Arcane Season 2: Dota Fan Reviews - Hotspawn

Let’s get things straight from the start, I’m a die hard Dota fan and always will be. I used to play League of Legends back in 2015-2017 but haven’t played more than a couple of ARAMs since then. That being said, when I watched season 1 of Arcane, I loved it. Arcane is laughably better than Dragon’s Blood and it’s not even close.

When we got a release date for Arcane season 2, I was hyped so here’s my opinion that no one actually asked for.

The thing is, season 1 was so good that expectations were really high for season 2 and they needed to get it right straight from episode 1. The good news is they really did. We were thrown straight back into the action with the aftermath of the last episode.

The most frustrating thing is I don’t have the words to talk about how good the animation is. What I can say is that if this show came out when I was 15, I would have made it my entire personality. It’s completely understandable that this took 3 years to make and I was happy to wait.

There are very few breaks from the action in episode one and that’s really what I’m here for. There is plenty of sexual tension between Caitlyn and Vi and they captured the intense emotions war brings on without hammering them home in a “this is what you’re supposed to feel” way. I really do enjoy that this show is how they’re able to advance the plot even among the chaos.

Jinx didn’t make much of an appearance in episode 1 but she’s there right from the start in episode 2. Now all grown up, Jinx has to deal with the aftermath of Silco’s death. I did find that relationship weird but it does fit the tone of the show. Where Jinx goes, chaos follows and it’s no different but this time round, Jinx plays the role of hunter far more than hunted.

But Arcane season 2 isn’t all doom and gloom. This episode actually had a bit of comic relief from Heimerdinger, not a lot but enough to take the edge off. I think they pitch the humor well – Heimerdinger needlessly sneaking around using hand signals and code isn’t laugh out loud funny but it does give a bit of relief before being thrown into the horrors of the underground. And his tiny little shoes made it all the better.

This episode, Jinx is really on form. I think I’d actually be kind of annoyed if she made me an arm with a built in slot machine that explodes with fireworks, but hey it really worked out for Sevica.

This episode with Caitlyn and takes stylization to a whole new level but in a good way. The sequence with The Grey is really something else, I feel like I need to watch it a good two or three more times to see everything. The way they show the overwhelming fight with color, quick shots and a storyboard feel is very effective.

This is also the episode where Caitlyn and Vi finally cross that invisible line and kiss. I’m glad we didn’t get teased about their romance for too long, there’s a particularly interesting dynamic between them and adding this extra layer sets them up well for the next Acts. Obviously, this doesn’t last long as each character’s motivation and desperation becomes clear.

There has been a lot of talk about Vi’s gauntlets after the new VALORANT skins and now we actually get to see them in action. I can see why this was the last big fight of this Act, it’s less stylized and unrealistically colorful, which makes the emotion really shine through. I was holding my breath for the entire fight.