Bibliographic Information:
Title: Arcane: League of Legends
Creators: Christian Linke and Alex Yee
Directors: Pascal Charrue and Arnaud Delord
Production Companies: Riot Games and Fortiche
Streaming Service: Netflix
Copyright Date: 2021
Genre: Sci-fi/fantasy, Steampunk, Action/Adventure
Format: 9 episode TV series
Awards: Nominated for and won nine top Annie Awards (Excellence in Animation) in 2022.
Interest Level: 14+ (Commonsense Media, n.d.)
Plot Summary: The underground city of Zaun is a dark mirror of the bustling, bright, innovation-driven Piltover. A rebellion is quashed, killing the parents of Vi and Jinx, who are adopted by Zander, the unofficial leader of Zaun. The two cities’ stories become further intertwined with that of the sisters when Jinx accidentally steals magic crystals under development by a city councilor of Piltover. Jinx becomes emotionally unhinged after an accident she causes kills some of her friends, driving a wedge between her and Vi. Will she spiral into madness or can her sanity be salvaged? As the story progresses, Piltover becomes addicted to the power created by the crystals; can it survive their dark side?
Author Background: There isn’t a great deal of biographical information available, but both Christian Linke and Alex Yee have worked on the League of Legends video game and were inspired to create a show exploring some of the characters and settings more deeply (Wikipedia, n.d.).
Critical Evaluation: Lush animation and complex emotional story arcs make this series really stand out. Universally acclaimed (Rotten Tomatoes has it at 100% critical reviews and 98% user reviews), the Steampunk worlds of Piltover and Zaun allow the creators to explore themes of innovation and addiction, resistance and authoritarianism, all of which are sadly relevant at the moment. While there are apparently many Easter eggs for fans of the League of Legends video game, familiarity with the game is not necessary to enjoy the show. Arcane swept the Annie awards in 2022, winning for voice acting, production design, writing, and directing, among others. A richly imagined tale of two cities plagued by inequality, Arcane rings echoes from our time, making it darkly relevant and entertaining to boot.
Creative Use for a Library Program: Host a Steampunk crafting event, where participants can transform gears and odds and ends into jewelry, bookmarks, or other decorations. If funding is available, inexpensive welding goggles could be purchased to decorate as part of a Steampunk costume, and the other materials can be found at a local recycle/reuse supply store.
Speed-Round Book Talk: The underground city of Zaun is a dark mirror of the bustling, bright, innovation-driven Piltover. Can the two cities learn to live in harmony? Even when so much bad blood has been spilled? This League of Legends crossover show blurs the lines between sanity and creativity.
Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation: No known challenges, though some may object to the references to drugs and prostitution and the pervasive violence. Given that this is so widely appreciated by fans and critics, however, it clearly deserves a place in the library.
Reason for Inclusion: Video games are such an important medium for many teens; having a TV show that appeals to gamers can increase literacy opportunities and make them feel seen.
Want more? The visuals in this show are fantastic, so it makes sense that it would inspire some fantastic fan art. I love how the internet makes it so easy for super fans of a show (or movie, or book…) to share their own visions. Here is a roundup of some of the best Arcane fan art around.
References
Ahr, M. (2021). Arcane was surprisingly good. Retrieved from https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/arcane-was-surprisingly-good/
Common Sense Media (n.d.). Arcane (review). Retrieved from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/arcane
Wikipedia (n.d.). Arcane (TV series). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcane_(TV_series)
Rotten Tomatoes (n.d.). Arcane: League of Legends. Retrieved from https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/arcane_league_of_legends/s01
Taquib, S. (2021). Arcane fan art that you should really check out. Retrieved from https://retrology.net/arcane-fan-art-that-you-should-really-checkout/
Leave a Reply