The popular, multiplayer battle arena game “League of Legends” has taken Netflix by storm. The new show “Arcane” takes place in the league of legends universe, revolving around the gun-wielding champion Jinx.
This champion wields powerful weapons and an amazing combat and agility skill rating. She is a quick and agile character that uses quick and powerful bombs along with evasive techniques. Also known as the “Loose canon,” her usage of huge guns and bombs makes her a fan-favorite champion.
Senior Marco Bargado-Francois stated, “Coming from someone who usually plays games such as Destiny 2 and Valorant it is nice to be able to pick from a variety of champions. Playing the game led me to be familiar with the terminology and champions of the game so hearing that they were releasing a show about one of the champions was nice to hear.”
Arcane is following Netflix’s new content changes: three episodes are released per week for a total season of nine episodes airing by Nov. 20, 2021. The show leaves viewers craving more as they wait anxiously for more content.
The show revolves around Jinx and her lifelong struggle with poverty, violence and feeling like she is always the root of everyone’s problems. and her sister Vi are taken from the bloodshed from their world’s police raid by the leader of the underground, Vander. After they are taken from the violence that killed their parents, the sisters learn to live life underground.
It is interesting to see how both sisters internalize the pain of living in poverty without parents. Vi takes her anger out on the punching bag, learning how to box and fight just like the man who took her in. Jinx followed her sister undyingly, hoping she would never lose her. Unfortunately, she does.
A house robbery gone wrong reveals a magical crystal to Jinx that changes her entire life. These crystals are the design of Jayce, who believes magic is required to save society in their technology-controlled world. It is very interesting to see both sides of the spectrum as you watch characters in poverty and on the city council struggle with similar conflicts.
As Jayce struggles to transfer magic to science, also known as Hextech, to progress mankind as a whole, viewers watch his research be belittled and rejected as he tries to root out the corruption of his city. Both sides of the city struggle with deeply rooted corruption that is intertwined between Piltover and The Underground.
The show has an impressive way of bringing viewers in and engrossing them in the story. Every character has a complex personality that is explored over the first six episodes in depth. It is difficult to know who to trust as each character has something to hide, yet it is easy to sympathize with each of them.
Along with an immersive story, the show’s animation is something completely new and absolutely stunning. It almost feels like viewers are inside the game, and the show’s visuals are jaw-dropping. It is a brilliant usage of 3D animation with beautiful and bright colors.
Jinx uses powerful weapons and colorful spray paints that look absolutely mesmerizing on screen. Along with beautiful animation, they portrayed insanity in a bizarre and poetic way. After all the trauma Jinx had endured, she suffers from multiple personalities and extremely violent hallucinations.
Viewers are given an in-depth look of her brain as psychedelic flashes and colors fill the screen. It is disturbing to watch her fall apart yet interesting to almost feel it with her. Jinx is traumatized by her fast and heavy feeling of being a burden, making her feel like a “Jinx.”
She is haunted by her past as her sister tries endlessly to bring her back. Viewers feel each heart-wrenching moment as Vi tries so hard to undo the brainwashing that society has drowned her in.
The show’s soundtrack is also well placed with the show’s aesthetic having songs like “Enemy” by Imagine Dragons as the opening theme. The music is placed in perfect moments of the show to help viewers feel submerged in the moment.
Looking past the story, animation and music, the fights are absolutely amazing. It is impossible not to be on the edge of your seat when you watch Jinx fight against HOVER” or Vander with his final battle to defend his family.
The show is not necessarily full of happiness and joy as viewers get a front row seat to government corruption, murder and families being torn apart. For an animated show, they seem to portray emotions just as well as any live-action film or show.
Whether a veteran to League of Legends or completely oblivious to the game, viewers will fall in love with Jinx and her incredible story in “Arcane.”
