Ruri Rocks – Impressions
Anime: Ruri Rocks Released: 2025 Genre: Slice-of-Life
This is not a “review”, because that gives the impression that I know what I'm talking about. Here's my thoughts on this anime instead. I aim to avoid spoilers beyond introductions / first episodes. Let me know what you think if you watch it!
Let's go exploring!
It's easy to ignore when an anime like Ruri Rocks first appears. At first impression, Ruri Rocks seemed like just another entry into the CGDCT pantheon, of which a new show appears every season – an anime that offers comforting vibes, but not much esle.
It does offer that, and whilst you could switch your brain off when you watch and let it wash over you, you can also pay attention and go on a journey with the characters that is fully worth your time.
A Rocky Start
I almost dropped Ruri Rocks before I even started watching. Crunchyroll posted a trailer for the show on YouTube before it aired, and I immediately spotted two huge problems:
Not pictured: The steel supporting structure that this character would need to wear to prevent crippling spinal issues.
The fact that this shot is the opening to the trailer, and the obvious camera angles designed to highlight the physical features of these characters, gave me serious pause. I don't enjoy fanservice in anime generally, and shots like this would take me out of any comforting vibes that an anime like this should portray.
My fears were compounded when I saw that the studio behind Ruri Rocks also created “Onimai: I'm Now Your Sister!“, an anime with a distinctly questionable exterior and plenty of sexualization. (NB. I haven't watched Onimai so I can't comment authoritatively on this)
Was Ruri Rocks destined to be a thin shell of a comfort anime over the top of a core of fanservice designed for horny teenage boys?
Mining for deeper things
Ruri Rocks focuses on the eponymous Ruri, a young girl who loves shiny things but can't afford to buy jewelry. After an off-hand comment from her mother about how her grandfather used to gather minerals in the mountains, Ruri hops on a bus and goes to see for herself. There, after walking a whole 50 metres into the mountains and preparing to give up, Ruri meets Nagi-san – a post-graduate in Mineralogy who is out on her own hunt. Out of pure greed, Ruri tags along with Nagi – but from there, the pair begin their own journey.
In the first few episodes, there are a handful more times where a shot seems too focused on boobs or butt. But these make up mere seconds of episodes, and far more time is spent on interesting explanations of geology and minerals. It feels almost like the trailer that sexualised a main character was just a ploy to lure people into a science classroom and teach them about its true passion – gemstones and minerals. As the series goes on, there are fewer and fewer gratuitous shots, and even anime tropes that would seem to beg for fanservice – a short dress-up scene, and a trip to the hot springs – are treated pretty maturely.
Just like a viewer lured into a series by a hint of fanservice, Ruri is lured into the world of Mineralogy by a love for jewels and sparkly things. Just like the viewer, over the course of the series, Ruri learns to look beneath the surface, and is taught a genuine love for the scientific method, and an understanding that the prettiest jewels are even more interesting if you learn where they came from and how they got there.
The real treasure is what you learn along the way?
A Real Gem
Ruri Rocks is an anime that balances multiple aspects: cozy adventures; character stories and growth; and a passion for science that it wants to teach you. It details all about the various gems that the characters find, their chemical makeup, and how they are formed. It's difficult to put real educational content into a show that is ultimately there for cozy entertainment, and I did find at times that it didn't go into enough detail for me to fully understand and make sense of its explanations.
But all in all, it strikes the balance really well, and no matter which of the three aspects you're more interested in, you will find yourself satisfied by it. Every episode offers something new, even if subtle, which meant I never finished an episode feeling like nothing had happened.
Given my expectations going into the show and in its earliest showings, Ruri Rocks turned out to be a very pleasant surprise. Whilst its character design choices and some of its scene choices mean I wouldn't recommend it to someone as their introduction to anime, if you're a seasoned viewer there's a very enjoyable series beneath the surface.