ARCANE: League of Legends

Usagi Pilgrim

Usagi Pilgrim

Master Member
RPF PREMIUM MEMBER
Wanted to see all 3 episodes before starting a thread, but if anyone of you are fans of steampunk, world-building, or just animation in general, I can NOT recommend this show highly enough.

I know absolutely nothing about the League of Legends game, so IDK if it's based on any existing characters or story, but I can assure you that there's no previous knowledge needed to enjoy this. I'm liking the release schedule as well, as Netflix are releasing 3 episodes per week for a total of (I think) 9 episodes. With each episode being about 40 minutes, it's easy to mini-binge.

I don't want to give my impressions that could put any preconceived notions in anyone's head, but I will say that it may not be everyone's favorite, but the design & animation absolutely FLOOR me in almost every single scene.

I really hope some will check it out for at least the first 2 or 3 episodes.

 
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Loving this. Seen up to Ep 5, the design and animation are gorgeous, and the writing, voice acting and characterisations are excellent. A game adaption doesn't have a right to be this good, surprised there aren't more people talking about it.
 
Vinom11 said:
No prior knowledge of League of Legends is necessary here. The series does an amazing job of character development and storytelling. It doesn't matter if you're a fan of steampunk or games or animation, this is just plain good entertainment. I can't recommend it enough.
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I agree, I have 0 knowledge of the game, outside of that it exists and that (I think) it's a mobile game. The animation is top notch and the story is excellent as well. And while It does have a female protagonist, but the show doesn't go out of its way to try to bach you overhead with a "gurlz rule, boyz drool" narrative. They also do a very good job with the world building, within 2 -3 episodes you learn pretty much all you need to know about the world and how it works. There are a few minor details that don't get addressed by that point, but I imagine that they'll touch on them later. All in all, a great show so far.
 
Just finished watching the season finale of this. In my opinion it's a masterpiece. One of the very best animated series I've ever seen, not just in terms of the animation, but the worldbuilding, the characterisation, the writing and the performances. I've been absolutely gripped throughout, and I can't remember the last time I became so invested in all the characters and their relationships. One of the best things I've seen for a long time. The design and animation is seriously just unbelievable, the way the environments are brought to life is brilliant, all the characters are complex, nuanced and believable, and you absolutely understand exactly why they do what they do. The conlict and action stuff is wincingly brutal but underpinned with a real emotional heft. It's had me in bits a few times. Just a superb telling of a brilliant story about love, loss, tragedy and trauma. And what an ending! Roll on season 2.

15 out of 10. Highly recommend!
 
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I watched this just because of word of mouth, only knowing that League of Legends is an online game, and watching it I can say nothing to take away from the artwork and animation; they are the stand-outs by far, it's just gorgeous to look at. The voice-over work, as well---top notch. Unfortunately, I really find the story and characters extremely cliché and, for a lack of a better word, lame.

It's great to look at visually but past that, I find it kind of a dull watch as it hits familiar beats, with nothing either surprising or engaging enough for me to invest in. I think if I were a big fan of the game and found what the show incorporated from the game into a stand-alone narrative, I'd be thrilled but as someone that has only a vague awareness of the property, I really can't say I was won over at all by the material. As an adaptation of something else, I will give it credit for striving to be something more and actually doing it competently.
 
I cannot stand League, played it a few times and just could not get behind it whatsoever! Arcane on the other hand? Loved it! I just recently finished watching it and I was hooked from start to finish. The animation, art style, music, was all top notch. So for a show being based around a game I hate, I'd give it a solid 9.5/10!
 
Ned Figglehorn said:
I cannot stand League, played it a few times and just could not get behind it whatsoever! Arcane on the other hand? Loved it! I just recently finished watching it and I was hooked from start to finish. The animation, art style, music, was all top notch. So for a show being based around a game I hate, I'd give it a solid 9.5/10!
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100% agree, hated League but loved the show!
 
I watched the show because I saw someone digitally paint a picture of Jinx and thought the character looked cool. Took a while before I realized the drawing was of a character from the Arcane show. Took a while before I watched it. Went in hesitant. One episode lead into the next and the next and the next... gut punch at every end... then watching the rest, feeling like I did the first time I watched a Star Wars movie, which was Empire Strikes Back.

One of the best told shows I've seen in a very, very long time. The world was awesome. The characters looked great, had weight to them, and their movements felt real and loved that they got winded when fighting. At the end... it was one of only two shows I bothered watching on Netflix until I canceled it - Arcane and Dorohedoro - and now I miss both because neither are out on Blu-Ray.
 
I looooooved this show. Watched through twice already. Powder/Jinx is a great character... If Harley Quinn was handled as well I may not find her so annoying (and yeah I get Jinx is a rip off... but she's just handled much much better)
 
Before watching this I was conversationally familiar with League in that I knew it was a MOBA and recognized some of the characters, like Jinx, from costumes at cons, but I finally watched it a few months ago, I was enthralled by this show.

The art especially was just so gorgeous in some shots that you could frame it and hang it on your walls. The way they handled Jinx's mental state and deterioration was heart wrenchingly beautiful, and I felt like the depiction of her mental illness was done with a deft enough hand that it wasn't disrespectful or given into clichés. I really liked how well rounded everyone was, honestly, not just her. Everyone was done in shades of gray and nothing was clear cut, which was just excellent.

It really hit home to me how well this show was done when I watched the recently released Resident Evil show also on Netflix. It had a similar through line of two sisters finding themselves on opposite sides of a conflict after their relationship deteriorates following a traumatic event, but the shows are night and day different. Arcane is handled so well while RE is such a tonal mess that it made me really appreciate Arcane even more.
 
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