Since video games evolved from simple fun hobbies into the absolute cash cows they are today, there have been adaptations seeking to expand game worlds to other mediums, including TV shows. Many have been for, lack of a better term, god awful. Though in recent years more and more have been highly entertaining. Netflix’s “Arcane” goes beyond most video game adaptations and is, dare I say, phenomenal.
“Arcane,” which first started airing its second and last season on Nov. 9 and wrapped up on Nov. 23 serves as an origin story to the “League of Legends” game and characters within it, namely that of Violet/Vi and Powder/Jinx as well as other characters from the game. The second season picks up shortly after the Emmy winning first season, Jinx is a wanted fugitive after decimating the Piltover council as they voted on giving her homeland of Zaun independence, Jinx’s older sister Vi has all but given up hope on her baby sister and has thrown her allegiance in with her girlfriend, the noblewoman turned Piltover enforcer Caitlyn Kiramman whose mother was one of the counselors caught in Jinx’s attack. The two, along with a group of enforcers, work to bring Jinx down whatever the cost. However unbeknownst to them a much graver threat looms on the horizon, one which is a threat not just to Zaun or Piltover but the entire world itself.
The series stars Ella Purnell known for starring roles in the likes of “Yellowjackets,” “Fallout” and “Sweetpea” as the voice of Jinx, formerly known by her birth name of Powder. Jinx is the younger sister of Vi and adopted daughter first of Vander then of the crime lord, Silco, a manic insane ball of fury who veers wildly between sweet and kind, then cruel and sadistic burdened by her actions in season one and the growing movement she has started as a result. Hailee Steinfield of “Hawkeye” and “True Grit” fame provides the voice of Vi, sometimes known by her full name of Violet. The older sister of Jinx, adopted daughter of Vander and girlfriend of Kiramman, a powerful brawler made only more powerful through her use of Hextech gauntlets. Kevin Alejandro of “Lucifer” and “Arrow” fame lends his voice to the role of Jayce Tallis. A Piltover councilman and inventor, Tallis is the creator of the magically enhanced technology known as Hextech which permeates throughout the series. A man who only ever wants to do the right thing but finds it increasingly hard to tell what the right thing to do is anymore. Toks Olagundoye known for voice work in the likes of “Steven Universe” and “Castlevania” provides the voice of Mel Medarda, a Piltover councilwoman, the estranged daughter of the warlord Ambessa Medarda and the lover of Tallis. She taught him how to succeed as a councilman, how to play the political game so to speak. Ellen Thomas, known for roles in the likes of “Teachers” and “EastEnders,” voices Ambessa, the brutal but intelligent warlord leader of the far-off nation of Noxus with her own designs on Hextech and Piltover as a whole. JB Blanc known for doing voices in the likes of “Bleach” and “Beware the Batman” voices Vander, the adopted father of Vi and Jinx and former community leader of Zaun. Katie Leung known for roles in the “Harry Potter” franchise and “One Child” voices Kiramman, a young woman from an affluent background who decided to become an enforcer to the chagrin of her parents and whose obsession with taking down Jinx risks consuming her.
Also starring are Reed Shannon as Ekko, a childhood friend of Vi and Jinx who grew up to lead the Firelights, a rebel faction to Silco’s criminal organization. Mink Wingert known for lending his voice to the likes of “Mass Effect 2” and “The Technomancer” voices Cecil B Heimerdinger, former unofficial lead Piltover councilman and mentor to Tallis, Viktor and Ekko. Harry Lloyd of “Game of Thrones” fame voices Viktor, the terminally ill best friend of Tallis and his partner in making Hextech obsessed with finding a cure for his condition. Amirah Vann of “Underground” fame provides the voice of Sevika, the one-armed former enforcer to Silco and reluctant ally to Jinx. Brett Tucker of “Station 19” fame voices the ominous Singed, a masked doctor as mysterious as he is threatening and responsible for many acts of barbarity in the series. Finally, Lucy Lowe who had roles in “Wish” and “What If” provides the voice of Isha, a young orphan who serves as more or less the adopted daughter of Jinx as well as inspiring her both to keep fighting as well as to start to embrace the growing movement around her.
This show is….Phenomenal, absolutely and positively great, everything is great. The voice acting is top-notch, especially from Purnell, the writing is some of the best I’ve seen in a very long time. When a scene is supposed to be heartbreaking, your heart doesn’t just crack, it shatters into a million tiny pieces, and when you are supposed to laugh you’re practically rolling on the ground. And this isn’t something I often bring up in reviews but the music is absolutely remarkable. Every song serves its purpose with some of them having been playing over and over again on my Youtube playlist since I finished the season. So I will be giving this series the rare, and I like to assume coveted, 10 torches out of 10. Heck, I’d give it more if I could. I will definitely recommend you watch this show at least once while it’s still on Netflix, trust me it is very much worth it.
