The Drinker Recommends... Arcane
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- čas přidán 13. 12. 2021
- Arcane on Netflix turned out to be one of the most pleasant surprises of the year. Join me as I review this excellent show.
Want to help support this channel? Then consider buying a Critical Drinker plush: www.makeship.com/products/the... - Zábava
What kind of upside down world are we living in when Marvel and DC can’t produce nuanced characters but League of Legends can?
when DC/MArvel decided to produce 3 films per year whereas this animated series took 6 years to produce
League of Legends always had a top notch lore, art, music and character department. The main problem is the gameplay balance and community
@@0verWay Agreed. The LoL community got me to leave years ago, and never look back.
@@0verWaywhat do you mean? the community is kind and respectful lol.
@@coreywright3379 blink twice if your family is being held at gunpoint
“Based on an online multiplayer shooter of all things.”
All right he got the spirit, drinker a little confused but he’s got the spirit.
He's got the spirits.
he turns me into a drinker after that sentence
@@XarkoCZ Yeah, he got plenty of spirits, but he takes well care of them.
League has Skillshots, so it's a Shooter.
I'm pretty sure he did enough research to say "shooter" on purpose LOL.
Arcane writers: What if we kept the diverse characters but wrote them like actual people?
Viewers: This is acceptable.
You don't really notice the diversity
The reason it so good because it was made by Fortiche a company in France.
Acceptable? This is freaking awesome.
I mean that’s what we’ve been asking for.
Just write them to be real people.
You mean like actual people and not political muppets trying to push a narrative ? I daresay we may know or even see a little bit of ourselves in each of the characters of Arcane.
When you write characters as a actual people and not caricatures of their gender, race or sexuality...Arcane was glorious.
The Drinker vilifies wokeism, but the problem isn't progressive ideology, it's bad story or character. By focusing on the wrong causal factors (for clicks no less) he's appealing to and cultivating toxicity. Correlation does not equal causation. Also, the latter part of the video is "I have a black friend therefore I cannot be a racist".
@@dangerfly ok...?
see how easy it is to be creative and fun! no need to force a message or agenda, just tell a kick a## story and ppl will love it.
@@dangerfly pretty sure no one actually blames wokeism for bad writing, but rather the fact that its politically correct ideology is used as a shield against criticism for said bad writing, which is exactly what you're talking about. Also, a writer being overly invested in politics can definetely influence how the story is written, same way that isekai animes have horrible writing bc they pander to incels, so yes, even if indirectly, wokeism can take away quality from the story.
@@Pau-hl1zg "pretty sure no one actually blames wokeism for bad writing"
"so yes, even if indirectly, wokeism can take away quality from the story."
Aren't those two statements in conflict with each other?
"but rather the fact that its politically correct ideology is used as a shield against criticism for said bad writing"
Take the recent He-man show's controversy as an example. Like Superman, He-man isn't all that interesting as a character. So the story centered around Teela instead and it was actually interesting as a result. MCU Thor had the same issue until they made him more complex with humor and crying. Why did the creators need a shield if the writing wasn't bad; maybe because there was still a ton of upset insecure males?
This shows that toxic masculinity exists even when the end product is of relatively higher quality. Why is it even important how creators respond to criticism? It's like an endless loop of banality.
Do guys criticize John Wick scripts for being brain dead due to adherence towards testosterone ideology? No, they'd just retort that it's supposed to be a dumb action movie. There's an obvious double standard.
Arcane: How to have a Female Lead as the main protagonist and do it RIGHT.
How to have a LESBIAN FEMALE lead as the Main Protagonist and have it not matter.
@@shadowofhawk55 Crazy how characters with more than a single defining trait can be good, eh?
@@Tekisasubakani I mean, there are some exceptions. The Joker has pretty much a single defining trait and we love him.
@@shadowofhawk55 True in most depictions of him, and I agree that IS the Joker as we know and love him. There are exceptions to what I said, there usually are, but when every character is defined by skin color/gender/sexuality [take your pick], then we end up with the kind of tripe that we love to watch the Drinker review.
Well written strong diverse female characters that are actually fun to watch in 2021?
Zamn
Everyone: Good videogame adaptations cannot be done.
_Silco: We'll show them. We will show them all._
Could this even be called a videogame adaptation? It has basically nothing to do with League besides the characters, who are in a completely original and new story.
@@xuvial1391 I think most of the Videogame adaptation did that really, like changing stuff for sake of Cinematic experiences
@@xuvial1391 I don't see it as an adaptation personally. Riot gave the writers of Arcane the artistic freedom to pick and choose what they want to keep consistent from the current Lore. Compare Arcane to a show like the Witcher and you'll see the difference - Arcane is more accurately 'inspired' by LoL, and uses characters from the universe, but ultimately crafts new storylines and character relationships which never previously existed.
And honestly, I'm very glad Riot did it this way.
They need to make STALKER into a series adaptation.
Arcane is kinda more accurate to the lore them Witcher is tough... Season 2 with the exception of episode 1 has literally nothing to do with the books they adapt, besides using the same character. Arcane on the other hand didn't change the lore of the characters massively, just streamlined and expanded it.
I don't care if takes another 5 years for season 2. I just want them to do whatever it takes to maintain this level of narrative, character arcs, voice acting, animation etc. It's going to be a very steep hill to climb. If they pull off season 2 with this level of quality, this show will be cemented as legendary.
The thing is, there's actually a whole world built around the characters of the game, and in that world a lot of what might come in season 2 is already written. And to put it short... yea, what's coming likely is good.
I wonder when season 2 is going to be released.🤔
@@oxaile4021 Yes. That is the hope. That they stick to the source material. There are many shows that start out great but once they become a hit and have all the attention, execs and other influencers get involved and mess it all up.
@@ArcaniaSkyPirateDen9516 This season has been released right after the world finals in league of legends wraped up. I think Riot games targets to do the same with the second season, meaning it will be either end of this year or end of next year.
The second season will definitly not take 6 years to make, as i think that after this success it has much higher priority and all the character modells etc are already there.
I hope season 2 doesn't get woke like Westworld did.
Arcane created a "Bad Guy" so well developed and so sympathetic his death is a literal tragedy.
If you want another good one of those, FFXIV: Shadowbringers has one of the best.
Let's give Silco the stereotypical choice where we will betray the girl so she has an easy way to go back to the good side.... Oh wait, he gave it all up for her....
@@Oilburnerful there is no "good side"
The rains have ceased, and we have been blessed with another beautiful day, but you are not here to see it.
@@Oilburnerful what "good side"?
"can anything be so undoing like a daughter?".
this line made silco probably one of my favourite antagonists on a show. in the end, he understood vander.
So true and so humanizing for a villain.
But no one can say that he was a good father. I'm not saying that he didn't care for Jinx. Also not saying he wasn't a great character
Silco was a great villain for many reasons, and one of them was that he had a strong sense of morality, however twisted it may have been, it was consistent, and he placed great value on his sense of right and wrong. The scene where he discusses how important loyalty is to him when his right hand 'man' spares him and does away with his rival is just words, but when push came to shove and he was forced to turn on jinx, he refused; he was willing to sacrifice everything he wanted because his loyalty to his adopted daughter. Thusly, he was morally consistent and didn't throw his beliefs out when it was convenient which would have made him weaker as a character.
Funnily enough, that was my favourite line of the show as well. Since what did he mean by 'daughter'?
"Ohhh it all makes sense now, brother..."
The "drinker recommends" has quickly become a seal of quality we can trust.
Indeed, I watched about 5 seconds of the review and said, yep I'll take a look. He's good about spoilers but I don't want anything revealed.
It's not. This review sounds like some hyped kid wrote the script. Arcane had many flaws. A lot of flaws and Drinker didn't mention shit. Like he was paid by Riots/Netflix.
And I'm not saing Arcane's bad - it's qute good but the flaws are there a lot of them.
Hellz yeah
When he recommended the expanse… he changed my world 🙂
@@imperialguardsman3556 this is his recommends. NOT his reviews.
When Silco told Jinx "I never would have given you to them, not for anything. Don't cry, you're perfect.". My God, as the father of a daughter, that hit hard. I think Silco was my favorite character, but I didn't realize it until that moment. He really did have a father's love for an orphan that needed him when her only family abandoned her. And he was true to that until the very end. She was just too broken.
The fact that Silco has so much depth in his character is mind blowing because he’s not even in the game. They literally created a new “side” character that is so masterfully written the League fans demanded him to be put into the game.
I really love the way they wrote Silco. You keep expecting him to be a cliche villain who tosses Jinx aside at some point, but the exact opposite happens and you realize he really did love her as his daughter. They subverted expectations in a good way.
Also to note, (along with what drinker said) is that Silco, evil as he may be, has a very emotional/gentle side. Anytime he is with Jinx, when he lets it out at Vanders statue. The great thing is, is that the writers didn't make him be a typical bad guy. They showed that he is a human, a friend, and a father figure. He just...makes bad choices. But it was soooooo interesting to watch. Honestly, as a father of 3, I tear up everytime I think about this show because of where I was at life when it came out, and who I was with the second time I watched it. Absolutely INCREDIBLE writing.
Even more impressive with Silco, he's portrayed as the big evil badguy...but his people are viciously oppressed, often forced to work almost as slaves in highly toxic environments, the governing council of the "good guys" is astoundingly corrupt, all of those have been the case for YEARS, and Silco is truly trying to fight to stop it and make his people free. Despite how violently he goes around trying to achieve this goal, in multiple ways Silco could actually be seen as the GOOD GUY. That combined with how he genuinely developed a fatherly love for Jinx is flat out genius-level writing for a character.
@@Kiljaedenas The way they wrote Silco and the world makes you understand why would people side with him. His philosophy is something people can get behind. The only way to defeat a superior enemy is by stopping at nothing. Real power comes to those who would do anything to achieve it. He's ruthless because that's the way he believes he can achieve his goal, and by the end he ends up understanding Vander's perspective. We open the show with Vander turning a loving father and someone too defeated to keep fighting and finish with Silco in the same position, one that would burn his dreams so that his adoptive daughter would be free.
I've recommended this series to so many people, and 90% of them just ignore it because it's animated. Arcane is an absolute masterpiece, and I hardly ever use that word to describe anything.
They are stupid.
Arcane is a generic, derivative story missing any half-decent message or cleverness, it has archetypal characters and dialogue that i would hope would only interest a teenager or bellow and, ignoring the animation, i'm guessing its only praised because it's a non-anime anime and these people have never seen such a thing. As a story it wasn't worth being told since i've seen it a thousand times before not only in live action media but also animated media.
But I wouldn't care so much about it if the fans weren't such insufferable losers who only create ultimatums for people who don't enjoy it (like any show or movie that comes out with a female lead) and massively downvote or flame anything that isn't a perfect 10/10
@@NingenjaNaiSaikou stfu and go watch your marvel
@@NingenjaNaiSaikou You've interpreted a little too much stuff that wasn't in the comment and seem very biased. Not exactly sounding like you're open minded in the slightest and even may be reflecting some of your personal experiences so far on Jeremy Stone.
Further you seem to have missed the large pile of decent messages hidden in the show. They were not that hard to see. But this is okay for children. Life-Experience is quite necessary to get some of the messages.
@@NingenjaNaiSaikou "the story isn't worth being told and has been told over and over again."
I mean, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Find it ironic since you're a Berserk fan.
This show is incredibly daring by allowing characters to make mistakes with consequences. That just doesn’t happen in stories anymore.
Nailed it.
Well that did happen on squid game if you haven't see that then highly recommended that you watch.
Yes it does, yes it happens constantly because that's commonly referred to as "good writing"
Who knew a trash like riot games can have more gold then a dump lot like disney
@@LazyPirate8 Trash? Well This trash is gonna take over the world because they have a Fighting Game in progress, an MMORPG and they will continue with Arcane...(And they already dominate Esports)
When a show has a ruthless drug kingpin and his psychotic, mass murdering enforcer be genuinley more sympathetic than alleged "heroes" like Captain Marvel and Wanda Maximov you know it's special.
I mean, making someone more sympathetic than Captain Marvel doesn't sound like a high bar, but I get what you mean.
Or y'know... just well written. It shouldnt be this rare. Though having a well written cast of characters with flaws and arcs and complex motivations in a modern fantasy show is less common than two unicorns shagging a leprechaun at the end of his rainbow so fair dues.
The lore in League of Legends makes each character the hero of their own story.
@@jfangm Considering Jhin exists, I kinda doubt that.
@@thegoodvillain777 Here's what let me down about Captain Marvel: they made her more flat and boring than what people complained Superman is. Which also tells me they don't know Superman at all.
Arcane felt natural in its "message". The protagonists were strong female characters not out of nowhere, they showed us WHY they BECAME strong. They were fragile, with low self-esteem, guilt. But guess what? Even if they are stronger now, maybe they actually aren't: and they show us that they still have to grow, despite how strong they appear to be from the outside. They are adults now, but they still need to mature. They are far from perfect, they made a fuckton of mistakes, they have regrets, they had to compromise. They are so, oh so, so much... Human. That's why I love them.
If you sit down and (god forbid) analyze the show, you realize that while Vi is all cool and gets stuff done by punching it's a character flaw of hers that she doesn't know when to sit back and think of a different solution. It's understandable that she's like that due to her past, but as Vander told her, that path only brought her problems. If she would've gone with the diplomatic solution at the end, everything might've been averted, just needed more planning or consideration, more dialogue between the parts.
The only character I'd consider "flawless" would be Caitlyn, and it's understandable because of how sheltered her life has been. She has such a reductionist view of the world, but expects the best of people and wants to do anything in her power to help the people.
@@Karanthaneos Vi being an impatient jackass honestly made her sound like an idiot when she had a rant in front of the council. They were making good points about why war should not be the way to go.
Also, I personally think that Caitlyn's being sheltered made her way too optimistic when offering Ekko a plan to return the gem peacefully, though she couldn't have foreseen Marcus being a Silco pawn. Her reasoning sounded very naive and ultimately resulted in Jinx getting a hold of the gem instead of Ekko and you know what that lead to.
I didn’t see a “message”. Isn’t that the point?
Also VI was pretty muscular and was training so it feels natural she can beat people in fistfight, When a normal looking female protagonist knocks out a 100kg man it feels really wrong.
I'm very curious about Vi's future. The last we saw of her was an empty look of what just happened with her sister. You can tell that she can't comprehend what just happened.
All the shit she had to go trough to get back to her sister, for nothing. We didn't see a real outbreak from her (that cry after the fight with Sevika is not much) giving how much she baggade she carries with her. I'm exited to see what happens when all the shit catches up with her.
Arcane was such a rare treat amongst the garbage feast we’ve had last couple years.
I recommend Primal. It’s one of the good shows.
@@rickyrackey7930 Look amazing. Thanks! I will check it out has good rating too.
@@The_Primary_Axiom That because Arcane were made by Fortiche a company in France, so the French have a lot to do with the good character writing.
@@longwlenguyen4214 Thank god it wasn't written by idiots in united states lol
@@longwlenguyen4214 fortiche is an animation studio
Really wish Hollywood or just modern writers, in general, would actually take notes from this show. You CAN have female and diverse characters be actual characters with motivations and weaknesses and show them getting their asses kicked just as much as the guys and still have them be strong independent leads. Arcane is everything people want when they ask for "show, don't tell", and I really hope this sets a precedent for better storytelling in future movies and shows.
Exactly. Watching someone like Rey in Force Awakens be perfect for an hour is boring as hell. But watching someone with both success and failure like Jyn Erso in Rogue One is a lot more engaging and complex. Definitely got Arcane on the watchlist for after Finals.
Arcane feels like it hit the emotional note that The Last of Us 2 tried for, but that game got hung up by sloppy writing and overbearing "message". The things Drinker consistently criticicizes. Arcane got it exactly right and holy shit is the payoff powerful.
It's funny because before even watching it, I heard there was a lesbian ship, so I was worried it'd be a ghostbusters 2016 scenario. It ended up being my favourite show of the year because of the quality writing, and I'm even frustrated they only implied and didn't dare declare the lesbian ship when there's straight sex shown clearly.
And there are no less than three positive, present, and principled father figures in this show too. One of them I never expected to show the genuine affection, love and willingness to sacrifice for his child that he did, and it only enriched his character further.
What a concept indeed.
Be careful what you wish for..they will do a spin off or prequel or sequel with extremly diverse characters soon..and the whole story gets lost to THE MESSAGE
Probably the smartest move by Riot was to use their in-house animator studio "Fortiche", not some overblown Hollywood studio with egomanical directors that thinks they can do everything better and crap on the lore.
These people are hungry to prove themselves and want to deliver the best they can do and it shows. Plus they are deeply embedded with the lore since they created many animations for years for RIOT and help to create the style people are gushing over on Arcane. Imagine Blizzard did that instead of turning to Paramount.
absolutely, in this day and age you have to rely on your own people
Knowing that Fortiche is a french studio makes me very proud.
They do their job with passion and like you said, it's not a pompous prick directing it
Real breath of fresh air
Warcraft the movie is the biggest fail that could have been the biggest success
The thing is that the minds at Riot behind Arcane, truly gave a shit. They didn't care how long it took, they took the time to make a good product. They took 3 years to get Jinx's VA for god's sake. They also ran Arcane by basically every big Hollywood studio, and every pitch they got didn't hit the mark of being genuine, so they just straight up decided to do it themselves. To top it off, the guys that did it had no film making experience, like whatsoever, so both Riot and Fortiche needed to learn the skills and restructure their organizations to actually work for long-form storytelling, because all they did prior were short-films. It's absolutely nuts when you hear the BTS for this show of only 9 episodes, a lot of heart was put into it by every party involved.
@@aveshlutchman8573 and that makes it even more impressive and at the same time should teach the big shots at Hollywood some humility.
What they achieved is a herculean task to create something that isn't just adhering to the standard but absolutely defining it. Putting all the Hollywood studios to shame. I have no words of how an underdog outsider was able to teach them all how quality content has to be done.
Arcane is a masterclass on how to write strong female characters without making them infallible omnipotent demigods.
Show them losing, show them struggle, show them fight, show them give up, show them get back up and come back for more and overcome what crushed them before.
how are these peoole even writers, isnt that in the basics of story and cjaracter writing to make them relatable and struggle? noone wants to watch boring omnipotent gods who do everything with ease.
and then are smug and arrogant aboit it, borderline bullies when they are supposed to be likeable protagonists
@@asura8495it’s so annoying and makes me roll my eyes. Vi, Jinx and Caitlyn are amazing characters!!
Some of the female characters in this show are actually ridiculously overpowered, but it's so well-crafted, I don't care.
@@brianthom6798 their likeable and interesting personalities shine through
One of the things that really stood out to me is that I kept waiting for that cliche moment where Silco would give a sinister laugh and tell Jinx that he never cared, he was just using her all those years. But...It was the opposite. By the end of the series, I was more convinced than ever that he genuinely loved her as if he were her father. And not only that, he really did believe in the dream of Zaun's independence, and the moment of him sitting at Vander's statue talking to him was quite revealing. He did some absolutely horrible things to achieve his goals, and he's still past the point of redemption, but it was never out of malice or greed, it was out of conviction. And considering how corrupt the Piltover council is, it's hard to say that he was any worse than them. Really, it's not often that you see an antagonist in fiction who is ultimately revealed to have been a better person than they seemed.
Agreed
He's basically Thanos but without the sacrificing of his daughter.
"Is there anything so undoing as a daughter?"
The piltover a-hole council are the real enemies in Arcane tbh.
They deserve the Jinx R heading their way.
My teenage daughters both binge-watched the whole series [separately] when it came out and had pestered me for a week to give it a try ... so this 50'ish yo dude (who had never heard of League of Legends) gave it a try ... I finished the 1st episode around 8 pm on Saturday this last weekend ... I ended up finishing all 9 episodes before I went to sleep Sunday morning. It has been a very long time since I have seen something as excellent in every way that matters as this series. A+ for every category ... animation, voice acting, story, plot, score ... name a category.
Ya gotta love when that happens. Lol. Thats rare these days.
This 50ish guy just saw the drinker's review and has decided that he must watch it too. Glad to have seen your endorsement too!
@@philsey6913 sign me up, too!
*S+ ;)
Gotta love it when 2 generations are able to enjoy a great work of Art just the same.
The only flaw with this show is that it might trick people into thinking League is good.
🤣
Nope, this show doesn't try to make people think league is good, but I think you're close, it's a show for league/LoR/WR players and also a way to hook new audiences to get invested in the world and characters of riot's future games like the ruined king rpg, the fighting game and the mmo.
It's a giant ad but I still like it as a show, cant wait for riot ad season 2
I actually checked out league of legends after watching this show. But realized game is shitty as soon as I saw it 😂
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Aint nothin truer been said. The cinematics/trailer stuff is all great, Arcane is their golden child. But League is fuckin just...total dogshit
Silco is probably one of the best examples of a good antagonist. You know that he is a terrible person but you can still understand why he is the way he is. Most stories give the villain a sad backstory trying to justify the villain's cruel actions. Silco also has a sad backstory but it isn't used to justify his actions, instead it is used to help explain his motives and state of mind.
What's fascinating about Silco is that you can understand why people would rally with him. They've been mistreated, slowly burning under Piltover's higher ups disdain for their people. Of course discontent to the point of revolution would happen, Vander was there too. The difference is that Vander saw the cost of war while Silco, despite his good intentions to free the people from the undercity, saw people as expendable assets to achieve his goal of liberation. By the end he finally understood what Vander saw on the introduction of episode 1, but it was far too late for him to reflect or do anything about it.
Agreed
Agreed
TBH the difference is that his backstory was a reason, not an excuse.
I just finished watching Arcane based on your recommendation. I would never have watched it otherwise. I watched it over two days. It was epic! My granddaughter knows of the game but not the show. She’s going to watch it this weekend. Thank you drinker , we will have something to bridge the generation gap.
I will go away now.
did she like it?
She did
@@liberate72000 nice! i hope you had a great time :)
@@liberate72000not surprised she did, it’s great!
"Based on an Online Multiplayer Shooter of all things."
Drinker, you absolute Mad Lad. Try not to shank _too_ many fan boys with the broken bottle you'll be using to fight them off...
Like a true Scotsman
Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't it a MOBA?
I will make an exception this once
He's not wrong. I've never wanted to shoot so many people off the internet when I play it.
@@maxwellwu7499 now this is a true league player
I was SO SURE that Powder’s/Jinx’s bomb that went wrong in the beginning would end up being a dream or something because of how low stakes shows are nowadays but instead we got an insanely emotional series of events
Ive noticed that that's a problem a ton of media in general seem to have, being scared of having stakes at all and the characters being able to resolve every problem without much consequences, it just comes off as fan service and unrealistic.
I love how each action has consequences in this series
I was pretty shocked, I don't even play League and thats something they did right: You really don't have to play the game to love the show. It seems more like nods to certain aspects to the game. Some of the most gripping TV I've seen in years.
@MadHamaa7 easy,
Beautiful animation and art style
Excellent action/fight scenes
Well paced story, no wasted moments
Diverse characters, (not just in the sjw way, actually diverse in opinions, actions, beliefs, etc)
Great setting plus world building
So will you actually explain why this show isn't good or is this just a troll comment? I mean, you clicked on a video blatantly praising the show, filled with a comment section doing the same, you really can't find any reasoning?
The best part is when they do the fake-out later on with Marcus. Because we've already seen that they're not afraid to 'go there', you think for a second that it's actually real. That's great fucking storytelling, setting up two potential outcomes so every writing decision becomes unpredictable and consistent.
Years later and I still dont think a show has topped the brilliance of this one.
I'd recommend Blue Eye Samurai, definitely up there IMO
@@malmcrantz4943 I watched it. I liked it. The music really seemed forced. Especially when that song from "Kill Bill" hit. Seemed like there was a lot of unnecessary nudity and sex scenes. I thought that her sidekick not having any hands was not needed. It just distracted from his overall wholesomeness when I was constantly wondering how he is doing things without hands. (the straps for holding things is a pretty good answer, i guess, but... yeh). The main character is a little bit Mary Sue, we don't get much explanation of how she developed all of her top notch fighting skills. I don't think that watching others shadow-fight would make someone that skilled. The overall story was really good. I look forward to the next season.
berserk
This show still lives in my mind as if I just watched it (in fact, it gets better upon repeat viewings). The fact that in just one Season, it managed to achieve what many shows can't achieve in several, is a testament to its masterful storytelling. Even if future Seasons don't live up to this one, Riot and Fortiche have made their mark.
Fun fact. The writers of this show were first time writers. But they worked on league of legends beforehand and the animators of this show did all the character trailers for the games. What this shows to me and others is that if you give a certain franchise true passionate fans control of their favorite anything. They will go above and beyond. I’m looking at you Disney
we need them to write on more shows!
"looks gorgeous" might be something of an understatement, given the surprisingly effective way this show married 2d painted aesthetics and drawn animation in a 3D world with stylish but grounded and intensely emotional character animation in such a seamless, immersive, and spectacular way. It's like a peak inside a concept artists head.
This show is a cheap cash cow so Riot can make a fuck ton of money of Merch licenses. That's why the story consists of nothing but "gimme feel good dopamine" scenes at the expense of... ya know.. the rest of the entirety of Runeterra. Riot has no interest in turning this into a long time show with multiple Seasons. They made you feel good for 1 Season so they can make a shit load of money. As soon as the profit starts to peak and then drop off, Riot will ditch this thing in the mud. Good job, you're gullible as fuck
@@shykorustotora lol people have been complaining on r/leagueoflegends about how there is no Arcane merch. Riot spend mega dollars on this show. Many producers have come out and said they aren't looking forward to being compared to it as they don't even have a 1/10 the budget. This show took over half a decade of work. It's the exact opposite of a cheap cash cow. Season 2 is already in the works and Riot has so much more IP they can draw from to create new stories.
@@shykorustotora the OP only compliment the visual style of the show, and you went on a completely unrelated tangent about the corporate interests behind the production. The OP didn't even say if they *enjoyed* the show and you somehow think he is "gullible as fuck"? Every single production - esp. those based on an existing IP - is designed to generate profit and maximise exposure of their IP, and they all get abandoned if the money isn't rolling in. This is not a new revelation, so calm down.
@@bensemusx i think all writers who properly build a great world have the potential for good stories, however it can be hit or miss. I mean how many great worlds are there in games, yet how is it that only now we have one decent show set in a game universe.
fongfongy exactly but he makes it seem like it’s insane a company trying to make money from a show they made 🤦🏻♂️
The strong female protagonists did not even cross my mind, I loved Vi smashing everyone around with purely her strength. A masterpiece done right.
Like vi always says. **Punch first, Ask questions while punching**
That is what makes her a good character. Actually you can gender swap any character in the show and it would not matter for them. Vi's character would work the same way if she was male. Silco would work also if he would be a woman.
@@szabolcskecskes I kind of agree but Silco being a female wouldn't really work since then it would become a mother and daughter relationship with Jinx rather than father and daughter (theme of the show). Mother tend to take different actions in circumstances than fathers, not trying to get phycological. I get what you are saying though.
I also appreciate how the show worked in her fighting style, admiration for her adopted father, even her scenes practicing with the Penny arcade style machine to give us a full picture of her physicality to go with her psychological straight forward approach. She’s 100% believable in her character traits and It pays off in spades when she gets the gauntlets. I never doubted for a second her use of those weapons because it’s the natural thing for her.
Also, she doesn't get forced as "Tough Lesbian Chick". Yeah, we know she's gay to Caitlyn even called her Cupcake. But, the show is way more focused of her looking for her sister, Powder a.k.a Jinx.
Hey Drinker,
You are so right…as a old goat over 70 years old, I watched Arcane…
Perfectly correct, not politically correct! What a well written story.. never did I ever have an identity crisis of the color, ethnicity, gender or sexual preferences, I truly enjoyed these characters enveloped in a evolving crisis between two worlds of the same people.
Praying for a Season 2!
I hope to be as open-minded as you at 70. Respect.
Im 27 but I swear 70 is becoming like 50 idk...
Season 2 is already confirmed as well as entirely different shows base on the same world lore! Get excited my friend
Did Drinker refer to sexuality as an inate trait though?
Cause that's still highly debated with evidence to the contrary.
@@reviewreviewer1 why does it matter
Funny how all of the "Mysoginistic" people who dislike the crappy woke movies/shows all love Arcane. It's almost like it has nothing to do with being mysoginistic and more to do with disliking terrible writing that uses someone's sex as a character trait opposed to treating character's like a real person. People want to be entertained, Not lectured.
Bravo Riot and Fortiche.
You're absolutely right, and the unfortunate fact is that the people who most need to absorb that information are the people that will reject it the hardest. If nothing else, the past 10 years has taught me that there is a subsection of the population that wants, no, _needs_ something to be offended about. They will latch onto whatever the outrage of the moment is and entwine their very soul with that thing, becoming the rabid screaming faces you see at "mostly peaceful" "protests" that end with everything breakable broken, everything flammable on fire, and everything worth stealing being relocated to someone's apartment. People that desperate for a cause, I've found, can't be reasoned with because they have forsaken reason, they can't see logic because it contradicts their world view, and they will not listen to any voice that isn't telling them that they're right.
better said, this show is actually great to seperate the "mysoginists" as woke media calls them from the actual real mysoginistic and homophobic people. Because i've seen plenty of people hate on this show for vi being way too strong or vi and caitlyns relationship being bad, but this time i actually understood that they are actual idiots, not just people fed up with the whole woke movement.
Speak for yourself. It was dissapointing to see those visuals get wasted on this.
@@rudelwolf1591 if you accept homosexual relationships you are the woke movement.
@@iroga9764 troll harder bro.
As George rr Martin said about writing great female characters, it all comes down to seeing women as people
The problem is, we've seen these characters before: Jinx is Harley Quinn, and Vi is a amalgamation of Renee Montoya and Mercy Graves, all from "Batman: The Animated Series", where they were considerably more fleshed out and, hence, believable.
@@bezzlebedeviled4756 Lol, characters can fit similar tropes without being the same. Harley Quinn in "Batman: The Animated Series" doesn't have a backstory nearly as fleshed out as Jinx' is in one season.
@@deadshot1995 Spot on 👍🏻
@@bezzlebedeviled4756 that;s like saying batman is just a rich guy with a pointy bucket on his head and superman is just an alien who doesn't understand how underwear works. you're leaving out a lot of nuance and background lore. can't exactly support how riot plays fast and loose with some characters and places that they don't know what to do with, but in the case of jinx, vi, and warwick, they do have depth to them beyond the archetype.
@@bezzlebedeviled4756 Jinx is actually based on the Joker, not Harley Quinn. And Harley Quinn had 30 years of character development.
arcane does "strong females" in a way that is not obnoxious or insufferable, and it doesn't require the belittling of their male counterparts to artificially lift them up
the characters feel like actual people in their own universe, as opposed to tools used for ulterior motives. incredibly refreshing series!
Totally read your comment with the voice of The Drinker in my head lol
Weird, almost like actually writing well rounded, legitimate characters whose sole identities don't revolve around one tired, worn out, shoe-horned trope caused them to be incredibly likeable and interesting (you know, like an actual human being who a vast majority of audience members can feel sympathy and empathy for would be like).
Who would've thought 🤣🤣🤣
(edit: 8:10, thank you Drinker)
it's not that a strong female character can't be done without being obnoxious and arcane worked around it, it's that most entertainment media don't follow the show not tell rule so it feels forced like an illusion not actually a strong character, Rey from star wars is a god you can't sympathize with but you are told she's gone through a lot, Vi from arcane and many other characters are strong personalities and individuals because you can see their struggles and sympathize with them emphasizing their strengths even more, in conclusion most media have forced "strong females" while arcane has real strong female characters
@@eskithejetski especially jinx massive spoiler don't read further if you don't want to be spoiled
Her accidentally killing silco who was pretty much a father too her and actually cared about jinx broke my heart
Interestingly enough the reason for this was the pre-baked in-built mandate that the popularity of the game cemented. All the characters are balanced and nuanced because the game itself, in order for no single character to be irredeemable (since they are all playable) - means the story itself had to be well crafted and nuanced in order to not change but instead of build off nothing but shades of grey nuanced characters. The reason why Arcane doesn't seem like it's from [current year] is because it is not, the framework, lore and character archetypes are over a decade old and very developed in their own lore and universe. (And I'm not even an LoL player)
I WILL NEVER STOP TALKING ABOUT ARCANE. The cinematography, the storytelling, the characterization, the voice acting, the soundtrack. Just perfect.
I haven't felt as bad for a characters downfall since Darth Vadar as I did jinx. I spent the entire series practically begging for her to be redeemed.
100% Jinx and Silco are the epitomy of tragedy, but watching Powder develop into Jinx is much more graphic, and absolutely crushing. We just don't get to see Silco turn, in the same light, however, they're both very similar. It's a masterwork of fucking brilliance. Arcane is the best TV Series I've ever seen. I'm 42
not sure if this should be a “spoiler” or not considering that this is in the game, but unfortunately Jinx never turns back into Powder. LoL Jinx is basically her final form, and Arcane is a prequel on how she became as deranged as she is in the game.
I hated Jinx from the fatal tantrum but was riveted nonetheless. A masterpiece of characterization on all levels- art, animation, acting, character design....
Man, I loved her descent into madness.
What I loved is how Jinx would do these things that would normally redeem her in other tv shows like kill Silco and Marcus, but she doesn’t feel fulfilled, and instead falls further down the well. Hell, I love how in Arcane, people get what they want, but at a cost that renders their wish useless.
Do you hear that? It's Kevin Smith and Seth Rogen, crying their eyes out that they got upstaged by an online game developer, who managed to create an animated show with diverse cast and strong female characters that people actually fucking enjoy.
Arcane is so much above their garbage though. You might as well compare it to actually well-received shows, cause Arcane's better than a good chunk of them.
We’ll I mean Seth rogen is a producer on invincible, one of the best shows out rn.
BARS!!!
@@adamgarcia7192 Seth didn't exactly write that story now did he? The story was already laid out by the comics he was adapting and there was little that was changed from the source material. The only huge positive changes he did was with the Guardians of The Globe but opposite that, Amber was kinda made worse with her execution
@@electricfeverx976 agreed
The fact that they can show lesbian attachment without bringing the plot to a screeching halt to dwell upon it or cheer 'huzzah, lesbians!' was masterful. It is possible to show an a personal aspect of same sex attraction without tripping over it.
It’s almost like they just wrote it like a genuine developing relationship and not a fucking loudspeaker screaming LOOK LESBIANS
Nah it was still pretty cringe inducing...but the sheer awesomeness of the rest of the show made up for it
Yeah, no…
You’re giving it WAAAAY too much credit.
Riot Games are under the banner of China and China doesn’t allow homosexuals, which is why they were kept on a leash. They do this I league of legends constantly.
@@ZeWrAtH this is true, also i didn't get that they had a lesbian thing going on and still don't tbh.
this is just a close friendship as far as i'm concerned.
How to give away that you're a "the Great" fan without actually saying it. Huzzah!
I stumbled across this show at complete random, never saw any hype or mention of it, never played league so I don't know the lore or characters, I just thought the art style looked cool in a netflix thumbnail. When it first started I was sucked in pretty quick, but was still kinda just watching it like it was some random kids show about a rag tag group of teens in the ghetto that was actually good, then when powder blew up all her friends I was like, holy shit, this show isn't pulling any punches at all. After that point I was entirely absorbed and the show just kept doubling down. It's not just a good guy vs bad guy scenario, it's a masterfully crafted tale of blurred morality and isn't afraid to crush your expectations and emotionally abuse the viewer. As a 3d designer, this show also is one of the most gorgeously detailed things I've ever seen, the amount of detail in ever single shot is astounding, like I can't even wrap my head around it, even the back ground characters are fully realized and unique and have their own personalities, all the things most people might take for granted like the objects on shelves and tables, and the boxes and buildings that fill the sets, it's all so brilliantly done down to the tiniest of details that you barely see for just a few moments. I mean I guess they have a lot of assets available from game development but the amount of love and passion that goes into every single frame, it's truly incredible. Apparently the studio has a ton of stories they plan on creating going forward and I am super excited to see what else they make, because this show was one of the greatest things I've happened to stumble across in a very long time.
It's a Mona Lisa. Period.
Same with me, i stubbled on thos show by complete accident and only watched cause the artwork looked cool.
Agreed
Yeah
I couldn’t agree more. Just emphasizing that you could watch it with the sound off and it would be worth it - every frame of this series could hang in a museum - it is simply a stunning.
See, we aren't against strong female characters with bad haircuts. We just want good stories. Can't wait to watch this. Thank you for the review, Drinker.
Best part is, that Vi started as a generic fighter character in a game to give people a strong, bit crazy girl to play as (her voiceover aged poorly after Arcane). The fact that they turned her into such a good character is just amazing
No, I am all against that design. Also, they made brawny fighter girl obligatory lesbian, so much for stereotyping. Even though Vi is a good character, she is one of the weaker parts of show filled with characters of far more intrigue.
Vi stands out how much of selfish hero she is. She wants to go to war with piltover in act 1. She then wants to go to war against Silco's zaun later. Never understanding till final episode cost of war. That is imo most intriguing part of her, and a great set up for bait and switch to villainy. However, I understand how that does not make sense in broader context of story, but hopefully she finally realises Vander and Jayce's point in later seasons
I have to confess, the SJW- Asthetics kept me from watching more than 10 minutes, but the Drinker seems to be my Alter Ego, taste-wise, and so I will give it another shot.
@@wy8999 it took me a while to get into the art style. But once I did I was able to appreciate it.
@@kirathekillernote2173 The series has more tropes than people give it credit for, but that does not make it a bad series. It is still strange to see a series like this beating more or less everything else, past and present, with how high its rating is, and it came as a surprise to almost everyone. LoL has always had good cinematics and I think this series would have fallen quite a bit if it was ugly in design, animation etc but the series itself is an underdog winning against Hollywood. That in of itself makes it kinda immune to criticism of stereotyping and SJW antics etc.
Haha I like that you started with "lets keep this small on spoilers" and then tell the whole plot hahah
Came to upvote a post I knew would be in here. Edit to add - but that's okay because it was another chance for me to see something that was Arcane related.
but he doesnt do that
@@PompeySomerstown Yeah after his intro, i did same heh
@@dariusalexandru9536 outside of a few points yea he lays out practically the entire show.
@@dariusalexandru9536 he spoils literally one of the most emotionally devastating parts of the show
Just finished watching arcane for the second time and it still holds up ever so beautifully
Well it has to hold up since you only watched it in the space of less than 2 years
@@LuisSierra42 you'd be surprised how quickly most animated shows age horribly within the span of just 1 year
It'll stand the test of time as being one of the best gems from the 2020 era. Very much looking forward to Season Two
It's got a timeless art style and impeccable writing. It'll age better than most modern things i think.
I like seeing Drinker being happy about a show and recommending it.
EDIT: Watched it, and it is everything that Drinker says, it's magnificent.
Arcane is proof that it was never about the representation, but about the execution. Because here's an example of it done right.
Agreed, unfortunately there are still actual homophobes in the comments that think the show is SJW propaganda. I don't think these people will ever be satisfied.
Just like Alita Battle Angel, the Alien movies, Sarah Connor in Terminators 1 and 2, the Mistborn series of books, Ghost in the Shell (anime/manga, not the movie), etc. Unfortunately we're up against a cult that will completely refuse to acknowledge proof that contradicts their worldview.
Name one show that's all about the representation.
@@Paraludic Masters of the Universe, every new Star Wars sequel trilogy, Captain Marvel, to name a few. But your quote isn’t something anyone said. The point made is that we keep being told bad shows are failing because “toxic fans” automatically reject anything with diversity, when this show and others like it show that’s not the case. Shows fail when they’re poorly written and executed, often because the diversity is given more weight than narrative.
@@roshinobi The new Star Wars films are not about womens' issues just because Rey is there. They're still about the same sort of stuff Star Wars has always beem about. But go ahead, be even more of a neckbeard cliche and shout about that Mary Sue.
Captain Marvel, again, isn't about womens' issues. If anything, it's about getting back up after you've been knocked down. That's the meaning behind the recurring shots of Danvers getting back up throughout her life. However, at a stretch you can say the Riot Grrl aesthetic is a little on the nose. But that is nitpicking at best. There's also stuff about not judging people on looks and war having two sides.
None of those examples you've given are about diversity. Nice try though.
I love how the show wasn’t scared to really fuck over the characters multiple times. It’s been ages since I last saw characters going through so much shit. That’s the main thing I love about this show. Another thing I love is that the characters didn’t act how I thought they would and they didn’t conform to the cliche baddies and goodies, I can empathise with every single character in this series! Damn
Poor Victor took so many Ls in this show. The only W for him was outrunning those ships.
@@ohtrueyeahnah I know I'm being crude but anyone else think when we first hear his voice 'oh god he a German scientist'
@@thesmilinggun-knight9646 haha, yesh i think most people were like 'oh no, i hope this guy isn't a villain'
@@thesmilinggun-knight9646 Well, his accent isn't even remotely German, but I get your point
@@ohtrueyeahnah The scene with the assistant was big oof. Felt that one in my gut.
A MASTERPIECE OF A SHOWWWW! i was actually so blown away by episode 3 and that wasn’t even THE PEAK
(episode 9 was)
I think I will watch it too, but I'm too lazy to watch anything with over 2hrs long
but maybe I'll give it a try
@@johnfox1991 I say watch one a night!
@@johnfox1991
You owe it to yourself. If you decide to watch it, you'll be in the enviable position of only having to wait for several months for Season 2, while the rest of us have had to wait for several years. Even so, Season 1 provides so much subtlety, nuance and subtext to chew on that it should occupy your brain long after you finish watching.
Drinker: “I’ll keep it relatively spoiler free”
Also the drinker: spoils the death of jinx’s friends and shows the final scene as well as silco stabbing vander
Yeah, but Arcane is a perfect example of the trip being more exciting than arriving at a destination. The character building is so on point that whatever is said in this video is not a spoiler, or not the same way it would be for an inferior product.
@@jorge6207 Yep totally. When writing is not subversion adhered like some other writers like *khmm* RJ blokes. When story can hold its merit by process and understanding alone. 9/10 simply perfect.
"In the pursuit of great, we failed to do good"
That line gets to me everytime, reminding that greatness and the way forward are not always in the best interest at times and how the road to hell can be paved with good intentions.
same, my favorite characters are jinx and viktor
That, and "It's not enough to give people what they need to survive, you have to give them what they need to live."
That's basically Elon Musk in a nutshell lmao
I'm gonna put it like this: Arcane scratched an itch that has been present for years now. It finally gave me female characters that are well-written, kick-ass, and genuinely likable.
And they were ALL genuinely likeable in one way or another. Sevika and Mel's mother? Antagonists, but exceptional antagonists who weren't Evil - Sevika was the "This is a possible Future for you, Vi", and Mel's mother was a damned force of nature in a barely contained human form. (I'd include Cait's mother here, but she was... underdeveloped compared to Mel's mother and Sevika.) Grayson? Basically Arcane's version of Commissioner Gordon, which she earned even with the tiny amount of screentime, she's given.
And most importantly, the show did this without having to tear down every single male character, imagine that ! A show with strong female characters that doesn't need to have every single male character be the villain and/or dumb/fat/lazy.
watch kill la kill
@@Nr4747 The reason I haven't watched this as I assumed it was more woke trash, are there also likable male characters in the show in addition to female?
@@MrGreeneyes77 Yes! The scientist who wants to harness the power of Magic is a great character, as well as his friend. There are also other characters that are amazing, including Vander who took care of the kids. It's a great serie
Probably one of the best scenes I remember from this show was when silko was standing next to I think a statue of vandor saying that he now gets what the latter ment when he talked about what price he would be willing to pay for freedom
I showed this show to my mother on my birthday. After I left to go to have dinner with my Dad and brother, she called me saying how devastated (in a good way) she was at the ending of episode 9. This is the same woman Who rarely watches anything outside of British crime dramas and hallmark films and She finished it on her own. AND she’s excited about season 2!
my mom is the same , but couldnt get her in to it, thank the gods i still have a brother
I feel the same way. I do not watch anything besides CZcams and I got reccomended Arcane, its great, I love it!
That fight scene between Jinx and Echo on the bridge is an absolute masterclass in visual story telling and choreography. I really loved this series!
Don’t forget the Denzel Curry song complimenting it
Agreed. It really showed the importance, and weight, of that whole fight. Amazing storytelling...
They’ll likely be showing that fight in film schools for years
Spot on. Not a single word of dialogue during the fight yet was deep, layered, and fucking awesome.
And it didn’t even last 2 minutes.
I honestly didn’t even notice the female empowerment, inclusivity, or anything else included from “the message”.
And that’s exactly as it should be. Brilliant series.
I didn't even realize the show is centered around like 70% females most of the time.
This aint no CW's Batwoman.
@@jessy61071 I noticed. You guys just aren't thinking critically.
What "message"? You neckbeards sure love to reference it without saying what it is.
And isn't it still there if you don't notice whatever it is? That just sounds like you don't pay attention or engage with what you're watching.
@@Paraludic oh the irony, you’d know what I was talking about if you watched the video or paid attention.
@@TroaBarton I'm too dumb to pick up on the eloquent subtleties in his reviews.
Could you enlighten me so I can at least try and get all the way up on your level?
I stayed up all night and finished it in one sitting. “I wouldn’t have given you to them, not for anything…” … 😭😭😭
I didn't watch this show for the longest time because i assumed a show based on League of Legends would suck. It is easily in my top 3 series of all time. It truly is remarkable how well done literally every aspect of the show is.
It finally took like half the Boys' Group Chat blowing up about it before I finally gave in and gave it a shot. 2-3 guys wasn't even enough.
Turns out you can make Multi-Ethnic, Feminist, LBGTQ positive artwork.
Just as long as you make your characters human beings with flaws and not Mary Sue cutouts to prop up your own worldview.
Shoutout to riot games for showing how it’s done.
As a straight, white, "cis" OLD man, *THIS* comment (coupled with the video) has convinced me to watch this show.
@@Deviantygr did you like it?
@@markbrowning4334 go back to your cave old man.
@@markbrowning4334 don’t you think there has to be a certain point where you drop the “woke” complaint? I don’t think it’s fair to call the show pandering as soon as the hint of a lesbian relationship pops up. I think you might be a little jaded.
@@markbrowning4334 I just feel like everything you said about Bill also applies to Vi and Caitlin. The point of the relationship isn’t that it’s two women. That’s shown to be totally normal and no character bats an eye. It’s all totally character driven the way I see it.
I was extremely suprised that they didn't just pull the card "Rich people are bad and poor people are good", we have a character like Heimerdinger in Piltolver while we have characters like Singed in Zaun, that shows the moral complexity of the show, running of the gag of Rich = Bad and showing that the place you were born doesn't necessarily define you, we see that in Viktor too.
Something rwby vol 7-8 could never do
@@novaenforcer1563 That show was pretty cringe from the start. Only the marketing trailers were alright
Arcane does a phenomenal job of illustrating systemic class struggle through character development. Though each side has its good and bad actors, it's ultimately the failure of the system to take care of its people that creates the problems which drive characters' motivations.
That's an incredibly nuanced take in this age of sanitized corporate media.
@@leetlc441 mostly the writting was cringe, the fights were awesome and weapons sometimes character design.
I know its a trope but some of the best, kindest people Ive ever known were richer than gods and some of the worst too. And some poor people Ive known were among the absolute most evil people to walk the earth...and some of the most saintly too. Cant say what I used to do that put me in a position to know people like that but....if you had done that job youd never sleep again either and no, I was not law enforcement or a lawyer.
Drinker, you never disappoint. I never would've watched this without your recommendation. I watched it all the way through in a single sitting and it was fucking awesome. Been lingering in my head for days, Jinx's character is so well represented I can't stop watching and dissecting her scenes. It doesn't help that I am totally into crazy girls and it reminded me why I am a moth to the flame.
The thing I loved most about this show might be weird to a lot of people but the fact that they turned the piltover enforces from robots to humans just made this show so much more impactful to me. Also the soundtrack just SLAPS
Agreed 👍
"is there nothing more undoing than a daughter?"
The god damn feels this generated and I don't have kids.
We lost ourselves. Lost our dream. In the pursuit of great, we failed to do good. -Viktor
That sense was one of my favorites
You've got a good heart, don't ever lose it; no matter how the world tries to break you. ~Vander
I have two beautiful daughters and he's not lying. Ultimate they will be the end of me...
@@jaybiddle2615 you afraid the modern world will consoom them?
This show is not a hero’s journey, it’s a f*cking Shakespearean Tragedy 🎭
It’s strangely gratifying that it seems to fall into the category of being one of those rare near flawless animated shows like Avatar TLA or Batman the Animated Series. I simply can not recommend this show enough. If you’re on the fence about watching it just watch its first act and be blown away by it. 💥
“Don’t cry, you’re perfect”
Yes! I am not fan of the Shakespearean tragedies, so I didn't love it, but you are damn right!
It's not a Shakespearean tragedy, where's the poetry? At least if you ask me. Honestly I love Shakespeare, but he romanticized his tragedies, and at least if you ask me, this wasn't so romanticized. I'm sure there are moments that are, and I'm sure people will point them out, and also remember that this is only my opinion, you can have yours too
@@T-Bone_SSteak This is visual poetry, show, don't tell, that's where the poetry is.
@@SonOfSeth you are right there my friend
Really it is kind of meh till the third episode. THAT is when the beat drops.
There are still issues with it, but they are so unimportant that I won't even list them.
The attention to detail is tremendous. Things you don't even think about until someone else points them out. Visual gags that actually play a part in the plot, one liners that cover minor plot holes because the writers knew we would see them.
I can overlook my little nitpicks easily because of the love and respect that this team has shown not only it's fans, but story lovers in general.
What's noteworthy is how Arcane touches upon almost every topic brought up by modern Progressivism without ever feeling propagandistic. It all feels so natural:
• Themes of wealth inequality and class conflict? ✔
• Diversity (regarding immutable biological characteristics), but just so happens to also include a diversity of ideas? ✔
• A mentally ill ("neuro-divergent/neuro-atypical"), blue-haired STEM girl? ✔
• A butch lesbian who solves problems with her fists enters into a relationship with another blue-haired girl, who decides to become a career woman rather than remain a sheltered brat? ✔
• A black revolutionary who builds a commune of vigilantes to fight the dual injustices of Silco's drug trade and Piltover's inaction? ✔
• A brilliant, yet disabled scientist who grew up in the Undercity ghetto is overshadowed by the brilliant, yet privileged golden boy who grew up in the utopian Piltover? ✔
• A bully Enforcer who engages in police brutality unwittingly does a deal with the devil, but rather than come clean and redeem himself, sinks deeper into corruption? ✔
• A city councilmember whose conservatism (in response to chaos and unrest) leads to a prosperous, stable society, is the same conservatism that leads to the disenfranchisement of those who can not climb the social ladder and need radical change in order to escape their condition? ✔
• A self-serving politician who grants special favors in exchange for political prestige learns to set aside her personal ambitions for the good of the downtrodden? ✔
It's because all of that is in service of the story, not the other way around.
excellent analysis
I didn't know anything about Arcane before watching your vid - went on to watch it and found myself loving every second of it .
Thank you very much for the recommendation.
If you asked me "where can I find good writing?" I wouldn't have answered "an animated TV show based upon a decades old MOBA game."
Yeah, doesn't it makes the one of the rarest of all good videogame adaptations?
@@Dat_Jonx does it adapt the game though?
@@tedarcher9120 Yes and no, is an adaptation of the characters and their lore with a few changes, but not the game itself.
I'm surprised 3 person comented not understanding the point that he called LOL a shooter xD
if you also asked me "where can i find an extraordinarily gorgeous animation?" i wouldn't have answered the same either, but here we are
You say Jinx and Vi are the emotional core of the story and you're not wrong. That being said, Viktor and Jayce's relationship is what made the show for me. Brothers by choice vs sisters by birth. Good parallel
That’s awesome though. The 2 main stories of the show are both interesting in their own way and connect beautifully
Silco and Vander also has a very interesting relationship, although most of it happened before the show it's impact was huge, specially what happened to Silco in the final episode and that one scene he had with his "old friend".
@@AscendantStoic they do such a fantastic job of making you despise Silco & then come to understand & even truly sympathize with him & his motivations. The writing in this show is phenomenal & definitely took me on an emotional rollercoaster. It's extremely rare for a show or film be able to do that for me.
"In the pursuit of great, we failed to do good"...
@@jonbaxter2254 such a good line. It perfectly encapsulated their situation.
I watched the first minute of this video, paused it, watched the entire season over about 4 days, and just came back to finish this video.
Arcane is not a show I ever would have tuned into on my own, I'm not one for animated shows much anymore, but the story was awesome, the art design was amazing, and honestly it just refreshed my mind after trying to watch so many shows only to have them be terribly written and directed.
Good call, and I'll happily recommend this show to anyone.
Agreed! I'm in love. My favorite scene is at the very end where the little professor guy is with the underground kid. They're both super happy and bouncing ideas off each other with refreshing collaboration.
@@ChilleDINJerseY i liked when Ecko told Heimerdinger that its not enough to give people what they need to survive, you gotta give them enough to live.
Agreed
I'm late, but same boat. Wasn't disappointed. Great show
It honestly amazes me how good of a year 2021 was for TV Shows.
-Invincible
-Squid Game
-Arcane
-Helluva Boss(this is more of an online show but I'll still count it)
-Better Call Saul
All successful within their own right.
I've heard invincible Is great. Really wanna watch that.
Another fantastic show is 'The Boys' honestly, one of my favourite shows period. Wiring and casting is on point!! It has one of the best villains as well.
Damn, still need to check out Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.
Though I despise Helluva Boss. I think the art style is very Interesting and unique, but the Writng, Some of the Voice actors and main Characters are honestly awful. The comedic aspect of is mostly very juvenile and flat. But hey, guess we all have different preferences.
@@louiswright8282 i only watch Helluva boss for the porn
When I first heard of it I was 100% convinced that we'd get the typical stereotype stuff going on but they subverted my expectations. In a good way.
I was afraid that Vi was this invincible flawless fighting machine. But she was not. She gets hit, injured even, loses fights, and man, those fights are brutal. Even when she wins she doesn't get to walk away like she just left a spa.
I was afraid that Jinx would be this Harley Quinn clone. But she was not. Jinx's insanity is not portrayed as something quirky or cool but rather as something tragic that weights on her. The show makes it very clear that she's a danger to everyone around her.
I was afraid that every man would be either portrayed as cowardly, stupid, incompetent or comically evil. But they weren't. In episode 3 "The base violence needed for change", a father gets to protect his family while a woman messes up (in 2021!). Even the male villain gets a moment of humanity when he sees a little girl crying her eyes out.
Especially considering current day media, Arcane is really good and I'd recommend everyone to watch it. I still cannot believe that we get good media entertainment from League of Legends of all places.
Wow my thoughts exactly, I was so afraid that vi and catlyn was going to have a fling (after watching bruised, why can't two people be just friends). Thank God this was a very watchable series and can't wait for more.
Dude, she goes to prison, gets beaten by the guards regularly and come out stronger than when she went in. Not even needing a haircut. You're looking at a fight where she beats 6 out of 7 or 7 out of 8 larger and older opponents and saying, "Well she didn't beat *everyone* so she can't be protected by plot armor." B.S. Her fights were less believable than the venerable, thoroughly plot-armored fights of James T. Kirk.
Edit: And that's not, by any means, to say we can't have female James T. Kirks, but to highlight the aggravation with adults and even pretty exacting critics effectively saying, "This female James T. Kirk is an exceedingly well-written and believable character." Just that they aren't as good as an Imperator Furiosa, Katniss Everdeen, Jackie Brown, or Hermione Grainger.
I don't know much about LoL, but my son (who has been playing for years) wanted to see it, and we watched together. I was pleasantly surprised by it, and now want to know how the story continues. Good stories are so rare these days.
Do you mean the fight where she's armed (literally) with two fists full of completely cutting edge magic powered tech that can punch down entire walls? The fight where she takes her opponents by surprise? And then she takes a bit of a beating from Silcos no.2 enforcer until she remembers the lessons her father taught her about tightening her guard and fighting through the pain? That fight?
Now who's bullshitting?
@@captbuckyohare5585 I think he meant the episode 3 fight, when she was stalling when the gang tried to free Vander. That one was stretching the reality a bit.
I love that Drinker didn't just make a review of Arcane, but a Drinker's Recomend. A well deserved one at that
Nuanced Things are DEAD.
Long live Dragonball-Evolution-Level.
The writing and sequence for this show was absolutely on point. This is how diversity, representation and empowerment is done. This is a show my daughters and I watched together, and we loved it.
Welp MY expectations were exceeded by hundreds of miles. I binged it over two days and holy crap there needs to be more. It's been repeatedly said, but THIS is what good writing can do. The team polished this gem to utter perfection.
Obviously the writing is the most relevant to Critical Drinker's whole channel.
But it's also just SO BEAUTIFUL.
The animators and designers knocked it out of the park. It's a masterpiece.
The Drinker nailed it. Not a lot to add. Arcane is just a beautiful example of what can happen when creators respect their audience and their characters. It’s sad that this is so rare. When things like gender, race and sexual orientation aren’t treated like the be-all end-all of a character’s personality, but simply pieces of the whole, you actually wind up with well rounded, fleshed out, believable and likeable fucking people. Can all of Hollywood please take note?
Well according to twitter your gender and disabilities are supposed to be your personality now lol.
@@sirshotty7689 haha true. Who would have thought Twitter could get it wrong.
@WhatSupp
Shit bait
Shit taste
@WhatSupp Ahh. The resident contrarion is here.
@WhatSupp NPC? LOL
That's fresh coming from the guy who's being a prototypical youtube contrarion.
When we usually hear "diverse cast, representation and female empowerment" however this time they did it correctly, it was subtle, not shoved in our faces and most of all it was implemented smartly in the story and not at its expense. Another evidence that its not hate for women, minorities or anyone that makes us critisize films and tv shows... its the fact that they usually suck. Plain as that.
@Rafflevich It was often 'shoved in our faces' in the sense of being extremely direct (bi fingernails? really?), but directness in film is NOT a sin when well done through the ingredients of color, shape, set design, acting, camera placement... smartly used. Especially when employing numerous themes, directors have to be direct. There's no harm in using lots of garlic in a garlic-based spaghetti sauce, after all.
Smartly or not it wouldn't have been green lit unless it was implemented. Reminds me of something else on people minds that if you don't get, helpful, harmless or not you're not allowed to do shit. Which is a factor that bugs people.
@@johnstrawb3521 using lots of garlic in a garlic based sauce is akin to using identity politics to make an identity political movie and is completely wrong. you need to rethink your analogy
@@mattybrown3369 Are all the men idiots or monsters, and the white male characters especially so?
@@PontificusPinion in arcane, no, which is my point. Movies that make it the main focus of the story by having it central to the plot are akin to his analogy of needing a lot of garlic to make a garlic sauce. Did you not understand that?
I watched arcane a number of times by now, and it has a certain effect to it I never experienced: each time I watch it I love it even more, to the point I can't watch anything else because it all falls short by a mile
i just finished ep 6 and i'm already afraid of 1.) this series ending and 2.) having to watch other, less stellar entertainment.
Arcane is a generic, derivative story missing any half-decent message or cleverness, it has archetypal characters and dialogue that i would hope would only interest a teenager or bellow and, ignoring the animation, i'm guessing its only praised because it's a non-anime anime and these people have never seen such a thing. As a story it wasn't worth being told since i've seen it a thousand times before not only in live action media but also animated media.
But I wouldn't care so much about it if the fans weren't such insufferable losers who only create ultimatums for people who don't enjoy it (like any show or movie that comes out with a female lead) and massively downvote or flame anything that isn't a perfect 10/10
@@NingenjaNaiSaikou The story isn't breaking any grounds, but it's serviceable enough to let the real star of the show to shine, which is it's animation and art style. That is what makes it stand out. Weird how you entirely missed that.
I just watched Arcane per your recommendation. When you opened up the review with an enthusiastic "Fuck Yes" I thought damn, Drinker is really pumped about this one. I didn't watch your whole review until I finished the show. Good show, good review and good recommendation. Thanks.
'A narrator telling a message' vs 'a narrative showing a story'. When productions show the audience some respect, they will definitely get our gratitude and love in return.
I'd really like to see what the Drinker would think of "Legion". Such a fantastic show.
I'm still dumbfounded with how good this was. ESPECIALLY in this day in age.
And it broke the cardinal rule that all video game adaptions have to be a mess in some way. I don't know what to believe anymore.
@@YorkJonhsonThey can definitely be good, they just need to be written by smart people. That's why Arcane was such a masterpeice, because they actually cared about it, and put so much effort and passion into it. Others chase money.
@@crazybabuskaman3923 Considering it was made roughly 6 years. I would expect it to be this good. Otherwise, I don't know what to say if it turned out shit. What I only don't like here is some characters didn't follow the games base model. I wouldn't expect Caitlyn and Jayce to be like that. But bravo for Viktor and Vi, Jinx they technically what the game portrayed them before
It's good that there are still sane people out there who actually care about strong diverse female characters but with good writing
I cannot believe a show like this was possible with all the nonsense we've been seeing lately. What happened here.
Sometimes I come back to this just to feel some semblance of hope for creative integrity.
someone else mentioned elsewhere that something they particularly love about this show is that it beats Vi up, a lot. many shows and movies nowadays seem so scared to lay a finger on their strong female protagonists and instead resort to making them invincible badasses that can trample anything in their way without a single scratch. and not that Vi wasn’t a badass, but she definitely wasn’t perfect. she gets beat up _hard,_ and ended up bruised and bloody, but each time she got back up and learned through the punches.
mad respect for this show, it’s truly a masterpiece.
Problem is Vi is supposed to be a badass serving knuckle sandwiches. Here she's just a walking sack of depression and it honestly gets tiring halfway through the show.
@@LecherousLizard well yeah, she’s still young and inexperienced here. she’s not the Vi you know now in LoL, she’s the Vi who just found out what her sister has become and doesn’t really know what to do about it or her whole situation at all. later seasons will most likely show her develop.
@@pumkinpatchwork They are literally two different characters that merely share the name.
Like, here Vi gets the gauntlets handled by Jayce in his pristine workshop, while OG Vi ripped them off of a mining robot/exoskeleton to save people in a mine in Zaun. She also grew up in an orphanage, like an actual institution not as a stray picked up by some ex-revolutionary and doesn't remember her childhood at all, along with her name. Vi didn't get her "Vi" tattoo in prison, because that's her nickname coming from her actual name of "Violet", she is called Vi, because she always *_had_* that tattoo.
Arcane is beyond coinciding with the main canon, even if, maybe, the characters end up growing, more or less, into their game/canon counterparts.
The same exact thing happens with other established characters in the show.
Viktor isn't a cripple who needs hextech to be a thing to have a chance to survive another year. By the time he stepped a foot in Piltover he already saved numerous lives with his inventions in Zaun. Here he's a literal nobody. Not to mention that in the canon his augmentations aren't some magical mumbojumbo, nor either he or Jayce made hextech, since it's been around for half a century or more by the time either of them were born.
Shimmer doesn't exist AT ALL, meaning Silco's entire existence is also out of the window.
The list goes on and on. None of the character goals, personalities or relationships as presented in the Arcane are something that agrees in any way, shape or form with their canon counterparts.
@@pumkinpatchwork cured
Siloko
And jinx
@@LecherousLizard Welcome to the rewriting of LoL lore that has been happening for over a decade. Do you know why players are called Summoners in LoL (and IIRC are still called so in some older champion's voicelines)? That's nowhere in the 'new' lore that they wrote and rewrote and rewrote.
I just have to view it as what we're getting is what the original Runeterra mages feared and tried to prevent with their Institute of War. They had one last magic war and it destroyed their universe in a way that they didn't even think of, fractured into a million different alternate realities that we're seeing. None of them lasting all that long, sometimes splitting off, sometimes combining into something new, sometimes just passively morphing into something else.
At first I thought "how did he think it was an online shooter," but then remembered the entire game is just people taking shots at my mother and realized he was ahead of me on that.
I can top that, they usually take shots at my grandmother
Silco seemed like he was going to be some crap villain who is evil for evil's sake. He turned out to be one of the best characters in the show.
Amen, definitely villain and dad of the year (quite a difficult combo to nail XD)
I thought the same thing and boy did I get surprised. If only Hollywood could write more villains like that.
@@AscendantStoic I went from feeling deeply intimidated by him to feeling genuinely sympathetic and sorry. As much as he deserved it I feel like what came of him was a tragedy.
@@tlshortyshorty5810 He's the tragic hero of another story, he's a guy with a past, motivations, and a personality of his own instead of being just a plot device. If only all the villains could be written that way...
@@AscendantStoic Quite difficult indeed, the only other example I have in mind is the affably evil Mayor Wilkins from Buffy the vampire slayer.
I finally just watched this show right after Cyberpunk Edgerunners. So I can honestly say 3 out of my top 5 shows are anime, and 2 of them are based off of video games which is shocking. I can't wait for season 2 of this show.
This show is an absolute fucking master piece, and I've never in my life wanted lightning to strike the same bottle twice as I do with season 2. My girlfriend recently told me that she loves how critical I am of Mary Sue and (Paraphrasing) "character devices of THE MESAGE" and yet still completely idolize Jinx and other female characters simply because they're written beautifully. Seriously, my office/game room is JINXED TF UP. Despite never having any incling to play LoL, or any other MOBAs for that matter.
Cannot. Agree. More.
This review is spot on... and this show is a masterclass in showing us, well, everything that Drinker said in his 'digression'.
Finally: A diverse show that doesn't rely on THE MESSAGE
Literal feminists and lesbians on screen
@@hulking_presence And yet, the most annoying thing was Jinx. God I hated Jinx.
@@hulking_presence right? Drinkers whole rant reminded me of "im not racist I have a black friend!"
@@user-iz7nu4wk3h Glad I'm not the only one. Really loved the overall quality of the show... But *could not stand Jinx!*
@@hulking_presence Yes and also a great narrative with great visuals with nuanced characters. No character is 100% good or 100% evil. The diversity isn’t just an obvious checkbox so the creators can gloat about how progressive they are on Twitter these characters are just people. Not stereotypes.
Arcane was one of the best shows I have watched (animated or not) in a long time. Very excited for another season
This actually felt like work was put into it so credit to those still respecting their work. We need more of you.
The fact that League of Legends, the game that gets your balls busted if you even mention you've played it, can make such a great piece of theatrical work compared to all the big Hollywood studios... Crazy. I heard that they were working on this for like 5 years, right? It definitely feels like a lot of love went into it. Unlike the superficial, buzzword riddled ish we usually get nowadays.
6 years actually.
6 years. Riot was in charge of everything, unlike most shows just sell it to the highest bidder. That's why the animation and the story are so spot on, because Riot have been always doing amazing well animated videos to add depth to their game (and sell hella expensive skins). Just go and watch Riot's videos and you'll understand why Arcane was so good.
@@EyedCrown It's actually a french animation studio who has been pulling it off for Riot for a decade. They're called "Fortiche"
@@thenout yeah I know
Like the overused buzzword word “toxic” calling anything “toxic” was so 2016.
*"In the Age of Subversion, the real subversion was a show that is actually good."*
- Binglebad Bonkins
Lol that is the truth.
ah ol Binglebad
The real subversion is getting people to accept LGBTQ, black and feminist representation in media with pretty visuals and good plot
just saw it for the second time....its simply a masterpiece. It will be extremly hard for season 2 live up to the first one.
Somebody literally told me the show is a little misandrist cause the show "has every male character be evil or a pathetic failure." This show revealed the real misogynists. 😂😂😂😂
Just watched it for a first time, wtf was that ending
@Zion Leach jayce isn't pathetic nor is Victor, there's just more females, and there are also female evils too
@@austincarlson9270 I know. I didn't take them seriously. They were either genius trolls or really dense. They said that Vi gets a happy ending with those gauntlets and her lover. Even though the ending couldn't be more sad. They seemed especially mad that Vi was attracted to Caitlin. 😂😂
@Zion Leach yeah, but I'm not gonna lie I'm jealous of vi, cause hot-damn caitlyn. But we got mel and jayce so it's cool
This show by far has a plot that is so damn good and rich I really hope they continue this series.
Second season is set for 2024
Vi: Gets the shit beat the shit out of her as she grows with each fight in her life to be become an actual beast of a woman.
Jinx: Improves on her tinkering even though they fail again and again, becoming one of the most ingenious criminal out there.
Caitlyn: seees humanity and compassion in every one althrough her high sociaty up bringnig.
This is how to write female characters thank fucking god there might be just some hope yet...
Two of them are lesbians for no reason tho.
Don't jinx it
@@blaster5800 And?
@@blaster5800 i didn’t know people needed reasons to have a sexuality. 🤔
So what if they’re lesbian? It’s not even shoved in your face. Also their relationship serves as a symbolic hope in a peace and partnership between Zaun and Piltover. Viktor and Jayce’s friendship does that too for now (but people who know LoL lore know where that friendship is headed 😬)
@@blaster5800 People need a reason to be lesbians?? Thats news to me lol.
Don't like animation? Check. Don't like League of Legends? Check. Found Arcane to be one of the best pieces of TV entertainment I've seen in years? Most certainly!
how come you dislike animation usually?
I'm sorry you had to go through that.
I can't get over the animation, theyre movements and expressions are so over exaggerated
@@Willis2992 that would imply your own facial expressions and movements are over exaggerated
@@UndergroundRose I rarely see the point in it. I find it hard to suspend my disbelief when watching moving drawings. There are a number of reasons to be honest. I enjoyed The Incredibles, Into the Spiderverse and Appleseed (I generally dislike anime more than most other forms of animation) and I, mostly, enjoyed Nine but that's about it for either drawn or CGI animation.
Arcane just blew my mind to be honest and I am 100% with The Drinker on this one.
If I could use a single line from the series to describe this show:
*"You're perfect" - Silco*
🥺
It has all the action, tension, emotion, and storytelling you'd expect from a well written show - similar to the first few seasons of Game of Thrones.
However, unlike GoT, Arcane exceeds other movies and TV shows in it's character development. No matter how good or evil a character may seem at any point in the show, there are more than a few moments that leave you questioning your view of each character. Everyone has a flaw that gets highlighted throughout the series, each with their own set of "what if" scenarios. Which drives home the emotional theme of wanting things to work out despite the overshadowing signs of doom. Even the most evil of characters gives you this sense that they could do good and change the direction of the story. And when it doesn't go as expected, you still understand how and why. Basically, this show makes you connect with each of it's characters on a human level. There isnt a single person we cant relate with in some way. And I cant think of another TV show or movie that did it as well as Arcane. Even GoT had it's characters that you couldn't care less if they died or not.
So for anyone who hasn't seen it yet, or is maybe turned off by the League of Legends title, give this a try. I knew NOTHING of LoL before this show. In fact, I refused to watch it until this 'Drinker Reccomends' video because of my previous biases against LoL being a corny, nerdy, PC game. But after watching it I'm so glad I had no prior knowledge of the characters or story beforehand. Because it allowed me to be surprised by how everything unfolded. This is now my favorite TV show/movie of all time 👍🏼👍🏼
Agreed 👍
Honestly this show gets better and better each time I watch it. I love hearing everyone’s opinions on it and how it affected them. There is a video on Silco talking to Vanders statue that completely recontextualized that scene for me.
But all in all, the Star of the show for me was Vander. Talk about someone to look up to. A real father figure. I man who sacrificed his dream to protect his adopted family. Who gave everything for them.
I love everything about this show.
This series has so many memrable lines, my favorite one being: "In pursuit of the great we failed to do good"
"we'll show them...we will show them all...."
"And in return... what do I lose except problems???"
"Don't cry... You're perfect." 😢
Viktor's line is really awesome, specially the "wait a minute, this isn't my bedroom." gets me every time.
"You don't need permission to change the world"
One thing I would like to add is that, despite having access to more than a hundred characters from the game, they didn't cram as much as they can into the show. They just focus on a few that serves the story and only put minor references here and there.
Very underrated point.
Which i think it's much better, so you don't have to juggle in between multiple characters, giving them next to nothing of development since you basically don't have the time and have most of them feeling like they don't have a purpose in the story
157 Characters in the game and only ~12 appear in the show and only ~8 of those have a significant role and like 5 with significant screen time. It was really good restraint.
Yup. We got Jinx, Vi, Ekko, Singed, Caitlyn, Jayce, Viktor, and Heimerdinger as main cast. With a guest appearance by Warwick, possibly? Twitch, Teemo in books and games, and probably more im forgetting.
Plus season 2 we will have Warwick for real, maybe twitch, maybe blitzcrank, maybe a new void champion theyve been hinting at at riot, and more.
Hell, mel may become a champion soon. Shes the next support most likely.
@@zephloe Think we'll get a Mundo appearance at any point? I'd be very interested to see how they would develop him beyond insane-doctor-who's-not-really-a-doctor.
One of my favorite Drinker reviews! Arcane is an absolutely masterpiece! This show caught me by complete surprise, I've never played League of Legends and just started watching it when it launched on Netflix as the art caught my eye as fan of cool animation, and I was completely blown away and binged all 3 parts as they were released. Arcane is not only one of the best animations shows ever, but one of the best shows, animated or live action, period! The storytelling, the world building, the characters and their story arcs, the cinematography, the directing, the voice acting, and some of the most brilliant and stunningly beautiful animation I've ever seen! I've recommended it to everyone I know, when something is done this good, it can't help but be successful.
Gave this one a try and jesus christ, this is absolutely amazing, Im currently at episode 3 and Im tearing up
omg the finale broke me