Our alumni in the credits for Arcane 2, the Netflix animation phenomenon

Arcane: an “alien” in the animation landscape

Released in 2021, the first season ofArcane was an immediate critical and public success, setting new standards for animation. Inspired by the world of the famous League of Legends video game , the series plunges into a world where political tensions and personal conflicts intertwine to tell the story of Vi and Jinx, two sisters with opposing destinies.

Highly acclaimed for its exceptional graphic quality and mature storyline, Arcane is aimed at an adult audience. It explores universal themes such as sisterhood, betrayal and the quest for power, while breaking with the usual codes of the genre. This unique blend has won it numerous awards, including the Emmy Award for Best Animated Series.

Season 2, which is eagerly awaited, builds on this legacy while pushing back the boundaries of visual and narrative creation.

A titanic project with an ESMA footprint

More than 500 people were mobilised on this project, with talent from the four corners of the world. Among them, a number of ESMA graduates, now part of the prestigious Fortiche studio, contributed to the magic ofArcane. These former students, experts in animation, layout and compositing, contribute their know-how at every stage of production.

Antoine Tomasi, an ESMA graduate and 3D animator at the Montpellier studio, shares his experience:

“Arcane is what you might call an “alien” in the industry. A budget like this for an animated series is quite rare. It testifies to the enormous ambition of its creators and encourages a job well done. Working in a studio that maintains such high standards, and following in the footsteps of so many wonderful artists, is a gift. Add to that a very fast-paced script with such complex plot development, and you understand the ‘alien’ that is Arcane.”

Antoine was involved in a number of key scenes, where every movement of the characters was meticulously choreographed to reflect the intense emotions that run through the series.

Technical excellence at the service of emotion

The work on Arcane is not limited to impressive technical mastery. For Sacha Duru, ESMA graduate and technical director on the series, the adventure was also a human and artistic one:

“Arcane is based on a licence that I’m very fond of. It’s a series aimed at adults with a complex and profound storyline, which I hope will contribute to the evolution of animated cinema and allow projects to emerge with storylines aimed at an older audience, questioning social issues’.

Sacha was on the front line, answering questions from the graphic designers and ensuring the technical coherence of the most demanding scenes. He adds:

‘This series also features new, predominantly female heroes and brings LGBTQIA+ characters to the fore; there’s a real desire to move away from classic Hollywood representations.’

Fortiche: a studio with a unique atmosphere

Working with Fortiche is a memorable experience. A studio on a human scale, Fortiche is renowned for its collaborative spirit and ability to innovate. Antoine and Sacha agree that this atmosphere has played a major role in their professional development.

Antoine remembers:

“Working at Fortiche was an exceptional experience, with a great and very welcoming team. I was lucky enough to have a lot of freedom and room to come up with new ideas. The teams quickly trusted me, which was very rewarding

Sacha, for his part, stresses the importance of mutual support and creativity:

“Each member of the team is encouraged to contribute his or her own ideas. This creates a unique dynamic where you feel invested and involved in the overall vision of the project

ESMA, a springboard to the heights of animation

By training tomorrow’s talent to meet the demands of the industry, ESMA prepares its graduates to flourish in the biggest international studios.

Fortiche is just one example. Every year, our students join studios such as DreamWorks, Pixar and Illumination, contributing to major productions that have left their mark on the history of animation.

Arcane, a model for the future of animation

With its visually ambitious, bold script and inclusive representation, Arcane ushers in a new era for animation. Projects like this show that animation can compete with major film productions, both artistically and narratively.

For ESMA alumni like Antoine and Sacha , Arcane is much more than just a project: it’s an exceptional human and professional adventure, confirming their place among the great names in world animation.

Find Sacha Duru and Antoine Tomasi on Linkedin!