Arcane

Even though the final season of Arcane was released on Netflix at the end of November, it took me a while to get to it. Now that I've seen it, I think it's a fantastic bit of story-telling. (Let me also mention that I had no exposure to the online game, so the series was a standalone for me.)

The artwork was exceptional, blending smooth animation with watercolor stills for emphasis and other visual effects to signal transitions in the storyline. The music was great, and the character arcs were well-constructed.

Episode eight stood out for me, showing a world that could have been if people had made different choices. It was idyllic but somewhat unreal, as if never truly attainable. The episode featured three beautifully crafted montage sequences, each symbolizing growth and pivotal decisions.

Then there was the titanic battle of episode ten, an intricately choreographed sequence that captured both the grand scope of the conflict and countless small flashes of its consequences. Every rivalry and character arc was paid off, and there were heroics and unexpected betrayals. It was a satisfying finale.

If you haven't seen this two-season series and you like this type of anime, you should put it on your watchlist. If you've seen it, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.