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© Karina, Ryosuke Fuji, Kodansha/”Shangri-La Frontier” Production Committee/MBS
as original author Catalinacartoonist Fuji Ryosukeand animators Hiroyuki Aoi Go to anime new yorkwe are lucky to have another look at this god-like game Shangri-La border. While it’s a popular series with a lot of fans and a strong contender for best action movie of 2023, I worry that the show’s rather sluggish pacing will become a major element of season two. While it’s too early to talk about this aspect, I’m happy to report Shangri-La borderofThe Season 2 premiere highlights the elements that earned it popularity in the first place.
When we finally ended, Sunraku and his fellow players had taken down one of the most powerful bosses in the game, setting off story events that threatened the game’s entire planned narrative structure. It’s a huge problem that even game developers don’t know what to do about, but Sunraku seems oblivious to the changes around it. Instead, he wants to learn more about the world, and the boss, Visage Rabbit, offers to do so as long as he brings him some materials. Coincidentally, this is also the material Sunraku needs to enhance the rare items obtained from the aforementioned bosses. They are gathering materials that kill two birds with one stone.
It’s not a huge improvement over the Season 1 finale, and it didn’t come with much fanfare. This episode doesn’t feel like a premiere, but feels like the twenty-sixth episode of the first season. There are minimal flashbacks to introduce new viewers to the plot, and then, the next thing you know, we’re fighting a unique enemy in a new wacky location. It’s fun to watch the characters bounce off each other as usual while fighting enemies that spawn a bunch of smaller golems that explode on impact. Sunraku works really well with Bilac because her hammer skills and analysis of the situation are interesting. Also, Aramis can apparently pull off dragon-slaying moves with ease, so that’s worth remembering!
The explosion effects and choreography are still top notch. Catalina mentioned monster hunter and other hack-and-slash games were his favorites growing up, and this is reflected in Sunraku’s fighting style. That studio is impressive. C2C He doesn’t skimp on fights even if they don’t advance the narrative. Sometimes, the show can come down to Sunraku encountering a unique scenario and trying to find a new way to solve it. Still, there’s a certain satisfaction, like watching a streamer figure out how to take down a demanding boss. I just hope it will be less of a hardship this time.
My only concern with the premiere is that it broadly excludes the main highlight of the season one finale. For those who remember, the final shot of Season 1 was Sunraku interacting with a keeper player hoping to discover more of the world’s secrets. It’s a solid narrative hook and a strong comedic element, as the magical girl-looking character has a deep, professional voice. While that joke is brought back here, and that plot point isn’t ignored, it’s dealt with in two minutes via flashback when Sunraku puts the blame on Arthur. It feels a little clunky because the episode ends with Arthur and Oikazo showing up and threatening to take out Sunraku. Interestingly, given the type of dynamic these three share, I can’t tell if this is for comedic effect or if the two are truly serious. Overall, this was a solid first episode that didn’t alleviate all my concerns but still moved the plot forward.
