Fans Are Confused: Why Shangri-La Frontier Rankings Are So Low

Summary

• Lack of SLF in Top 10 anime of the previous week is unfortunate for many fans.
• SLF can’t compete with JJK, The Apothecary Diaries and Frieren.
• SLF has very good animation, but lacks a good plot.
• You’ll like SLF if you like SAO or Konosuba.

Here is a short retelling of the plot for those unfamiliar with Shangri-La Frontier. The protagonist is a top player who is fond of mediocre little-known VR games. But one day he decides to challenge a super-popular game with 30 million active users called Shangri-La Frontier. Looks like another SAO? What’s so special about it?

Why Shangri-La Frontier is a Good Anime?

Fans say they love the plot. It is light in a good way: a guy who is a professional at terrible games basically doing a naked, heavily handicapped Dark Souls run. But instead of DS, it is the world’s most popular and beloved VRMMO.

Very good animation, though. It is fun to watch, especially when it comes to the main character’s adventures inside the video game world. It does have moments in the outside world as well, so it gives the plot time to breathe once in a while. You can think of it as SAO but more lighthearted. Or maybe SAO x Konosuba. If you like that, you'll love SLF. They say it's the best anime about games in terms of being true to the game. If you’re tired of action and hard thinking, such a light plot is recommended to be saved for a binge.

Fans recommend reading the manga – it's better (ah, as always) and doesn't feel stretched.

Why Are Ratings of Shangri-La Frontier So Low?

The absence of Shangri-la Frontier in Top 10 anime of the previous week is unfortunate for many fans. Let’s find out why. To begin with, here’s a Top 3 titles:

1. Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
2. The Apothecary Diaries
3. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2

First, Frieren: Beyond Journey's End. It looks like everyone who watches it, finds it fantastic. It’s not a secret why: Frieren has a significant budget and makes people cry (much like Violet Evergarden) over the stories it shows us. And if fans feel emotions, they rate anime high.

Next, The Apothecary Diaries is a big bang of a debut. There’s Maomao supremacy – she has cute freckles, she can cook, she is smart, she can drug you, etc. An ideal waifu. On the other hand there’s Jinshi – a young handsome eunuch whose looks blow girls’ minds. But wait, there’s also a plot – Ancient China attracts and beckons the hearts of the audience, making them laugh, wonder and marvel at the antics of the main characters.

Finally, JJK has much more due to the amazing animated fight with Choso and Yuji in the last episode. Handsome men make fangirls watch the show over and over again (MAPPA’s scenes with Gojo and Nanami last week have conquered TikTok already, Choso is the next).

These are honorable candidates to be on top. Similar reviews have the other anime in Top 10. But there's no place for SLF. Why is that?

SLF probably is a pure shounen game anime, not a thriller. It seems like there isn’t much bad conflict that needs something to be at stake that probably Western audiences like. They doubt the characters are really going to grow. SLF seems to be a show with very high appeal to a decent sized but not huge audience. In other words, if you like blood, gore, betrayal, revenge, and all edgy things, SLF is not for you. That's why only people who like great fights and adventures will find this fun. Maybe it’s your turn to taste it on your own?