacks of RWBY. The new animation, the OG models, the VAs, character writing, the music, and the choreography? It is absolutely a cinematic experience.
Nevertheless, it’s not trying to fix RWBY, it’s just trying to be a well-made fan work, and I welcome that in the current day climate of the canon RWBY content. Well-being is pretty dry right now since we are waiting for volume 10.
Even without the shipping undertones, it’s a great episode offering a fresh take on the RWBY canon. I recommend it for longtime fans and newcomers alike.
