Arcane

[Drunk Monk]

Arcane
S2

There’s a lot of buzz around season 2. Tara & Bri are into it. It’s spectacular animation - a cyberpunk vision. It’s coming from a video game, which I typically disdain but this was engaging. Only meant to watch 1 ep but stayed for 2. Escapist rogue rebels are my heroes.

[Drunk Monk]

E3 Holy cats! Did all the characters I was just warming up to just die? Suddenly this show took a dark turn. And I’m here for it.

I just recognized Shohreh Aghdashloo‘s voice (not sure why that took so long because her voice is so distinctive) but her character was among the e3 casualties. 

S1 is 9 45 min eps.

[Drunk Monk]

E4 leapt heads ahaed and the sisters are grown up (well, the little bomber is not little anymore). Got about halfway through the ep when my AppleTV crashed. Bummer. I was just getting into it.

[Drunk Monk]

Got thru e6. Animation has gotten really good. This show is visually captivating. It makes me wonder how much of the design comes from the game. I’m enjoying the character development and seeing how it’s about strong women who clear the Bechdal test with room to spare. The action is fierce - well choreographed fights and big explosions. It’s surprisingly complex for a video game based story. And Imagine Dragons appeared (Enemy is the opening credit theme song, which I didn’t realize was recorded for this show). I like the stroboscopic scratched film effects for when Powder/Jinx goes into her bouts of madness. HP factor 1 - Cho Chang voices Caitlin. 

3 more eps in s1… prolly finish this weekend.

Not D00M recommended tho. I think the only animation the rest of you watch is Pixar or Love, Death & Robots, right?

[Greg]

Blue Eyed Samurai rocked.

[thatguy]

I think the only animation the rest of you watch is Pixar or Love, Death & Robots, right?

The SpiderMan redux films, Iron Giant, Aaichi and Ssipak, Wizards, shorts from various artists, Book of Kells…I’m game for good animated shows.

—tg

[Greg]

Second on the Miles Morales Spiderman films.

[Drunk Monk]

Blue Eyed Samurai counts

Miles Morales is semi-MCU and you’re such an MCU fanboy that doesn’t count (surprised you didn’t go for What If?)

All of tg’s are ancient. 

Still not D00M rec-Ed.

We’ll be tuning in for Secret Level, right?

[Drunk Monk]

S1 done.

Some brutal plot twists. E7 had an almost Banksy homage in its opening scenes. The show takes tangential leaps, like when Imagine Dragons appeared, where they stretch the boundaries of their animation style. 

Beyond the overall steampunk design, solid world building, Imagine Dragons soundtrack, and continual character development, what I appreciate most about this show is that characters die. There’s accountability and regret. There’s stakes. 

The E9 finale took out some major villains but staged new ones for next season. 

Still not D00M recommended. Its main story arc must be followed episode to episode or it won’t make sense. Just peeking at one random ep won’t sell it. It’d be a confusing mess. Not sure that D00M would be that into this. 

Going to take a break from this before launching into S2. It’s heavy and I need some air.

[Drunk Monk]

I/3rd of the way into S2. I was just going to watch 1 ep but got totally captivated by the imagery and binged 3. It’s so colorful and stylish. The fights are wild, comic book stroboscopic chaos. And the soundtrack is on point (note - I’m not a huge fan of Imagine Dragons but I appreciate their pop stuff and hope to see them live someday). 

There’s some great themes on war, hierarchy, and tech. Beyond its eye popping visuals and soap opera, it does have underlying social commentary. 

S2e1 is dark and mournful as the dead are buried from the s1 finale and everyone starts to come to terms with how horrible their world has become. 
S2e2 has a great terrorist attack. How can you not love a villain with a multi-bladed chainsaw?
S2e3 has an insane arcane dimensional distortion scene which would be mind blowing out of context.

I’ll catch up this weekend. It’s being released on a weekly basis.

[Drunk Monk]

Binged to the finish.

Brava! One of the best animated series yet. Solid storytelling, world building and character development. Cutting edge animation that bounces through multiple styles. Great soundtrack. 

D00M recommended but you got to watch all the eps in order. Give it a few eps to get going. 

Season 2 is eye popping (Love that wild rune dimension). And it ends at Season 2. I suppose they could do an s3 but the major conflict was resolved and many of the key characters die. 

This was a great ride. I was dazzled by the visuals and got the feels several times towards the end.

[Greg]

Okay. Ep01 is a bit of a slog. The animation style looks like it was lifted straight out of the video game and, to me, nothing is more boring than watching someone else play a video game. The opening was quiet, animation wise, but then we were straight into video game animation. And I was confused. Did the two girls get rescued on the bridge and the story takes off from there or is the whole story a flashback that ends in the scene on the bridge? I'm going with the former, but.....

I might give this one more episode.

[Drunk Monk]

Get to ep 3. That’s when season 1 fires up. 

And it’s season 2 when it really goes off.

There’s a reason why this has won so many awards and critical acclaim and has become one of Netflix’s most watched series. I mean beyond the fact that they spent $250 M on it. It has wrecked me for animation with what it achieved.