Spirit Blossom Morgana is Season 2 Act 2’s Exalted Skin and it is possibly the best that Riot Games has ever produced.
Made in consultation with Morgana mains all around the world, Riot even engaged Mai Fujisawa, daughter of Studio Ghibli composer, Joe Hisaishi.
Speaking to Thomas Randby, Art Director of League of Legends Cosmetics, ONE Esports found out more about what went into the making of Spirit Blossom Morgana at the Spirit Blossom Summit at Riot Games HQ.
The making of Spirit Blossom Morgana, Season 2 Act 2’s Exalted Skin
During the development of Spirit Blossom Morgana, Morgana mains from around the world were invited to give feedback on this skin to make sure it met their expectations on two fronts: Morgana as a champion and Exalted Skins as a product.
The people consulted ranged from pro players to longtime Morgana lovers, collectively called the “Council of Mains.” Some of their input resulted in Riot adding more ambient petals and butterflies to her VFX, as well as those that appear around the Rift.
You’ll notice that the treatment of Black Shield differs a lot compared to previous skins. The goal was to increase visual clarity of the ability and make it more satisfying for players.
On the visual front, the team also ramped up her ultimate form, making the wings bigger, brighter, incorporating some really beautiful HUD treatments to increase that wow factor when you execute a successful ultimate.
What’s most unique about Spirit Blossom Morgana is that is uses a dynamic music system.
“Morgana will play her own unique music throughout the entire game. The vocalist for Spirit Blossom Morgana is Mai Fujisawa, the daughter of renowned Studio Ghibli composer Joe Hisaishi,” Thomas told press. “Through this amazing collaboration, we feel were really able to capture the Morgana’s myth as the Grove Mother with a complicated and emotional past.”
The music also responds to different inputs from players or team actions, immersing players deeply into the moment. For example, when Morgana lands her Q, which often marks a chance to engage in game, more intense music will be played.
Morgana will build up a meter by crowd controlling enemies with her Q and R. Completing this meter triggers an evolution into her Wild Bloom form, which is a permanent form change that takes effect for the remainder of the game.
In total, Spirit Blossom Morgana has three unique forms:
- Base form
- Wild Bloom form
- Grove Mother form
During her ultimate duration, Morgana becomes the fully unleashed Grove Mother. Wings of Energy burst forward from her and unique festival mask animations display over both Morgana and her tethered targets.
Morgana’s ability VFX are tied to the specific form that she’s taken. Evolving into her Wild Bloom form unlocks distinctly themed VFX for her Q, W and E. Morgana is able to cycle through three unique masks with a Control+5 toggle.
Masks will appear in her costuming at her hip when her Q roots. They also float above both Morgana and her enemies when she casts her ultimate.
Each mask changes the color of ambient butterflies that spawn across the Rift when you’re playing as Morgana and they will also follow her around the map. This effect will not be seen by enemies if they don’t have vision of her.
Here’s a list of additional visual effects in Spirit Blossom Morgana that elevates the skin:
- When Morgana executes a successful Q and W combo or successfully blocks an ability with her black shield, it triggers a special butterfly animation that spawn from her abilities.
- When Morgana stands idle, flower petals will fall around her in a moment of tranquil serenity.
- If Morgana participates in a takedown, flowers will spawn around the enemy corpse.
- Morgana’s ultimate Soul Shackles has a dynamic HUD of creeping wisteria blossoms that change based off of how many enemies you’ve tethered (not stunned) with your ultimate.
“We know that Morgana’s Soul Shackles are a big team fight moment, so a suspenseful music shift will also kick in. Once you ult based off of how many takedowns your team gets during the fight, the music will dynamically adapt to these moments,” Thomas shared.
Before becoming an Art Director, Thomas was a Concept Art Lead for League of Legends who dedicated most of his career to skin content. He had a hand in earlier Spirit Blossom skins such as Spirit Blossom Cassiopeia, Spirit Blossom Syndra, and Spirit Blossom Zyra.
Mai Fujisawa is a celebrated Japanese singer, songwriter, and lyricist. Daughter of renowned composer Joe Hisaishi, she launched her career at age four, singing “Nausicaä’s Requiem” for the film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, marking Studio Ghibli’s debut soundtrack collaboration.
She worked on albums for Princess Mononoke (1997) and Ponyo (2008), and contributed vocals for The Boy and the Heron (2023). She has released four studio albums, blending traditional Japanese and Western classical styles.
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