You ever just sit down after finishing a show, having this indescribable void inside you that you know can’t be filled anytime soon? This was me at 2 AM yesterday after finishing Arcane. I can’t quite put my finger on what the cause is — is it the realization that there aren’t any more episodes? or the fact that this world that you grew so connected to has suddenly ceased to exist?
Whatever it is, that void is still here and maybe that’s okay. Some stories don’t really end, they just leave a piece behind with you. The last time I felt like this was after finishing the 1995 classic Neon Genesis Evangelion, a show that is still, to this day, very close to my heart. This blog post isn’t really meant to be an exhaustive analysis of the show, rather, it’s just a personal reflection of some of the elements that I loved about it.
The Animation
I don’t think this is a field which needs much introduction, Arcane has over 16 accolades for animation from various award ceremonies. One thing that really stood out to me in season 2 was the emphasis on the facial expressions of the characters. Paraphrasing a comment I saw on reddit — It actually felt like they were acting, 3D models, acting! You can see the pain, hesitation and trauma written all over their faces. Their pupils dilate and their eyes glisten depending on the scenes the characters are in.
Fortiche have pretty much cemented themselves as pioneers with their distinctive style and attention to detail and I’m pretty excited to see what comes out of this studio next.
The Characters/Writing
This is where the brilliance of the show really shines through. I could personally connect and empathize with a lot of characters in the show, their arcs are meaningful and full of emotion. Almost each and every character in the show has flaws in one way or another and they all try to overcome their pain and trauma in distinct ways.
There’s this rawness to the way the show explores themes like revenge, betrayal, abandonment, family, loss etc. The writers really don’t pull their punches here, so don’t be surprised if a character you really like ends up in the casket a few episodes down.
It also helps that the show religiously follows the rule of 3. Each season is composed of 9 episodes each with every 3 episodes forming an act. Each act moves the story forward in a significant and intentional way. The end result of this is that no episode really feels like filler, because all of them serve a specific purpose in their respective acts. Everything has weight and by the time you reach the end of an act, it feels like you’ve completed a movie by itself.
The Music/Sound Design
Arcane has hands down one of the best sound design I’ve seen in any animated show ever, an incredible amount of detail has gone into making sure the world feels real. Every punch, object falling, weapon firing have this impact to them, it almost feels like you are there in the world hearing it for yourself. Do yourself a favour and watch this show with headphones on, trust me, you won’t regret it.
The soundtrack is also out of this world, the songs really do take impactful scenes to the next level by amplifying the emotions on display in each scene. I read somewhere that each song was custom made for the show and it shows. I’ve been replaying “Ma Meilleure Ennemie” from episode 8 of season 2 nonstop and the way they integrated it with the scene was impeccable.
It kind of reminds me of the ending song of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners - “I Really Want to Stay at Your House”. I’d like to keep this review spoiler free but if you know, you know :)
Music when done right is actually one of my favourite aspects of media whether it be shows, movies or games for the simple reason that listening to a song can evoke the same emotion that you felt while actually experiencing the story for the first time.
The World Building
As someone who hasn’t really played the game much or has read any of the lore. The writers definitely managed to make the land of Piltover (and Runeterra in general) feel alive. I will always say that first and foremost, Arcane is a show about the characters but they have put a lot of work into the technical aspects as well. (Minor Spoilers!) Even exploring concepts like time travel and parallel dimensions.
Sadly, it did feel a bit rushed at times, particularly during S2, but its understandable considering that they wanted to finish the story in two seasons.
Conclusion
I have to say, I do feel a bit spoiled after watching this show. It’s not everyday that you come across a piece of art that has had this much love and attention to detail put into it. Don’t let the fact that its an animated show put you off, you would be missing out on one of the finest shows produced in this decade (maybe more).