Ruri Rocks

## The Anime

### Soundtrack

The opening of Ruri Rocks is quite nice. I like the adventure vibe it gives off. Enjoyable. On the other hand, the credits song is quite melancholic. It's gives off vibes similar to Insomniacs After School. I quite like it, so it's definitely an addition to my playlist.

### Thoughts

Note: I'm using the terms mineralogy and geology interchangeably, even though they're not the same.

Watching Ruri Rocks felt like watching an educational show on TV. The only difference is the artstyle and the presence of anime girls. It felt like getting to be a kid again; learning so many new things in such a seamless way. Despite this review being relatively short, Ruri Rocks is definitely one of my favorites to come out of the medium of anime.

Ruri Rocks is a love letter to the field of geology. Even though the story is quite simple, I still managed to get captivated by the characters and the material. I enjoyed each and every episode. It's like they were unraveling the mysteries of the earth. Of course, each and every episode and arc was captivating. Maybe it was the hunt for sapphires, or just panning for gold in a river, but what made it all work together was intertwining of the geology aspect with the characters themselves. It made the story so much more relatable. Maybe it's not much coming from a non-geologist, but I felt like the anime did the topic of geology justice. From the methods to the science it felt like an accurate representation. I also especially enjoyed Nagi's respites, which were basically infodumps in the middle of the anime. Lovely.

The characters in Ruri Rocks are also very endearing. Ruri and Seto really embody the childhood feeling of learning new things incredibly well. Each and every scene they are in just fills your heart with overflowing curiosity. Their journey together from knowing nothing to knowing something about geology makes the story incredibly endearing. If it was just about college students learning about geology, it wouldn't touch your heart so much that you would remember things. But, with these two, it makes it so much easier to reflect on the story and the education. Incredible.

Of course, there are also the two college students, Nagi and Imari. Nagi is the senior one, a graduate student, while Imari is an undergraduate student. I think Imari portrays a naive yet curious and willing to learn adult quite well. Each and every moment she has portrays so much endearing curiosity that's also sprinkled with some nervousness. It's clear that she knows a lot about geology and wants to learn more. I find her portrayal to be quite relatable. On the other hand, Nagi is the representation of an adult in the field of geology. She gives off this "aura" of maturity about geology. What I mean is this: she knows so much about geology that she's the main source of knowledge in the story. She's the one who teaches the others the methods of collecting data, processing data, and more. To me, she represents the adult figure that pushes people to start learning. Like Bob Ross, Carl Sagan, or Hank Green. To put it simply, the adult characters are the ones who are doing the inspiring and teaching, and the teenage characters are the ones who show the process. I think that's a very interesting way to structure a story like this.

Though it's quite standard in terms of modern standards, I still have to mention Ruri Rocks' art. The artstyle's beautifully standard. That is, unless the scene portrays minerals. I think every scene with minerals, from the cave to the factory looks really beautiful. It makes me want to actually go mineral hunting in real life. Other than the background, there's also the characters, which are drawn pretty uniquely. Even though most of the cast are women, each and every character looks unique, which I really appreciate. More than that, I enjoy the chibis of each character in the exposition/explanation scenes. Finally, there's also a LOT of fan service, which I'm not complaining about.

Ruri Rocks is an anime about the joys of learning. I think it succeeds with flying colors in that department. More than that, a lot of the other aspects it focuses on are also as good, if not better than a lot of modern animes I've ever watched. I was surprised to see that this show wasn't wildly popular. I guess you could say it's a "hidden gem". Overall, it's a must watch for anyone who loves to watch anything scientific. It's gently beautiful, kind of like how grazing someone's hand for a millisecond can make your heart flutter. I hope there's a second season? Maybe. Who knows! Maybe you didn't expect it, but this anime is a 10/10 Mid-Gem. I don't care if you find it boring. Each and every moment is filled with passion for the field of geology. I felt like I was 9 years old, just coming home from school, watching TV in my living room. That's what makes me love this anime.

Why does this rock exist here at this very moment?