Animation Analysis - RWBY: Poses

[@ebonyb.9552]

As a fellow animator, and as a RWBY fan, I really appreciate these videos.

[@CakeStation]

Thank you! You're the kind of person I really want to reach with these videos. I realized that Rooster Teeth won't build on the ideas Monty had been playing with, so the way I look at it, it's up to us to do it ourselves. So really not any time soon, but in the future I hope to start my own fantasy action centric animated show to play with some of my own ideas and put my own spin on some of monty's. I just really don't want this form of entertainment to die, it's so rarely done well.

[@CaptainDope]

I agree with the mass and weight thing. The characters in RWBY move and fight as if they and their weapons have no mass or weight. Qrow for example, swings his giant sword as if he is holding nothing. I don't like the way the characters run, how they leap far up into the air, hover for a short moment before diving down and switching direction in mid-air. How does gravity work in RWBY?

[@ILoveYouthiiismuch]

CaptainDope for me it all feels like they took the force out of hits, in monty era rwby you feel like they are hitting hard and moving fast. Now they feel slow and its like theyre floating

[@enriconobili6922]

In reality, nope the weapons have weight, still, just, they changed it. Qrow sword is, actually, the one who suffered the less from it!

[@enriconobili6922]

inplane expecially because i watched the fights of Vol.1 and 2 in Rwby, that i find the animation of now similar to the old one: some moves, like Beyblade Ren or Neptune or Blake' s clone sstill defies physics, the cuts are made for making the scene looks the coolest possible, with thing that makes little sense, the music actually follows the action, ecc. I found that, in general, the line of action, and the camera work or the scenes really need to improve( something that in V5 the crew make, but in the same, making the scene feels less inspired than before, i could lose myself in this arguments, sorry if I don' t go too much in deep XD).

[@ritou2001]

Honestly, your videos deserve more views. They're well-researched, humorous and entertaining.

[@CakeStation]

Thanks, I put a lot of work into these, I'm to see that it shows.

[@anthonyralph8989]

y'know what? Cake should work on ruby. I feel he knows more about Monty Oum's animation style, than the new damn animators.

[@joshuahicks7798]

Anthony Ralph Agreed.

[@mugensamurai]

Let's put your money where your mouth is at right? Come on Cake do it! I already sent a copy and pasted a link to Roosterteeth on this video.

[@Aurumk1]

Actually, they should let me do the moves. I would come up with some fantastic moves!

[@juicyjuustar121]

This could work

[@chrytaldragon12282]

*Ahem* You: Ruby Me, an intellectual: It's RWBY, you pleb.

[@VexedViewer]

you should do an entire video just on the nonsense that was the ship fight in chapter 3 volume 4.

[@CakeStation]

Not gonna lie, got real excited when I discovered that somebody else besides me hates every frame of that episode's fight.

[@VexedViewer]

The first time I watched that episode I actually watched it on my big screen. I absolutely hated the fight to the point I thought I was missing something. I Actually paused the video and played fight again just to make sure I wasn't crazy. The fight just might be the lowest point of the entire series.

[@CakeStation]

I was trying my best to fit all my criticism in my series on the very first fight of volume 4 but I just might have to venture into that episode to really show off volume 4's shortcomings.

[@VexedViewer]

Oh there is plenty of material. lol Hanging in the air completely weightless at multiple points. Gravity is completely ignored. Some how Blake thrusts herself down from a static position in the air. Then she is able to somehow twirl around in the air to avoid dragon blast.(All they had to do was let her push off of her shadow clones or something) When Sun saves Blake from the Dragon blast using his weapon she is hanging in the air the very next shot she is standing on the boat. The jump cuts are ridiculous. It's so bad.

[@risgord6990]

We don't talk about that fight

[@Obi-Wan_Kenobi]

Give this -man- weird gaseous blob more views!

[@vincegioquibuyen5224]

Master Kenobi, RWBY should have a sword fight like a lightsaber duel.

[@Valken985]

@@vincegioquibuyen5224, I agree with you pal. 🙂👍

[@vincegioquibuyen5224]

@@Valken985 also Jaune's fighting style was not better enough.

[@selectivires]

I really enjoy your analysis mini series you got going on here. It's really interesting to see someone who understands the principles of the animation and can show an audience to good and the bad.

[@ProxyDoug]

Agreed. I'm just a barely passable animator but I do know the basics and I remember that when the Volume had just ended, the fandom was very rabid against negative opinions. Now it would be nice to see more pople talk about the atrocious pacing V4 had.

[@pheonixshaman]

Also, real fans give constructive criticism when something they love messes up. This is constructive. People who will love RWBY no matter what happens in regards to animation, story telling, etc are sycophants who don't actually like it for what it is, but because it is popular.

[@soarel325]

Let's not forget the nonsensical levitation and constant interruptions in the fights by characters standing around and talking. Not to mention, they admitted that this direction was intentional at RTX: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fIjQdKqoeqytia8m28s

[@pheonixshaman]

A LOT of the battle stances are not just inaccurate, but if you attempted them in real life, you would hurt yourself. Nora's pose is just one such example. This is one major problem I had with the animation. It wasn't just that the way they used their melee versions of their weapons would not get the required power behind the blow, but it would probably hurt you if you did so.

[@StrikeNoir105E]

I think the emphasis on "weight" should've been explored more. One of the things I miss from the later volumes is the feeling that the characters have actual weight and momentum from their flashy movements. Rewatching the first 4 RWBY Trailers a lot of times, there's a noticeable momentum to the character's movements - when a character lands, their bodies bend just a bit before stopping, or a strike slows down or rebounds instead of being stopped completely when it's parried, or when a character stops a part of them continues moving through inertia. Seeing Volume 4's trailer for the first time the differences were immediately obvious to me, and I couldn't help but cringe at how.... stiff Ruby was in combat, and unfortunately this applied to every character in the show. As the type of RWBY watcher who got into the show due to the combat animation and art style rather than the story, losing the quality animation that Monty Oum has really put a damper on my enthusiasm for the show, and unfortunately the animation continues to not hold up to the standards of the earlier volumes, even as the art continues to improve.

[@AmarilloArmadillo1234]

Monty Oum will be missed... ❤❤❤

[@Soulofjazzman]

Holy crap! From animator to animator, thank you for pointing this out on the change in the RWBY series. Thank you! Educate the masses!

[@Mike-it5qs]

Gotta agree with you on rushing through. I love your points and your humor, but I started over with your first video watching at .75 speed just so I can keep up

[@CakeStation]

I've gotten that before! Unfortunately I was given the gift of speaking as fast as I can think.

[@giantturtlecat2959]

You want a simple but Iconic pose? *Jotaro Kujo*

[@anlexaify]

If underrated was a KZbin Channel, this would be it

[@asianneanderthal_461]

Such source of knowledge, its unbelieveable

[@ramadhanbenny6640]

those running is real agony to gaze upon

[@neerGdyahS]

I could tell you like RWBY, I understand the passion of breaking down something you're into. I read it in your attitude. Cool videos.

[@prettyspectrum6371]

I dream about entering the world of animation so i love seeing videos like this , you help me a lot to understand some basics , if you post more videos like this you can count on me that I'll be there

[@johncargille7722]

I'm a simple man, I see animation smarting, I subscribe

[@hirotrum6810]

2:30 that run animation actually doesn't look that bad

[@combatdummy__8081]

What I hate he most is that the posters of the DVD covers look so badass and anime like but the actual show looks stupid. Most people would say that what matters is the story, and yes They do have a point making that claim, but what also gives this show meaning is the genre intended such as action (fighting/gunslinging/killing) and science fiction (fantasy/futuristic) and for it to have an awesome taste with this two genres, it needs an awesome animation

[@JohnnyElRed]

They don't run like they had cement on their feet. They run like Sneakers O'Toole.

[@tidalgrunt]

oh my gods they made videos in detail

[@derekdjay]

1:17 it's like you wanted to animate a rap album cover

[@Person01234]

The thing about the poses is a good point. I had felt that whenever you had a pose shot in later seasons of RWBY they really looked very awkward and not-cool but I didn't really know why or how to explain it. I have made the point about the weight though, the physics in a lot of these fights is either nonexistant or very artificial feeling.

[@Rainy_R]

0:59 *beautiful* Btw, great video! I’m trying to watch lots (and I mean LOTS) of videos so I can animate better, your videos really help! :>

[@DameSlayerSlayerofDames]

HolyCap I love you! Keep going! Please I just found your channel.

[@SesamUbe]

Honestly, one thing I miss a lot about RWBY is watching characters stumble when they land with a bounce, a somersault or change in position/shift of weight instead of always skidding to a halt or just getting laid out on the floor. They made so many jokes about individual landing strategies and whatnot early on but no one really has distinct subtle mannerisms anymore. The closest thing really is Neo whose entire character in the amount of personality her fighting style has relative to the rest of the cast

[@ninjachannel007]

Listen to these vids when you're stoned. Hilarious!

[@MewDenise]

Why don't they hire martial art experts? Or action coreo experts?

[@imugi-16]

Apparently an animator named Dillon Gu did fight choreography for volume 3, but decided to focus on his youtube channel after vol 3 ended. He actually animated them very similarly to Monty's, and I guess they couldn't find experts as good as he is.

[@TempestMaximus]

Or hire me I learned Martial arts as well and nearly practiced every weapon and I'm a fellow artist I have a knack to make every one cool

[@TheRealDarthias]

About the whole thing with Ruby using her scythe as a gun and her teleporting. She has been shown doing that sort of thing before so it isn't actually a new thing. In fact the first two actions (during a fight scene) that we ever watch in RWBY are when she is is attacked by the grimm in the Red Trailer: 1. Teleporting away into the air with the full moon behind her, and turning in the air in slow motion. 2. Get out her gun and 1-handedly shoot the head off of a grimm although the obvious 'broken wrist' problem is negated because of a quick-cut from the shot being fired to seeing the grimm's head being blown off.. I am not disagreeing with your points about the awkward poses or her moving uninterestingly in the fight scene against the golem. But yes they SHOULD have had her move more interestingly.

[@Fuzunga]

The most obvious thing I've noticed recently is that the weight used to be fantastical but it's now hyper-realistic, therefore nothing looks fluid any more.

[@bernardocezar8203]

You got a new subscriber :3

[@leopatrakahn8808]

You’re amazing !!!

[@amistrophy]

LMAO poses were taught to us as middle schoolers in multimedia.

[@Twin2FTW]

I loved RWBYfrom the moment they released it and I hoped without Monty they could continue with the series but its ultimately different and it is not that great. I did read an unconfirmed post about how the team at RT ignored help from montys wife and best friend who would have been able to bring the project to where he envisioned.

[@enriconobili6922]

The problem is that... It' s uncofirmed. The best friend made one of the worst thing that you can even do after being fired: explain in an essay super biased why you' re out. You completely burned every chance of being ri-aired from the company, or other companies. And there was a lot of speculation that the wife was the first one who "killed" Mounty( take my words for what they are), bringing a cat at home, where Mounty was VERY allergic to cats, and was obbligated to take shots for hit.

[@soarel325]

He wasn't allergic to cats. His death was due to a latex allergy which was caused by a routine check-up. Shane lied out his ass, and so did whoever came up with that nonsense conspiracy theory.

[@Twin2FTW]

Soarel I never heard that version, the cats that is. Lol yes very silly

[@enriconobili6922]

Like i said, it' s just words that need to be taken for what they are: rumors. But, he was allergic to some kind of animal ( they removed every animal from the animation studio because of Mounty). However, i don' t want to talk about this things, seriusly, it' s just, really bad.

[@soarel325]

They didn't. He was allergic to latex only. He actually adopted a stray cat himself with no problems. Joe the Cat was removed from the studio because he had gastrointestinal problems that caused him to shit and vomit everywhere, not because of Monty.

[@siloPIRATE]

So what you're saying is it's like when Galactik Football stopped using motion capture for season 3 and the animation looked horrible To quote Ruby from episode 1: Oh...

[@alexart1551]

That line is called line of action

[@hrherd]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that noticed the weird animation/poses changes... RWBY has never been perfect, of course, but since volume 4, it really not has the same vibes as previous volumes, specifically because of these changes :/ (just my opinion). Only one very brief fight sequence in V5C10 between *SPOIL* Sun and Illia gave me hope, (with those precise moves, and that camera positionning around the two characters that reminded me of Monty's previous fights animations).

[@tobitobi2493]

sorry can you do a side by side comparison on the part with vs without emphasis I can't tell!

[@CakeStation]

It's really subtle but basically just make sure the wind up pose holds a little bit longer than the actual strike, which should only take around 2 frames.

[@amaniwashortername8998]

This was great

[@amaniwashortername8998]

You just got a new subscriber

[@Ayeato]

Im learning 3d animation and still very much a beginner. I love montys work but I cant help but not agree with you and the commenters when you say something looks bad. A lot of the animations people are pointing out as looking bad look fine to me. For example 2:28 the tree dashing looks fine, something out of an anime like naruto. And the run cycle that follows it looks good to me. And with your emphasis example at 0:54 i genuinely dont see a difference between the two clips.

[@TwistedSynn]

notice this problem myself and it's been one of my biggest complaints since volume 4.

[@KaitoKaze]

I didn't miss it

[@kevinfananimations809]

I’m gonna take your advice. Because my fight scenes look like shit. Especially in goanimate. I wonder if I could make it look better than what it is. Thanks for making the video. I have a lot of practice to do with my fightscenes.

[@jaunearc534]

I dont run stupid...

[@asianguy5028]

Can you go more in depth into emphasis? That’s the only one I don’t fully understand yet. Great video btw!!!!

[@bizzyg5751]

The fight scenes for RWBY lately have gotten very leggy, and very backy.

[@redlinrangerBrony]

you know a far side of minor issues in volume 4 and 5 animation, overall the quality is not that bad, dont get me wrong monty owm style will have a special place in rwby fans, is just since it a new era of new animation style to make the old to the new.

[@1cbear745]

What do you think of the path to isolation? I feel like there were certain scenes where the animation was just stellar...

[@brandonechegaray3874]

I️ was thinking of getting into rooster teeth for an internship I️ work well enough to see how you mean in style and I’ve barely scratched the surface in rwby animation. If you ever wanna partner up let me know P.S. I️ work in the martial arts department as well and they could do so much more than they think. I️ would love to bring the old style kind of animation again. Where you have a guy dressed in a suit and do that shit.

[@3rgon]

0:39 u wot m3 ???!!!

[@qq4094]

you're videos bring up interesting points, but some more depth and analysis would be helpful to get the full idea across. As someone not really familiar to the intricacies of animation, it would be interesting to see some references to some theory (if there is animation theory like there is music theory?) or some counter examples. The more fleshed out explanations would make your points feel more tangible and easier to understand. I more or less see what you're going for in your videos, but I don't quite understand why you feel that way all the time. Maybe slowing down some scenes and going through frame by frame to exemplify your points would help? idk. Just my thoughts. I'm intrigued, but at the end of the video, I'm left feeling like I didn't quite come out of the video fully getting what I expected, and not fully understanding your points. But again, you present enough to get me intrigued, and show that you seemingly know what you're talking about. You just need to flesh out how you present it.

[@calebjones6549]

Can u do a video on backgrounds

[@StayFrostyX279]

of course you like rwby! Why else would you talk about it?!

[@nedleeds449]

Any guess why they do this?

[@declanolivetti4319]

So basically JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

[@tyennille]

and you really gona come here and ask us what could "you" could possibly offer RT???

[@rightyloosey8554]

I'm 14, and puberty hit me harder than Super Mario Maker 2's trailer. Edit: In comparison to you, my voice sounds like a generic American movie trailer narrator.

[@kaleknelson8429]

Are there any good ways to learn how to properly apply these things in animation?

[@CakeStation]

Practice. There's no better teacher than experience.

[@elfenlost262]

And then Volume 5 happened, and everything got SO MUCH WORSE... Everything. Literally everything got worse. Everything. Every little thing. So much worse.

[@chyledebuser]

JoJo?

[@AdhaFajri]

i don't get what he was saying on emphasis. Can someone explain it to me please?

[@CakeStation]

I didn't do a terribly good job at explaining this in the video, sorry about that. It's just if you wanted to have a character punch something, for it to register in the minds of your viewers, you'd have to spend a little more time on the wind up of the punch so the punch itself has more weight to it, simple answer, put two key frames of the character winding up before the actual 1 frame long punch. Hopefully this was useful. Thanks for the comment!

[@AdhaFajri]

No problem- Thanks for the reply! It's just that english isn't my first language so i had a hard time trying to understand what you were saying but your comment made it clear

[@christophercordero9352]

I'm curious if you can be hired as a director! Sound like you cans do it?

[@CakeStation]

Director of what?

[@jackmorby6001]

funny, interesting, funny

[@eaglenebula2172]

I do believe you kinda nitpick these things because you're into animation, so you would focus more on that kindof details while watching more than other ppl. I can objectively see a certain degree of lack in the animation quality from what you've shown but to me it's still minor, so I still don't see that ruining my experience of the series or prevent me from enjoying it, but it's kinda a shame that it's seemingly the opposite for you and some others. :/

[@CakeStation]

I might not like the animation so much, but I hope that doesn't make you think I hate the show. You've commented several times so I'm getting the impression that upset you. I'm genuinely sorry. It was never my intention to alienate people like you who do still enjoy the show. All I wanted was to provide a detailed analysis of RWBY's animation and teach some basic animation concepts along the way. Thank you for commenting and not being afraid to express your opinion.

[@couriersix5867]

Cake Lets get married duderic

[@eaglenebula2172]

The other comments were not exclusively directed toward you but more generally toward the ppl who seem able to only complain about things that are not even noticeable to the common viewers or of which the severity is not critical, sometimes even about the pettiest details and I'm not only talking about animation complains or rwby. I want to address more generally those ppl and say that it's easier to just comment about something they don't like than being in the shoes of the authors having to face waves of critics whose fairness is oftentimes questionable, something that would make any author depressed after continued 'exposure' to such tendencies and this kind of thing might impact the studios or solo makers more negatively than positively in ways that don't seem obvious to the critics, decreasing the number of similar artworks & discouraging future generations and potential makers from reaching higher stakes/levels. I'm not badmouthing anyone and still found this vid interesting as it brought more value about the subject than merely mocking the staff or the show itself. I just want ppl to understand and make sense of what they're doing and what's going on in both sides of the curtain. Peace out ✌️.

[@songofyesterday]

Apply for their studio and make RWBY better xD

[@carrotcake6088]

What about jojo pose's

[@CakeStation]

I don't really watch anime, I don't really have a place to speak on that.

[@brandonb4742]

what do u use for 3D animation

[@CakeStation]

I use Source Filmmaker.

[@Pumacundoonma]

T pose

[@michaelkochalka3251]

-"You should watch part one" -Doesn't give name of the video, or link in the description. Seriously wtf? You monster I hope you wake up very late tomorrow! >:T

[@CakeStation]

Joke's on you! I don't need help waking up late!

[@jenniferattardo8641]

:)

[@ILoveYouthiiismuch]

These damned animators are ruining the image of rwby

[@CakeStation]

It's the whole reason I made this series. Above everything else, RWBY had an art style. Now it's like a badly traced image of what it used to be, hoping it'll seem the same since it has the same characters but no, RWBY as it was when it began doesn't exist.

[@_greenrunner_]

animation is the least of RWBYs problems

[@_greenrunner_]

Ethan Mcswagginton okay -plot holes are fucking everywhere -the lore is utterly useless and get contradicted constantly -Miles doesn't understand how to properly write a story. -Villians are dull as hell -and of course, the animation is garbage in some fights. I don't want to go into detail about it, cause fatman has already made a 2 hour review of volume 4 (and the other volumes) going over everything i just listed.

[@ILoveYouthiiismuch]

66_greenrunner_77 ok we cool, we agree thank you for not being a little cancer kid