Netflix’s Arcane: League of Legends is a bewitching tale of two twin cities divided by their socioeconomic statuses. The story focuses on two sisters, Jinx and Vi as they walk down two different paths similar to ones of their separated world. The show was based off the video game League of Legends, and takes inspiration from their characters and weaponry to create the masterpiece that is Arcane. The first season was released back in 2020 in three parts, known as “Acts”, similarly so the new season has recently been released in the same fashion. As an original fan of the show, I am here to discuss my opinions of the new season two and its development from the first season.

Animation Review 

The first thing I noticed is the art of the show. The season starts off with a smoke bomb and transitions into a beautiful yet sad black and white scene. The thing I found so interesting about the fourth act was the colorful and sometimes monochrome backgrounds to subtly represent the mood. The backgrounds were usually images in certain color schemes or abstract scenes instead of full animations to better focus on the centered character. And the exquisite color transitions style into the majesty of the animation as well as its temporary art style changes. The emotions were so well represented in this season as well as the last, which is what I think really pulled in their immense audience.

Critiques

Despite the beauty and presentation of the show, I think the creators could have better advertised it or released nearer to the peak of the show. Due to the incredibly loyal fandom the show has not lost any engagement. Personally, I think after four years I lost most of my motivation to continue watching the show due to not remembering much, not to mention the season one review was very poorly done and looked more like a trailer than a reminder. I think the show should’ve advertised this season sooner and better to encourage people who don’t remember the plot  to rewatch the first season, because otherwise it is hard to remember the plot of the previous season. The transitions between acts were also puzzling, and the pacing of episodes would complicate the show much further than needed.

ACT I/season 2 

Similar to the first act in season one, this act really focused on the evolutions of certain characters and relationships. We see the contrast in Jinx and Vi’s relationship as it turns hateful since Vi’s attempt to save her in the last season and we see Vi and Caitlyn’s relationship grow and evolve positively. Vi’s personal changes in ethics, morals, and her inner conflicts  makes her a character the audience can relate to. We see despair in many characters and clarity in plot holes created in the first season.

ACT II/season 2

This act was my personal favorite between both seasons. It was absolutely captivating to see side characters such as Ambessa take the lead in crucial milestones this season. The shift in Caitlyn’s arc was engrossing and really pulled me into the show.  Watching the downturn and rise of her relationship with Vi was engrossing and watching this season, I could not turn my head from the screen. 

ACT III/season 2

This act was incredibly well designed, despite that, it was probably my least favorite of the season. The act felt incredibly rushed and a lot of the scenes felt like they were not as thoughtfully planned out as the rest. While they made sense, a lot of the scenes did feel last minute, and the timeline was very hard to follow.

The ending was unsatisfying for many fans, however that was my favorite part of the act. The transformation in relationship dynamics between characters was so investing. And the songs in this act were by far the best, and melodies in songs such as: Wasteland by Royal & the Serpent, Fantastic by King Princess, Ma Meilleure Ennemie by Stromae & Pomma, Spin the Wheel by Mick Wingert, and Paint the Town Blue by Ashnikko, provide a description better than any word can of the storm of emotions I felt watching each scene.

Magic: 

Apart from our main characters we also get a depth into the magic of this series. As this season went on, we saw a lot more magic, from the hex core to the intricate weapons. We also get to see the downfall and uprisings of these characters. The show explores different and more elaborate topics using magic as they did with the first season such as: abuse of power, cognitive dissonance, power hierarchy, and more. 

This show was truly an enchanting watch, and like many fans this show has been a cause of deep heartache for me. The creators’ incredible insight to deep topics through easy to understand topics and their multi-dimensional characters show the audience many angles from characters’ points of view. Watching this show will make you feel much more in touch with reality using fantasy. As a watcher who has personally never played the video game, one thing I appreciate about this series is that it is not needed to understand this show in its full glory. I recommend to anyone who has started the show to continue and those who have not, to start. The show will give you a different outview on real life topics and is a captivating watch.

My Overall Rating: 8.5/10