It took me way too long to watch ‘Arcane’

I can’t believe it took me so long to watch the brilliantly executed animated series Arcane. I’m almost angry at how much I like it. Its riveting storylines immediately pulls us in. Arcane is brilliant with a layered narrative and intensive world-building. There’s no space wasted and, from the ashes of the premiere that set an eerie precedent for a series so often seemingly engulfed by rubble and flame, the show strikes a tone rife with urgency. Everything and everyone matters to the overlying ecosystem. Don’t be me. Watch this show and fall in love with its characters. That said, while it’s shocking it took literal years for me to jump aboard a well-preserved bandwagon, it’s partially understandable why I — and others like me — might’ve initially hesitated. 

If only looking at the trailers, the 3D character models can seem clunky in their animation, too reminiscent of the storylines of the game they’re based on. And while video game adaptations have a greater success rate today than they did even a few years ago, there’s a reasonable distrust in Riot Games executing a well-paced and dramatized version of League of Legends. It’s on Netflix — a death knell these days. Imagine Dragons sings the opening theme song and plays a fictionalized band in the series. All of which points to a potentially frustrating experience. 

But more than anything, the animation style and the fact that it was based on a video game initially pushed me away. I’ve been humbled. I was wrong! I’m addicted, and I can’t believe there are only three episodes left, with no plans for a third season. 

Created by Christian Linke and Alex Yee, Arcane: League of Legends is a steampunk action-adventure series set in Riot’s League of Legends universe. The series primarily focuses on the two sisters, Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (Ella Purnell). The series follows them from their traumatic childhoods into their increasingly traumatic adulthood as they’re torn apart before woven back into one another’s lives. Set in a world divided by elitism, the series tracks the escalating tension between the rich, utopian city of Piltover and the oppressed undercity, Zaun. 

Amidst that unrest, the sisters find themselves embroiled in differing political sections. While Vi and Jinx remain the heart of the series, there are plenty more characters who offer a similar level of engagement and intrigue. No character remains static, and while it’s stress-inducing to realize that no character is fully safe from harm, be it emotional or physical, it makes for more engaging viewing because we never know where a character is going to end up. 

Characters such as Jayce (Kevin Alejandro), Viktor (Harry Lloyd), and Mel (Toks Olagundoye), who work in positions of power in Piltover, are nowhere near where their respective journeys began. In particular, Viktor’s journey with the Hextech embarks on a wild journey of self-exploration and scientific discovery. Meanwhile, where Jayce and Mel fit near archetypes in their introductions, there are significant pivots in Season 2 that show them both suffering at either the hands of generational trauma or the destructive force of magic at the core of their city. 

And this is still just skimming the surface. Characters such as Ekko (Reed Shannon), the boy wonder of the undercity, remains a character worthy of further exploration. And while Caitlyn (Katie Leung) can be relentlessly frustrating, her growth and how Jinx poisons her intents is a fascinating study. Perhaps one of the best examples of strong character writing comes from the primary season one antagonist, Silco (Jason Spisak). He should be easy to hate, and he certainly is deplorable. But the series goes the interesting route of not making him purely heinous. While he is a sickness upon their world he also shows genuine warmth and affection towards Jinx. 

But again, the heart lies with Jinx and Vi. More notably, how their grown worlds parallel one another even when they’re at their most toxic. From start to finish, their interactions anchor the series. Steinfeld and Purnell deliver exceptional performances, offering greater layers to their characters as they shift and change over time. The most recent development of Jinx’s relationship with Isha, forming a sisterly bond where she must play the elder sister, is the perfect way to segue viewers into the series’ final act. 

It isn’t just well-written with rich, textured characters and increasingly dramatic stakes that threaten the integrity of the world. Those elements matter, but the main immediate draw is the animation. The visuals strike hard and fast once settled into the established style. The mix of 2D and 3D animation helps blend the softer character moments with the world’s brutality. 

The action is superb, but the smaller, minute details demonstrate the attention and artistry going into the production. The character designs themselves lean into the over-the-top silhouettes of a video game but the facial reactions speak to realism. The quirk of Vi’s lip, Jinx’s frantically widening eyes, and Viktor’s constant, inquisitive gaze paint a complete, tactile picture. When aimed for vulnerability, it excels because those micro details make these larger-than-life characters so impossibly human. 

Honestly? It’s almost infuriating how good it is. Because how can it be so good, and I’ve missed it for this long? The only good thing, I suppose, is that it made for an easy binge without the tedious wait between seasons. And now it’s almost over. While mourning certain characters, I also worry about the safety of others. With immaculate world-building, stunning artistry that plays with form and genre, and characters we genuinely grow to care for, Arcane is one of the best shows on Netflix and an absolute must-watch for fans of the games and newcomers alike. 

But I stand by either skipping the intro or muting the music. 

Arcane Season 2 is out now on Netflix, with the last three episodes premiering November 23. 

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Images courtesy of Netflix.