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Shangri-La Frontier is an incredible watch. While I constantly sing praises for this anime, at the same time, it is kinda difficult to classify this anime. It isn't exactly an isekai, considering that nobody actually gets trapped in an MMORPG. It is not a shounen anime, considering that… well there are literally no stakes. The protagonist is NOT trapped in another world. The world is NOT ending. Nobody is sick and nobody is putting lives at stake. There is literally a gamer playing games. It is kinda like a slice-of-life anime in the sense that it has the same vibe as watching a streamer playing games, diving into lore and exploiting bugs, but at the same time the incredible action sequences make it feel like an action anime. At the same time, it has great characterization and all the people present feel like real living humans. Insane comedy too, it is fun to see the Wolfgang trio goof about.
At the same time, it offers a lot of things that only games can offer: mindblowing unique boss fights, boring ass ore and XP farming, insane lore and easter eggs, and high stakes inter clan politics (an even more interesting version of this is unfolding right now in the manga). The NPCs (go Emul!!! go Vysache!!!) are very fleshed out and are fun to watch. trying to avoid strong spoilers lol
bunny
One thing the SLF does justice to is the combat, where it actually feels like a nigh impossible Souls style boss fight. I have seen my friends argue that they are needlessly long, but really, it really solidifies on why nobody has ever beaten the seven colossi before. Bosses are also well designed, and the freedom in the game is featured very well: players with different playstyles and builds have distinctively different styles of combat, and so the action scenes never get boring. The best part is the action sequences aren't just spamming overpowered skills and techniques, but feature actual strategies and improvs, something that is often missing in the similar animes following SAO's footsteps. Every boss has a gimmick, and watching them try and figure out is excellent.
doggo
Another thing that attracts me is that SLF also often shows other games, and how they influence the protagonist. Sunraku takes a lot of inspiration from these games, which is always interesting to see in a game like SLF where you are given a lot of freedom. Also they show the dev's lines of thought too, which fleshes out the world.
Overall, 10/10 watch for me. If you like playing games or seeing content creators like RadBrad who do playthroughs, you will probably like this. It feels very similar to watching a streamer.
Alright, I will end it here.
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I am Harnesser Of Chaos.
Flying To The Highest Peaks Of Heaven
Diving To The Lowest Abyss Of Hell
The Two-Faced Heavenly Devil
Stretching Out Their Arms To Reach The Farthest Point
O Great Enemy Blocking My High Road
No One May Tread Upon This Mighty Path Before I
Only I Am Need
Thus, My Strike Shall Crush All In My Way.
I Am Satanael Of The Heavens.
And The Satan Of Hell.
Two Face, To Bring One Chaos.
I Proclaim The Beginning Of The End
̷͕̖̉̓͛̍͐̒͝-̷̙̙̲̋́̊-̶͙͆ͅA̵̰̝̣̘̥̦̓͊̈́̑͝R̸̜̥͎͔̯̓͛̎́M̷̢̳͕̖̯̰̞͈̀̒̎̀̐̀͝͠A̴͔͔̠̺̓̎͌̀̈́̚͝G̶̠̘̬̲̙̈́̀̎̌̄E̶̢̘̞̯͒͌̽̏͆̂̎̊̚D̴̻͙̯̘͙̈́̉̈́̉͊͘̕̚͜͜͝D̶͓͙͉̖͕̦̣̎̀̑̍̈́ͅO̷̧̭͈͈̦͈͉͖͎̒̀̿̂̑̄͊̾͠N̸̛͙̲͍͓͍̺̰̠̑̀̋̃̀͠ͅ-̸̛̛̼͖͌̀͊̀͆̽ͅ-̵̨̨̝̥͎́͊̈́͑͐͆̍̚͜͝ͅ
̵̛̛̰̦̹̱͘͜
better than kamehameha
i am rooting for you Rei good luck