Arcane
Series Details:
| Also known as | Arcane: League of Legends |
| Based on | League of Legends by Riot Games |
| Country | France, United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Animation, Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi |
| Season | 2 |
| Episodes | 18 |
| Release date | November 6, 2021 – November 23, 2024 |
| Running time | 39–44 minutes |
| Age rating | TV-14 |
| Voices of | Hailee Steinfeld, Ella Purnell, Kevin Alejandro, Katie Leung, Jason Spisak, Toks Olagundoye, Harry Lloyd, JB Blanc, Reed Shannon, Mick Wingert, Amirah Vann, Ellen Thomas, Brett Tucker |
| Created by | Christian Linke, Alex Yee |
| Showrunners | Christian Linke, Alex Yee |
| Directed by | Pascal Charrue, Arnaud Delord, Barth Maunoury, Marietta Ren, Christelle Abgrall, Etienne Mattera |
| Written by | Mollie Bickley St. John, Ash Brannon, David Dunne, Kristina Felske, Henry G.M. Jones, Christian Linke, Nick Luddington, Graham McNeill, Amanda Overton, Giovanna Sarquis, Conor Sheehy, Ben St. John, Alex Yee |
| Executive producers | Christian Linke, Marc Merrill, Brandon Beck, Jane Chung, Thomas Vu |
| Edited by | Gilad Carmel, Roberto Fernandez, Lawrence Gan, Ernesto Matamoros, Nazim Meslem, Ivan Bilancio, Martin Jay, Benjamin Massoubre, Emmanuel Pilinski, David Ian Salter |
| Music by | Alexander Temple, Alex Seaver Theme music composer: Imagine Dragons, JID |
| Casting by | David Lyerly, Meredith Layne, Ivy Isenberg, Jen Rudin |
| Production Design by | Kevin Aymeric, Arnaud Baudry |
| Art Direction by | Julien Georgel, Anne-Laure To |
| Costume Design by | Dion Demetries |
| Production Company | Fortiche Riot Games |
| Original Network | Netflix |
| Budget | $250 million |
Voice Cast & Character:
Main
- Hailee Steinfeld as Violet / “Vi”
- Ella Purnell as Powder / Jinx
- Mia Sinclair Jenness as young Powder
- Kevin Alejandro as Jayce Talis
- Faustino Duran as young Jayce Talis
- Katie Leung as Caitlyn Kiramman
- Molly Harris as young Caitlyn Kiramman
- Jason Spisak as Silco (season 1; recurring season 2)
- Toks Olagundoye as Mel Medarda
- Imogen Faires as young Mel Medarda
- Harry Lloyd as Viktor
- Edan Hayhurst as young Viktor
- JB Blanc as Vander / Warwick (season 2)
- Reed Shannon as Ekko
- Miles Brown as young Ekko
- Mick Wingert as Cecil B. Heimerdinger
- Amirah Vann as Sevika (season 2; recurring season 1)
- Ellen Thomas as Ambessa Medarda (season 2; recurring season 1)
- Brett Tucker as “Singed” / Dr. Corin Reveck (season 2; recurring season 1)
Recurring
- Introduced in season 1
- Remy Hii as Marcus (season 1) and Tobias Kiramman
- Abigail Marlowe as Cassandra Kiramman, Eve (season 1) and Renni
- Yuri Lowenthal as Mylo (season 1)
- Roger Craig Smith as Claggor (season 1)
- Josh Keaton as Deckard (season 1) and Salo
- Fred Tatasciore as Benzo (season 1)
- Bill Lobley as Huck
- Shohreh Aghdashloo as Grayson[10] (season 1)
- Mara Junot as Shoola and Jules
- Dave B. Mitchell as Vern, Hoskel (season 1), and Harold
- Miyavi as Finn (season 1)
- Erica Lindbeck as Elora
- Mira Furlan as Babette
- Kimberly Brooks as Sky Young and Margot (season 2)
- Introduced in season 2
- Robbie Daymond as Scar (mute in season 1)
- Stewart Scudamore as Rictus (mute in season 1)
- Earl Baylon as Loris
- Katy Townsend as Maddie Nolen
- Lucy Lowe as Isha
- Minnie Driver as Illusionary Sorceress
- Guests
- Imagine Dragons as the band The Last Drop (season 1)
- JID as The Last Drop’s rapper (season 1)
- Ray Chen as an orchestra concert soloist (season 1)
- Salli Saffioti as Amara
- Lenny Citrano as Smeech
- Eve Lindley as Lest (season 2)
- Jeannie Tirado as Felicia (season 2)
- Keston John as Kino Medarda (season 2)
Storyline:
The delicate balance between the rich city of Piltover and the seedy underbelly of Zaun. Tensions between these city-states boil over with the creation of “hextech”, a way for any person to control magical energy in Piltover, and in Zaun, a new drug called “shimmer” transforms humans into monsters. The rivalry between the cities splits families and friends as Arcane brings life to the relationships that shape some of League of Legends’ famous champions including Vi, Jinx, Caitlyn, Jayce, Viktor, and Ekko.
About Series:
“Arcane” emerged from a unique production approach. In 2015, Christian Linke conceived the idea after Riot Games had explored various media, such as cinematic trailers and music videos, to deepen players’ connection to the League of Legends universe. At that time, these promotional materials lacked dialogue. Riot Games CEO Nicolo Laurent noted that the first season took six years to produce.
The series was announced during the League of Legends 10th anniversary celebration in 2019 and is set within Riot’s fictional universe. By September 2021, the voice cast included Hailee Steinfeld, Ella Purnell, Kevin Alejandro, Katie Leung, Jason Spisak, Toks Olagundoye, JB Blanc, and Harry Lloyd.
To promote “Arcane,” Riot Games launched the “RiotX Arcane” event, integrating content across their games, including League of Legends, Legends of Runeterra, Teamfight Tactics, League of Legends: Wild Rift, and Valorant. They also collaborated with external games like PUBG Mobile, Fortnite, and Among Us.
Initially slated for a 2020 release, the show was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It premiered on November 6, 2021, simultaneously on Netflix and China’s Tencent Video, with nine episodes released in three-episode acts over three weeks.
Following the first season’s conclusion, Riot Games and Netflix announced a second season on November 20, 2021. In June 2024, it was revealed that this would be the final season, scheduled to run from November 9 to 23, 2024. The combined budget for both seasons is reported to be $250 million.
In June 2024, GKIDS acquired the home video rights to “Arcane.” The digital copy was released on September 24, 2024, followed by the 4K Blu-ray on October 8, 2024.
Episodes:
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | November 6, 2021 | November 20, 2021 |
| 2 | 9 | November 9, 2024 | November 23, 2024 |
Season 1
| Episode | Title | Air Date | Plot |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1, E1 | Welcome to the Playground | Sat, Nov 6, 2021 | Orphaned sisters Vi and Powder bring trouble to Zaun’s underground streets in the wake of a heist in posh Piltover. |
| S1, E2 | Some Mysteries Are Better Left Unsolved | Sat, Nov 6, 2021 | Idealistic inventor Jayce attempts to harness magic through science — despite his mentor’s warnings. Criminal kingpin Silco tests a powerful substance. |
| S1, E3 | The Base Violence Necessary for Change | Sat, Nov 6, 2021 | An epic showdown between old rivals results in a fateful moment for Zaun. Jayce and Viktor risk it all for their research. |
| S1, E4 | Happy Progress Day! | Sat, Nov 13, 2021 | With Piltover prospering from their tech, Jayce and Viktor weigh their next move. A familiar face re-emerges from Zaun to wreak havoc. |
| S1, E5 | Everybody Wants to Be My Enemy | Sat, Nov 13, 2021 | Rogue enforcer Caitlyn tours the undercity to track down Silco. Jayce puts a target on his back trying to root out Piltover corruption. |
| S1, E6 | When These Walls Come Tumbling Down | Sat, Nov 13, 2021 | An eager protégé undermines his mentor on the council as magical tech rapidly evolves. With authorities in pursuit, Jinx must face her past. |
| S1, E7 | The Boy Savior | Sat, Nov 20, 2021 | Caitlyn and Vi meet an ally in Zaun’s streets and head into a frenzied battle with a common foe. Viktor makes a dire decision. |
| S1, E8 | Oil and Water | Sat, Nov 20, 2021 | Disowned heir Mel and her visiting mother trade combat tactics. Caitlyn and Vi forge an unlikely alliance. Jinx undergoes a startling change. |
| S1, E9 | The Monster You Created | Sat, Nov 20, 2021 | Perilously close to war, the leaders of Piltover and Zaun reach an ultimatum. But a fateful standoff changes both cities forever. |
Season 2
| Episode | Title | Air Date | Plot |
|---|---|---|---|
| S2.E1 | Heavy Is the Crown | Sat, Nov 9, 2024 | Vi and Caitlyn wrestle with how best to respond in the wake of a terrible tragedy that claims lives and escalates tensions between the twin cities. |
| S2.E2 | Watch It All Burn | Sat, Nov 9, 2024 | With Piltover ready for war, the Undercity weighs its options. Jinx lies low and plots her next move. A pivotal conversation takes place. |
| S2.E3 | Finally Got the Name Right | Sat, Nov 9, 2024 | Caitlyn doubles down on her hunt for Jinx. Ambessa accepts a fateful meeting. Changes in Zaun lead to a shocking discovery. |
| S2.E4 | Paint the Town Blue | Sat, Nov 16, 2024 | As rumors of Jinx’s return swirl, Ambessa pursues her target with renewed enthusiasm. Jinx and Sevika go undercover and into the belly of the beast. |
| S2.E5 | Blisters And Bedrock | Sat, Nov 16, 2024 | Vi awakens to surprising news. An unsettling reunion isn’t what it seems. Caitlyn uncovers the origins of Shimmer. |
| S2.E6 | The Message Hidden Within the Pattern | Sat, Nov 16, 2024 | Healing comes from a familiar face – in an unfamiliar place. A stunning betrayal threatens to change countless lives. |
| S2.E7 | Pretend Like It’s the First Time | Sat, Nov 23, 2024 | A brewing storm fuels a series of startling transformations. Elsewhere, the spark of rebellion still burns. |
| S2.E8 | Killing Is a Cycle | Sat, Nov 23, 2024 | A brewing storm fuels a series of startling transformations. Elsewhere, the spark of rebellion still burns. |
| S2.E9 | The Dirt Under Your Nails | Sat, Nov 23, 2024 | Magic. Science. Power. Revenge. Destinies clash in an epic final chapter, igniting an all-out war. |