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James Marsh

This article contains mild spoilers.
4/5 stars
A pair of estranged sisters find themselves on opposing sides of a violent feud between rival kingdoms in Arcane, Netflix’s new animated series which serves as a prequel to the hugely popular online battle arena video game League of Legends.
The title reportedly attracts 180 million online gamers every month, and the show, produced by Riot Games and French animation studio Fortiche, explores the origins of a number of its champions, including fan favourites like Jinx and Victor.


However, newcomers should be equally enthralled by Arcane’s compelling narrative, richly developed characters and detailed world-building, all realised through a visually dazzling blend of hand-drawn and computer-generated animation.
Released over three consecutive weekends in three acts, each comprising three 40-minute episodes, Arcane follows the escalating tensions between the wealthy and cultured settlement of Piltover and the impoverished under-city of Zaun that lies at its feet.

Piltover wields a new technology known as hextech, developed from arcane magic, which their high council is under pressure to weaponise. Simultaneously, Silco, the nefarious leader of Zaun’s underground movement, has cultivated an addictive serum known as Shimmer, which can cause extreme, violent mutations.
Act one follows a group of young Zaun scavengers, who sneak into Piltover to steal whatever they can. Sisters Vi and Powder discover a cache of arcane crystals in the flat of a young scientist named Jayce. When the girls accidentally cause an explosion, a warrant is put out for their arrest, and they seek refuge with Vander, gruff landlord of a popular Zaun tavern.
Jayce, meanwhile, is dragged before the high council, where the diminutive, 300-year-old councillor Heimerdinger warns him against the crystals’ dangerous and unpredictable powers.

Before the first act is over, a rift has developed between Vi and her younger sister that sees the pair torn apart. Powder seeks refuge under the wing of Silco, and as act two opens a few years later, she becomes the vengeful Jinx, while Silco solidifies his position as leader of Zaun’s guerilla movement and plans a violent campaign to win independence for the under-city.
In the upper echelons of Piltover, Jayce has won his fight to develop hextech, as well as a seat on the council, which distances him from childhood friend Caitlyn but brings him closer to chief councillor Mel Medarda.
The seemingly benevolent and ceremonial opulence of Piltover’s leadership bears more than a passing resemblance to House Atredies from Dune, while the arcane crystals share much in common with the spice, as both wield addictive properties and are integral to intergalactic trade and space travel.

The duplicitous power plays of rival civilisations, and influential struggles of supposedly insignificant characters, also place Arcane comfortably alongside the established universes of Star Wars and Game of Thrones. That is not to say this world is any more derivative than those that have come before it, but rather that fans of any of these should find much to appreciate and enjoy here.
Beyond its appeal to fans of the science-fiction and fantasy genres, the creators of Arcane actively broaden the show’s appeal with a robust voice cast headlined by Hailee Steinfeld as Vi and Ella Purnell as Powder. Japanese performer Miyavi also appears.
The soundtrack boasts an exclusive theme song from Imagine Dragons, as well as contributions from the likes of Sting and Bea Miller to complement Alexander Temple and Alex Seaver’s immersive score.

Regardless of your familiarity with the material, the show draws you into its intricately realised world and builds to an emotional and impressively uncompromising climax.
With a second season already greenlit, Arcane emerges as one of the year’s most rewarding seasons of television, animated or otherwise.
Arcane is streaming on Netflix.


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Jinx (voiced by Ella Purnell) in a still from Arcane. Photo: Netflix

Sevika (left, voiced by Amirah Vann) and Jinx (Ella Purnell) in a still from Arcane. Photo: Netflix

Vi (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld) in a still from Arcane. Photo: Netflix

Silco (voiced by Jason Spisak) in a still from Arcane. Photo: Netflix

Jayce (left, voiced by Kevin Alejandro) and Caitlyn Kiramman (Katie Leung) in a still from Arcane. Photo: Netflix

Vi (left, voiced by Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (Ella Purnell) in a still from Arcane. Photo: Netflix

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Mustafa Shakir as Jet Black in a still from Cowboy Bebop. Photo: Geoffrey Short/Netflix

Ein in a still from Cowboy Bebop. Photo: Geoffrey Short/Netflix

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Yoo Ah-in in a still from Hellbound. Photo: Netflix

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Yoo Ah-in in a still from Hellbound. Photo: Netflix.

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Kim Hyun-joo in a still from Hellbound. Photo: Netflix

A still from Hellbound. Photo: Netflix

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Alex Hassell (left) as Vicious and John Cho as Spike Spiegel in a still from Cowboy Bebop. Photo: Geoffrey Short/Netflix

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Netflix’s new animated series serves as a prequel to the hugely popular online video game League of Legends, exploring the origins of a number of its champions
However, newcomers to the game should be equally enthralled by Arcane’s compelling narrative, richly developed characters and detailed world-building



Netflix’s Arcane, set in the League of Legends universe, has a compelling narrative and characters and stunning animation that will delight fans of the game fans and draw in newcomers.


Anime

TV shows and streaming video

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League of Legends

An assessment or critique of a service, product or creative endeavour.  Film reviews, restaurant reviews, reviews of art exhibitions. (Eg. Crazy Rich Asians: an important film, yes, but a good one?)


Review

Review | Netflix drama review: Arcane – animated series set in League of Legends universe and voiced by Hailee Steinfeld and Ella Purnell among others, is one of 2021’s most rewarding shows