RWBY: Volumes 1-3
Mega Post
Yeah I'll cosign a lot of what this post is saying. I think what really helped the show, even in the beginning, is that a lot of the cast is likeable. You can enjoy most of the main cast just interacting with each other and stumbling their way through the world. The same is true of most of the supporting cast and most of the villains as well. I feel a LOT of anime in the LN or shonen lanes can't even get
that right. The show pretty much continuously and gradually improves. There is actual character development, there are actual character arcs, there is an actual world we are learning more and more about that had some actual thought put into it and there are actual stakes. Fights aren't just "Imma chargin' ma LAZOR" or "Trump Cards" en masse. There is no wish-fuffillment nonsense and the writing issues that brings with it. I also appreciate not having to use qualifiers like "Putting aside the overt/implicit racism/sexism/homophobia/transphobia/etc., I enjoy this show" I sometimes have to do with other anime. I'm not sure I get the qualms with the voice acting. It started out fine and Id' say is now actively great *shrug*
The show is still clumsy in some regards, it would obviously look better if it was 2D animated by a talented studio, and it certainly isn't what I'd call a bastion of originality but for a shonen action anime (which is what the show is at the end of the day), I'd say its gone from ok to actively good.
As for the concept of passion project, its pretty easy to understand what that means. There's a difference between something that was conceived or is being produced cynically with the minimum amount of effort. Regardless of what you think of the show's quality, it damn clear that everyone on pretty much every level (animators, VAs, etc.) gives a damn