Context

I've known about League of Legends (LoL) for around 10-ish years? Only started playing it for like 2 weeks in 2020. Basically, I knew a little about LoL lore prior to starting Arcane, like Garen and Lux being siblings, or Noxus being the evil expansionist area and Demacia being anti-magic, but aside from that, nothing. Like I didn't know anything about any of the main cast of Arcane, didn't know Zaun or Piltover existed etc. Essentially, I entered Arcane as someone completely new, who had dodged spoilers for two years and lacked information on any references and such throughout the show.

And it is, ~~pardon my language~~ fucking incredible. Like holy shit, Fortiche really put their heart into it, and so did every single artist, writer, musician. The hand-drawn style of the show is amazing, the storyline is incredible, the music is some of the best I've heard in an animated show, it honestly has the position of the best Western animation imo (I haven't watched ATLA please don't crucify me). This show single-handedly rekindled my interest in league, but also in art and writing. Like, new hyperfixation found for the rest of the 2020s.

Art

No analysis of Arcane's art can start without just appreciating the sheer amount of love Fortische put into every hand-drawn frame. Do you know when you've made a good show? When every frame is a potential background or wallpaper. Arcane's character design, general art style, use of lighting is incredible, but there are plenty of people out there who are far more qualified to talk about that, and have done so. In my perspective, one of the most amazing things in Arcane is the masterful use of aesthetic and color by Fortische to create a striking world out of the mess of LoL's original artwork.

The dark, grimy Art Noveau purples and greens of Zaun, or the bright, santized Art Deco whites and golds of Piltover stand as the main dichotomy of season 1, before breaking the balance in season 2 with the organic shapes and everchanging colors of the Hex Anomaly.

Each location is instantly recognisable, from the florescent glow and cosmic colours left in the wake of the Arcane, the steampunk gold and marble of Piltover, or the neon grunge of Zaun, these traits are similarly reflected in the characters, with just one look at them drawing an easy understanding of where each character stands in the world.

Piltover

The Pilties are arguably the best place to start. Upon first look it just seems like the typical rich, smart fantasy land.A typical steampunk fantasy, built upon a Barouque/Renaissance base (domesssss! OSP Blue would be proud) with Art Deco layered heavily over it. It's political system is remincent of the Classical Republics as well, a council of influential houses and traders with academics and higher learning as a key focal point of the city. This system swifly gives way to facsist undertones when observed from Zaun.

This santized, classical style of Piltover is referenced in its architecture and color scheme, as well as the art styles of Academy Viktor, Mel and many other characters. Characteristic of its position as the style of a hierarchical, fascist oligarchy, this style can most be seen in uniforms, with only leaders, the powerful having any real difference in style. The rigid style allows for a multitude of adjustments to show off each character's identity, Jayce's uniform-esque clothes reflecting his youth, Mel's robes foreshadowing her future magical powers, or even Caitlyn's strict adherence to Enforcer uniform, the lack of personalisation showing her straitlaced personality and her willingness to commit violence on behalf of the state.

The facist undertones of the Piltover are most representative in the Enforcer uniforms, the dull colors contrasting with the metallic mask, dehumanising and anonymising the person wearing it. Caitlyn's Strike Force takes it a step further, the black skinsuits and full facemasks tying deeper into facist, imperialistic imagery, leaving the Strike Force as nothing more then phanthoms, dark silhouettes with glowing eyes. I'm sure the historical irony of their use of gas (noted to be corrosive in the Kiramman files) to flood the streets of Zaun needs no further explanation. Side by side with the brutish Noxians, this comparison to facism grows even stronger, a modern edifice to systematic violence, lives lost not on the battlefields, but in the streets and homes from the very air.

Zaun

In contrast, Zaun

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Context

Art

Piltover

Zaun

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