Arcane Season 2 Wins Best Game Adaptation and 8 Animated Series Even Better Than Arcane!

🎉 What’s the Buzz Arcane Season 2 Wins Big at Awards

• At the 2025 Golden Joystick Awards (43rd edition), Arcane Season 2 won “Best Game Adaptation” beating other major nominees like Devil May Cry (Netflix) and The Last of Us Season 2 (HBO). Yahoo!+2This Week in Video Games+2
• The award marks a major recognition for animated shows adapted from video games underscoring that “game lore + animation + storytelling” can deliver top-tier entertainment. Wikipedia+2GamingTrend+2
• Arcane’s setting twin cities, deep lore of Piltover & Zaun, morally grey characters, steampunk-fantasy visuals has clearly resonated with both fans and critics, securing its place among the best adaptations. GameDaily+1

So yes Arcane S2 has officially been vindicated as “best game-to-show adaptation” of 2025. But if you loved Arcane’s vibe, there are several other animated series out there that might even surpass it in certain aspects: storytelling, character-depth, animation style, world-building, or emotional impact.

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🔎 Why Arcane Worked (And Why the Award Matters)

1. Faithful Yet Bold Adaptation

Arcane draws from the universe of the game League of Legends (LoL), but it doesn’t just do a literal retelling. It expands: it gives depth to characters (like sisters Vi and Powder), it humanizes the undercity (Zaun) and bridges class divides, corruption, ambition, trauma turning a “game world” into a “living world.” GameDaily+1

2. Cinematic Animation & Visual Design

Arcane’s animation style a mix of 2D + painterly textures + 3D fluid motion sets a new benchmark for what animated adaptations of games can look like. Dark alleys of Zaun, bright heights of Piltover, magical-technological conflict: visually rich, brooding atmosphere.

3. Mature Themes & Moral Complexity

Arcane doesn’t shy away from shades of grey. It explores trauma, redemption, sibling bonds, social inequality, power dynamics making it more than “just another fantasy show.” That maturity resonates globally.

4. Fan & Critic Recognition

Winning “Best Game Adaptation” at Golden Joystick Awards 2025 shows the public and fans embraced the show not just as “fan-service” for gamers, but as a strong standalone narrative.

Given all that, Arcane’s win was well deserved. But for many fans, the “hunger” for similar or even greater impact remains. So here’s a curated list of 8 animated series (anime / animation) that depending on what you loved about Arcane might hit you even harder.

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📺 8 Animated Series That Many Believe Are “Better Than Arcane” (Depending on Preference)

“Better” here doesn’t always mean objectively superior but in certain aspects (action, emotion, world-building, philosophical depth).

1. Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin)

• Brutal, unrelenting, emotionally devastating just like Arcane’s darker arcs. A story about humanity fighting for survival, conspiracies, shifting morality, heavy stakes. CBR+1
• The revelations, betrayals, character evolution all hit hard. If Arcane’s world-building moved you, Attack on Titan’s tragically vast world will grip you more.

2. Mob Psycho 100

• This anime delivers on raw emotion + stylized visuals + moral complexity. While its art style is different, its treatment of trauma, growth, and identity resonates much like Arcane. CBR+1
• Its mix of action, introspection, and heart make it a compelling follow-up for those who crave character depth beyond spectacle.

3. DOTA: Dragon’s Blood

• Based on another major fantasy game, this series blends high-stakes battles, magic, and political intrigue. If you liked Arcane’s lore + game-world adaptation angle, DOTA: Dragon’s Blood delivers. Beebom+1
• Great for those who enjoy fantastical world-building with a darker tone and mature themes.

4. The Legend of Korra

• Though lighter in tone compared to Arcane, The Legend of Korra features deep moral conflicts, societal tensions, character growth, and philosophical undertones about power, responsibility, and identity. Collider+1
• Its animated world, bending-versus-technology dynamics, and strong female lead arc draw parallels with Arcane’s blend of fantasy and social conflict.

5. Blue Eye Samurai

• A visually stunning, mature-themed animation revolving around revenge, honor, identity and societal injustice. For fans of Arcane’s darker, gritty side Blue Eye Samurai’s samurai-era violence and inner turmoil hit similar chords. SI+1

6. Castlevania: Nocturne

• Gothic, dark-fantasy vibes, vampire-hunter lore, morally ambiguous characters Castlevania: Nocturne offers a brooding atmosphere similar to Zaun’s underbelly in Arcane. Beebom
• If you liked Arcane’s blend of violence, tragedy, and complex characters, this one’s a strong pick.

7. Love, Death & Robots

• Anthology-style storytelling, biting sci-fi / fantasy / horror tales, often violent, often thought-provoking. Its variety means if you loved any one aspect of Arcane animation, mood, brutality, emotional weight there’s likely an episode here for you. Collider+1

8. Pacific Rim: The Black

• Mecha + dystopia + hope among ruins. While the tone differs from Arcane, its balance of destruction, survival, and human drama may appeal to those who enjoy tight plots with visual spectacle. Game Rant+1

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✅ Why These Series Might “Feel Better Than Arcane” (For Some Viewers)

What You Liked in Arcane	What the Other Series Might Offer
Dark political/family drama, moral grey areas	Attack on Titan, Castlevania: Nocturne high-stakes moral/ethical dilemmas
Beautiful animation + stylized action	Mob Psycho 100, Blue Eye Samurai, Love, Death & Robots creative visuals & fluid animation
Game-to-animation adaptation + fantasy lore	DOTA: Dragon’s Blood, The Legend of Korra rich world-building + magic/technology conflict
Tragedy + emotional arcs + character growth	Attack on Titan, Mob Psycho 100, Pacific Rim: The Black deep character transformation
Variety in tone from gritty to hopeful	Love, Death & Robots, The Legend of Korra, DOTA: Dragon’s Blood varying themes & moods

ltas Opinion Is! Arcane The Best Or Just One of Many Greats?

Arcane Season 2 winning Best Game Adaptation is well deserved. It proved that animated adaptations of video games can rise above “fan-service” and become serious, mature storytelling.

But greatness in animation and storytelling is varied. Depending on what you love most (fantasy, horror, sci-fi, action, emotion, moral drama, or just animation beauty), you might find any of the series above more satisfying than Arcane.

If I were you I’d treat Arcane not as the “final word” in animated storytelling, but as a gateway. A beginning to explore wider animation genres.

❓ FAQ’s. What Fans Often Ask About Arcane & Similar Shows

Q1: Is Arcane Season 2 really the “best game adaptation ever”?
A1: It’s among the best but “best ever” is subjective. The Golden Joystick win shows it’s the most loved in 2025. But other adaptations like DOTA: Dragon’s Blood or Castlevania may excel in different areas (darkness, horror, fantasy, etc.).

Q2: If I loved Arcane for its world-building and visuals, which series should I try first?
A2: Try DOTA: Dragon’s Blood (fantasy + game-world vibes) or Castlevania: Nocturne (dark fantasy + gothic visuals). If you like a variety of themes and styles, Love, Death & Robots is also great.

Q3: Are these shows mostly for adults?
A3: Many of them are mature yes. Some have violence, dark themes so best for teens/adults rather than kids.

Q4: Do I need to play the original game to enjoy the show (like Arcane)?
A4: No. Like Arcane, most of these adaptations/story-driven animations stand alone. Even without game knowledge, the narrative, characters and world-building are crafted to be accessible.

Q5: Which show has the most “hope + redemption + uplifting” vibe (less grim)?
A5: The Legend of Korra, Gurren Lagann, or The Legend of Vox Machina lean a bit toward hope, friendship, growth though all have serious themes.

🎯 Final Thoughts Animation Is Bigger Than One Hit

Arcane’s Golden Joystick win shines a spotlight on animated game-adaptations. But the real takeaway is animation has many faces. Fantasy, horror, sci-fi, introspective drama, anthology stories all are valid paths.

If you love animation and storytelling, don’t limit yourself to one “hit.” Explore more you may find a hidden gem that resonates more deeply.

So grab some popcorn, hop on your favorite streaming platform, and start your next animated journey.

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