2 Years Later, Netflix's 10/10 Fantasy Series Is Already Considered A Classic

2 weeks ago 14

Published May 16, 2026, 11:30 AM EDT

Sean is a senior writer for ScreenRant and has been writing about new TV releases since December 2023. He has received multiple advance screenings of popular shows and ideated his own coverage read by hundreds of thousands of readers.

Sean is a self-published author of a Western novel. Sean has also written award-winning opinion pieces related to local politics while getting his Bachelor's degree in journalism.

Though it's only been two years since it ended, one of Netflix's best fantasy shows has already cemented itself as an absolute classic of the genre. Over the years, Netflix has tried its hand at a variety of original fantasy shows. Some of those fantasy shows, like Dead Boy Detectives, Wednesday, The Witcher, and The Sandman rank among the best shows on Netflix in general.

That show is Arcane, an adaptation of the video game League of Legends. While it blends in elements of science fiction like time travel and futuristic technology, Arcane is primarily a fantasy epic. The show follows several citizens of Piltover and Zaun, two connected cities fighting a class war fueled by extremely powerful magic and technology called Hextech. At its core, however, are Vi and Powder, two sisters who give Arcane heart and make it an absolute classic.

Despite Only Ending In 2024, Arcane Is Already A Classic Of The Fantasy Genre

Arcane still featuring a tough fight scene.

It's hard to classify any recent show as a classic, as classics often have to stand the test of time. That being said, even though it ended in 2024, it's safe to declare that Arcane is already a classic fantasy show. It has everything a fantasy show needs to be considered a classic: a timeless story, a huge cast of well-written and well-developed characters, an intricate and fascinating magic system, and an incredibly lived-in fantasy world.

Epic is the only word that can truly convey Arcane's scope; its world building, political intrigue, and deep character work is on par with Game of Thrones, and those elements helped make it an instant classic. While the story centers around Powder and Vi, there are plenty of other characters in the cast of Arcane that are just as emotional, human, and tragically poetic as well. The result is a fantasy world that feels both massive and deeply personal at the same time.

Arcane has all the ingredients other classic fantasy shows have, but it also sets itself apart in a few very distinctive ways. The first is its medium; Arcane is one of the most stunning animated shows ever created. Every scene has at least one breathtaking frame, and every fight scene is more intense and fluid than any live-action show could ever accomplish. It's a visual marvel through and through. That animation style has also future-proofed Arcane. Live-action shows can often feel dated, especially in their visual effects, but the animation of Arcane will look as good in three decades as it does now.

Only One Other Fantasy Series On Streaming Comes Close To Arcane

Keyleth, Pike, Grog, Sylas, Percy, Vax, and Vex standing together in The Legend of Vox Machina

Aside from Arcane, there's really only one other fantasy show that was made as a streaming original that comes close in quality: Prime Video's The Legend of Vox Machina. Like Arcane, Vox Machina is an animated fantasy series that features some great artwork, voice acting, and expertly crafted action sequences. It also has the same massive cast of colorful characters inhabiting a fully realized fantasy world complete with a magic system.

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Vox Machina also has one wholly unique attribute: it's an adaptation of a Dungeons & Dragons game created by Critical Role. As such, all the characters in Vox Machina are incredibly complex with massively fleshed out backstories, connections to one another, and very natural relationships with one another. That all makes the show's central story and world feel truly alive in a way almost no other fantasy show has ever managed.

Predicting The "Next Arcane" And Which Platform It'll Be On

Kratos and Atreus in the God of War TV show

The only bad thing about Arcane is the fact that it's over. While there are other League of Legends adaptations in the works, they won't be direct sequels to Arcane, and there's no guarantee that the characters we fell in love with will show up again. Luckily, there's at least one upcoming show that has the potential to hit the same high notes that Arcane did, and fantasy fans should be on the lookout for it: Prime Video's God of War.

Like Arcane before it, God of War is also an adaptation of a fantasy video game. The game, which has the same name as the show, follows Kratos, the former Greek god of war, as he raises his son, Atreus, and clashes with the pantheon of Norse gods. Kratos has to struggle with his exceptionally bloody and violent past as he takes Atreus on a quest to scatter his wife's ashes at the top of a mountain, and along the way, they fight several other gods who get in their way.

God of War does not have an official release date yet, but it is expected to premiere on Prime Video in 2027.

God of War already has a few things going for it that could make it the next Arcane. The games it is based on already have an incredible and universally acclaimed story. The very concept of a Greek god fighting and killing Norse gods, as well, is as interesting a setup as a fantasy series can have. Kratos' own powers and abilities, like his fiery Blades of Chaos and icy Leviathan axe, have set God of War up to have some of the best fantasy fight scenes in years. If you like Arcane or fantasy in general, God of War should be on your radar.