Two sisters. One divided city. A masterful example of animated storytelling.
“Arcane,” a Netflix original animated series, is an adaptation of the backstories of certain characters from Riot Games’s online multiplayer video game “League of Legends.” But surely enough, the series can be watched without any prior knowledge of the game that it’s based on. Although the series is broken up into six arcs over the course of two seasons—with the first being released in 2021 and the second in 2024—there’s still quite a bit to unpack.
The series follows sisters Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and Powder/Jinx (Ella Purnell) as they attempt to navigate the stoic utopian city of Piltover and the oppressed undercity of Zaun. After losing their parents at the hands of Piltover’s enforcers, the pair are taken in by Vander, the owner of a bar in Zaun and one of the most influential leaders down in the undercity’s streets. As they grow older, they’re slowly torn apart due to the death of Vander, as well as the rising chaos ensued by Silco, an undercity figure who’s been working on a mutagen substance called Shimmer, which is meant solely to turn people into weapons to use against Piltover.
The first season introduces multiple characters that are at the heart of these ensuing conflicts, including Vi, Jinx, Ekko, Caitlyn, Jayce, Viktor, and many more. Another prominent conflict is tied to the invention of Hextech, which is essentially magic-infused machinery and technology, and its endless consequences in connection to those affected by Shimmer. The second season picks up right where the first left off, with Jinx becoming a symbol and figure of resistance and Vi evaluating past decisions in the face of the biggest conflict Piltover and Zaun have yet experienced.
Not only has animation recently taken on a new style, it seems like viewers are finally starting to realize that animated shows and movies can take on quite a more mature and serious tone in order to reach a wider audience. “Arcane” is embedded with comfort at its baseline but incredibly emotional when it needs to be. The fight scenes are infused with vibrant colors, smooth animation, and unique camera angles, only adding more to the hope for maximum thrill and anticipation. But these emotional moments, such as scenes with a character in mental turmoil, can be artistically represented through stylized depictions of pain, chaos, paranoia, and various other emotions. Foundationally, this series effortlessly displays beautiful plotting, with character developments evoking levels of emotion from the viewers, as well as an outstanding original soundtrack that is fitting to every scene it’s featured in.
The art style featured in “Arcane” is seemingly the first of its kind in the industry, and it hasn’t been replicated since. This art style takes a tremendous amount of time, often taking half a decade to complete and render. The effort put in by the production team can be seen beautifully throughout the series, as it cost over $250 million to create—making it the most expensive animated series of all time. This show has become quite memorable and is adored by viewers all across the world, especially for its imagery, intense combat scenes, and remarkable visuals. Although the series of “Arcane” is complete, the anticipation won’t die out just yet. Showrunners have since announced more series being released in the coming years set in the world of “League of Legends.” But “Arcane” will undoubtedly be remembered as a shining example of exquisite storytelling through the power of animation for years to come.
The complete series of “Arcane” is now streaming on Netflix.
Final Rating: 5/5
