About twice a year a new batch of seasonal anime is dumped into anime fans’ recommendations, and it can be hard to sort the good from the bad. “Shangri-la Frontier” joined the ranks in the fall 2023 season and quickly surpassed my expectations. With a tendency to break common tropes and a world that feels new and creative, “Shangri-la Frontier” hits the top of my list for the season.

The story follows Sunraku, a video game player, while he plays “Shangri-la Frontier” an immersive fantasy virtual reality (VR) game. The show does an amazing job of capturing the experience of playing video games, and I think anyone who has dived into a multiplayer game with friends would find it very relatable. 

The general concept of the show is very similar to “Sword Art Online,” with high tech and immersive VR placing players into a fantasy world, but I think “Shangri-la Frontier” succeeds in a lot of places where “Sword Art Online” fell short. 

The influence of “Sword Art Online” is evident from the start of the show. “Shangri-la Frontier” excels in developing an interesting cast of characters, which “Sword Art Online” could not pull off in my opinion, and it becomes the most interesting part of the show. I think a reason the cast feels so strong is that every few episodes they will hop into a game other than “Shangri-la Frontier.” The different games make the cast feel like a real group of friends with a history of playing games together. I could not help but see aspects of my own friend group when we play games.

Another thing I feel the show succeeds with is finding a balance between making the world feel like a real fantasy world, while still making it feel like a video game. While video game tropes and references are placed throughout the show, it manages to keep the feeling of a real fantasy setting. Sunraku often approached the common video game elements by analyzing them through the lens of an avid gamer, and yet he dropped his guard in world building moments and took in the depth of the game’s world. It feels like he got caught up in the big moments and it became easy for me to do the same.

To put a cherry on top, the animation of the show is very good. While it cannot compete with shows like “Demon Slayer” or nearly anything made by MAPPA Co. LTD., there were more than a few moments that had me impressed by the visuals.

My only complaint with the show is that by using a video game as the main setting, the stakes feel lower than if it was a real fantasy world. The important boss battle at the end of the season does not feel as impactful when you realize that if they fail, they can just retry later. Although, with the lower stakes it becomes a more relaxing show, so I also view it as a good thing in some ways.

Overall, “Shangri-la Frontier” was a very fun watch, and it is a great show to watch on nights that you want to turn off your brain and get cozy. The season will have its last few episodes in the coming weeks, so it is a great time to dive in.

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