‘Arcane’ is now one of the most ambitious animated shows

With its second season, Arcane takes even bolder creative leaps, proving it is not just a pretty face but a complex, ambitious work that dares to push animation—and storytelling itself—into new dimensions.

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For the uninitiated, Arcane tells the story of two cities: Piltover, a shimmering utopia of innovation, and Zaun, its polluted and oppressed underbelly. At the heart of this steampunk dichotomy are sisters Vi and Jinx, torn apart by tragedy and ideology.

Season 2 picks up where Season 1 left off, in the devastating aftermath of Jinx’s violent attack on Piltover’s council. The political fallout between the cities simmers, but the real story lies in the personal: Vi, guilt-ridden and determined to stop her sister, and Jinx, spiralling further into madness, are caught in a web of relationships that will test their loyalties and humanity. While the first season was defined by political intrigue and origin stories, the new season digs deeper into the emotional and psychological toll of its characters.

Visually, Arcane remains a tour de force. Fortiche, the French animation studio behind the series, blends hand-drawn textures with cutting-edge CGI, creating an aesthetic that feels both immediate and eternal, like a moving oil painting. Every frame is crafted with such meticulous attention to detail that it doesn’t just tell a story; it evokes a world. The shimmering mosaics of Piltover, evoking Art Nouveau grandeur, stand in stark contrast to Zaun’s neon-lit chaos, a dystopia that recalls cyberpunk classics like Blade Runner. Yet these influences never feel derivative; instead, they are woven into the fabric of Arcane, creating an entirely distinct visual language.

In Season 2, this language evolves further, with lighting and colour becoming even more expressive—fractured reflections, industrial shadows, and bursts of neon all underscore the themes of conflict and disconnection.

These visuals are matched by the storytelling, which achieves a fine balance between world-building and intimate character moments. One of the season’s most provocative sequences unfolds in the aftermath of Jinx’s attack, as Vi and Caitlyn attempt to navigate the wreckage—both literal and emotional.

In the first episode, ‘Heavy is the Crown’, Caitlyn mourns her mother, a council member killed in the blast, while Vi struggles to reconcile her guilt over Jinx with her growing feelings for Caitlyn. The two share a brief embrace that quickly devolves into a heated argument, with Caitlyn refusing to condone Vi’s relentless quest for vengeance. It’s an achingly human moment, rendered with the kind of nuance and emotional depth that few animated shows even attempt.

Later in the season, the long-simmering tension between Vi and Jinx reaches its breaking point in a climactic showdown. The battle is both brutal and deeply personal, set against the industrial wastelands of Zaun in a sequence that feels as much a psychological reckoning as a physical fight. Each strike lands like a bitter memory, each pause heavy with the weight of their shared past. The choreography is breathtaking, but it’s the quieter moments—a fleeting glance, a hesitation before a final blow—that linger in the mind, a testament to the show’s ability to make even the most action-packed scenes emotionally resonant.

Arcane’s sensational soundtrack continues to elevate every moment. Season 1 featured great tracks by The Imagine Dragons and Sting. Season 2 has a masterful blend of orchestral grandeur and modern pop and electronic beats, perfectly matching the show’s tone. The music never feels like an afterthought; key scenes become audiovisual symphonies that stay with you long after the credits roll.

What makes the second season of Arcane especially brave is its refusal to lean on spectacle for the sake of it. Most sequels go bigger, louder, and flashier, but Arcane chooses instead to go deeper. It explores themes of trauma, guilt, and the fragile nature of trust, delving into the psyche of its characters in ways that feel both honest and unflinching. Jinx, in particular, emerges as one of the most tragic and complex characters in modern television. Her descent into madness is not just a plot point but an emotional odyssey, one that is as heartbreaking as it is inevitable.

I’m impressed by the universal resonance the show achieves. Beneath the steampunk aesthetic and action-packed sequences lies a story about connection: between siblings, lovers, cities, and ideologies. These themes feel especially urgent in a world as divided as ours. The second season refuses to offer easy answers or neat resolutions, but it leaves room for hope, however fragile. That, perhaps, is the show’s greatest triumph.

Like The Last of Us (JioCinema), Arcane transcends the game it has come from, and talks to more than just the gamers who first met these characters. It has art—and heart—in spades. And I can’t stop listening to that damn soundtrack. I’m tempted to play, or simply to press play again.

Raja Sen is a screenwriter and critic. He has co-written Chup, a film about killing critics, and is now creating an absurd comedy series. He posts @rajasen.

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