Also known as Arcane: League of Legends
Created by Christian Linke & Alex Yee
Based on League of Legends by Riot Games
Written by Christian Linke & Alex Yee
Story by Christian Linke, Alex Yee, Connor Sheehy, Ash Brannon
Directed by Pascal Charrue & Arnaud Delord
Voices of Hailee Steinfeld, Ella Purnell, Kevin Alejandro, Katie Leung, Jason Spisak, Toks Olagundoye, JB Blanc, Harry Lloyd, Mia Sinclair Jenness
Opening theme “Enemy” by Imagine Dragons featuring JID
For years, TV series and movies based on games or toy lines tended to be pretty dire. The plots were nearly non-existent, the animation anywhere from barely-adequate to gawdawful, and the voice acting delivered with the depth and conviction of a Speak ‘N Spell.
In recent years there’s been some fairly significant improvement in this particular branch of the two genres. Stein’s;Gate (2011) was a breakthrough, combining good animation with a solid plotline, and decent characterizations. That it was an anime was no accident; the medium could recreate the imagery and even the voices of the original games, and from there it was just a matter of hiring good writers and competent artists. (My next review will be of an anime to live-action success, the remake of Cowboy Bebop. That is something far more difficult to pull off.)
Arcane breaks the mold, both with a complicated and diverse array of characters, but a sophisticated and surprisingly human plot. The animation and art are a unique and striking blend of 2D and 3D, hand-drawn and CGI, and facial expressions that, while not photo-realistic, are convincing and well nuanced.
The storyline is of two sisters who end up on opposite sides in a city riven by socioeconomic and political dualities. You have a powerful and wealthy elite in Piltover, and a sprawling, decrepit ghetto that relies heavily on barter and smuggling to stay alive in Zaun. Both sisters were raised in Zaun, but end up as opponents due to internecine conflicts both in Zaun and Piltover. The younger sister, Powder (later known as Jinx) has fairly severe mental issues, and a crawling need for recognition and respect, but always picks the worst, most destructive ways to try achieve it. Inevitably, she fails. Her sister is forced to walk a thin line working with Piltover forces to try to prevent things from worsening between the two communities. Moral compromise and betrayal have become part of her survival tactics.
If that sounds like complicated and sophisticated plotting, it is, and there is a powerful supporting cast of characters that have coalesced around each of the sisters.
There have been 10 roughly 50 minute long episodes thus far (the last four just appeared on Netflix two days ago) and another series of 10 is set for release sometime in 2022.
In addition to the surprising array of strengths the show brings to the view is a riveting opening title sequence, with a mind-worm theme, “Enemy” by Imagine Dragons and the rapper J.I.D.
It may just be the best animated series I’ve seen so far this year—and it’s mid November.