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Shangri-La Frontier isn’t quite an isekai, but that hasn’t stopped Sunraku’s story from becoming a major hit in the anime industry. Rather than seeing its star transported to a “real” magical world, the anime adaptation instead sees Rakuro Hizutome slapping on a virtual reality helmet to take part in an MMORPG. While the stakes might be far from world-ending, this hasn’t stopped the television series from hitting major heights as it prepares to return for a third season. In a wild new trailer, new characters have been introduced to this digital-based anime, one of which just so happens to hold an appearance close to an Absolute Batman antagonist.
In a new trailer for Shangri-La Frontier season three, which will begin airing in January of next year, entirely new characters are featured while our familiar, bird-head-wearing virtual adventurer is nowhere to be found. Not only have these figures not appeared in the anime adaptation so far, but this appears to be an entirely new video game that exists outside of the major virtual experience that Sunraku has experienced. One of the ways that Rakuro has become such a legendary gamer is by grinding his way through terrible games, making him a powerhouse in Shangri-La Frontier proper. You can check out the new trailer for the anime’s comeback in 2027 below.
Why Watch Shangri-La Frontier?
For those who haven’t watched Shangri-La Frontier, the first two seasons from Studio C2C took the novel series that began in 2017 and solidly translated the events to the screen. Created by writer Katanina, the series manages to perfectly mix comedy and action as Sunraku navigates his way through the new digital landscape. Thanks to his past experiences with far worse games, the star has become something of a legend in the digital environment, performing feats that no other gamers have done so far. Forming a legendary guild with two of his fellow players, there’s something infectious about Rakuro’s tale even without the universe hanging in the balance.
What the anime adaptation does so well is blend the fantastical elements with video game characteristics across the board. If you are a fan of games like From Software’s Dark Souls and Bloodborne, Sunraku is a player who would seem quite adept at living through those dark, enigmatic locales. Despite the world never being in danger, Shangri-La Frontier has found ways to create compelling and action-packed battles that stand toe-to-toe with other big anime of the day. With the original novel and manga still releasing new installments to this day, we might be in store for far more anime seasons in the future for Sunraku and his fellow digital adventurers.
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