Ruri Rocks – Episode 1

Content Warning: fan service

What’s it about? High school student Tanigawa Ruri loves crystals and minerals, but can’t afford to buy any of them.  During a rock-hunting mission in random forest she meets a mineralogist named Arato Nagi.  Together, they set out on various trips to mountains and rivers to find crystals and minerals.

Normally, I’m not interested in hobby shows, but this really clicked with me.  I didn’t think a show about mineralogy could interest me in the slightest, but Ruri and Nagi’s enthusiasm for it made me want to learn more about it.  It’s a shame that Studio Bind has primarily dedicated their energy to adapting Mushoku Tensei, because this beautiful quality of animation shouldn’t be limited to that awful series.  The animators did a wonderful job capturing the lush landscapes and forestry that our girls need to explore in order to find their treasures.  The level of detail on the crystals and minerals is gorgeous and made me understand why folks are obsessed with jewellery.  

Our female leads are cute as a button, especially when they are geeking out over their shared interests.  I really like Ruri and how spunky she is about her hobbies.  She feels like a typical teenager who just wants to have nice things and hang out with her friends.  Ruri is also the type to dive into things without thinking too deeply about it, which could land her into trouble.  That’s why it’s a blessing Nagi is around to give Ruri some much needed guidance about how to look for crystals safely.  I’m relieved that they work so well together as a team, since this kind of series needs a good cast to bounce off each other.  

I’m not going to pretend I understood the science on how crystals and minerals are made, but I did enjoy Nagi’s explanation segments on how garnets are made and contrary to our basic understanding of rocks, they actually move around a lot in nature.  The visuals definitely helped me understand how that’s possible and just further reminds me of how little I know about the world.  I appreciate the research that went into mineralogy and somehow made that knowledge understandable for newbies like me.  There’s a real sense of love for the material and I’m glad that rock enthusiasts will be eating well this season.  

Despite my praises, I’m annoyed at how often the camera lingered on Nagi’s breasts and thighs.  When we first meet Nagi, the first thing that Ruri sees is Nagi’s chest from below before it eventually zooms up to her head.  Even then, she looks like a floating head over her own breasts.  I’m grateful that her breasts don’t look totally ridiculous like the characters in Bleach, but boy, are they distracting.  It’s honestly annoying because this series didn’t need any fan service and will probably be a hit amongst its target audience. 

I sincerely want to give this show a chance because I find our two leads to be extremely adorable.  However, it’s also important to put this series on notice so that there aren’t any surprises later on.  If nothing else, I think it’s worth checking out a few more episodes just to give it a fighting chance.