After watching the action-packed season two finale of “Arcane” on Nov. 23, I stand in awe of unmatched visual brilliance — a masterwork redefining animated storytelling.
“Arcane” is a film adaptation of League of Legends, one of the most played games in the world, with great voice acting from Ella Purnell and Hailee Steinfeld. This Netflix series blends the latest animation with emotional depth to build a world where every frame resembles the hard work and creativity of each artist. The sentimental weight of season one set the path for an even greater season two, with every detail a beauty to behold.
“Arcane” is divided into three acts, each with three episodes. With a budget near $250 million, Arcane surpasses other big-budget films, proving each dollar was well spent.
The animation style is different for each scene, with creative flair in using charcoal to show a character’s death or a hand-drawn scene to represent the complexity of a relationship between partners.
Besides its visual details, “Arcane” is a masterclass in storytelling. Class division, sisterly bond and mental health are some of its leading themes. “Arcane” includes two cities deeply divided: Piltover is a prosperous, high-class city, while Zaun is a dingy, industrial counterpart. Tragedy tore the two main characters — Vi and Jinx — apart in season one, but they find their way back to each other through their shared and fractured past. Once a character of broken insanity, Jinx gets a new sense of purpose in season two, transitions from chaos to taking care of a mute child and, most poignantly, protecting her sister.
One of the highlights of season two is episode seven, which focuses on Ekko, who gets transported into a parallel universe in which pivotal technologies were never created. Because of that, people who had died in his universe were alive in another. The reality sparks a deeper connection between him and Jinx, culminating in a dance at a party. The scene unfolds in slow motion to a French song with themes about a couple who despise each other but still love one another. It’s a bittersweet moment, as Ekko must ultimately give up the reality he hoped was his.
The soundtrack to the series is another high point, with the music tone perfectly setting the emotional feel of each scene. Some scenes feel like a music video, but the songs perfectly represent the underlying message of the setting.
While many hail “Arcane” as one of the best shows, I feel some character decisions were poorly explained, and the ending felt quite rushed. Near the end, Ambessa Medarda, one of the antagonists, has an idea to curate an unstoppable army with support from the main wrongdoer; however, the thought is pointless. The main villain presents a different proposal and plans to convert humanity into mechanical humans, thus representing a never-achievable plan for Ambessa. In the last minutes of the show, a major character passes away, but the show immediately moves on to the next scene. The scene should have played out more to give an emotional aftertaste of the loss of a person with an amazing, revitalizing arc.
While there will not be more seasons, Riot Games has confirmed new TV series are in the works for the League of Legends universe. “Arcane” has passed the boundaries of a great show with its amazing, stylistic animation and outstanding writing.
