Shangri-La Frontieris an exciting anime series starring Sunraku as he looks to play his first ever ‘good game’ in the titular Shangri-La Frontier. He’s an experienced, near-expert-level gamer who only plays the worst games he can find. When he finally wants to try something new, he heads into the world of Shangri-La Frontier anduses his trash-gamer skills to dominate the worldquicker than most. It’s a fun, light-hearted series with no real consequences, as everything is just a game.
Thanks to his friends Oikatzo and Arthur Pencilgon, Sunraku is able to fight some of the strongest enemies in the series early, earning him unwanted fame and attention. To be a good show likeShangri-La Frontier,a series doesn’t necessarily have to be set in a VRMMO, but it doesn’t hurt. The most defining traits that makeShangri-La Frontier so good are its amazing fights,intriguing in-game world, and fun moments between Sunraku, his friends, and the world around them.
Solo Leveling
Cast
Solo Leveling follows Sung Jin-woo, the world’s weakest hunter, who gains extraordinary powers through a mysterious program after surviving a brutal monster attack. As he navigates his newfound abilities, Jinwoo embarks on a quest to uncover the secrets of his powers and the dungeon that altered his fate.
Solo Levelingisn’t a series within a game, but main characterSung Jinwoo is chosen by the mysterious system, turning the world around him into a game. He’s given quests, daily rewards, and keys to access dungeons to make himself stronger.Solo Levelingis at its best when Jinwoo has his back against a wall and is fighting some of thestrongest characters inSolo Leveling. He quickly becomes one of the most powerful characters around, taking out people ranked much higher than him early in the show.
Solo LevelingandShangri-La Frontierare at their most similar in their fights.Both Sunraku and Jinwoo prefer to fight up close and personal, using small blades as their main weapons. They’re both fast, strong, and exciting to watch every time they’re in battle. While Sunraku’s series is much lighter than Jinwoo’s, their fights are what unite them.
Animated By 3Hz, Based on the Light Novel Written By Keiichi Sigsawa and Illustrated By Kouhaku Kuroboshi
Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online
‘Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online’ follows university student Karen Kohiruimaki, who escapes her height insecurities by embodying a short, formidable avatar named LLENN in the virtual world Gun Gale Online. As she navigates this alternate reality, she contends with fellow players and experiences intense battle royale competitions.
Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Onlineis thefirst-person shooter version of the popularSword Art Onlineseries. It’s set in the same universe and trades the main series' swords for guns. Karen Kohiruimaki is the star ofGGO.She’s a self-conscious college student who likes to play Gun Gale Online because she can control her character’s height, creating a short and cute avatar she likes to represent herself as.
Shangri-La FrontierandGGOare two solid VRMMO anime series. If a player dies in Gun Gale Online, like Shangri-La Frontier, they don’t actually die in real life. They may lose a bit of progress or money, but they get to log out at the end of the day. The two series have a lot more in common than just their premise, as they both feature stellar action sequences, two strong-willed characters, anda very interesting world ready to be explored.
Tower of God
Tower of God is an anime series based on the South Korean webtoon by SIU. It follows a young boy named Bam who embarks on a perilous journey to ascend a mysterious tower, where each floor presents unique challenges and tests. The tower promises to grant the deepest desires of those who reach its top. Along the way, Bam forms alliances and confronts adversaries while uncovering hidden truths about himself and the tower.
Tower of GodandShangri-La Frontierboth featureexpansive worlds that only seem to get bigger as time passes. The more Bam and Sunraku uncover about the Tower and Shangri-La Frontier itself, the more questions they have. Bam and Sunraku don’t share many traits in common. At the start ofTower of God,Bam is a quiet kid who doesn’t want to hurt anyone. After joining FUG, he becomes a lethal Slayer Candidate, willing to do whatever it takes to protect his friends.
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WhileToGis much more serious thanShangri-La Frontier,both feature exciting fights and captivating power systems. They’re both set in mysterious worlds that give the main character an interesting space to explore. With the help of their friends, both Sunraku and Bam are able to face the most intimidating foes in their respective series without backing down.
Overlord
Overlord follows a salaryman who, after being trapped in a virtual reality game, assumes the role of an all-powerful skeletal overlord. As he navigates this new world filled with magic and mythical creatures, he seeks to understand the game’s mysteries and conquer its challenges. The series blends elements of fantasy and adventure, exploring themes of power and identity.
Overlordis another series set in a DMMO-RPG game. Ainz Ooal Gown, the main character ofOverlord,finds himself trapped in the game of Yggrdasil one day, unable to log out. Instead of panicking, he resolves himself to uncover the secrets of the new world he’s in by dominating it. He becomes the titular Overlord of the Great Tomb of Nazarick and looks to subjugate his enemies through fear and power.It’s a dark series with humorous moments throughout.
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WhileShangri-La FrontierandOverlordhave a few key, thematic differences,they both tell a story of a young man having fun playing a video game.Ainz and Sunraku are also both very powerful, smart, and strategic, using their abilities effectively against a range of enemies. Both of their worlds are filled with interesting enemies and enough mystery to keep both main characters on the lookout for what’s next.
Log Horizonis another series set in a video game. Like the genre’s juggernaut,Sword Art Online,the players inLog Horizonaren’t allowed to log out of their game. Protagonist Shiroe decides to unite his friends under the titular Log Horizon banner to better understand their new world and to make it more livable for the players in it. LikeShangri-La Frontier,the entirety ofLog Horizontakes place inside a video game,filled with new races, new enemies, and even more places to discover.
It’s a much morethought-provoking isekai anime seriesthanShangri-La FrontierasLog Horizonhas more repercussions than the light-hearted series.Log HorizonandShangri-La Frontierboth featurea litany of traditional video game elements, like a class system, leveling up, and NPCs that can either help the main character or stand in their way.
KonoSubais the funniest isekai series around. It stars Kazuma Satou,a smart isekai protagonistwho uses his intelligence to get out of any and all responsibilities. BothShangri-La FrontierandKonoSubaare some of the lightest shows around. There are no real problems in either series and that’s what gives them both such great appeal. The writing in both series is superb too, allowing characters to develop fun,genuine relationships with each other through biting quips and backhanded compliments.
WhileShangri-La Frontieris more centered on action thanKonoSuba,that doesn’t mean the isekai series is a stranger to good fights. Darkness’s ability to tank damage, Aqua’s divine powers of protection, and Megumin’s insane Explosion magic make them a powerful squad that has taken down several of the Demon King’s strongest generals. For fans who just want to laugh,there aren’t many better series thanKonoSuba.
Hell’s Paradiseisa heart-pounding action series with great fights.Main character Gabimaru is sentenced to death after a failed assassination mission, but the Shogunate will give him a chance at redemption if he finds the mysterious Elixir of Life on the dangerous island of Shinsekyo. He’s partnered with his own executioner, Yamada Asaemon Sagiri, and the pair venture into the mysterious land looking for the elixir.
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BothHell’s ParadiseandShangri-La Frontierare setin expansive worlds with more questions than answers.They also both feature great close-combat fights that each animation studio brings to life well. Thematically,Shangri-La Frontieris a much lighter show because there are no real consequences for the characters involved, but that doesn’t make their fights any less thrilling. Gabimaru is learning to work with others to uncover the secrets of the island he’s on and, one day, escapes back to his wife.
Sword Art Onlineisthe father of modern-day VRMMORPG anime.Main character Kirito finds himself, along with 9,999 other players, trapped in the world of Sword Art Online. They’re connected to the game through a new technology called NerveGear, and if they die in the game, they’ll die in real life as well. It’s a fairly different situation from Sunraku and his friends as they can leave whenever they want. While the seriousness between the two shows is slightly different, the worlds each character is in are fairly similar.
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Both Kirito and Sunraku find themselves in a vibrant video game world filled with interesting characters and plenty of areas to explore. With the help of their incredibly powerful friends, they’re able to get past the strongest of enemies andlevel up to become even stronger themselves.
Shadow fromThe Eminence in Shadowmight as well be a video game character.He was transported to his new world with some of the most devastating abilities in anime, as he’s able to defeat everyone in the series without breaking a sweat. While Sunraku needs to put in a lot more effort to defeat his enemies, they’re both strong enough to handle almost everyone that comes their way. They’re also two anime characters that enjoy battle more than most, heading into the toughest situations with a smile on their faces.
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While Shadow and Sunraku are both relatively independent, they do rely on their friends from time to time to help them get the job done. They’re also both trying to figure out more about the world they find themselves in, andare often at the center of most of their respective series' plot points.
Bofuriis an adorable series that follows Kaede Honjo as she discovers the world of NewWorld Online, a VRMMORPG. In the game, Kaede goes byMaple and is one of the strongest characters in the series.Unlike Sunraku, Maple isn’t used to playing online video games like NewWorld Online so she puts all of her stats in defense, hoping to never get hurt. Her hope is very much fulfilled as she has become a tank that can’t take damage from nearly any source.
BothBofuriandShangri-La Frontierfeature strong characters in near isekai settings. While Sunraku is a much more experienced gamer than Maple,they both have a ton of fun while playing with their friends.Their stories both detail their adventures in their new world, discovering the inner workings of the game worlds they find themselves in.
