Netflix’s Arcane Changed The Animation Industry Forever

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Great animated shows seem to come out every year, with several consistently standing out. Recent examples include The Mighty Nein, which finished 2025 strongly, Creature Commandos, a highlight of 2024, the popular Blue Eye Samurai from 2023, and the emotionally impactful Cyberpunk: Edgerunners from 2022.

While many fantastic animated shows came out over the past decade, 2021 felt like a turning point. The animation industry is constantly improving – Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse in 2018 dramatically changed the visual style of animated films – but Netflix’s Arcane truly raised the bar for animated TV shows, establishing a new level of quality.

Fans were surprised when Arcane ended after just two seasons, especially considering how good the first season was. However, the decision helped solidify the show as a timeless classic. Instead of continuing the story just because it was popular, Arcane ended at its peak, leaving a lasting impact that will be hard to match.

Arcane’s Beautiful Visuals And Gripping Story Raised The Bar For Animated TV Shows

When Arcane debuted in late 2021, many people initially overlooked it, likely because of its connection to the League of Legends game. While League of Legends is popular, it seemed like you’d have to be a dedicated fan to appreciate the show – but that wasn’t true at all.

Netflix’s Arcane proved many skeptics wrong and achieved unprecedented success for an animated series. Its visuals are truly stunning, thanks to the beautiful designs from Fortiche, which seamlessly blended realism with a unique style, creating scenery that set it apart from other shows.

The show is full of striking and varied visuals, ranging from gentle and heartfelt moments to powerful and energetic scenes. The animators went the extra mile, even altering their style for specific scenes – like the fight between Jinx and Ekko in season one and their dance in season two – demonstrating the incredible attention to detail and artistry that went into Arcane‘s look.

The story was also excellent, with many different characters getting their moment to shine, all within a cohesive plot. While not perfect, it’s hard to find significant flaws in Arcane‘s narrative, which explains its overwhelmingly positive reviews.

Beyond its stunning animation, Arcane boasts an incredible soundtrack filled with original songs that really capture the show’s unique vibe. It’s a high bar for other animated series to reach, but Arcane‘s success will undoubtedly inspire many, solidifying its place as a groundbreaking achievement in storytelling.

Arcane Took 3 Years To Finally Finish, But It Was Worth It

Custom Image by Nathaniel Roark

Even now, there hasn’t been much criticism of Netflix’s animated fantasy series, Arcane. While some viewers thought the second season’s ending felt a bit hurried and could have benefited from an extra episode or two – or even a whole season – this seems like a minor complaint. The biggest issue people had was how long it took to make the show.

After nearly three years, the second season of Arcane finally arrived, and the long wait was understandably frustrating for fans. While a gap that long could have caused people to lose interest, the decision to end the series with this season turned out to be a smart move, ultimately making the wait worthwhile.

As a fan, I was really impressed with how much care went into making season two of Arcane as good as the first – they clearly wanted to give the story a fantastic conclusion. While the finale wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, the season as a whole was amazing! Most of the episodes – eight out of nine, actually – got a 9 or higher on IMDb, and even the one that didn’t still scored an 8.9, which is incredible.

If the show had gotten a third season, fans would have faced another long wait – potentially three years. But rushing production wasn’t an option either, as it could have ruined the series. Luckily, the show turned out brilliantly, delivering 18 well-regarded episodes, each about 40 minutes long.

Compared to shows like Invincible, which offer more episodes with a similarly compelling story, Arcane‘s animation is noticeably superior. The three-year wait was clearly worth it, resulting in a show that’s almost flawless.

What Will Arcane’s Legacy Be?

It’s common for popular shows to be re-examined after they finish, and while opinions on Arcane have shifted somewhat since its finale, it will still be remembered as a huge success. Many consider it one of the best shows of the last ten years, and its groundbreaking approach to animation will likely inspire creators for years to come.

Netflix has had several animated successes recently, including shows like Cyberpunk: Edgerunners and Blue Eye Samurai, and even a film, K-Pop Demon Hunters. While each of these projects is noteworthy, it’s likely that Netflix wouldn’t have invested so heavily in animation without the earlier success of Arcane.

There was a time when it seemed Netflix might stop making animated shows altogether, but the success of Arcane changed that. This incredible 10/10 series will undoubtedly influence many future productions. Because it remained consistently excellent, Arcane will likely hold up well over time and is already a strong contender for one of the best animated series of the 21st century.

It’s tough to definitively call Arcane the greatest animated show of all time, especially with so many other favorites like Avatar: The Last Airbender, BoJack Horseman, Teen Titans, and Full Metal Alchemist from the last 25 years. Still, Arcane is absolutely among the best and has quickly become a classic during its three years on air.

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2025-12-18 01:51