Arcane: Between adaptation and transmediation

Abstract

This article analyses the animated series Arcane (2021, dir. Christian Linke and Alex Yee) as an adaptation and extension of the story set in the universe of the video game League of Legends (2009, Riot Games), examining the relationships between these cultural texts. The article focuses on character construction and world-building, showing how the series develops themes from the game while maintaining its autonomy as an independent work. The analysis draws on selected theories from game studies, media studies, and adaptation studies, helping to capture the specificity of transferring the plot and characters of a video game to an animated series.