Very rarely does a television show come along that encapsulates an audience to such a degree that they find themselves gaping at the screen, holding their breath in anticipation of every coming moment. As a matter of fact, there have been very few shows that even have episodes that are worthy of fitting that description, let alone entire seasons or series. Nevertheless, audiences are occasionally gifted with such a prize and are left with nothing but gratitude and a desire for more and more episodes. That’s exactly what Netflix has gifted the world with the seriesArcane.
Now, speculation can be made about how the series will progress and hold up over time –it has only produced one season, after all – but based on all the key factors that makeArcaneso incredible and ground-breaking, it’s a safe bet that the show will continue to please fans for seasons to come. While audiences will have to wait and see what the future holds for Vi and Jinx, the series itself can attribute a lot of its success to the fact that it shares many similarities with another universally beloved anime series –Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Diverse Cultures & Characters
One of the main traits ofThe Last Airbenderthat was praised from the very beginning was its representation of a multitude of different races/nationalities and how it embraced the differences that all the cultures had, much likeArcanedoes. In the same way thatThe Last Airbenderis divided among nations (Air, Water, Earth, Fire), the Arcane universe is divided among the Topsiders and the Undercity. Not only are the cultures diverse and meant to represent a multitude of races/ethnicities in bothThe Last AirbenderandArcane, but the characters are, too.
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InThe Last Airbender, most of the different races/ethnicities are divided among different Asian populations (like most animes), butArcanetook it a step further and managed to create a cast of characters whose diversity spreads worldwide. In fact, because Arcane is set in a sci-fi setting, they can incorporate races/ethnicities that don’t exist in the real world (such as robots and creatures like Professor Heimerdinger). While a diverse cast isn’t indicative of a successful series, it’s always a plus when a show can make several different ethnicities and cultures feel represented on screen without it feeling forced or heavy-handed.
Universal Themes
Another key aspect thatArcaneandThe Last Airbendershare are their use of universal themes such as elitism, poverty, family, war, mental health, the human condition, and many more. The Last Airbenderis one of the most well-versed shows in this area, often showing the Fire Nation as elitists while other nations were struck by poverty due to being invaded from the 100-year war. However, the bestexample of elitism vs. poverty inThe Last Airbenderis shown in the Earth Kingdom capital of Ba Sing Se, where the class-ranks are literally divided by mile-high walls. The rich in the upper levels and the poor in the lowest.
Arcanedemonstrates this same divided element beautifully through the differences between the Topsiders and the Undercity. The former very much think they should rule over the ladder for no other reason than elitism. Family is another acclaimed theme of both shows. Aang loses his entire nomadic tribes and becomes Katara and Sokka’s surrogate family inThe Last Airbender,while Vi and Jinx highlight the exact opposite and how blood-related family members don’t always get happy endings with one another. For both shows, a universal theme that is relatable on a human level is present in every episode, forcing audiences to always come back for more.
Fantasy/Sci-Fi Elements
This particular factor might be objective, but it’s no secret that we’re currently living in an age where fantasy or sci-fi projects have become all the rage – the MCU,Star Wars,Game of Thrones,The Witcher, etc. – andThe Last AirbenderandArcaneare no exception. WhileThe Last Airbenderis much more incorporated into the element of fantasy, there are undoubtedly elements of sci-fi sewn into the fabric of the show (if not inThe Last Airbender, than definitely in theLegend of Korra).Arcaneis no different, with most of the show being cast in a sci-fi setting but also incorporating elements of magic into the science.
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Again, it might be objective, but it’s at least noteworthy thatThe Last AirbenderandArcaneboth share fantasy/sci-fi elements and areconsidered the gold standard of American Anime. Focusing on one or the other would have probably allowed either show to still do fine, but the process of combining the two together is part of what allows the series' to reach such a varied demographic and stand toe-to-toe with juggernaut franchises such as the ones listed above (which all also incorporate fantasy/sci-fi elements into their material).
