Shangri-La Frontier - Episodes 1-3

I never thought an anime about a half-naked guy running around in an open-world action RPG wearing a blue bird mask would resonate with me so much. Sometimes you just want to enjoy an incredibly fast-paced, well-animated ride, and that’s exactly what Shangri-La Frontier seems to be. First of all, this series is gorgeous.

It All Feels a Bit Like Sword Art Online

The thick character outlines and bright, high-contrast colors make everything pop. The game interface feels like a more polished version of what people loved about Sword Art Online over a decade ago. Damn, has it really been over a decade? And the action choreography is a step above what I’ve come to expect from similar series.

All of this is wrapped around a story that, at this point, arguably doesn't have much going on. But to be honest, it's kind of like a breath of fresh air compared to what we've been getting from video game-centric anime over the past decade.

Hardcore Gamer Sunraku

I wouldn’t describe myself as a hardcore gamer, but I do play a pretty solid mix of AAA modern games and retro titles. This year I started collecting retro games and rediscovered a lot of older, glitchy titles. Games that are technically outdated but still have their charm.

These experiences have helped me relate to what I believe our protagonist, Sunraku, is trying to do. He's a gamer who likes challenges.

He likes diving into a game that is vehemently against him, from the game mechanics to the story progression, and overcoming those struggles. Like he's constantly trying to live out his own underdog story.

So, what happens when you put a person who's used to playing broken games into an actually well-balanced video game? What you get is a pretty unique explanation for why our main character is special and different from the 30 million other players logged into this game.

But that's not even the best part of the series. What I really like about Shangri-La Frontier is that there aren't really any high stakes. We're just watching a hyperfixated dude play through a well-crafted game.

He's died, he's over-estimated himself, and he's found himself in very relatable gaming situations. But there's no overarching threat to the world or his well-being.

Any consequences that happen in the game are consequences that would happen in any other game. I realize that might sound boring, but to me, it's very refreshing and relatable.

"Intelligent" AIs

The idea of scouring the woods for rare items or experience points before you even reach the first town? Encountering a mythical creature that you've only heard about or speculated about online. And living to tell the tale?

Given the explosive rise in popularity of games like Elden Ring or Baldur's Gate 3, I feel like this is exactly the right anime for gamers. Because these are all very relatable scenarios.

Admittedly, there are some foreshadowing elements of a potentially larger thing going on in the background.

A lot of attention is drawn to the fact that the NPCs seem much more sophisticated than standard AI. And we do get some glimpses of the company that produces the game.

Conclusion

It could be that we end up going the normal route, but for now, I just want to appreciate the series for what it is. It's fun, it's silly, it's relatable, and it goes harder than it really needs to. But it has earned my respect, at least after just three episodes.