‘ARCANE’: League of Legends Is in Fact, Legendary

Arcane is an absolute masterpiece of a show and I’m going to tell you why I love it and why you should watch it. 

The music, the characters/character development, diversity, plot, visuals, and acting are all incredible. I haven’t seen many good shows lately, but this one makes up for all the poorly thought-out and rushed franchises. I used to be a huge fan of AMC’s The Walking Dead, until they butchered the last two seasons by killing off a character with huge potential and making two others disappear for the remainder of the show until the spinoff. I loved The 100 for a long time until, like TWD, the last two seasons became a complete aberration from the show’s typical dystopian, apocalyptic society and became too science-focused. Things started getting convoluted and just plain stupid. That being said, there haven’t been any other shows that have really caught my attention and kept it, until Arcane about three years ago when it came out. 

Everything about the show is top-notch. I cannot say enough good things about it because I’d be speaking for days on end. First off, the music is amazing. The show features several big artists like Stromae, Imagine Dragons, 21 Pilots, d4vid, Royal & the Serpent, and other lesser-known artists. The soundtrack for both seasons is chilling and cool, setting the tone well for the war between Piltover and Zaun, the two different cities that don’t get along. You can sing along to each song because they are all catchy and leave a lasting impact on your emotions. If you’re feeling nostalgic and sad, give “Ma Meilleure Ennemie” a listen. If you want to feel like a badass, listen to “Enemy” by Imagine Dragons. The soundtrack encapsulates the vibe of the show so well, and when paired with the visuals, it’s unforgettable. 

The dialogue is fantastic as well. It’s realistic and riveting and each character has his/her own specific voice and cadence that you can recognize after watching for a bit. There are plenty of struggles, disagreements, and moments of pleading that will have you hooked from the very start. There are moments that will shock you, make you cry, make you laugh, and cheer. Arcane has everything you want in a show. 

The characters are all diverse and come from a multitude of different backgrounds. The voice actors are diverse as well, so they practice what they preach. There are a handful of British, American, and Czech characters, as well as black and brown-skinned characters from both Piltover and Zaun. There are characters with disabilities and characters who are LGBTQ+. This inclusion is what makes the show so wonderful. There are so many different possibilities and nuanced issues that take place because of certain love interests and backgrounds. The show has so many layers, as do the characters, which enhances the plot and makes it highly interesting to watch. 

The graphics are also drop-dead gorgeous. The character designs are well-thought-out, and you can tell that the designers were conscientious when making them. They include so many small details that showcase differences between characters and seasons that bring the story to life and help differentiate character changes. For example, Jinx has a slim, angular face and violet-red eyes. In another universe of the show, she is Powder (her childhood name) and has a fuller face, tied-up hair, and light blue eyes, because certain events never happened so that affected her physical features. The attention to detail is truly magnificent and deserves a lot of credit. 

Some of my favorite characters are listed below. My top five:

1. Caitlyn Kirriman: She’s so cool. A member of Piltover’s Enforcers, or the police force. In season one, she was a naive girl who wanted to do right by the Piltover citizens. After losing her mother, she has become slightly jaded and driven by vengeance. Her relationship with Vi is tumultuous but eventually ends up with a satisfying ending. She is tough and determined and works hard. She has had the most extreme transformation out of the characters in my opinion, and I love how the writers played with the “fallen angel” type of character. 
2. Jinx: The maniacal “villain” of season one. She goes from being sinister and crazy to a lovable mother figure to her found daughter Isha. Her relationship with her sister, Vi, is complex and improves this season. We see a soft side of Jinx which adds yet another layer to her character. She is misunderstood and tragic, which makes her relatable. 
3. Mel Merdarda: A political leader of Piltover and newfound “witch/sorceress”. She is iconic and fights for peace within Piltover. She saves Caitlyn at the end of season two and experiments with her new powers. She is cunning, observant and downright cool.
4. Vi: Jinx’s older sister and my favorite character in season one. Tough, angsty, and badass, Vi fights for her family at all times. She is a force to be reckoned with and dances to the beat of her own drum. 
5. Ekko: Arguably the only unproblematic character of the whole series. He’s a good guy with a huge heart who wants to keep his people and his family safe. He saves everyone at the end of season two and sacrifices his own happiness with alternate universe Powder to preserve Piltover and save everyone. He is a sassy man who keeps Vi in check and has an awesome character design. 

Arcane is just pure awesome. The fighting scenes are layered with music that will give you goosebumps, graphics that are filled with onomatopoeia, and transitions that are gasp-worthy. Each episode has something to offer, whether it’s a heartbreaking forbidden romance or a chaos-causing trigger-happy teen with parental issues, the episodes have something for everyone. If you haven’t watched it, I highly recommend it.

• arcane
• gaming
• jinx
• leagueoflegends
• Piltover
• tv
• vi
• Zaun