All The Announcements from Anime NYC 2024

Shangri-La Frontier Season 2 Premiere Dives Right Into the Action

ANN's coverage of Anime NYC 2024 sponsored by Yen Press and Ize Press!

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As the original creator Katarina, manga artist Ryōsuke Fuji, and the anime producer Hiroyuki Aoi made their way to Anime NYC, we were blessed with another glimpse into the godlike game Shangri-La Frontier. While it is a hit series with many fans and a strong contender for some of the best action sequences of 2023, I'm worried the show's rather drawn-out pacing would be a prevailing element in season two. While it is too early to tell on that front, I'm happy to report Shangri-La Frontier's's second season premiere highlights the elements that earned its popularity in the first place.

When last we left off, Sunraku and his fellow players took down one of the most powerful bosses in the game, triggering story events that threatened to upheave the game's entire planned narrative structure. This was such a huge problem that even the game developers didn't know what to do about it, but Sunraku seemed oblivious to the changes around him. Instead, he wants to learn more about the world, and the boss-bunny Vysache has offered to do so as long as he brings him some materials. Coincidentally, this is also the material that Sunraku needs to power up the rare items acquired from the aforementioned boss. They're gathering materials to kill two birds with one stone. 

This isn't a major step forward from the season one finale, and there isn't a lot of fanfare present. Instead of treating this episode like a premiere, it's framed like season one's twenty-sixth episode. There are minimal flashbacks to catch new viewers up to speed with the plot, and then, next thing you know, we're in a new wacky location fighting a distinct enemy. Watching the characters bounce off each other like usual while fighting an enemy that spawns a bunch of smaller golems that explode on impact was fun. Sunraku coordinates so well with Bilac, as her hammer skills and breakdown of the situation were fun to observe. Also, apparently, Aramis can casually dish out dragon-slaying moves with ease, so that's something to keep in mind!

The explosion effects and choreography are still top-notch. Katarina mentioned that Monster Hunter and other hack-and-slash games were his favorite growing up, and it shows in Sunraku's fighting style. It's impressive that studio C2C doesn't skimp on fights even when the altercation doesn't progress the narrative. Sometimes, the show can be boiled down to Sunraku running into a unique scenario and trying to figure out a new way to take it down. Still, there is a certain satisfaction akin to watching a streamer figure out how to take down a demanding boss. I just hope there's less grinding this time. 

My only concern with the premiere right out the gate is that it extensively sidelines the major hook of season one's finale. For those who remember, one of the final shots of season one was Sunraku interacting with a lore keeper player who wishes to discover more secrets about the world. It was a solid narrative hook and a strong comedic one because this magical-girl-looking character has a deep and professional-sounding voice. While that joke is brought back here, and that plot point isn't ignored, it is handled in two minutes via a flashback as Sunraku passes the buck off to Arthur. It felt a bit clunky because the episode ended with Arthur and Oikatzo showing up and threatening to take out Sunraku. What's funny is that I can't tell if this was done for comedic effect or if the two are genuinely serious, considering the type of dynamic these three share. Overall, it is a solid first episode that doesn't alleviate all my concerns but still progresses the plot forward.