League of Legends spin-off series Arcane has delighted fans since it burst onto Netflix in 2021, and now it has made history as the streaming service‘s first animated series to win Best Animated Program at this year’s Emmys.
The hit TV series, which features countless iconic League of Legends characters, expands on the complex lore of the popular video game. It follows sisters Jinx (Ella Purnell) and Vi (Hailee Steinfield) in Runeterra, where a civil war has erupted between the rich and affluent in Piltover and the poorer, oppressed people who are confined to the slums of Zaun. Jinx and Vi find themselves on opposite sides of the civil war, and the series deals with several complex themes like trauma, class, politics, family, and relationships.
A couple of animated Netflix series have been nominated for Emmys before, with BoJack Horseman and Big Mouth being nominated in 2017 and 2022, respectively, but this is the first time a show from the streamer has actually been successful in winning the prestigious accolade. In total, Arcane was nominated for three Emmys.
These were Outstanding Animated Program, Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animated, and Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation.
Amid other nominees like Marvel series What If…? Bob’s Burgers, Rick and Morty, and The Simpsons, Arcane ended up securing a win for Outstanding Animated Program. Arcane season 2 has been confirmed but it won’t be hitting the streamer until 2023 at the very earliest.
However, a making-of documentary of season 1 is now available to stream on YouTube while Arcane season 1 can be watched on Netflix. But if that doesn’t satisfy your appetite, check out our ranking of the best Arcane characters.