Unveiling the Intricate Bond Between Anime and Videogames: Crunchyroll's Hottest Release Redefines the Connection

Shangri La Frontier's first episode, available on Crunchyroll, delivers a captivating and visually stunning experience. However, it falls into the trap of replicating the common mistakes seen in anime based on video games. Despite its understanding of player interaction, the focus on the protagonist's "specialness" feels unnecessary and predictable within the low-stakes MMO setting.

Rakuro "Sunraku" Hizutome embodies the traits of a gamer, there's no denying that. Yet, his repetitive and mundane actions often come across as self-indulgent, succumbing to the tired conventions of an overpowered fantasy hero. It's unfortunate because Shangri La Frontier has moments of lightheartedness and beautifully animated action sequences that deserve recognition.

Shangri La Frontier Didn't Need a Power Fantasy

Nowadays, many protagonists in anime heavily rely on a unique characteristic, sometimes leading to their exclusion, which eventually becomes their dominant power by the end of the story. In the case of Hizutome, his seemingly mundane hobby of playing low-quality games is presented by the creators in a comical way, trying to convince fans that it is a special talent. However, in Shangri La Frontier, this hobby is portrayed as an extraordinary strategy, which only the protagonist, known as the "Trash Game King," could have conceived, embodied by an avatar wearing minimal clothing and a bird mask.

Unfortunately, in 2023, this is all quite ordinary in the gaming community to the point of being cliché. Gamers who immerse themselves in "trash games" often live stream their exploits, and dressing in unconventional outfits, or sometimes none at all, is merely a method to challenge themselves or cause havoc, risking a one-hit death from a boss. Even Sunraku's supposed "genius" move of allocating all his skill points to Luck is not groundbreaking in any sense. However, because Shangri La makes such a sincere effort to portray its protagonist as an unparalleled prodigy, it only makes his abilities appear artificial.

Shangri La Frontier becomes genuinely entertaining when it delves into the world of gaming. It's amusing when it pokes fun at common frustrations, such as useless AI-controlled characters or skipping introductory cutscenes, because it reflects the reality of gaming. Although the protagonist's misadventures touch upon these aspects briefly, the game primarily focuses on glorifying him rather than exploring the broader scope of video gaming. While Shangri La Frontier garnered attention for showcasing relatable gamer habits, if the anime continues to applaud the hero for behaving like a typical player, it won't ultimately raise the bar in other aspects beyond animation quality.