Shangri-La Frontier - Episode 15

Finally, it feels like the action that's been promised for a month and a half is within reach. After the raid on the Player-Killer guild was set up in the last episode, I was under the impression that it would take much longer for us to get to this point. Thankfully, however, that situation was compressed and resolved by other characters while our main crew made their way to the beast's lair.

The build-up of tension was perfectly aligned with the whole affair: Emul holding back to avoid injury, the crew replenishing their stock of items, and searching for the best approach to defeat a being that's never been beaten before. It's like watching real people come together to prepare for an epic raid boss – I keep comparing it to Elden Ring because the parallels are striking.

Preparation for the Epic Battle

The music, animation, and action choreography were compelling in every way. We haven't experienced such a truly exciting fight with a balanced back-and-forth since the early episodes of the season. While the animation never left anything to be desired, the direction and storyboarding of the first phase of the fight at the end of the episode impressively highlighted the sheer scale of the clash. Since this boss keeps their level constantly at fifty, this situation cannot be overcome with brute force.

Our heroes will have to use their skills, speed, and keen eye to ultimately gain the upper hand. I especially liked the moment when Katzo stood observing and quietly muttered to himself while taking in all the details of the boss fight.

Unknowns in the Final Boss Fight

I expected all three main characters to rush the boss with a well-coordinated attack; instead, they plan to run down the clock until the boss either exhausts all of its abilities or some arbitrary, unknown timer expires.

I wouldn't be surprised if this fight drags on for several episodes, but as long as the series maintains its quality, I'm looking forward to what will be revealed when the fight is finally over.