Does Arcane Know Boxing? COACH reacts! | Series Review

[@bambaraboxing]

EDIT 2: Hey guys we really wanted to do a S2 react, but there was barely anything worth breaking down. None of the hand to hand fight scenes lasted more than a couple seconds! What do you think? EDIT: Subscribe for Season 2! Be sure to check out my breakdown of the first season of Netflix's Levius, if you guys enjoyed this animated breakdown!

[@aksbs3700]

i dont know ig you learned more about the series but 2 things: Vi´s adoptive father was the absolute champion and she started training non stop since she was a little girl. The guantlets do weight like 60+ pounds but the machined magic that it uses makes it float as much as it is desired when they are picked up, and they also use that to add strenght to lifting or punching by accelerating them like a projectile. thats also why when sevika breaks the circuit vi fells to the floor since she cant really lift that massive thing.

[@JJGRAYOFFICAL]

@@aksbs3700 true true

[@_frixx_746]

@@bambaraboxing looking forward to it bro great work on season one already

[@brokenhandle]

Subscribed please do season 2!!!

[@FurlowT]

Well, I wouldn't say this is boxing except for when she's fighting with the machine in training. Otherwise, thse are just standard street brawling, boxing being a base of her street style.

[@ShaunRF]

One thing I love about this and things like the Daredevil Netflix show is that they go to the trouble of showing fatigue in extended fights. The hero actually gets winded and their body and movement starts to look more tired out.

[@coruscanta]

Yes! The sloppiness of the fighters as the fights progress, and the moments of pause where people catch their breaths do so much for realism and pacing/tempo. Honestly, fight fatigue is underrated in a lot of action media.

[@Ulvorskets]

Yess, those imperfections made it perfect

[@maxpower7113]

"You still block with your face." "Well, your guard needs work." Two different characters acknowledged Vi's tendency to go all in without blocks

[@TheFrugalVideoGamer]

It seems like she only picked that up *after* being imprisoned - prior to that, she kept her guard up with the boxing machine. And it makes sense, as prison would probably prioritize offense over defense, as guards would be quick(ish) to break up brawls between inmates, so you'd focus on maximizing the damage you're doing to the opponent instead of keeping yourself safe.

[@adamalaoui6750]

and the most funny thing ? in the end, she wins by using a shield XD

[@Dilligff]

Actually, if you think about it, 'Vander's' advice is from her own inner voice. She is consciously aware of her mistakes but keeps letting her anger and aggression get in the way.

[@rinzzler366]

@graffititurtle9035 also a nod to her in game counterpart, she has a shield

[@moonblaze2713]

@@TheFrugalVideoGamer I like the thought process but your analysis overlooks something. Ekko says she *still* blocks with her face, implying it's something she used to do regularly. I'd modify your idea with this; Vi had a bias toward offense over defense that was trained out of her by Vander, but then prison beat that training back out of her.

[@F1rstWorldNomaD]

The fact that Vi is lacking in her defence is not a flaw of the creators of Arcane, its actually a plot point- She gets criticized repeatedly for her not keeping her defenses and taking risks. Its a motif of her character, even tho shes is rather skilled and tough shes also shes to hot headed and impulsive. Her story arc is literally learning to play defence sometimes instead of just being on the offensive constantly.

[@jacobw.6744]

It's actually really cool how it's a noticeable part of her fighting style even to those unaware of her character as a whole. I take that to mean that the animators did a good job deliberately making her defenses look weak at a fundamental level. Given that she's a great initiator in LoL, it makes sense that she's very "okay let's go!"

[@Mirro18]

I mean if you wanna go for it, the fact that the ability she unlocks there in the last fight is a "Shield" is kinda a bit of a fun part

[@fredbyoutubing]

@@Mirro18 Right. That shield pops out because she never played defensive and she didn't even know this was a thing. That's exactly the turning point

[@X-35173]

@@fredbyoutubing it also contexualized its in game count part for me. I never understood where that shield came from in game.

[@logansmith2703]

@@X-35173 turns out it's to protect miners from falling rocks. Which is a neat bit of lore

[@saiyasha848]

"If she was my Athlete, I'd be screaming at her not to do that" Yeah. I think Vander did too. Maybe he didn't scream at her, but he sure as hell would have been furious if he had seen that.

[@Cegg960]

Even her hallucination of him leads with “You’re guard still needs work”. Even when he didn’t see it he sensed it from beyond the grave and came back to call that out.

[@alexanderfisher6055]

@@Cegg960 but.... nevermind i ant telling it

[@tumage8592]

They kinda had to do that since in the game 2 of Vi's 4 abilities are basically jumping in with a punch

[@elpepo0]

​@@alexanderfisher6055 NOPE WE'RE NOT TALKING 'BOUT THAT

[@sumans7620]

@@elpepo0 _Blood Hunt Music Plays_

[@J4nT3mpl4r]

"don't showboat" "Maybe showboat" Sooo... Choose your moment to flex on them wisely?

[@wolfidessdragondol]

"Her signature right punch...first time it worked" Bro the SHADE💀

[@EclipseSeth]

It does work when she starts the fight with it as a surprise attack. It seems to work there, and I guess it reaps tons of damage. But yeah, it stupid doing that in the middle of the fight when her opponent's guard is up.

[@TehNoobiness]

This is actually a really neat detail, if you've played the game they got the characters from. Ingame, the closest thing to that big flying punch is Vi's ultimate, where she picks a target, chases them down, and stuns them with a massive flying punch...which works best as an ambush opener, locking down a dangerous target so your team can jump in after you and clean up.

[@peachlord701]

@@EclipseSethI think the gauntlets also helped make it successful. Made the gauntlets feel more satisfying to get because she can finally successfully land that punch

[@Dervalanana]

@@TehNoobiness Man, the big flying punch is her Q, Vault Breaker. Charge up and launch forward Assault and Battery, her ult, is probably closer to where she actually grab Sevika and throws her

[@Jenjak]

As an animator I can tell you we geek the shit out of everything we have to animate. So yeah they watched hours of boxing frame by frame to animate Vi.

[@MathasiaJ]

Some of the animators are boxers and talked about their experience animating VI's fights

[@Jenjak]

@@MathasiaJ even better :)

[@cielaparent6801]

@@MathasiaJ where can I find this?

[@MathasiaJ]

@@cielaparent6801 it's on the league of legends KZbin channel and the channel of the animation studio

[@cryochick9044]

​@@cielaparent6801riots various channels. Many are harder to find, league of legends and riot games had a lot of behind the scenes insights to arcane

[@originalcharacterplznostea2749]

"If she was my athlete, I'd be screaming at her not to do that." I think that sums up Vi very well, lmao.

[@morrislary4576]

It's a great detail that she has good defense on the machine, where she's not letting emotion drive her and can perform with pure technical skill. Put her up against an actual opponent, especially one she has a personal grudge against, and she sacrifices defense for more reckless attacks.

[@saiyasha848]

The gauntlets being heavy is actually a realy good observation, especially because _their not hers._ They belong to her father Figure who is built like The friggin mountain, so obviously _he_ has no problem using them but she is a still fairly scawny 16 yo who has to lift these heavy metal mining gloves

[@SoltoWolf92]

Right

[@Good_Hot_Chocolate]

they're*

[@Good_Hot_Chocolate]

Also, the mining gauntlets she uses are not her father's. They are a recent invention that utilizes the new hextech technology.

[@saiyasha848]

@@Good_Hot_Chocolate I'm talking about the original bridge scene, where Vander is still alive. Those are mining gauntlets too, the ones Jayce make are just way more advanced

[@Good_Hot_Chocolate]

@@saiyasha848 Ah those ones... I always wondered if those held a separate function or if it was just a weapon build from scrap.

[@timothym9398]

One thing my girlfriend and I couldn't stop gushing about was Vi's design. She looks like a fighter, nothing in her build requires any suspension of disbelief to think she could kick serious ass, while still being an attractive character. So much better than many other animated "fighters" that either look like dainty waifs, or competition bodybuilders.

[@qwormuli77]

In all honesty, she fairly dainty and lightly built for what she does, but she/the animators have the more than fair excuse of her being like 16(?) at the start and in the middle of growing. But the animation really nailed her design to her actions in these fights, with only the ep3 catwalk fight with those gauntlets being a ridiculous overreach of not only our reality, but the one of the setting. The rest is top class. The earlier fights are plausible enough (and so pretty it's hard to complain) and the later ones have magical technobabble, that is actually implemented well and does what is said it does, which is all too rare bigger budget films.

[@cheezbiscuit4140]

my one design aspect I'm on the fence about is the ear piercings. Yes they're hot, but that's gonna be one bitch of a cauliflower ear to deal with if she keeps them in.

[@afoolishfopdoodle3284]

That's why her design is a massive improvement over the one from the original game. In LoL, she basically looks like a model. She's wearing very impractical clothes for fighting, her face and body frame looks flawless, and the only thing really designating her as a fighter is the tape around her hands. I've seen Arcane Vi be described as looking like a "butch lesbian boxer", and that's perfect, because that pretty much is her character description.

[@ameliadunn3161]

I think she's like perfectly built. Like she has muscles but like you said, not super dainty or overly buff lol.

[@kobaltmyst8074]

vi in arcane >regular clothes >fit build >looks like she's seen some shit vi in game >corset >waifu >tiddies >only "fighter" part about her is her wrapped hands

[@saiyasha848]

Oh, I wish they had included the Vander-Deckert Scene. it is a really nice showing of how, to a certain degree, Skill beats raw strength. Granted vander lost, but i think that was more due to exhaustion. If Vander had been in prime fighting conditon, i would have been really curious how that fight would go.

[@bambaraboxing]

I'll break it down, just for you! Vander slips the cross openside, and gets inside Deckert's offense by framing onto him. Knowing he's way more durable in his shimmer-state, Vander immediately ties up Deckert's power side hand (the one he just threw and missed) with an overhook, to keep him close (so he can't keep swinging big), and disarm him. SMART. Vander created just enough space by locking Deckert's elbow to use HIS powerside hand and aim straight for Deckert's liver / center of mass with a world-crushing punch. This would have destroyed any normal enemy. Then he does it three more times which is three more nails in the coffin. Really can't do more than that against someone. What a pro. Deckert is taking the full force of these punches because he's forced upright because of the grip Vander has on him, so ALL of that damage is going straight into him. So far Vander has wrecked this guy (under normal circumstances) and it's obvious that Deckert is very untrained, and Vander is immensely skilled at disarming and incapacitating an opponent within the first few beats of a fight. Unfortunately it looks like this guy is just way too durable in his current state, and the first strike he lands is a crude downswing to Vander's collarbone which collapses him enough to let the grip go on Deckert. You can see he gave everything he had to potentially ending this guy, and it didn't work. There's just a huge weight/size disparity here. There's a reason weight classes exist, doesn't matter if you can knock a guy your own size out cold with a perfect punch, or if you're the best fighter in the world, add a bigger frame and more weight onto your opponent and those punches wont do much. Obviously with shimmer, this is something Vander probably knew he couldn't overcome, but he certainly threw the perfect game at Deckert to try and make it happen to protect his kids. Vi had an expert teacher.

[@saiyasha848]

@@bambaraboxing Thank you so much!!

[@Alecxzsander19]

Wow so wholesome

[@Firefight_]

@@bambaraboxing fuckin legend.

[@Dead25m]

@@bambaraboxing I came here because of Arcane, I'm not really into boxing (sorry).. But seeing this reply.. Damn, you really deserve more subs, so dedicated! *SUBBED*

[@gnperdue]

As a fan of the show with very little knowledge or understanding of boxing, this was a fascinating analysis. It’s cool to see they took the time to design realistic fights instead of just mailing in a bunch of razzle-dazzle

[@Bunny2319b]

Makes you appreciate the show even more lol

[@inf1nityxyxz]

@@Bunny2319b exactly 🤍

[@adminanonymous1521]

Also gets me more pumped for second season, along with any future projects. There are all sorts of fighting styles and weapons they can play with.

[@EtherealDoomed]

I don't know a lot about boxing, but I've done a lot of martial arts and I *loved* the way they treated movement.

[@EtherealDoomed]

Its always exciting when I get to point at the screen and go "That's actually how that works!!"

[@viatheanimator]

what we’re taught in animation is to go for “believability, not necessarily realism,” as in using the context of the style and situation to determine the bounds of characters can realistically do. they do a really good job of capturing her understanding of actual boxing techniques while also allowing things to get a little crazy sometimes. it’s similar to what you said about that anime, “it’s not always what boxing actually looks like, but what boxing feels like.”

[@bambaraboxing]

@@viatheanimator good input!

[@hypothalapotamus5293]

@@bambaraboxing The American painter George Bellows ( guy who painted more stylized 1910s era boxing KOs than anyone else) said that he didn't know much about boxing. He just tried painting two men try to kill each other. Also, the first fight tried to incorporate more wrestling concepts than the others, which is in line with a 1900s era mixed martial arts style. I'd say that the animators understand the concept of things like changing levels for a lower body takedown or that she'd have a lot of leverage and control in the standing almost-half Nelson she slips into at 1:16, but don't fully understand where a grappler would go from there.

[@arnc9191]

people who "Choreograph" this refused to do motion capture because motion capture was meant to be realistic and they wanted to show something more fictional. Those animators and drawing-artists are really flexing.

[@CthulhuOnCam]

I hope this fella was inspired to go home and watch Arcane :)

[@bambaraboxing]

Sure was! 10/10 show

[@mscatjay]

@@bambaraboxing How did you feel about Season 2? I'd be interested to see your analysis on Vi's fighting this season!

[@fnglert]

Those huge '60 pound' gauntlets use a technology to cancel their momentum for the wearer, which explains how she can move so well with them. Of course, the target still gets the full 60 pound gauntlet's effect.

[@IoniaZero]

Yeah, for that you can see that just when sevika breaks through one, that arm falls off asap (tho in canon game the gauntlets are way heavier but also she has a mini exosuit that helps her a bit with the movement)

[@DMrKunst2]

True.... But in episode 3 when she uses Vanders gauntlets there is no way she would be able to throw hands. Let alone be able to do an uppercut. However I did notice that those gauntlets have some sort of hydraulic system in them and that could be why she's able to do it but it's still not really all that believable regardless of how weight it feels

[@IoniaZero]

@@DMrKunst2 yeah, for that, the canon Vi per sa is "better" due to her suit helping her to do the heavy lifting, but regardless, the gauntlets on episode three were not that heavy tho(? And she did looked way tired in that scene, but yeah, fiction

[@hitetsu9180]

@@DMrKunst2 Well yea, but average people in arcane should be stronger than average people irl, for example Jinx falls down after the explosion in episode 3 and a normal 7 year old should have broken something, but she is completely fine.

[@DMrKunst2]

@@IoniaZero I'm aware it's exaggerated like almost every fight in fiction. And the only thing I can figure to make this scene work is that the gauntlets don't weigh as much as they look, and yes she does look tired. The point is that even though Arcane is exaggerated it's fight still feel grounded within the world in which they take place. The problem I had with episode 3 fight is that it felt less earned and less believable than the fight Vi had with sevica in episode 5. I kind of figured they were going for a David versus Goliath symbolism there. If people are going to whoop ass in these types of stories, they should be able to do it convincingly imo If Violet had been a lot bigger or fighting a smaller opponent then I could believe it. The problem is not the fact that the guy got knocked out. If you get punched in the face by metal gauntlets your ass is grass lol.... The question is would you even be able to punch with said gauntlet....And to knock out a person that's six times your own body weight. But the rest of the fight is fairly believable. Like the guy in the video said, there's a lot of things they get right about the fights, but there's also things that they do not.

[@canyonduck2022]

I gotta say, when you typically watch most "Experts react" type videos, they don't do the best job of grasping the concept of suspension of disbelief or exaggerating a movement or concept for the sake of audience understanding and tracking. There are times when character's decisions and movements are designed specifically to allow the audience to easily follow the flow of a scene, rather than be perfectly realistic. I really appreciate how you were easily able to to not only recognize those moments but do them justice by explaining the inspiration behind the choreography and movement in a way that acknowledges the effort the creators put into trying to be faithful to the source material while still following filmmaking techniques designed to aid in the viewing process. A thoroughly well done video, loved your insights.

[@BrianBrath]

This comment right here!!!

[@Flynnick]

In League of Legend (the game from which they created Arcane) Vi main ability is actually a big "jump" right punch (her Q spell). I just realized with your breakdown that they might have made it her signature move in the serie because of her ingame ability xD

[@bambaraboxing]

That's a really cool connection

[@HavokTheorem]

Her ultimate is also a leaping attack.

[@ookami38]

This is pretty much 100% it, I think. It reflects her abilities and role on the team in League. Also, it works when she has the gauntlets, usually, them representing the "uninterruptable" aspect of her ulti.

[@philkugler2429]

Despite having seen the show probably 6 times, I never noticed how she never gets her jump attack to work until she gets her gauntlet upgrade (when she becomes her in game character).

[@AzNightmare]

12:09 *I've watched this fight scene so many times and this it the first time I've noticed Sevika's bionic arm could do a unnatural 360° pivot to catch Vi's arms. That's insane!!*

[@ZackScroggins]

I REALLY wish who ever edited this highlight real for you had kept in Vander's fight with the juiced up goon. Vander was Vi's mentor, he's the one that taught her how to fight and that fight is just so clean.

[@5moongoon180]

Ah, that's a really good scene. Ultimately it came down to a character-style analysis and the focus shifted over to Vi specifically. But it's true that Vander's moves are super smooth.

[@bambaraboxing]

I broke that short fight down in the pinned comment, check it out. :)

[@ljawshl]

I can just tell this guy is an amazing teacher just by how he preaches defensive guard and his passion with the smallest movements in everything

[@bambaraboxing]

Thanks a lot! I do my best

[@MBValentine]

big fights are filled with small moments - someone, probably

[@scorchone2310]

One thing I loved about the catwalk fight was the simple fact that they put it on a catwalk! It's a simple but effective way to get around the problem of , "But why don't they just all fight them at once?" that you see in a lot of "Protagonist vs X Baddies" fights. The funneling nature of the environment FORCES the opponents to come at her one at a time.

[@k.5425]

True true

[@OneWingedRose]

It boggles my mind how often action directors forget to ask themselves "where's the gun?" and "what about their flank?" in film and TV. Good shout out here for Arcane being smart enough to think about these things!

[@masterblaster2678]

Narrow spots are the most strategically appropriate places to fight when you're outnumbered btw. If you play any colony building defense games you know. You make a chokepoint eventually.

[@jackmac2217]

It's the battle of thermoplyae (the 300 spartans) on a bridge.

[@adamlevy1794]

The robotic hand the Sevika uses in the beginning of their first fight actually locks Vi's arm by rotating unnaturally which is what catches Vi off gaurd.

[@cyrkielnetwork]

16:13 "that's her fevourite, signature puch" Indeed that's her ult in the game. It's high risk ability, if you use it wrong you end up like with the Decker fight.

[@shaderunner8220]

I have very little knowledge of boxing, but while watching Vi it definitely felt like the animators studied actual boxing moves for her fights. Good to see an expert confirming that as well. I hope in the future seasons of arcane we get more hand to hand fighters in the show, like Sett and Lee Sin, you'll have so many more cool fights to look at then.

[@saiyasha848]

I have never boxed, but the thing that intriguied me the most is the exhaustion you see in the first Sevika-Vi fight. The fight is fairly short, quick and both parties are exhausted and rattled quickly, especially after a few good hits and headshots. This felt very realistic to me, I think I have read somewhere that Streetfights ususally don't take very long, as unlike controlled Boxing, it's all out immediatly and there are no 'illegal' attacks, so you actually attack your opponents physical weakpoints, with no regard for their continued health.

[@shaderunner8220]

@@saiyasha848 that's a good point. Halfway through the fight they both look like they're on the ropes and only pushing through with sheer willpower.

[@HexQuesTT]

I love that you noted her lacking defence when she does the flying punches, Sevika and Ekko (The woman she fights; and her childhood friend) both comment on how she needs to work on her defence EDIT: Also, you mentioned being a fan of Hajime no Ippo and I was wondering if you watched Megalobox, it's an anime that came out a few years back designed to replicate the art style of older anime about boxing in a sorta futuristic sci-fi steam/cyberpunky setting where the boxers are augmented with these mechanical arm attachments but it's not super fantastical about the actual boxing itself from what I remember

[@adrianbyg5553]

ekko: "and you still block with your face"

[@jamesamaral8185]

Megalobox is actually a reimagining of Ashita no Joe, another famous boxing anime. Hence why the main character chooses the alias "Joe."

[@scorchone2310]

The boxing in Megalobox is definitely "anime" but it really captures that *feeling* of being a boxer. It's been a long time and I saw it once and I'm no professional anime reviewer so sue me if I'm remembering with rose tinted glasses. That being said, I remember really loving the way the show handled following the main character's training and triumph and failure and improvement and stuff.

[@AdorianDelmore]

One of the writer's of Arcane do Boxing at home to release some stress. It was shown in the Arcane documentary on youtube. it was also a way for them to better understand what it was like to be VI.

[@Reality-Distortion]

16:07 In her defense, she was jumping from like 5 meters high while doing both surprise attack and covering somebody's back.

[@rango962]

about the liver thing. when i was in school i was kinda playfighting with a buddie and i accidently gave him a livershot. even that half hearted farr from powerd shot got him down and that was fucking scary.

[@bambaraboxing]

Truth, precision is more important than power

[@Eek-m1x]

Fun fact they actually had someone on the team who took boxing lessons I believe for Arcane and would show the animators what they were learning for reference! Found this out in the agora community interview with the animation director, very interesting!

[@peaceandloveusa6656]

This is yet more proof that Arcane is the gold standard. I knew the fights looked "right" in a way I couldn't put into word. Learning she is using actual boxing techniques explains it. The fights look right because they are taking directly from actual fighting techniques and philosophies. I also love seeing the complete lack of proper form from characters that *wouldn't * know it. Often times media that gets fighting right (proper) forgets not everyone in the scene is supposed to be good at it. Everyone in Arcane has their own way of carrying themselves in a fight, straight down to how they throw their punches, and it makes the whole thing feel like it is actually happening instead of, obviously, being scripted. Interesting review all the same!

[@redacted144]

to me, the fights look right bcs you can feel the weight of every move. IRL hits land or blocked can be seen on both the giver and taker: pushing back, small flinch, eyes following the move, body sway... In normal media they tend to lack the small bits here and there, making the brawl scene felt like children swinging nerf blades. but Arcane nailed everything, you can pause some scenes and see their "oh shit, it's coming" face.

[@F1rstWorldNomaD]

The larger gauntlets are Hextech guantlets. Its Mechanics Infused with magic, from this shows story its heavily implied that this particular hextech is infused with *anti-gravity* properties so I dont think those gauntlest actually weigh a whole lot, if anything at all. This is also why the gauntlets *becomes* heavy when Sevika breaks it.

[@davidbycroft]

The gloves were designed for mining, like an advanced version of the gauntlets she uses on the catwalk scene. Good for smashing rocks and the Shield is there in case of a cave-in to save the miners. (Maybe, Perhaps 3-4 seconds is enough time for the rocks to fall and settle before the bubble pops)

[@Mexican_Steel]

For someone who has never watched the show and gotten context, you just fucking get it man. Great content.

[@nimblesheepvenomous3811]

Just realized, Vi's Q is her doing a jumping right hook. They made her try it in every fight because of it

[@MagMada]

And just as so many Vi player do it, the Q rarely work lol

[@zoviqi2388]

​@@MagMada nahhh shhh 😭

[@nepntzerZer]

the catwalk fight where vi took on 6-7 fighters worked because the was only really enough space for them to come down one at at time, i liked that attention detail. once they got behind her they where able to start hitting her from different angles and she did actually take a few hits. i think getting clobbered by a massive metal gauntlet probably would wreck you so as much as its a "movie fight" they grounded it as real as they can possibly get.

[@qwormuli77]

Making the gauntlets smaller would do a lot to start. Even 200 gram knuckle dusters are fairly lethal as a weapon, so making the gauntlets look 1-2 kg in weight would be more than fantastical enough and actually effective looking, without making her (already laboured) movement look so jarring. The rest of that 5 to 10 kg heft is not only useless, but detractory for the scene. Moreover, this change would make the reveal of the big hextech fuck-off-gloves even more impressive. As another point, While IMO they could have done more with it, I really did love the idea of her gating opponents from herself by using the narrow catwalk. Way to make a more grounded 1 vs many actually believable. So while is still think that midpoint was an honestly just awkward step between wraps and the hextech gloves, it was still much better than it could have been.

[@nepntzerZer]

@@qwormuli77 i disagree with everything you said. not only do i disagree i also find it so obtuse that i am having trouble freely urinating and might have to go to the doctors and get a catheter inserted.

[@Ridlay_]

It pleases me so much to know that Arcane got this right, even with it’s obvious unrealistic twists given the chemtech, hextech, and shimmer involved. But even so the creators wouldn’t be satisfied without nailing those principles right and it just makes me love Arcane even EVEN more!

[@g.j.9515]

this absolutely speaks of the skill of this guy just how much hes able to observe right about both the show and vi herself just from watching her fight scenes. its very rare to see people with ability also able to explain and teach that ability, it requires articulation and deeper understanding so im really impressed. subscribed

[@bambaraboxing]

Thank you! More good things to come!

[@leoaerts2217]

What I like about this is that Vi uses the wall as a tool if you look at the way she attacked sevika. Vi dodges to her left and throws her combo. Then centers herself again Sevika throws her punch its blocked and Vi throws her jab and then Sevika goes for another punch Vi slips to her right and does her combo. And then Vi has combo three then the superman punch. In boxing I think is called bobbing and weaving? She does this again when she is between the wall and the beam. They throw their combos Vi grabs her head wall. Then to the beam

[@cosmic9511]

It's cool to see that even when the Hextech gauntlets are added in and the fights get flashier and less grounded, the show still keeps a certain level of commitment to the foundations of real fighting techniques. Great video and I'm sure I speak for many when I say I'd love to see a "sequel" when the second season comes out in November, if you are interested in making one!

[@bambaraboxing]

We are planning too!

[@itsregal]

Never watched a boxing video in my life. Friend posted this in a chat where someone is a big fan of vi from arcane. It's really, really entertaining to hear the perspective of someone who really loves their craft. Thank you for this!!

[@redacted5309]

honestly this video just gives me even more of an appreciation for the fight scenes in this show. in the catwalk fight scene her technique goes out the window pretty quickly because of exhaustion, those gloves were made by/for her father figure Vander (an absolute beast of a man) and i believe are canonically cast iron or scrap iron. those would tire grown men out really quick, let alone a 16 year old girl. the storytelling through her fighting also says a lot about Vi as a character, she's very emotional, brash, headstrong, etc. and when she gets angry she doesn't bother blocking, just goes for more hits and gets punished for it. you see a lot of the classical boxing from Vander mixed with the scrappiness of a street kid with her impulsiveness and all or nothing attitude and you start to get the feeling of someone trying to live up to the legacy of those before them. she HAS the skills, she shows that she CAN block and CAN dodge and HAS excellent form, right up until she gets mad.

[@VeggieGamer]

This was excellent, man! Really cool to see all of Vi's fights broken down like that! I never noticed that she always opens up with the big right punch! XD That definitely is right for her personality, though! Great video!!

[@bluredstoneiii5594]

I saw u pro comment reaction of arcane epic me like u

[@bambaraboxing]

Thanks man, really appreciate it!

[@tess9063]

And it's just like what actually happens in LOL. Vi usually opens fights with a Q (dash that stops on hitting an enemy champion, stunning them and doing damage) or ult (she clicks on an enemy champion, and runs towards them. she can only be stopped if she dies. once she hits her target, they are launched into the air and stunned for a second. she cannot stop once she has committed to the ult.) She opens with a risky attack, and either gets her ass kicked due to misjudging the situation or beats the hell out of her target.

[@F1rstWorldNomaD]

You should watch the entire series. Its one of the best shows I have ever seen and this is over a year old, its not just me hopped up on enthusiams and adrenaline, the hype has died down and its still absolutely amazing. Its hard to categorize "the best show ever" as genres are very hard to compare but if I boil it down to 5 shows I could take with me to a deserted island, Arcane would be a no brainer. Its not even a question, it is coming with me.

[@JaKoMaGrp]

Agreed 100

[@JaKoMaGrp]

I've watched the series 9times already, maybe more, each time for a different reason, like how much detail and drawing time they put into unconscious movements with the characters (like a finger tap, hand wipe, the way the whole body moves to drive the point of a singe word. My favorite was the amount of time they put in to drawing Jinx leaning on the back of Caitlyn's chair just to stand up 2sec later and walk away. The hours of work they put in for less than 1 to 2 seconds of unconscious movements really sold how real these fake characters were). I watched it for the sound design, then the light design, I watched it from the perspective of different characters, I watched it again with friend Then I watched it even more times(broken up versions of it) by viewing so many peoples reviews on it. I can't get enough of it.

[@BloodMoonCosplays]

For some reason it makes these scenes so much cooler when someone breaks it down

[@mobiusfrost]

This is the kind of thing that makes me want to take boxing classes. That was an awesome breakdown.

[@bambaraboxing]

Please do it, it's the best 👊

[@sparkyy607]

man, everyday the more i learn about what went into the making of arcane, the more i love it. it's been a year and i'm falling deeper and deeper in love into this masterpiece, it's simply amazing. and so inspiring :)

[@uncertaintysign443]

Badass! Really enjoyed that one. Lots of great nuggies of information in there.

[@artboymoy]

Aw man, guess we'll have to deduct points for the liver shot. that's really good to know and seeing happen to actual boxers. The thing about the large gauntlets is that they're enhanced by magic so they weigh nothing yet has the power to lift incredible amounts. Arcane is an incredible series to watch as well. Hope you check it out.

[@cryochick9044]

I'll dispute the weigh nothing point. They clearly do have some weight to them, just not as heavy as they look.

[@ouji8809]

i really loved getting a professional's opinion on the fight scenes! i had no idea vi's fighting style was so heavily choreographed with boxing in mind, since i don't know much about the sport. it's lovely to know the animators paid attention to it and still kept the character's personalities in mind :) great video!

[@remember9097]

That show is art, in all perspectives

[@dariusjaeger3395]

Great video. I'm just a hobby amateur boxer so I am happy to see that I was right when I thought "Those animators really did their homework on boxing." Vi is a great character in general but her being a scrappy underdog boxer really pulled me on her side. You hit the nail on the head with "that's what boxing feels like." I think every boxer can relate to Vi. She has represents the values and mentality of the sport.

[@StupidWeb]

At 8:21 my favourite detail is that VI knows she's going against multiple people, and that if she blocks the knife she's going to take a hit to the face, she chooses to take the hit because if she blocks that (and the has no direct path backwards) she'll take the stab

[@mlm5150]

One thing that Riot does on projects outside of their games, is study. Their music production is absolutely top notch, as well as this show. Funny that you mention Hajime no Ippo, loved that anime. If you haven't, I would suggest you check out Megalobox! It was created for the 50th anniversary of Hajime no Ippo!

[@Avis0123]

9:25 finally I got an explanation. I used to do boxing for relieving stress and once got ounched on my right side beneath my rib cage. It hurt like hell and I had no idea why. I asked my teacher about it, but he just told me to get up. That's also part of why I stopped, he was getting on my nerves with constantly ignoring any complains or suggestions I had and basically just throwing me onto opponents who had two times more experience than I.

[@zoviqi2388]

I got kicked as well in the liver doing taekwondo as a teen, I was told to stop crying and keep going. But it's so painful i can't get up and hard to breathe. I quit it soon after. I was put against way higher belt and older boy. Good trainer is very hard to find that's affordable :

[@じゃがいものソース]

_this is a very informative video! you did an amazing job_

[@josephcroeniangamer3727]

I didnt realize you could see a narrative in vi flying punch, but there is, it doesnt show that much whitout Vander speach, but it's cool.

[@ElfireII]

Vi going in with a huge right hand is probably a call to her in-game version where she can charge her right gauntlet to fly into an engagment. Really cool detail that you caught!

[@SirAwesomeVille]

Thanks for the video! It was very educational. Even though, it is as you say 'exaggerated' I've always felt that arcane have a true sense of realism in the animation. You really FEEL the weight behind the motion.

[@biazacha]

One thing the animators got really right is allowing the characters to get hit, get ugly… could you imagine Gal Gadot or Scarlet Johansson having slowmo closeup shots of their faces being smashed? They barely get their hairs messy, breaks any sense of danger and immersion.

[@incoma6628]

Jeez almost forgot how beautifully animated this series is

[@hankrearden20]

What I loved in the fight scenes was the fatigue. Fighting takes alot outta you, even if your fit and athletic.

[@starrmont4981]

"Arcane definitely gets it right." Tell me something I don't know! Great video! I don't know the first thing about boxing, but I really liked how clearly you explained these topics to a complete novice like me.

[@B1RDSEYE]

Well, that’s a subscribe from me. Honestly dude, just from the excellence of your analysis alone, it’s a real shame you don’t have more subscribers. Awesome stuff!

[@bambaraboxing]

Thank you so much Please share my page, that's the best way for me to grow , and get my knowledge to the masses.

[@evakazoo]

The inclusion of clips from actual boxing matches is very cool for someone who is just an animation nerd You get to see these things applied to reality 👍

[@ShockArcl1te]

This was legit fascinating.

[@jacobw.6744]

Happy to hear it helped inspire you to focus on a channel. I'm always fascinated hearing you talk about boxing. Everyone should get the chance to! I just hope you had fun doing it because it was super fun to listen.

[@Frogggisimo]

I love how you took physics into account with momentum during this part 8:44 Great analysis

[@Kobrakai21]

Great stuff. This was a super fun watch. Thanks for looking at Arcane!

[@TowelGard]

This is a perfect example of how "getting it right" elevates a piece of media. I didn't know all this stuff about boxing when I watched Arcane, but there's an instinctive feeling that stands out. And when they depart from correct technique it's to tell a story about the character's reckless personality. (Also, Vi's signature move in the game is a big wind up punch so that's probably what they were going for, haha)

[@renwhit100]

man, i will never get tired of seeing professionals react to this show. here's hoping your friend puts together a good supercut from season two!!

[@pandas_crochet_corner]

I really appreciated seeing your passion for boxing heighten your appreciation of the show : ) Neat to see how Arcane transcends so much more than League players

[@Cirot1000]

The sequence of blows at 12:30 was my favorite in the whole series. A great exchange with some very dynamic shots.

[@shoutaaizawa1068]

This video genuinely makes me appreciate the thought put into Arcane so much more. The amount of detail put into everything, significant and insignificant is phenomenal.

[@Papriker98]

I hope you do the same thing for Season 2! :) Very entertaining video and I love how hyped you get for these fight scenes. Vi is a hot headed offensive juggernaut type character so her leaving her guard open quite a few times is very fitting in my opinion! :)

[@Grim_Dank_Future]

Can't tell you how refreshing it is to hear someone who actually knows what they're talking about and is honest about it, great video thank you.

[@bambaraboxing]

Thanks, what a high compliment 👍

[@BillBrasky5351]

Great analysis. I like how you 'allow' for cinematic moments which a lot of experts don't do. But really identified that core authenticity.

[@OnTheRocksGamingShow]

This was a lot of fun to watch.

[@O5AXD]

I would absolutely love to see you disect animated fights, especially from hajime no ippo.

[@bambaraboxing]

One of my all time favorite shows May be coming in the future Check our burridge martial arts for his ippo breakdowns in the meantime.

[@O5AXD]

@@bambaraboxing oh absolutely love his breakdowns. Maybe it's time for a little rewatch haha

[@spitfuzzy7826]

I love watching good fight scenes in animation. Everything is decided with this super epic God Slayer power combo hyper cannon, but with actual skill and mobility. My favorite fights are the ones like Vander vs Deckert, where the good guy is at a very clear disadvantage and wins with one shift in momentum. I absolutely adore momentum based fights, even if skill is tilted more to one side, if the momentum shifts even a little bit that could spell the end of the fight and it's so wonderful to see. Thank you for covering Arcane fights, they put in a lot of work into studying whatever they needed so they can make their animation as good as they possibly can. It's really refreshing to see animators actually study different fighting styles and iterations of those fighting styles just to make the fights more entertaining and satisfying to watch.

[@roflcopterprods]

Just one thing I will say. My new years resolution for this year has been to learn chess. It's amazing listening to this just how much of what he is saying applies to chess theory.

[@bambaraboxing]

It's all game theory in the end. "If you know the way broadly, you will see it in all things."

[@johndoh1000]

I love how the commentary is mostly critical on the fantastical aspects of these scenes while almost always praising the fights, except when Vi jumps lmao.

[@bambaraboxing]

@@johndoh1000 such a good show, not much to criticize

[@ChromaticCluck]

They did such a good job of doing everything someone that doesn’t know anything about a show but knows how fights work can see that vi’s weakness is her guard. Amazing

[@jaxsondenton8252]

I’m not a huge league of legends person but I believe that the flying punch you commented on her doing is one of her special moves in the game this is based off of. So that’s why you see it so much

[@Ellis_Hugh]

The genius and magic of this show is so much in its authenticity and attention to detail in literally every aspect. From the music to the animation to the voice acting to the fight choreography, the cinematography, the editing - all of it, from top to bottom is just a master class and a complete work of art. The boxing aspect of Vi's fighting style is the perfect microcosm of that, they could have easily just made cool looking fight scenes, but they went out of their way to make authentic-looking fight scenes and to give each character a specific style unique to them and then stayed true to it.

[@shirtlessviking9225]

fun fact, when you said that they must have studied actual boxing tape - no, not just, they had martial artists (including boxers for Vi) on the show to make the fights really good

[@TheEphemeralEternity]

This is an amazing channel. Much love to ever single breakdown and I see the Vander vs Deckert one down in the comments too. Much love and hope that this channel grows as much as it deserves to, looking forward to more content!

[@bambaraboxing]

Thank you so much! Please share my content, I want to reach as many people as possible and teach them the science of boxing 👊

[@TheFlyingBookworm]

This was a fascinating and well done video! I don't know anything about boxing/fighting but the fact that their 'mistakes' were anatomical injury responses (liver/nose impact response) I think is pretty impressive. It's such a great show! Great video! You're very well spoken and explained things very well.

[@TheScreeningLady]

Totally enjoyed your breakdown and analysis but also how you’re visibly impressed with what you’re watching!

[@bambaraboxing]

It was really cool! Looking forward to season 2!

[@tinyfoxyg5846]

14:15 Can confirm. Getting hit in the head can make you very dizzy. ive only had minor hits in training as just like vi, my defence is horrible, so full props to Sevika for being that much of a tank! 👏👏 also this is very cool to see someone talking about arcane fightscenes, I love animated action and it’s so cool to see what is and isn’t realistic! And arcane being pretty realistic is so cool to know that hopefully one day maybe i can fight like vi! Just…. With hopefully better defence.

[@Y40TL]

at 18:40 it's a character arc important part, from what I remember it has a meaning she loses her gauntlets, her people actually have very powerful arms, the gauntlets (miner gloves) are actually there to protect people from HER, not the other way around, there's a cinematic of her just going ham on a robot man without them and in the lore the whole thing is pretty brutal lol.

[@rustygear447]

12:30 this is the sleekest sequence for me. that slip and counter uppercut is a thing of beauty that I only see a few times in real boxing.

[@a-blivvy-yus]

I think you're the first person I've seen call out that liver shot! Also it's great that you know the classics of boxing like... Captain Kirk xD

[@Eviscerator03]

An interesting point about the differences between western and eastern approaches to art is demonstrated in your comments on the boxing anime! Western art is generally (but obviously not universal) judged on literal realism. Eastern art and especially anime is focused more capturing the 'feel' of something rather than a literal representation. Again not universally the case, but it's why asian shows can often feel extremely faithful to the spirit of a thing, if not how it looks literally.

[@L0stwitn0nam3]

Bro, love your commentary. Your analysis and historical comparison is top tier. Subscribed.

[@rafaelxavira1049]

Damn bro @bambaraboxing, I love Arcane and to get a full breakdown of Vi's boxing skill is another is what I call "damn son !". Please keep doing what you are doing bro, this vid is much appreciated

[@bambaraboxing]

Thanks a lot! Can't wait for season 2!

[@_Dreamay]

I don't understand boxing, I only ever watched it because it looks cool... but listening to your explanation, made all the sense in the world. Amazing!

[@bambaraboxing]

Thanks a lot, I try to act as a bridge to my wonderful sport!

[@andrelehto152]

This is like the 20th time I've seen an analysis of Arcane, every time a different aspect. Every time Arcane gets a good score.

[@bambaraboxing]

@@andrelehto152 can't wait to do season 2!

[@DThRe]

16:38 those gauntlets are wightless. They are using magic and science to make them feel weightless and allowing person to carry huge boulders with one hand.