RWBY: Volumes 1-3—Beacon

Rooster Teeth—an Austin-based team—concocted this fantasy-action online saga that imitates Japanese animation. Rendered in stylized, video-game-esque CGI artwork with Nippon character designs, RWBY is initially striking but bland over the long haul. The action takes place in a mystic land besieged by monsters, where members of the Beacon school for young “hunters” and “huntresses” are trained to fight such entities. A quartet of color-coded maidens—Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang (hence the title)—are the principal students/warrior princesses from divergent backgrounds who face off not only against marauding monsters, mechas, and mystery outlaw-terrorists, but also become involved with a subculture of formerly oppressed cat-eared animal-people whose grassroots equal-rights activism has led to militant hatred of all humans. Much of the narrative centers on boss fights, with the premise finally becoming more interesting and morally complex in the battle-royale third season. Presenting all 41 episodes from the 2013-15 first three seasons on Blu-ray, suitable for ages 13-up, extras include audio commentaries, behind-the-scenes featurettes, live-action cosplay, and Rooster Teeth convention panel discussions. Recommended. (C. Cassady)