Underplayed Gems

Arcane (2021)

Arcane poster
Directed by
Arnaud Delord, Pascal Charrue
Genre
steampunk, adventure television series, action television series, fantasy television series
Country
France, United States
Length
2 seasons, 18 episodes
Rated
TV-14
Rating
8.8 of 10 from 6,019 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
The 3D catalogue: film cases on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalogue in 3D

The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this series is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

Two sisters from the oppressed undercity of Zaun get caught in a violent conflict with the wealthy city of Piltover. One becomes a law enforcer while the other descends into chaos and madness.

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What happens

Arcane (titled onscreen as Arcane: League of Legends) is an animated steampunk action-adventure television series created by Christian Linke and Alex Yee. It was produced by the French animation studio Fortiche, under the supervision of Riot Games, and distributed by Netflix. Set in Riot's League of Legends universe, it primarily focuses on sisters Violet / "Vi" (Hailee Steinfeld) and Powder / Jinx (Ella Purnell) as they become embroiled in a conflict between their native underbelly of Zaun and the city of Piltover. First announced at the League of Legends tenth anniversary celebration in 2019, the series' first season was released in November 2021, and a second and final season was released in November 2024. Arcane was met with critical acclaim, with praise for its animation, writing, worldbuilding, soundtrack, and voice acting, though the pacing of the second season saw a mixed response. Some have noted the series' appeal to both viewers who have never played League of Legends and longtime fans of the game. It was Netflix's highest-rated series within a week of its premiere, ranked first on the Netflix Top 10 Chart in 52 countries, and second on the chart in the United States. Several critics and publications have considered it to be one of the best video game adaptations ever made. The series won two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Animated Program, as well as the Annie Award for Best General Audience Animated Television Broadcast Production. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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