Shangri-La Frontier

Do know why have positive reviews to be honest, its a pretty average and mediocre anime with above average animation, there is no real danger like solo leveling, there is no drama not complicated stuff, nor romance, not funny stuff it just a very ok anime virtual reality game with a vey forgettable plot and characters, anime fans need to be more demanding and ask for better stuff, this is not good, and they are giving good reviews only because of the pressure other otakus are putting in webs like my animelist, and that's just sad af to be honest, that's not good and we need to do better than that ok.

My previous review of the series is listed below:

SLF is a pretty unserious, low stakes and carefree exploration into the fantasy genre, which doesn't exercise massive stupid rules of the world on you, just shows you a guy diving into a good game, a bit like a dark souls style VR game, having fun. You don't get the stupid parts of an isekai no one likes but it feels a bit like it's set in an isekai world, and while the worldbuilding and characters don't show anything new to you, I think the plain and simple idea is refreshing in itself and low effort.

Episodes of the show go down easy - you don't have to devote your whole soul to reading into the plot, there's good production quality and music, and so far no blisteringly irritating characters. Looking for a chilled out show that isn't boring? This is it! You literally will not get bored watching these early episodes at least - things unfold fast and well, and with a small amount of comedy to keep it light and a standard MC who realises gaming is a hobby and anything but edgy, it's just simple to watch.

The most notable thing about this show for me? Nothing! Let me reiterate how formulaic and standard it has been thus far, and yet it's not remotely boring. I can't quite place my finger on what's so interesting about it. It almost has an air of uniqueness to it.

In what could've been summarised in 3 sentences - good show, not special but still worth your time. Better than most of its genre.

Now this was what I had to say 3 episodes in. I was thinking this show had potential but would succumb to shameless fanservice or the like within a couple episodes and the ideas would run out. We're now about halfway through tje first season, and I have to say this show is worth investing your time in.

Shangri-La Frontier may not seem immediately special, but the fact the intensity of the show is so huge when it wants to be despite no "you die in game you die in reality" or such tropes makes me think it is special. It's not a shameless trope or a generic show because it isn't forcing itself to do more to make the concept interesting.

The show is genuinely entertaining. The characters are all quite funny and while there hasn't been a major male character besides Rakuro himself the women in this show are treated as human beings. The worldbuilding is literally incredible - I was a skeptic at first but they genuinely have thought everything and the combination of sci-fi and fantasy is well balanced. The enemies are well designed like the author was actually trying to make a fleshed out real game rather than just having slime number 2 followed by the main character fighting solely in PvP for the rest of the show. They've made it clear now that they are invested in making a realistic game where the progress in PvE in the show is going to be a part of the plot.

So I really think I needed to amend anything I stabbed at last time I reviewed - this show is special, is actually original and I can feel the intensity and hype without the stakes of death on the line because it's well written. It's also not trying to drop sob stories on people which is great.

9/10. Genuinely higher caliber than expected.

Right from the first episode, this anime hooked me with its vibrant energy and tight pacing, delivering an experience that felt fresh, even while playing on familiar tropes. Visually stunning, with crisp, fluid animation and vibrant color schemes. Action scenes are choreographed with precision, while emotional scenes are rendered with a soft touch that enhances the emotional stakes.

It's world building is phenomenal. One of a kind anime. The show excels in action and spectacle but struggles to deliver emotionally impactful moments. The stakes within the game are high, but the emotional stakes in the real world feel somewhat superficial. The connection between the characters' in-game and real-world experiences could be explored more deeply to make their struggles feel more grounded and relatable.

Wasting time watching a new series just to find out it's terrible is the worst, so when Shangri-La Frontier popped up as an option I very nearly skipped it. No one talks about this show. There's no buzz or hype that I've seen whatsoever, and given how much mediocre anime there is out there at a glance this seemed more of the same. It isn't. It's actually quite good. I'd go so far as to say it's the best 'full-dive' online game anime I've ever seen, easily on par / surpassing bigger titles such as Log Horizon, Overlord, SAO, and Accel World.

The creators are obviously mmo gamers themselves. You can see this in showcased mechanics, message board behavior from the community, or hilarious moments set-up for maximum, social awkwardness. While you don't need to be a gamer to enjoy it (they provide charming, pop-up explanations for the uninitiated), it's made for people who are. Story itself is well told. Pacing in particular. A surprising amount of attention given to specific events makes you excited for what comes next. They could have cut out entire episodes for the sake of time or additional work involved but didn't. It's deliberate considering the context, and far better for it. Clearly there's real vision for the overall story being told and no shortcuts are being taken here.

SLF isn't an isekai. There are no life-threatening stakes involved, no one is trapped, and there are zero irl concerns worth mentioning of any kind. This is also a comedy first and foremost. It's deliberately dumb at certain points, and funny in the best way. SLF knows exactly what it is and pulls it off perfectly.

I really enjoyed this show. If any of the above sounds appealing, you will, too.

"Listen, do you want to know the truth about this world?"

Shangri-La Frontier is a very entertaining anime. In terms of entertainment alone, this would be my pick of the season. It's about a very imaginative, grand and subtly mysterious video game. It's the kind of video game that you'll love to play yourself, because it's just that cool.

There's a lot to like about SLF. First of all, let's get to our protagonist - Sunraku. I thought he was a great protagonist and he was somewhat inspiring and I'll tell you why. He sets very high standards for himself. He never shied away from a challenge. He wouldn't forgive himself if he did.

Next, we have world-building. And that's one of the main reasons why SLF is so entertaining. The world of this game is vast and full of surprises, which is perfect for an entertaining story. I loved seeing Sunraku figure this game out as an experienced gamer. The side characters are also very likeable. Pencilgon and Emul in particular were my favourites. There was also that little mystery about how good the AI of the game is because you could hardly distinguish an NPC from a player if you compared their behaviour. There were many of these little mysteries surrounding this game and I'd love to see where this story goes.

The one thing about this anime that surprised everyone, was the technical aspect. Studio C2C has made okay-ish animes before. But SLF right here is their big break. The animation might not be consistent, but it's absolutely brilliant in the important scenes. And I think that's perfectly fine. The Wethermon fight scene was jaw-dropping in terms of visuals. The soundtrack too was very entertaining throughout the anime.

Overall I had a lot of fun with SLF and I can't wait for season 2!!!! I can't believe we'll get about 50 episodes in just 1.5 years. Thank you C2C! I'd definitely recommend watching this anime if you haven't.