RWBY/Characters

Team RWBY

• Ruby Rose (Lindsay Jones) - The main character of the series, a young girl who wants to be a huntress. She is based on Little Red Riding Hood, has powers of speed, and wields a High Caliber Sniper Rifle/ Scythe known as "Crescent Rose"
• Weiss Schnee (Kara Eberle) - The cold heiress to a big company, who still decided to fend off by herself by attending an academy away from her home. She is based on Snow White (which is even what her name means in German), has the hereditary Schnee Semblance wherein she is able to produce glyphs and can control them in more ways than one, and wields a Multi Action Dust Rapier called "Myrtenaster".
• Blake Belladonna (Arryn Zech) - A quiet and reserved Faunus who was previously a member of the White Fang. She is based on both Belle and the Beast from Beauty and the Beast, with her Semblance being the ability to project shadow copies of herself. Her weapon is the Variant Ballistic Chain Scythe known as "Gambol Shroud", a katana-like sword with a sharpened sheath with a pistol built into the handle, that can also be swung around like a kusarigama.
• Yang Xiao Long (Barbara Dunkelman)- Ruby's older half-sister, a buxom and enthusiastic brawler. Based on Goldilocks, her Semblance allows her to enhance her strength based on the damage she takes (a change denoted by being surrounded in flames and having her eyes turn from lilac to red), and compliments her boxing fighting style with Dual Ranged Shot Gauntlets "Ember Celica" which extend along both her forearms from golden gauntlets.

Team JNPR

• Jaune Arc (Miles Luna) - A student at Beacon Academy who still has much to learn, including his own special powers. He wields a hand-me-down sword from his great-great grandfather and a retractable shield, known as "Crocea Mors". Along with being a strategist and effective in basic combat, Jaune can use his Semblance to boost other people's Auras. His name is a reference to Joan of Arc, who joined the French army dressed as a male soldier.
• Nora Valkyrie (Samantha Ireland) - A highly energetic girl with a huge crush on her childhood friend and teammate, Lie Ren. Her Semblance allows her to absorb electricity without getting hurt and then releasing the stored energy to her opponents as she surges the power through her weapon of choice, a hammer with a built-in rocket launcher known as "Magnhild". Her character is inspired by Thor (who entered Jotunheim disguised as Freyja to retrieve his hammer), with the surname based on a fellow Norse myth, the Valkyries.
• Pyrrha Nikos (Jen Brown) - A highly skilled yet socially insecure warrior. Her Semblance is polarity, which allows her to control metal objects at her own will. She wields an orange red spear-like weapon that transforms into a rifle ("Miló") and a shield ("Akoúo"). Her name is derived from Greek mythology, namely a moniker given to Achilles as he was disguised as a woman.
• Lie Ren (Monty Oum\Neath Oum) - The quiet and stoic childhood friend and teammate of Nora Valkyrie. His Semblance allows himself to protect himself from Grimm by masking any negative emotions that he could be feeling at the moment. His Semblance can also be shared with others if he performs either physical contact with them or if he is within their radius. He wields a pair of green pistols with blades attached to both ends known as "StormFlower". His character is based on Mulan (who joined the Chinese army pretending to be a man).

Beacon Staff and students

• Glynda Goodwitch (Kathleen Zuelch) - A Huntress and staff member at Beacon Academy, with her Semblance being telekinetic powers and with her weapon being a riding crop. She's based on Glynda, the Good Witch from the South.
• Professor Ozpin (Shannon McCormick) - The Headmaster at Beacon Academy, owner of special powers and wielder of a cane weapon. In later seasons, he appears possessing a boy, Oscar. He is based on the Wizard of Oz.
• Doctor Oobleck (Joel Heyman) - A hyperactive professor who teaches History at Beacon Academy, whose weapon of choice is a rifle concealed within his signature thermos.
• Professor Port (Ryan Haywood) - A boisterous professor of Grimm studies, whose weapon of choice is a blunderbuss that doubles as a shotgun.

• Cardin Winchester (Adam Ellis) - The leader of a group of first year bullies known as Team CRDL. His character is based on Cardinal Winchester, who tried Joan of Arc and sentenced her to be burned alive. Cardinal's relationship with Joan mirrors Cardin's relationship with Jaune in the show.
• Russell Thrush (Shane Newville) - A member of Team CRDL, whose name continues the bird-themed naming of their team.
• Coco Adel (Ashley Jenkins) - The leader of a group of second year students called Team CFVY, her weapon of choice is her handbag which can transform into a gatling gun.
• Fox Alistair - A blind member of Team CFVY who talks through telepathy and wields dual tonfas.
• Velvet Scarlatina (Caiti Ward) - A rabbit faunus from team CFVY, who has a camera that can create hard light copies of other people's weapons. She is based on The Velveteen Rabbit.
• Yatsuhashi Daichi (Joe MacDonald) - A big, burly member of team CFVY, who wields a large blame.

Antagonists

• Cinder Fall (Jessica Nigri) - Manipulative and ambitious, with fire powers that can create glass weapons. She's based on Cinderella.
• Emerald Sustrai (Katie Newville) - Cinder's deceptive and short-tempered assistant, who can cast powerful illusions and wields convertible revolver-sickles.
• Mercury Black (J.J. Castillo [Volume 1 and 2] Yuri Lowenthal [Volume 3 onwards]) - Emerald's care-free partner, with a fighting style based on leg movement.
• Roman Torchwick (Gray Haddock) - Roman is a wanted criminal who appears to work towards some goal involving "Dust". He's based on Lampwick from Pinocchio, albeit with the appearance of A Clockwork Orange protagonist, Alex de Large. He wields a cane-rifle.
• Neopolitan - Roman's right-hand woman, a short and mute girl whose Semblance allows her to cast illusions that ranges from ones that can affect her surroundings to ones that allow her to change her appearance. Her appearance is based on Neapolitan ice cream, with her weapon of choice being an umbrella with a concealed blade.
• Salem (Jen Taylor) - Cinder's superior, a very mysterious and evil figure with a connection\grudge to Ozpin who is highly knowledgeable about the world and its forgotten history, and can command Grimm. She is based on the Wicked Witch of the East.
• Adam Taurus (Garrett Hunter) - A sword-wielding Bull faunus, who was previously Blake's lover while she was with the White Fang. His weapons are a sword and rifle which can be merged, dubbed "Wilt and Blush", and through his Semblance he can deliver powerful strikes that even break the "aura" shielding. He alludes to the Beast from Beauty and the Beast.
• Dr. Arthur Watts (Christopher Sabat) - An arrogant and condescending lieutenant of Salem who used to be a scientist. He wields a pistol and eight rings that can hack into technology.
• Tyrian Callows ( Josh Grelle) - A psychotic scorpion Faunus who Salem sends to capture and assassination missions.
• Hazel Rainart (William Orendorff) - a strong and calm lieutenant of Salem who holds a grudge on Ozpin. His Semblance enders him insensitive to pain, allowing him to ignore injury and inject vast amounts of Dust into his body.
• Leonardo Lionheart (Daman Mills) - The scaredy headmaster of Mistral's Haven Academy who is secretly under Salem's influence. He's inspired by the Cowardly Lion of The Wizard of Oz.
• Little Miss Malachite (Luci Christian) - Leader of a Mistral gang themed around spiders, she's inspired by Little Miss Muffet.
• Junior (Jack Pattillo) - Owner of the club which Yang walks into when looking for information on Blake. He is seen talking to an unknown man as Yang is surveying the area. He uses a rocket launcher which can transform into a bat.
• Miltiades Malachite (Maggie Tominey) - AKA "Miltia", she is seen as one of Junior's underlings. She dresses in red Gothic style clothing and wields long, red claw-like weapons. She is Melanie's twin sister.
• Melanie Malachite (Maggie Tominey) - As with her sister Miltia, she is one of Junior's subordinates and dresses in a style similar to Miltia's, albeit white in color. She mainly fights using kicks which are enhanced by her bladed heels.
• Dr. Merlot (Dave Fennoy) - Owner of Merlot Industries, he destroyed Mountain Glenn by luring Grimm into the city, and created a laboratory to genetically modify Grimm. He's based in the title villain of The Island of Dr. Moreau. Seen only in the video game RWBY: Grimm Eclipse.

Family

• Summer Rose - Ruby's deceased mother, a Huntress who back in Beacon led her team, STRQ.
• Taiyang Xiao Long (Burnie Burns) - Ruby and Yang's father, a caring man who tends to his house.
• Qrow Branwen (Vic Mignogna [Volumes 3 to 6] Jason Liebrecht [Volume 7 on) - Ruby and Yang's uncle (though only biologically for the latter), an alcoholic and snarky warrior who taught his nieces to fight. He can turn into a crow, has a Semblance that transmits bad luck, and wields a scythe-rifle similar to Ruby's. He's inspired by both Muninn, a raven who flies around the world gathering information for Odin, and the Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz.
• Raven Branwen (Anna Hullum) - Yang's mother, who left Taiyang to lead a group of bandits. Like her brother, she can turn into a crow. She has the power to emit portals, and wields a one-handed sword that can be loaded with Dust. She's inspired by Huginn, another raven that gathers info for Odin.
• Zwei - Ruby and Yang's pet dog, a happy corgi who even holds his own in a fight.
• Jacques Schnee (Jason Douglas) - Weiss' father, the cold, arrogant, vindictive, overbearing, and selfish CEO of the Schnee Dust Company.
• Winter Schnee (Elizabeth Maxwell) - Weiss' cold, dignified, and distant older sister, who is extremely skilled with her rapier.
• Whitley Schnee (Howard Wang ) - Weiss' cold, vindictive, overbearing, selfish and deceptive younger brother, who wants to follow his father's steps in the family business.
• Ghira Belladonna (Kent Williams) - Blake's father, an intimidating yet good-hearted panther-esque Faunus who after leaving the White Fang became the chieftain of their village.
• Kali Belladonna (Tara Platt) - Blake's mother, a kind woman who like her daughter has cat ears.
• Saphron Cotta-Arc (Lindsay Sheppard) - Jaune's sister, who lives in Argus with his wife Terra Cotta-Arc (Jamie Smith) and their son Adrian.

Allies

• Penny Polendina (Taylor McNee) - An amiable and excitable girl who turns out to actually be a robot, with the power to throw a gun-blade weapon that can split itself into numerous thin, floating blades. She's based on Pinocchio.
• Sun Wukong (Michael Jones) - An athletic and easy-going monkey faunus. He wields a staff that can turn into a pair of gun-nunchucks, "Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang". Sun is inspired by the Monkey King of Chinese mythology, even having the same name.
• Neptune Vasilias (Kerry Shawcross) - Sun's friend, a cool and fashion-conscious warrior whose name is ironic as he's afraid of water. His weapon of choice is a gun that can transform into a guandao or a trident.
• Shopkeep (Patrick Rodriguez) - An elderly man who owns many businesses in Beacon.
• General James Ironwood (Jason Rose) - The cyborg who serves as the headmaster of Atlas Academy. He wields a revolver, and is inspired by the Tin Woodsman of The Wizard of Oz.
• Oscar Pine (Aaron Dismuke) - A farmboy that eventually receives Ozpin's soul.
• Maria Calavera (Melissa Sternenberg) - An elder lady with electronic goggles who Ruby's group meets on a train crash, and subsequently comes along in their journey. Maria is actually a retired huntress who used to be known as "The Grimm Reaper".
• Pietro Polendina (Dave Fennoy) - A scientist who created Penny. He's inspired by Geppeto.
• Robyn Hill (Cristina Vee) - A Mantle politician and Huntress who leads a group of Happy Huntresses, inspired by Robin Hood.
• Clover Ebi (Christopher Wehkamp) - The leader of Atlas' Ace Operatives.

Vytal Tournament contestants

• Scarlet David (Gavin Free) and Sage Ayana (Joshua Ornelas) - Sun and Neptune's teammates in Team SSSN ("sun").
• Brawnz Ni (Blaine Gibson), Roy Stallion, Nolan Porfirio (Aaron Marquis) and May Zedong - Vacuo students who form Team BRNZ ("bronze").
• Ciel Soleil (Yssa Badiola) - Penny's teammate in the tournament.
• Flynt Coal (Flynt Flossy) - Named after the Let's Play Minecraft in-joke, he's an Atlas huntsman, leader of team FNKI ("funky"), who dresses as a jazzman and attacks with a trumpet.
• Neon Katt (Meg Turney) - Another team FNKI member, a roller skater who wields nunchaku-glowsticks and has a name and appearance inspired by Nyan Cat.
• Kobalt and Ivori - The other two members of team FNKI. Their white\gold and blue\black scheme allude to the infamous dress that could be interpreted as either color.
• Arslan Altan, Bolin Hori (Jon Risinger), Reese Chloris and Nadir Shiko - Mistral students who form Team ABRN ("Auburn")
• Nebula Violette (Grace Bono, Kate Warner), Dew Gayl (Paige Campbell, Kim Newman), Gwen Darcy (Mylissa Zelechowski), and Octavia Ember (Claire Hogan) - Vacuo students who form Team NDGO ("indigo"). They're the creation of four fans who won the right to get their characters on the show through the Indiegogo for Lazer Team (NDGO also refers to the website)