Parents' Guide to

Arcane

By Matt Cabral, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Stunning video game adaptation has violence, some language.

TV Netflix Action 2021
Arcane Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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age 13+

Based on 16 parent reviews

Jonathan A.
Jonathan A. Adult
December 15, 2021
age 15+

Arcane is a masterpiece

Arcane is my favorite new show. Maybe my favorite piece of media ever. It is truly a unique and masterful cinematic experience. Fully realized and bristling with details. Arcane is the prequel story to a video game franchise. But I never played the games or knew anything about them before watching Arcane. The show's creators made sure that prior knowledge was not a prerequisite. And I think I enjoyed Arcane more because I did not know anything about it. If you are a fan of animation, sci-fi, fantasy, or great storytelling, I highly recommend you watch Arcane. Arcane is mature. It deals with love, death, mental illness, violence, and substance abuse. Even though it is animated, it handles these issues in a very grounded and realistic fashion. While the action can be brutal it never gets gratuitous or gory. There is one sex scene but no nudity and is actually very artful. There is some language and a few f-bombs, but unlike other shows/movies, the salty language is very appropriate for the scene and characters. If your family is mature enough to handle the content, Arcane is truly great.
bostonlobstah
bostonlobstah Adult
May 9, 2022
age 14+

amazing show, not for young kids

Who can watch this really depends on maturity level, but I think 13-14 is a safe age cutoff. However, do NOT make your decision based only on the expert review. That review sounds like it was only for the first episode, it gets quite dark after that. A prominent character has extreme mental illness and psychotic episodes due to some of the trauma she had to endure (and we got to watch). There is also a lot of blood in this show. There is a sudden spray of blood on a window and it cuts to a dead body in one scene. There is a scene where a young woman is beheaded but it cuts away. There is also a child death, these are the most notable examples of violence I can think of but there are a lot of slow motion punches as well that may be uncomfortable for some. There are lots of smoking, drugs and alcohol. There is some nudity but no parts are shown, a scene in a brothel and one sex scene but nothing is revealed. The swearing isn't too bad, F-bomb is used twice.
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What's the Story?

Arcane is based on the popular multiplayer online battle arena (or MOBA) game League of Legends. It follows the origins of two of the game's champion characters, Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and her sister Powder (known later as Jinx in the game). Told from the perspective of these main characters, as well as that of their friends, family, and enemies, the story focuses on the ongoing conflict between the wealthy citizens of Piltover and the poverty-stricken denizens of the Zaun underground, where Vi and Powder reside. While the series is heavily based on the game that spawned it, knowledge of the source material generally isn't required to enjoy the show and follow its story.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (16 ):
Kids say (94 ):

With acclaimed series Castlevania and The Witcher, Netflix broke the video game adaptation curse that plagued Hollywood for years. But it seems the streamer is just getting started, as its new Arcane is a visually stunning animated effort that easily stands toe-to-toe with the medium's most vaunted entries. More than just an eye-popping artistic achievement, though, it features the sort of nuanced characterizations, thoughtful storytelling, and rich world-building typically associated with big-budget, big-screen epics.

The series borrows heavily from the fantasy, steampunk, and sci-fi genres, but none of it feels rehashed or phoned-in. Even its central idea -- of a utopian society oppressing the people literally living beneath them -- manages to put a fresh spin on the heavily recycled premise. And, ironically enough, its pulse-spiking action scenes and set pieces never come off like over-the-top video game sequences. It's clear everything in Arcane has been crafted with the goal of making not only a great video game adaptation but a series that any fan of compelling characters and absorbing storytelling can appreciate. To that point, you needn't have played League of Legends -- or any game at all, for that matter -- to be pulled into this incredibly engaging world.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the relationship between sisters Vi and Powder in Arcane. How are the siblings alike or different? Do they rely on one another for different things? Does their relationship feel authentic and convincing?

  • How does the series use animation to tell its story? Is it able to achieve things not possible in live-action shows? Do you prefer animation to live action? Why?

  • What similarities does the series share with its source material? How does it differ from the game? What other games would make great series?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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