Weiss Schnee, one of the main characters in the popular anime series RWBY, was created by Monty Oum and is voiced by Kara Eberle. As an heiress of the Schnee Dust Company, Weiss possesses abilities related to ice and snow. Fans have long speculated about who or what Weiss may be based on. Here we explore some of the key influences behind her character design and abilities.
Appearance
In terms of physical appearance, Weiss bears similarities to several anime/game characters. Her long white hair and blue eyes are reminiscent of Zero Two from Darling in the Franxx. Her outfit, particularly the dress combined with thigh-high boots, is comparable to Lightning from Final Fantasy XIII. The color scheme of primarily white, blue, and some red accents also connects to other ice-based characters like Esdeath from Akame ga Kill!
Beyond specific characters, Weiss fits into the common anime archetype of the “oujo” or princess/noble girl. Her refined manners, formal speech, and occasional arrogance reinforce this. She also embodies the “yamato nadeshiko” ideal of Japanese femininity with grace, dignity, and inner strength beneath a cool exterior.
Abilities
Weiss’ Semblance abilities to generate glyphs and summon creatures relate heavily to themes around the Schnee family:
- Glyphs – Relate to the Schnee crest which features glyph-like symbols
- Summoning – Reflects the Schnee legacy and ancestral power
In terms of other ice-wielders, Weiss has similarities to:
- Gray Fullbuster from Fairy Tail
- Shoto Todoroki from My Hero Academia
- Frozone from The Incredibles
Their common abilities include:
- Generating and manipulating ice
- Freezing opponents
- Crafting ice into constructs like weapons or shields
- Ice-enhanced physical attacks
However, Weiss stands out with her Glyphs and summoning, which the others lack. This gives her a more nuanced and strategic fighting style.
Personality
At the outset, Weiss fits the stereotype of a “tsundere” – someone cold and hostile on the outside but gradually reveals a warmer, friendlier side. Specifically, Type A tsunderes who are initially arrogant and look down on the main character (Ruby) but eventually come to respect them. This describes Weiss’ early relationship and evolution with Ruby.
However, Weiss shows growth beyond just being a tsundere trope. Through her struggles with family legacy, discrimination, and finding her own strength, she develops into a more complex, thoughtful, and compassionate person.
Inspirations
Monty Oum and the RWBY creators have cited some specific influences on Weiss and her character:
- Her fencing fighting style was based on Oum’s love of fencing games like the Soul Calibur series
- Weiss’ singing scenes were influenced by Oum’s appreciation for Disney princess films featuring singing
- The juxtaposition of her name (German for “White”) with her black/red color scheme takes inspiration from the anime Bleach
More broadly, Weiss appears to draw inspiration from:
- Disney’s Snow White – The name, appearance, singing, and affiliation with white/blue color schemes
- The Snow Queen fairy tale – A cold, elegant queen associated with ice and snow
- Lady Winter – Personification of the winter season as a beautiful, icy woman in folklore
Allusions
Weiss contains several literary, historical and mythological allusions related to ice and snow themes:
- Her emblem is an apple, referencing snow white’s poison apple
- Her family name Schnee refers to “snow” in German
- Her first name Weiss means “white” in German
- Her summoning draws from legends of heroic/ancestor spirits aiding their descendants
Additionally, her strained relationship with father Jacques Schnee alludes to:
- The cold, aloof father archetype
- Controlling, demanding relationships between nobility fathers and heirs
And Weiss’ own character arc of finding inner strength and independence evokes:
- A hero’s journey towards enlightenment
- Breaking free of family expectations to forge one’s own path
Design Evolution
Early concepts of Weiss show her design underwent significant evolution:
| Early Concept | Changes |
| Much longer ponytail hairstyle | Shortened to signature off-center ponytail |
| Larger hair ribbon | Scaled down to small tied bow |
| Orange hair ribbons and trims | Changed to light blue/white coloring |
| Sleeveless dress | Given small sleeves |
| Thigh-high leggings | Changed to actual thigh-high boots |
Overall, the changes streamlined her design to better fit her graceful, elegant personality versus the more extreme, flashy early concepts.
Weapon Design
Myrtenaster, Weiss’ multi-action rapier weapon, has roots in real world fencing swords but with fantasy elements added:
- The slender thrusting blade is based on rapiers used in fencing
- The revolving chamber allows selection of Dust types, enabling magical attacks
- The glyphs along the blade add visual flair
- The elegant stylized guard matches Weiss’ own refined tastes
The rapier highlights Weiss’ fencing-based fighting style while the magical elements enable visually impressive attacks suiting her status as a Huntress.
Voice Acting
Kara Eberle’s voice acting defines Weiss’ persona:
- Cultured accent conveys Weiss’ refined upbringing
- Sharp, concise delivery reflects her no-nonsense attitude
- Excellent singing performances in musical scenes
- Emotional range to capture Weiss’ vulnerabilities and warmth over time
Eberle’s work is critical in bringing Weiss to life as a multi-dimensional character.
Reception
Weiss has proven one of RWBY’s most popular characters, ranking high in fan polls and cosplay. Key factors in her appeal include:
- Unique abilities like glyph platforms and summoned creatures
- Glamorous design with elegant dress and confident posture
- Significant character growth and reconciliation with family
- Entertaining yet caring relationship with Ruby
- Top tier singing voice and performances
Both her standout combat abilities and meaningful personal story arcs connect with fans.
Impact
As an iconic RWBY main character, Weiss has had significant impact:
- Heavily featured in marketing and merchandise for the show
- Inspired a large volume of fan art and cosplay
- Songs like “Mirror Mirror” and “This Life is Mine” are fan favorites
- Weiss battles are often considered major events by fans
- Helped establish expectations for complex characters in RWBY
For many fans, Weiss encapsulates the unique creative vision behind RWBY.
Conclusion
In summary, Weiss represents a synthesis of multiple influences into an engaging and layered character. Her refined fencing style, heirarchical background, and icy abilities reference real-world inspirations but combine into someone entirely new. Fans have embraced Weiss’ complexity, powerful visual design, musical talents and meaningful story arc about finding one’s own strength. While building on common anime tropes like tsunderes and ojou nobles, she transcends them through nuanced writing and voice acting. Weiss remains a fan favorite that helped establish RWBY’s reputation for compelling characters. She will likely continue impacting the show far into the future.