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 presents itself as a post-industrial steampunk Victorian-esque city running off magical chemicals, in stark contrast to Piltover's use of abstract magical forces. This presents the sheer dichotomy between the two cities, one bright, classical with usage of abstract "magic", and the other dark, modern, industrial, fueled by a magic not abstract but material, something tangible and understandable. Piltover, for its reputation of the City of Progress, represents an idealised past far more than the reality of Zaun's present, neither presenting the key to the future.
Zaun's main theme is that of Victorian steampunk. The city is presented as an overwhelming all-encompassing force, something that swallows people into its murky smoke filled depths never to return. It is plagued with old pipes, odd gears, mechanical complications that move under steam and magic, something reflected in its fashion, full of top hats, overalls, a heady mix of elitist dress and the uniform of the workers. It's post-industrial roots emerge in its grand factories, broken infrastructure, and colour graffiti, not unlike those of the Rust Belt cities. Zaun's usage of neon signs, as well as careful use of oriental elements and varied lighting expand further to bring the atmosphere found in Asian Tiger cities, like the 80s streets of Tokyo, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Whereas Piltover's style draws on many elements of the classical past, Zaun crams the broad spectrum humanity's dirty proletariat present into its aesthetic. From the smoky industrial cities of the early 1900s, the broken industrial fallout of the Rust Belt and the colourful streets of Asia, Zaun stands as the material present in stark contrast to the sterility of the utopian, elitist Piltover.
Music
The music is where you feel Riot's influence the strongest. League of Legends is a long established brand, and the creative minds behind Arcane clearly knew how to stick to it. The music veers rapidly between rock to rap or pop-punk, from established names such as Linkin Park to newer faces such as Ashiniko. The sheer variety of music, the matching of overall story pace and animations to its beats and diagetic elements, music plays a core role in the story of Arcane, as music often does in political movements in real life. Arcane's music arguably will be one of the lasting legacies of Arcane in Western animation. Now, no longer are impressive animations enough, but a powerful soundtrack to complement it will be expected.
Legacy
Arcane came, and went, like a storm. I initially believed that this would be something that would stick around, similar to ATLA as a beacon of Western animation (deservedly). However, expectations for a grand fandom have no eventuated, and indeed I did not find myself sticking around to join the burgeoning fandom. So what happened? Why did Arcane not have as much of a lasting impact on fandom as a whole as many expected it to?
I point to a key issue, its existence within the great League of Legends (LoL) fandom/universe. Arcane was never given a chance to shine by itself, instead being subsumed by the chimeric behemoth of LoL. Expansions and further content for it came in the form of skins and minigames for LoL, basic merchandise and trailers for S2, but that was it. To interact further with Arcane, you needed to interact with LoL, a commitment not many were willing to make.
Another smaller issue was its sudden change in tempo, and time between seasons. There was a two year break between s1 and s2, in which the initial furor and awe for Arcane had time to cool. Whilst this created a foundation for a fandom alongside growing interest in s2, the pivot away from politics into a classic story of Good vs Evil in s2 in a way shattered this foundation. The thematic expectations and understanding of the fandom lay in ruins, which whilst unfair for us to complain about, left a decent chunk of the dedicated fanbase out to dry. And dedicated fans are by far the most important ingredient in the creation of a fandom.
Arcane has left a powerful legacy. It single-handedly created a market for Western animation, and raised everyone's expectations to new heights unheard of since the days of ATLA. Indeed, forays into this new frontier have already begun, K-Pop Demon Hunters being the main forerunner. However, its unfortunate position as part of LoL has meant that there is not much space to be an Arcane fan without being a LoL fan, alongside the sudden tonal change alienating many older fans, who have since moved on to newer pastures.