Arcane (2021) TV Series Review
Arcane (2021) is an animated fantasy series on Netflix based on the popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) League of Legends, a game I have little to no knowledge about when it comes to its lore and characters and only know about it because during my MOBA days, I was in the Dota 2 camp, another famous game in the genre and it is a competitor to LOL. After hearing universal praise for this series, I added it to my list and finally got around to checking it out and… yeah, the HYPE is real. This is one of the best things I’ve watched this year.
The story takes place in the fictional city of Piltover, dedicated to knowledge and enlightenment, and the adjoining underground Zaun or The Lanes, a relatively slum-like habitat of the oppressed and the unfortunate. The series tackles several themes over the course of its 9 episode run such as the ugliness of war, classism, unintentional consequences of well-meaning ambitions, power and corruption, technological hubris, familial bonds and friendships, trauma and mental distress, in an intricately woven strongly written plot populated by well-realized characters that grow and evolve.
From the very first scene, the series hooked me in and didn’t let up till the very last scene leaving me in a mix of high emotions, and sheer frustration by the realization that now I’ll have to wait a long time for a second season. Pretty much every significant character was interesting and entertaining to watch. From the point they were introduced to the point where the series leaves them, seeing their development was awesome. At the core of the series are Vi and Jinx, two strong characters and sisters whose bond carries a lot of the series emotional weight, tragically beautiful. On the other end, you have characters like Viktor and Jayce, geniuses with well-meaning ambitions realizing the cost and complications of such endeavours. And then there is Silco, the antagonist who I would not have believed when he was first introduced that I would get so attached to by the end and the level of FEELS his development carried, probably my favourite character in the first season alongside Jinx. The parallels and circling back of certain plot points… just WOW, this is what happens when good writing is given precedence. Great voice acting from the cast by the way.
Animated by the French studio Fortiche Productions under the supervision of RIOT games (the developer of the video game), the animation and art style is sublime, detailed and fluid in every single scene with splendid cinematography highlighted the most in gorgeously executed action scenes, accompanied by an impactful and beautiful soundtrack, both the music and the songs. Arcane is a pure audiovisual treat for the senses that puts you in a state of bliss throughout.
Video game adaptations get a lot of shit and for good reason since so many of them have been appalling or middling at best but Arcane and the Castlevania Animated Series has proven that one can not only make good but great pieces of entertainment and art with a dedicated and passionate team who actually care about the property or source material while also making sure it stands on its own two feet. Mad props to the people involved in this project. I REALLY wish that companies like Blizzard take notice of these developments and adapt something like Starcraft properly.
All in all, Arcane was a wonderful experience and easily one of the best things in this entire year for me. Regardless of whether you’re a fan of the game or have no idea about the world, this is an absolute must-watch, particularly if you're looking for great fantasy. And if I were to rate Arcane Season 1, I’d give it a 9.5/10.
