2D or 3D... or maybe Both?

Riot games recently released a trailer for an upcoming champion for their world-famous game League of Legends. For those who don't know, each champion is unique, with their own backgrounds and personalities. Several months ago, RIot released a champion named VI with an intro theme sung by her voice actor actor. 

This however was not the first time this is done. Before VI's intro theme was the very excellent intro theme for Diana. 

IF YOU WATCH NOTHING ELSE IN THIS POST
WATCH THIS.

If you've just finished watching either movie, or are perhaps still watching, You might notice the way they animate the normally still pictures by distorting the perspectives of the various image layers. This is something they do for all current champions. However, Riot has previously dipped their hands in 3D animation for cinematics in the form of their Season 1 and 2 trailers, as well as their "Twist of Fate" promotional video.

Unlike those movies however, the recently released "Get Jinxed" champion promotional includes all three of these various art aspects. Excellent music, 3D animation, and surprisingly, 2D animation as well. One might imagine that this would put the two styles at odds with each other, however that's not the case.

Surprisingly, the animation fits very well with Jinx, the upcoming champion displayed in the movie above. Her apparent abandon of chaos and destruction seems to give the conflicting art styles a home with each other, and makes them blend. Moreover, the two styles bring their own flavor to the movie. The 3D makes her seem more real, and alive than if she were drawn, while the 2D makes everything seem more frantic, bright, and sudden, like bullets impacting concrete, or explosions ricocheting from building to building.

I've not seen much artwork like this before in my life, save for the fluid mix that was displayed in the Hot Wheels: Highway 35 movie. I'll be honest, I'm in love with the combination! It's a hybridization of styles that isn't often attempted, let alone loved, yet it definitely does not disappoint!