Board Thread:Speculation House/@comment-4830106-20140808001942/@comment-24106129-20140813053226

Edit for better grammar, if you would so kindly.

"Think that it wasn't quite skillful enough to suffice" is what I said earlier, besides my original statement was "much needed characterization" and paired with " I still believe that characterization without proper ground might as well be non-existant" you'll probably get what I'm saying: characterization without something to solidly establish it(like say backstory or even a hint of character backstory) is nothing, poor scenes just add salt to the wounds. I'll tack on the fact that characterization without backstory is fine for a while(keeping suspense and interest in character) but this is the second season past the introductory phase already. Some works can expertly work around a character's backstory until the end, but RWBY is no such work having not the proper framework or skill necessary.

Weiss is a whiny brat because she was raised in comfort, Ruby is socially awkward because outside of Yang she's never really made a friend, Blake was a terrorist making her distrust authority and Yang is currently a fiesty blond for no other reason! The problem is that without backstory or something concrete to explain their actions, a character's motive behind their actions loses weight and it's hard to see a character as a person without establishing who they were. A declared lack of backstory as backstory can be legitimate if done expertly in the right situation.

I never said she had to change or have changed at some point? She could have been the same rowdy person throughout her childhood and that would suffice.