Arcane: League of Legends - Review! 

I like how Hailey Steinfeld shades Imagine Dragons on Hawkeye, but plays Vi in Arcane.

Went completely blind as you Dan, watched it for Christmas. Best gift I've had in a while, this series is the shit 🔥

Vi and powder were so well done as children. Their overreactions, their sisterly relationship, the way they interact with adults. It’s one of the most grounded interpretations of children I’ve ever seen in a tv show

I loved how they sidestepped all the cliches. I was always afraid that oh now that’s Victor’s evil turn, this is where Vi sacrifices herself, this is where it turns out Silco was lying to Jinx all along… but no. It all developed naturally and without the need for cliches or crutches.

You can pause at practically any frame of the series and think, "did I just pause on what is supposed to be a promotional image?". It looks so damn good all the damn time.

The magic to Arcane is the detail the creators put into the characters in using micro expressions in their face in delivering different feelings of each character getting to show it and not telling it.

If you're going to mention the Hawkeye dig on Imagine Dragons, you gotta mention the Hailee Steinfeld connection. 😁

One of the greatest animated series ever made. We'll be lucky to have something so good again in a decade.

Jynx’s story is basically a well told Harley Quinn story. Better than any we have gotten so far

I love that every character has a hand in escalating the conflict rather than it being some definitive evil or definitive wrong side at the root of it all. Jayce and Viktor's advances are coming from a honorable place but Heimerdinger's right that it's dangerous and that's proven by the end when it falls into the wrong hands. But Heimerdinger's not portrayed as an innocent party either, he's actively shown to be willfully ignorant of the corruption in the council and being out of touch with the people of the undercity right up until it bites him in the ass and he's forced to see it first hand. Vi might ultimately be a good person but if you really look deeply into it, a lot of the conflict is the direct consequences of her choices right down to the initial decision to not just burglarize Jayce's apartment but bring Powder along on the job. And once we get to the final act she doesn't care about the damage she does or the people who get caught in the crossfire. She just wants to get Powder back and make Silco pay. Even with Silco, I don't think he's as manipulative as you interpreted, I think he genuinely believes everything he tells Powder/Jinx and sees a kindred spirit in her, but ultimately he is still a terrible influence on a clearly broken and unstable child and the relationship does get uncomfortable at times. Even the paragon characters like Ekko and Caitlyn have some share in the guilt. Ekko was a swindler and his tip to Vi to rob Jayce was the actual inciting incident of this whole story. He cares about the people of the undercity but doesn't afford that humanity to the topsiders up until he meets Caitlyn and then Heimerdinger. Caitlyn might ultimately want to be a force for justice but as an Enforcer and the daughter of a councilwoman she's part of the corrupt system that exploits and abuses the people of the undercity. There's a lot of places where they could've fallen into cliches like genuinely making Silco a completely immoral manipulator with no genuine affection for Jinx and Vander, or doubling down on the conflicts making a clear divide between Vi and Jinx as well as Jayce and Viktor, but they were smart enough to know that it shouldn't be that simple. This show's honestly one of the best things I've watched in a while and I can't wait for Season Two. I've never played League I just know of it from friends and have always been curious about the lore so I'm glad Riot's finally given people like me an outlet to enjoy the franchise.

Man been waiting on this. This show was the best surprise for me. As I never played the games, barely heard of them and I wasn’t really interested after the first episode but boy was I wrong

Arcane is the best thing I saw all year in 2021 and I'd even go so far as to say its best first season of a Show I've ever seen.

Arcane was the greatest show I've seen in ages...maybe even forever. It's just unbelievable.

I knew just as much about LOL as Dan did and I loved this show.

Arcane joins the ranks of the LEGO Movie, and LEGO Batman for movies that didn't need to hit as hard as they did, so much love and care was put into it, and I'm loving them for it. I've never played League of Legends.

Never played the game, but got hooked on the show right away. Immediately wanted Dan to do a review on it, or at least see it. It was a fantastic show to watch.

Funny thing about the Imagine Dragons line in Hawkeye, Hailee Steinfeld plays both Kate Bishop and Vi in Arcane.

Silco genuinely believed everything he was saying. He wasn’t trying to manipulate powder

You can always tell if a movie and show is good by Dan’s great face!

This show was a breathe of fresh air. It treats us, the consumers with respect. Can't remember the last show or movie even, that gave me the opportunity to think rather than force me along a character's agenda. I miss the NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN days, but this was some masterful borderline genius shxt too.

I don’t know anything about LoL but this show was a masterpiece imo. Unreal

This show was so much better than it had any right to be. Netflix is killing it with these animated shows based on video games like Castlevania and Dota too.

Never played league of legends so didn't know what to expect, but it hooked me instantly. Such an incredible show with beautiful artwork and well-written characters!

Fell into the same boat as you Dan, had enough people mention this show that it tickled my curiosity, and had zero experience with the game. I was completely blown away by how good this show ended up being. Loved the artistic style, characters, and story. Also really appreciated that they did take time with the world building for the uninitiated like me. And wow, what a finale.

If you haven't seen the show, and are interested in it from the first minute of this review from Dan, stop watching the video and go watch the show completely blind! It's so much better. Then come back and finish this wonderful review, obviously. :)

Best show I've seen in a hot minute, period, thought not much would surprise me as I'm familiar with some of the lore and have played league for years, but this show stands on its own 2 yordle legs and says hold my health flask!

I went into this show completely blind. Have never played the games and have no knowledge of them and hadn't even watched the trailers. But man I think it's my favourite show of the year! Just beautiful! Finished it two days ago! Can anyone recommend anything like this because anything I've tried to pick up just does not fill the void haha

This show is a masterpiece. Biggest surprise of 2021.

Arcane in its purest form is ART. From the animation, to the soundtrack, to the voice acting, to the writing. It's in, no pun intended, a league of its own. I've watched this show 4 times already and it's honestly one of the best shows I've ever watched...animated or live action.

Best show of 2021

I was hoping you'd review this one! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. As a long time League fan I loved it, but it is awesome to see so many people outside of the League community enjoying the show.

Glad you got around to watching (and ultimately enjoying the show). It feels like a lot of critics ignored it in the beginning but hopefully with the buzz the second season will garner more attention.

It been awhile since l have seen a show get praised this much and actually deserve it what a masterpiece of a show great review.

Went in blind, but made a mistake and didn’t binge. I watched the first 3 episodes over weeks and while I appreciated the animation, I wasn’t a fan of the story. My biggest fear was that game fans knew something I didn’t. Like why I should be invested. But watching 3 to 4 back to back elevated the show and I was hooked. Also I was biased because I thought this would be like these sleek trailers from animators like Blur Studios that are built to sell the game and yet don’t translate to gameplay. When it all came together for me. The music. The animation. The action beats. The story. I was wowed!

I also have been waiting for this 😁 I got excited for the show (even though I knew nothing of League of Legends) when I saw a trailer for it during the Netflix Tudum event and then kind of forgot about it until I saw it on Netflix. It blew me away, I love so many things about it, so glad you enjoyed it too!

So happy you reviewed this show! Arcane is probably the best animation show I watched last year. I loved that you never skipped the opening 🔥it gets me pumped lol

As someone who plays league/other games from riot in this world and introduced to show to my family who knew nothing from the property I agree with things you said. 1. The show is probably better as a non game player as who characters are in game can be a complete spoiler for the show. 2. With riot rapidly expanding the type of games in this world those new people who loved the show have different ways to game/enjoy the characters. I.E. My dad plays their autobattler TFT on his phone and my sister played the turned base RPG ruined king. 3. Riot games and fortiche might be a power couple in entertainment moving forward. Arcane season 2 is happening but its also clear they both are working on other projects set up in the world to make this into a universe type property. 4. Finally the show did an astounding job keeping the story grounded to the characters. They didnt fling lingo of other regions, really the only minor one was noxus, and by the end of the season they showed you someone from noxus to fill in the place they briefly mentioned 3 or so times before. Just solid worldbuilding and storytelling

Re: Imagine Dragons - one of the music reviewers I follow (Todd in the Shadows) considers Imagine Dragons to make what amounts to corporate rock: ie, songs for Apple and Honda ads and whatnot. Thus, the fact that they made a perfectly good animated series theme song seems to fit their business model.

Dan. I'm like you. I'm about your age (39). Had zero interest in the game and know almost nothing about it. I checked this show out on a whim the first week it came out and fell in love with it. I immediately shared it with my 70 year old parents who also loved it. I eagerly await season 2. Also like you I have zero interest in playing the games after this. I just want more of the show :)

Love that you are doing more anime-animation stuff! Arcane absolutely blew me away and I also know nothing of league

Yes! Glad to see you liked the show as much as I did. Also, this was prob the best review I've watched so far; your analysis of the season finale was def spot on

Surprised people haven’t watched this yet, it’s by far the best show of the year (With succession coming in 2nd)

I knew absolutely NOTHING about League either apart from it being a game that Dunkey hates and that Jinx was a character because I've seen so much fanart of her over the years. I LOVED the show though. The art style is incredible, literally every frame a painting type stuff. The animation was gorgeous and the actual direction of the show is some of the best I've seen in film or TV ever, animated or live-action. Also Imagine Dragons are a pretty wack band but they do have some bangers.

I loved Arcane. So beautifully animated! Such great storytelling and complex, interesting characters!

Woah. I didn't expect Dan to review this one but I was certainly hoping he would. Nice

Was such a great show, this is what we want to see from video game adaptations. It proves you don't have to do things exactly like the games lore to truly put out a good story. Can't wait for season 2!

visuals alone are revolutionary !

Loved the show and really glad you liked it enough to review! And it's because of you that I actually appreciate and even enjoy data analytics, 10/10 would buy merch if you do go that route.

Happy new year Dan & Mara 💕

Oh my goodness - The comparison of Kilgrave (purple man) with Silco, spot on.

See I've been playing the spinoff RPG that is based on League and simiarly doesn't require background and... Yeah I can really see how this universe can lend itself super well to storytelling. I'm definitely going to check out this series now, too. Will never touch the origin game, though 😅

I watched the show a year or so ago. That dwlivwry of "why did you leave me?" immediately made me tear up again. So powerful.

Arcane shows us why media monopolies suck. We all love Disney and we all grew up with it, but imagine a world where you couldn't get shows like Arcane. Imagine a world where you no longer have small studios like Fortiche that are willing to take risks. A world where every animated show/movie feels like it came off a conveyor belt. I guarantee you that there are people working at Riot that wanted to do it the old-fashioned way and get some out-of-touch, money-hungry Hollywood executive to adapt the game, which would've resulted in yet another shitty fanservice-filled 9 episode long game trailer. And you know what these people would've said when it ultimately gets a lukewarm response? "ViDeOgAmEs JuSt DoN't WoRk On ThE bIg sCrEen" Those people need to be kept on a tight leash.

Thanks Dan for doing this review. To me, this show is art. Best animated live action anything for me since Enter the Spiderverse.

I loved this show. The animation. The story. The characters. The art direction. But damn, if I ever hear Enemeeeeeee again it’ll be too soon lol

I'm here for engagement (TM), to thank being listened to, and to shut up about it. Thank you!

Best show of 2021, period. Nothing else comes even close. Arcane is just a storytelling masterpiece. I was never so blown away by an animated production since Spiderman Into the Spiderverse.

Best show I saw in 2021. Really surprised me. Like you I didn´t know anything about going into it.

Great review Dan. Arcane was such a pleasant surprise.

I feel knowing about League of Legends is only a bad thing when it comes to Arcane, since any prominent characters would have plot armor.

Thanks Dan, great review, I watched a lot of tv this year and this was my favorite and best show in 2021, beating out my second favorite Mare of Eastown

I am so glad you decided to review this!

I had never heard of League of Legends; and I will never play it. I love Arcane and have watched it many times.

I've only played Runeterra (Leauge online cars game) so I'm not super familiar with the world. I loved the show. Great style, music, art direction and the voice work was spot on.

Been waiting for your review!!! :D

Love seeing more TV coverage on the channel. You should watch Station 11.

Some of the fight scenes were disgustingly good, like laugh out loud decadently obscene. I think what we're seeing in part is the effect of "Into the Spider-verse" being integrated into existing artists.

So glad he reviewed this! I watched it a while ago and way to many people are sleeping on this show!

I had no knowledge of League of Legends and but couldn't stop watching this show. I can only hope they can give us a second season by the end of 2023.

i think the biggest reason why the politics/political messaging works so well in arcane and doesn't work at all in a lot of other hollywood movies, is because arcane doesn't tell you how to feel. Other hollywood "political message" movies spend the entire thing telling you how you should feel, why its bad, why you're wrong if you dont agree, etc. you can walk away from arcane in support of jayce, silco, vi, or root for jinx to burn it all down. it's all there.

man this show has opened so many possibilities to visualize the world of runeterra and I can’t wait for it. I was expecting more of an anthology series with each season focusing on a different region in the world, like the ongoing noxian-Ionian war being shown or the voidborn monsters wreaking havoc in shurima, but I was pleasantly surprised that they started with the most grounded region with piltover and zaun. it looks like season two will continue with the story of the two cities but it definitely looks like they’re moving into the character arcs of vi becoming an enforcer, viktors descent into obsession with the evolution of the human race through machines and the creation of chemtech, and jayces subsequent turn into the hero of piltover and his hatred of viktor manifesting. it also looks like urgots rise to power will be shown as the noxians were introduced in the 3rd act, and Camille will be introduced and undergo her cyborg transformation as hextech progresses

I still think that having the hextech completely unguarded for Jinx to steal was poor writing in service of moving the story forward. It would be like someone leaving some weapons grade uranium sitting around.

Thanks for highlighting Silco's manipulation - a lot of the fandom has gone full "Silco's a great dad and did nothing wrong." Which I suppose is a natural result with some people and charismatic manipulator characters with drive.

I dont think Silco manipulated Powder. He genuinely believed Vi abandoned her and could relate to her. Once he realized Vi is alive he thought "too little too late" and wanted to keep Jinx too himself. He is right, Vi would never be able to accept Jinx, so he would need to give up on her, which is the one thing he would never do.

definitently in my top 3 netflix series

Arcane is the answer to every question of whether a prequel/video game adaptation/strong female leads/"woke" topics etc show can be any good. Yes, yes it can if you just make a good show and these things can be a part of it with no issues!

They were smart to make an animation because people like me don't like playing LoL, but we'll watch and adore their show.

So glad you liked the show, i think its up there with spiderverse in terms of western animation, incredible the level of production we get today in tv shows. I am really looking foward to you watching more animated shows. My big recomendations are Castlevania, Death Note and Attack on Titan. Those first 2 are finished, and attack on titan just started airing its final episodes.

Arcane is a show that both haters and lovers of League of Legend love.

Like you, I knew nothing about LoL so went into this cold and was completely blown away by it. Story, writing, characters, animation, music, direction -- all cinematically amazing.

Hailee Steinfeld who dissed Imagine Dragons in Hawkeye is also in this show as the main protagonist lmao

I really love how they portrayed class inequality and the fact that both sides are morally grey. The characters are complex and conflicted, the story telling is mature and lets you interpret things your own way.

Speaking from experience: Knowing about League of Legends prior to watching Arcane is actually a disadvantage, because ultimately, you know who isn't going to die. It kinda kills some of the drama and the stakes in certain scenes. The only thing you get out of knowing about it, are Easter eggs, sprinkled throughout the show, in the background. Going into Arcane blind, is definitely the way.

Thank you for this! I really enjoy the show standing alone, but I've also been in League for a long time. It makes me happy to see Arcane get legitimization outside of the League community.

Hopefully we will find out soon if they are going to continue with this storyline or switch to another setting and another set of champions. This was so good I am fine with either.

Watched this today. I dont know anything about the game but i really enjoyed this

That bit of shade at Imagine Dragons in Hawkeye was all the more funnier because it was Hailee Steinfeld delivering the line, and she's the voice actor for Vi in Arcane.

I love how you suddenly are on the next episode even though its 40 odd min episodes.

One of the few shows that I didn't skip intro for either.

Dan, do yourself a favor and get to watching Attack on Titan.. if you think Arcane is good, then you’ll love Attack on Titan, it’s arguably peak fiction and the final season is about to begin airing this Sunday. You won’t be disappointed.

Never in a million years did I expect a show about a game I've never played to be the best animated show I've ever seen. It made me cry like a half dozen times, and I'm pretty stoic. The scene where powder is all proud of her monkey bomb working, it broke me. What kid hasn't done something misguided that causes huge problems, but they they did thinking it would help?

Dan Dan Daaaan!! I was looking for the Screen Junkies 2021 supercut and did not found it. I re watched the decade supercut and was amazed to see that you were the one who edited the video. Please make one for your channel it wouldn't be called the same due to copyright but you are dang well the best year in movies editor I have ever seen please please pleeeeease consider making one again it would really help your channel as well.

Really glad to see you review this show. It was a great surprise. I too had never played League of Legends, so this really seems to have a broad appeal.

I wish you’d review more tv shows!

Same I never skipped the intro. Also radioactive by imagine dragons is one of my favorite songs of all time.

Can we all stop for a moment to acknowledge how perfectly "dan" it is that the sponsor for this video is stamps lol

Absolutely stumbled upon this 💎 never played the game and now having seen it, I’m glad I went in ignorant of the characters and story, it made for a much better viewing. It absolutely BLEW me away……. And am now mad seeing what’s possible when the creators actually try.

I don't get why people are hating on Imagine Dragons all of a sudden either. Their music is pretty good and unique

PLEASE WATCH AND REVIEW “BLUE EYE SAMURAI!”!!!!

I’m so glad you mentioned Silco’s manipulative behaviour towards Jinx. I love him as a villain but I see so many people saying that ‘he was a good father’ and ‘He truly loved jinx as a daughter’ and sure, he definitely cared about her but the way he raised her is not like somebody who genuinely cares about the well-being of their child, he used her as a tool and when he thought he was losing his grip on her relying on him, he lied and manipulated her so she didn’t trust anyone but him. In a way, it shows how great the writers are that Silco was so believable that even the audience was being manipulated by him but he certainly didn’t always have Jinx’s best interests at heart.