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“Shangri-La Frontier” has cemented itself as one of the most entertaining isekai series currently available, particularly because its deep connection to video games and gamer culture is arguably more intense than any other title in the genre. Season 2 continues along the same trajectory as the first, though it introduces a more intricate narrative structure and branches away from the central storyline even more often than the first season.

on Crunchyroll

by clicking on the image below

Rakuro, the protagonist, is still focused on defeating Lycagon and removing the curse mark she inflicted on him, which prevents him from wearing armor and leaves him traversing the Shangri-La world half-naked. To lift the curse, he must explore new cities, complete numerous sub and main quests, and form alliances to face epic enemies.

Though the setup may seem generic at first glance, the narrative quickly proves to be more layered.

Alright, serious talk. Every time folks argue over the best isekai, the typical names always come out: Shangri-La Frontier, Mushoku Tensei, and so on. Yeah, yeah, we get it. Epic worlds, deep characters, virtual games, magical rebirths, trauma arcs, all that jazz.

But while everyone’s all about praising those super strong heroes and intense drama, there’s this little gem just chilling in the corner, serving its characters waffles and playfully threatening them with puppies. Let me introduce you to the real Mvp of the isekai (although it’s usually categorized as fantasy comedy) world: ‘Tis Time for “Torture,” Princess. Yes, that’s the actual title. And no, it’s not what you think.

‘Tis Time for “Torture,” Princess: Where ‘torture’ means breakfast and cute puppies

So, here’s the deal: a human kingdom warrior princess is taken prisoner by the demon army. Pretty heavy, right? Like, she’s...

This week on The Anime Effect: LeAlec, Leah and NIck are joined by WNBA player Diamond DeShields who shares how anime helped her heal after a spinal surgery almost permanently immobilized her, who she would draft for her own anime basketball team, and more! In our audio-exclusive episode, we fill you in on the latest news in the anime world, including Dan Da Dan ’s season 2 trailer featuring the new villain Evil Eye, the upcoming Neon Genesis Evangelion Concert U.S. tour, plus other headlines! Then we recommend our favorite anime that only needed one season to win our hearts. Episode 62 of The Anime Effect is now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and anywhere else you listen to your podcasts! If you're waiting to watch the video episode, it'll be live on Crunchyroll and YouTube at 7 p.m. Et. Listen or Watch on: News Featured in Episode 62 - Audio Only...

Whether it is anime or manga, I’m really into the isekai genre as those wild fantasy worlds hit different. It’s just some sort of a magical experience, immersing ourselves in the world of shows like Re: Zero or That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime.

That mix of normal-guy vibes and epic adventures just keeps me hooked till the very end. But the other day this realization hit me hard that every isekai that I love kinda follows two old-school stories. And by ‘old-school’, I mean C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia and Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.

These two books were written long before isekai was even a thing, essentially laying a foundation for all the world-hopping, magical stories we just can’t get over with.

The Chronicles of Narnia had those isekai kinda vibes

I remember both...

Solo Leveling and other popular anime titles will be available to stream for free this May, courtesy of Crunchyroll. This month-long free streaming promotion, along with additional specials and goodies, is part of the company's annual anime celebration in May, known as Ani-May.

Crunchyroll, the leading streaming platform for new and popular anime titles, celebrates all things anime every May for a month-long event known as Ani-May. This Ani-May 2025 will continue previous benefits, such as offering a new collection of popular anime series available to stream for free with ads, while introducing new and exclusive perks for casual viewers and subscribers. Additionally, new high-quality anime merchandise and home media releases will be released throughout May by Crunchyroll and its affiliated retail partners.

Solo Leveling, Demon Slayer, The Apothecary Diaries & More Will Stream for Free This May on Crunchyroll

Among the many extravagances being offered by Crunchyroll this Ani-May, the new selection of free,...

Hulu May 2025 Releases ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

With the month of May just around the corner, there’s a whole new slate of content waiting for you to watch and enjoy on Hulu. The streaming platform wrapped up the season finale of The Kardashians last month and is set for more releases including Vanderpump Villa and Mission Impossible movies.

Hulu May 2025: Everything On Release Schedule May 1 Alone Australia Season 1 The Chicano Squad Season 1 History’s Greatest Escapes with Morgan Freeman Season 2 Inmate to Roommate Season 2 James Brown: Say it Loud Season 1 Jeopardy! Masters Season 3 Mormon Mom Gone Wrong: The Ruby Franke Story Naruto Shippuden Season 9 Pawn Stars Season 22 Alienoid Alienoid 2 Anaconda Anaconda En Español Attack The Block Attack the Block En Español Austenland Austenland En Español Babylon A.D. Bad Teacher Bad Teacher En Español Basic Basic En Espanol Battle of the Year Battle Of The Year En Español The Childe Con...

One of the most beloved anime of the past few years was the adaptation of Shangri-La Frontier, which showed the potential of elements seen in the isekai genre. Now, nearly two years after it debuted, the first season of the anime is heading to another streaming home.

Shangri-La Frontier Season 1 is being added to Hulu in a matter of weeks, and this includes both of the expected dubbing formats. This news comes not too long after the second season finished its run, with said season possibly having a home on Hulu in the near future, as well. One of many anime coming to the streaming service in May, Shangri-La Frontier will soon be able to bolster its fan base through a more mainstream network.

Shangri-La Frontier Gets Hulu Streaming Release Date

The first season of Shangri-La Frontier will be added to Hulu on May 12, 2025, and fans will be able to...

A fresh batch of music videos is making its way to Crunchyroll today! The latest lineup of artists includes singers and bands behind theme songs for Shangri-La Frontier , Dr. Stone Science Future and more, See what's dropping today in the full list of music video releases below! =Love (including the I Got Married to the Girl I Hate Most in Class opening theme song ) Aimer (including the Ameku M.D.: Doctor Detective opening theme song ) Anonymouz feat. Riu Domura Breimen (including the Dr.Stone Science Future ending theme song ) Creepy Nuts Cvlte (including the Shangri-La Frontier Season 2 ending theme song ) Cvlte feat. Beauty School Dropout Ikusaburo Yamazaki Kjrgl milet Okamoto'S Ryokuoushoku Shakai sumika Takanori Nishikawa...

Following the release of Episode 50, closing out Season 2, fans are dying to know when Episode 51 of Shangri-La Frontier will be released.

Shangri-La Frontier is an anime series produced by studio C2C, adapted from the manga illustrated by Ryosuke Fuji.

The story centers on Rakuro Hizutome, a teen who thrives on playing broken, outdated video games—until he dives into the massively popular VR title Shangri-La Frontier, bringing his unconventional skills into a whole new world.

Read full article on The Direct.

Crunchyroll has officially announced the nominees for the ninth annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards, with global fan voting now open through April 14.

This year’s celebration features over 50 series and films from over 35 studios, alongside a star-studded lineup of presenters for the upcoming ceremony.

“The Crunchyroll Anime Awards are one of the most important times of year for fans because we hear directly from them on what anime they love and get to honor the creative community behind that love. Anime continues to deeply resonate emotionally with fans, and anime’s biggest night of the year is sure to invoke a lot of joy and pride amongst the anime community—fans and creators alike. This year’s nominees represent more than 50 series and films developed by more than 35 talented studios,” said Rahul Purini, President of Crunchyroll.

Check out the list of presenters below (more will be announced soon):

Finn Wolfhard—Canadian director,...

This week on The Anime Effect: LeAlec, Leah and Nick give a rundown of some of the nominees for the Anime Awards! They share their reactions, reveal the categories they wish existed, and more. You can see the full list of nominees right here on Crunchyroll News. In our audio-exclusive episode, we fill you in on the latest news in the anime world, including the MLB partnering to create an anime, Shangri-La Frontier getting another season and more! Episode 58 of The Anime Effect is now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and anywhere else you listen to your podcasts! If you're waiting to watch the video episode, it'll be live on Crunchyroll and YouTube at 7 p.m. Et. Vote For The 2025 Anime Awards Right Here Listen or Watch on: Episode 58 Summary In this week's news episode, Leah, Nick and LeAlec discuss some of the latest announcements from Nintendo, the MLB anime project , among other updates.

“My Hero Academia: You’re Next,” “The Apothecary Diaries” and “Mononoke The Movie: The Phantom in the Rain” are among the Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2025 nominees, while Finn Wolfhard and Rina Sawayama are among presenters set for the May ceremony.

Crunchyroll unveiled its nominees across 32 different categories, representing 50 series and films developed by over 35 studios. Nominees for anime of the year include “Dan Da Dan,” “Delicious in Dungeon,” “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End,” “Kaiju No. 8,” “Solo Leveling” and “The Apothecary Diaries” while film of the year includes “Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle,” “Look Back,” “Mononoke The Movie: The Phantom in the Rain,” “My Hero Academia: You’re Next,” “Spy x Family Code: White” and “The Colors Within.”

“The Crunchyroll Anime Awards are one of the most important times of year for fans because we hear directly from them on what anime they love and get to honor the creative community behind that love,” Crunchyroll...

We have the nominees for the ninth annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards. Dan Da Dan, Delicious in Dungeon, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, Kaiju No. 8, Solo Leveling and The Apothecary Diaries will vie for the marquee Anime of the Year prize, which will be handed out during a May 25 ceremony in Tokyo.

Fans can vote on the winners through April 14 on the Anime Awards website.

“The Crunchyroll Anime Awards are one of the most important times of year for fans because we hear directly from them on what anime they love and get to honor the creative community behind that love,” Crunchyroll President Rahul Purini said.

A number of presenters also were revealed today, including Stranger Things actors Finn Wolfhard and Gaten Matarazzo, along with Chocolate Planet (Shohei Osada and Shun Matsuo), Dean Fujioka, Kanata Hongo, Mayu Matsuoka, Saya Ichikawa, Ben Whittaker, Damiano David, Ironmouse, d4vd, Rina Sawayama, Chloe Kim,...

Dan Da Dan, the breakthrough sensation that became Netflix’s most-streamed anime of 2024, and the critically adored fantasy series Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End were among the top nominees for the 2025 Anime Awards, announced Thursday by Crunchyroll. Frieren led the way with 29 nods, while Dan Da Dan tallied 22 nominations. Those series will compete with Delicious in Dungeon, Kaiju No. 8, Solo Leveling, and The Apothecary Diaries for the top Anime of the Year prize.

Winners will be selected in part by a fan vote; fans can choose their favorites daily at Crunchyroll’s official Anime Awards site through April 14. This year’s Anime Awards will be live-streamed May 25 from Tokyo. Stranger Things stars Finn Wolfhard and Gaten Matarazzo, Japanese singer-actress Rina Sawayama, and Olympic snowboarder Chloe Kim will be among the presenters.

Here is the complete list of nominations for the 2025 Anime Awards.

Anime of the Year

Dan Da Dan Delicious...

The 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards are coming!

The streaming platform just announced the nominees and celebrity-fan presenters for the ninth annual ceremony.

The ceremony will honor the best in Japanese animation of the past year on Sunday, May 25 at the Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa in Tokyo, Japan. The event will be livestreamed for global audiences.

The Anime Awards live ceremony will be hosted by voice actress Sally Amaki and popular entertainer Jon Kabira.

“The Crunchyroll Anime Awards are one of the most important times of year for fans because we hear directly from them on what anime they love and get to honor the creative community behind that love,” said Rahul Purini, President of Crunchyroll.

“Anime continues to deeply resonate emotionally with fans, and anime’s biggest night of the year is sure to invoke a lot of joy and pride amongst the anime community—fans and creators alike. This...

The nominees for the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards have officially been revealed! Voting is now open for the highly anticipated 9th annual live event on May 25 in Tokyo, Japan. There was so much anime to love in 2024 and that’s apparent from the nominees in every category, including Anime of the Year and the latest additions to the Category list: Best Isekai Anime and Best Background Art . Related: Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2025: Your Ultimate Guide Check out the full list of nominations below and let us know across social media who you’re excited to vote for in this year’s Anime Awards! Don’t forget – you can vote every single day for the series, movies, and creators you love until voting closes on April 14 at 11:59:59 p.m. Pt. Vote For The 2025 Anime Awards Right Here Anime Awards 2025 Categories Anime of the Year Film of the Year Best Continuing...

In the last few years, the love for anime and gaming has risen and collided multiple times with projects like Castlevania, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, and Arcane. These series have offered a unique experience by utilizing a story from a video game and turning it into a beautifully animated portrayal with extra themes and twisting elements.

However, there are some anime series that offer a similar experience to that of a video gaming world that is different in all aspects. These series have also gained widespread fame and recognition that is growing at a next-level pace and will continue to do so for a long time. From character growth to strategic planning, everything feels like a part of the well-planned story that makes it more entertaining.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunnes Anime | Credit: Studio Trigger

Among many such series, there are 5 projects that are deemed the greatest by fans and are living up to the...

Season 2 of Shangri-La Frontier has just ended, and fans have been loving the series so far. Anime where protagonists end up in a game world is a dime a dozen, but Shangri-La Frontier has managed to stand out amongst them.

In fact, fans even consider it could be the next One Piece. With fun characters and even more enjoyable fights, it’s an overall chilled-out show. The animation obviously adds even more depth to it, so it’s an eye candy as well.

Shangri-La Frontier could be the next One Piece | Credits: C2C

But can another series really have the potential to be the next One Piece? Keep in mind that the opponent is one of the Big Three of the Shonen genre. But it seems like fans have reached a general agreement on the matter.

Shangri-La Frontier could be the next One Piece

Shangri-La Frontier first emerged as a...

Shangri-La Frontier is one of the big hit anime TV shows.

The story began as a Japanese web novel series in May 2017, followed by a manga adaptation from Ryosuke Fuji that has been serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine since July 2020. By September 2024, the manga had over 10 million copies in circulation.

An anime television series adaptation came next produced by C2C, which aired in Japan from October 2023 to March 2024, with a second season that aired from October 2024 to March 2025.

Here’s a plot summary, via Crunchyroll: ‘When was the last time I played a game that wasn’t crap?’ This is a world in the near future where games that use display screens are classified as retro. Anything that can’t keep up with state-of-the-art VR technology is called a ‘crap game,’ and you see a large number of crap games coming out. Those who devote their lives to clearing...

Shangri-La Frontier isn't logging off anytime soon! Following the conclusion of the anime's second season tonight in Japan, the series' official website and accounts officially announced that a third season is in production. A release date is yet to be confirmed, but we have a new cheeky visual to enjoy in the meantime. Shangri-La Frontier Season 3 Announcement Visual Related: Queen of Japanese Rap Awich on Her First Anime Opening Credit for Shangri-La Frontier Based on the manga by Ryosuke Fuji, Toshiyuki Kubooka ( Handyman Saitou in Another World ) directs Shangri-La Frontier at studio C2C, with series composition by Kazuyuki Fudeyasu ( That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime ), character designs by Ayumi Kurashima ( Devilman Crybaby ) and music by Monaca ( NieR:Automata Ver1.1a ). Crunchyroll streams the anime and describes the story: "When was the last time I played a game that wasn't crap?" This is a world in the near future where...

Solo Leveling has been an absolute hit as we've watched Sung Jinwoo's story progress. With Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow- coming to an end, it's understandable that anime fans may be wondering what the best anime for them to watch next is. Related: Anime to Watch if You Like Yu Yu Hakusho Whether it's the overpowered nature of Jinwoo, the hidden video game mechanics of the system he's following, the dark tone, or the isekai-like fantasy elements, there is plenty to watch if you want anime like Solo Leveling . From power fantasies to RPGs and engaging content for gamers, you’re bound to find a new anime series to check out below! Sword Art Online Related: What Is Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online? (Plus Quiz!) Video game isekai are all the rage these days, and while Sword Art Online ( Sao ) may not have started the hype for it,...

Shangri-La Frontier is one of the most underrated series currently streaming. It follows Sunraku on his adventure through the revolutionary VR title of the same name. In the game, he meets many allies of all kinds. Some of his most important allies are NPCs, which sparks a question about the notable characters. How sentient are the NPCs from Shangri-La Frontier? They react to human speech and seem to have more varied emotions than any game Sunraku has played previously. Instead of having set dialogue, the NPCs seem to be alive, especially the more important ones like Emul.

Several of the non-playable characters within the game are some of the most important on Sunraku's journey. He initially refuses to game with other players and prefers artificial accompaniment. While he becomes more accepting of human contact later on, Emul still accompanies him throughout most of the important locations within the game. There...

Zenos, Lily, Carmilla, Krishna and the triple threat of Zophia, Lynga and Loewe. These names make up the core ensemble of upcoming fantasy anime The Brilliant Healer's New Life in the Shadows , and there's no better way to get to know them in advance than through the new set of character trailers available to watch below. Crunchyroll will officially simulcast the series from April 3 . The Brilliant Healer's New Life in the Shadows anime's confirmed cast is as follows: Zenos voiced by Shogo Sakata (Usato in The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic ) Lily voiced by Miharu Hanai (Elena in A Journey Through Another World: Raising Kids While Adventuring ) Carmilla voiced by Yoko Hikasa (Pencilgon in Shangri-La Frontier ) Zophia voiced by Anna Nagase Lynga voiced by Mashiro Hitaka Loewe voiced by Sayaka Kikuchi Krishna voiced by Yuki Nakashima Zonde voiced by Taku Yashiro Aston voiced by Masaaki Mizunaka Related: The Brilliant Healer's New Life in the Shadows...

Shangri-La Frontier is quickly becoming one of the highest-rated anime currently streaming. Its second season has proven even more monumental than the first, with more extensive world-building and bigger boss fights. Shangri-La Frontier Season 2 follows Sunraku as he attempts to defeat two Colossi, while also competing in the Global Gaming Conference. Sunraku is stretched thinner than evernow that he's about to face Ctarnidd. Ctarnidd is the first Colossi the developers intended for the players to defeat and is an obvious reference to the eldritch god Cthulhu, initially conceived by H.P. Lovecraft.

Ctarnidd is not the only Lovecraftian reference in Shangri-La Frontier. The most recent arc of the game is filled regarding the controversial author's influential horror stories. Ruluiath and its inhabitants are all additional references to the intriguing Lovecraftian mythology. Although there are many references to popular novels in modern media, Shangri-La Frontier takes it to the next level. Each...

The official YouTube channel for Japanese rock band Cvlte has started streaming an official anime music video for their 14th digital single song "realitYhurts.," which has been featured as the second ending theme for the ongoing Shangri-La Frontier anime's second season. The collaboration music video entirely consists of many memolable scenes from the anime story, including the latest episode. Cvlte "realitYhurts." x Shangri-La Frontier Official Anime Music Video As their first anime theme song work, "realitYhurts." released digitally on January 5, 2025. Shangri-La Frontier Season 2 Cour 2 Creditless Ending Video Cvlte artist photo Related: Shangri-La Frontier Season 2 Anime Second Opening, Ending Song Music Videos Streamed Toshiyuki Kubooka ( Handyman Saitou in Another World ) directs Shangri-La Frontier at studio C2C, with series composition by Kazuyuki Fudeyasu ( That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime ), character designs by Ayumi Kurashima ( Devilman Crybaby ) and music by Monaca ( NieR:Automata Ver1.1a ). The series is based on the manga by Ryosuke Fuji.

Shangri-La Frontier is one of the most underrated anime currently streaming. It follows Sunraku on his journey to enjoy a new VR title of the same name. However, this quest leads to a variety of humorous twists and turns. One of Sunraku's in-game allies, Kei Uomi, invites Sunraku to compete in a real-life gaming competition. Despite not being a professional gamer, Sunraku's skills are extremely aparent and have made him infamous within Shangri-La Frontier. Although this might qualify him to take part in the Ggc, it remains to be seen if his skills are enough to win his team the competition.

Their main opposition is the American gaming team led by Sylvia Goldberg. She is often regarded as the best gamer in America, and maybe of all time. Sylvia has never lost a single match to Kei Uomi and has single-handedly inspired him to train even harder. Despite Sunraku's impressive gaming abilities,...

Shangri-La Frontier is one of the most popular anime currently streaming. Although the anime features a variety of games, Shangri-La Frontier is always at the forefront. The Season 2 finale is likely to take place in the unreleased title: Galaxia Heroes: Chaos. The game might use the same engine as Shangri-La Frontier, but it has more of a superhero focus. Galaxia Heroes: Chaos is the VR title selected for the anime's Global Gaming Competition. While many fans believed Sunraku could easily take the title from Kei, the series has recently set up Sunraku's latest and greatest rival.

Sylvia Goldberg is the number one gamer in America. She has one of the most interesting fighting styles, aside from Sunraku, and regularly bests any opponent she comes across. Despite Kei Uomi's mutual status as a pro gamer, he could never defeat Sylvia. Facing her will likely be Sunraku's greatest challenge in the series,...

Crunchyroll has the world's biggest library of anime for fans to indulge in, and many of them can be watched without a paid subscription. The streaming service is perfect for watching ongoing series, since the newest episodes often arrive on the platform an hour after their Japanese premiere. In Spring 2022, Funimation merged with Crunchyroll, making its vast library even bigger.

It can be difficult to choose which anime to watch next since there are so many titles. Fortunately, Crunchyroll always adds new anime titles, whether they're classics or brand-new series from every anime genre. There's an anime out there for everyone, and more likely than not, new viewers can find it somewhere on Crunchyroll.

Updated on March 15th, 2025 by Chelsea Steele: Crunchyroll's library is the widest anime library available. Whether fans are looking for brand-new seasonal anime or classics, they can find just about anything they could ask for on Crunchyroll.

Anime viewers completely understand that there are times when a show releases an episode that’s best watched alone otherwise an innocent family viewing session could turn into an awkward experience. The Apothecary Diaries is set to release one of those episodes, and even its creator, Natsu Hyuga, is bracing herself for the cringe headed her way.

Maomao and Jinshi from The Apothecary Diaries. | Credits: Toho Animation

So, Hyuga simply hopped on X (formerly Twitter) to alert fans of an upcoming scene in The Apothecary Diaries Season 2, Episode 11. But, like, what’s so awkward about this scene, and why should we even care? Let’s get into it.

The ‘Frog Episode’ of The Apothecary Diaries: The episode that has fans (and the author) blushing

For those unfamiliar with the upcoming episode’s infamous moment, it takes place in Volume 3 of the original The Apothecary Diaries light novel. In this scene,...

The second season of Natsu Hyuga’s The Apothecary Diaries has received a great reception from friends, and with just ten episodes under its belt, the season is already gaining more popularity than the first season. However, the most anticipated episode of the series is yet to come, which features the widely popular frog scene.

Natsu Hyuga’s The Apothecary Diaries | Credit: Toho

While anime fans won’t know this, manga and light novel fans understand the significance of the scene and how it changes Maomao and Jinshi’s relationship in The Apothecary Diaries. Thus, it is justified that Toho goes above and beyond in adapting the popular frog scene and making it the highlight of the second season of the series.

But what fans don’t realize is that Toho has a separate reason for going overboard with the upcoming episode. The scene features their favorite character from The Apothecary Diaries,...

Shangri-La Frontier is one of the most popular anime-based anime currently streaming. The series follows Rakuro and his character Sunraku on their journey through the popular VR game. Because of his gaming knowledge and inherent skills, Sunraku easily combats some of the greatest challenges within Shangri-La Frontier. Although the avid gamer joins the experience after many of its notable players, he hastily becomes one of the greatest players in the game. In a ridiculously short time, Sunraku reaches level 99 and gains another exclusive advantage with endless potential.

When characters in Shangri-La Frontier reach level 99, they are visited by the Arcanum Fortuneteller. The mysterious wizard allows players in Shangri-La Frontier to take on a random new role. These new jobs are heavily based on a character's playstyle and the achievements they have accomplished so far. Since Sunraku transcends through the ranks of Shangri-La Frontier extremely quickly, he is awarded an equally impressive position.

We’re in the third month of 2025 and the year is flying on by. That also means we are nearing the end of the winter season, so it’s time to check out what openings you all thought were the cream of the crop. After tallying up all the votes, we’ve narrowed our list down to the top five. Let’s see which OPs made the cut and which one reigned supreme over them all. #5: Honey Lemon Soda - "Magic Hour" by &Team 6 percent We get a catchy opening to kick off our list that sometimes takes the series’ namesake very literally within the animation. You’ll be thinking about wanting to drink a lemon soda after seeing this. Not only is the song fun, but the animation does a good job showcasing not only the connection between Uka and Kai, but how Uka will grow throughout as...

Crunchyroll has long been criticized for its subtitles. The anime streaming hegemon has a massive collection of series, but the subtitles in them were often labeled as inaccurate, poorly timed, or just felt off.

Jinshi from The Apothecary Diaries [Credits: Olm, Toho]

Fans have long turned to authentic platforms to stream anime and support the creators, but when they saw the horrible subtitles, they were disappointed and voiced their frustration.

The delay ruined the scenes and the emotional impact; the low-grade translations did not help either, all in all, instead of watching the anime like they wanted to, the fans had to keep staring at the bottom of the screen to make sense of the story.

Crunchyroll is elevating the anime experience

Crunchyroll has long faced this problem and it seemed like they implemented a few steps that solved it, and the fans were happy again. But with Shangri-La Frontier and The Apothecary Diaries,...

Each and every character of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is among the best-written in anime. Not only do they feel realistic, but their happiness and sorrow resonate deeply because of their incredible writing.

Frieren from Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End [Credits: Madhouse]

One of the most beloved and unanimously praised characters is Himmel, who redefines the meaning of being a hero. His gallant actions prove his valor, while his emotional moments signify his love for Frieren.

One small segment from episode 14 further paints Himmel as a character who deserves the best. No amount of tribute is enough for this man who never had his love truly reciprocated.

Himmel’s subtle yet powerful expression of love in Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Frieren and Himmel from Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End [Credits: Madhouse]

Though Frieren understands that Himmel is an essential part of her life, she has not yet realized his romantic feelings for her. The...

Spoiler Alert !!!Contains spoilers from the manhwa

The Solo Leveling anime has made several changes from the original manhwa and novel, but one of the most controversial upcoming events in the anime is its portrayal of Goto Ryuji.

A still from Solo Leveling season 2 | Credit: A-1 Pictures

There is a political connotation to how Goto Ryuji is viewed, not to mention to steer away the focus from the conflict between countries (so as to avoid souring the relationships in the real world), they need to highlight and focus on Ryuji more.

To do this, they need to hype and increase the status and impact of Ryuji. He is already being framed as a serious rival to Sung Jinwoo, the up-and-coming superstar Hunter.

Ryuji’s softer defeat could lessen Beru’s impact

Removing some scenes from the manhwa, which show him being terrified and getting one-tapped by Beru (the Ant King...

Sakamoto Days was destined for greatness with its very engaging manga and interesting premise. Fans also knew that an anime adaptation of this manga could become an instant hit, reshaping the Shonen anime scene.

Taro Sakamoto from Sakamoto Days [Credits: Tms Entertainment]

However, almost all the anticipations and expectations that fans had for this franchise fell face first the moment its first episode dropped. Things were not how everyone expected them to be, and all wondered whether it would get better.

But, now that Sakamoto Days season 1 ends within a month, even that hope is lost. Perhaps what we need now is not a season 2 but a remake that can do justice to the source material.

A rough start that shocked fans Taro Sakamoto from Sakamoto Days [Credits: Viz Media]

From the very first episode, fans knew that this adaptation was going to make creative decisions that they would not appreciate. First of all,...

The massive Hollywood Tom Cruise movie Edge of Tomorrow was inspired by the Japanese sci-fi novel All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka. Edge of Tomorrow is widely accepted as one of the best action movies, and it also became a huge box office hit.

Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt in Edge of Tomorrow [Credits: Warner Bros]

However, even after getting a manga on this novel, fans really wanted an anime adaptation as well. Finally, their prayers have been heard as an anime movie announcement has been made by Studio 4°C on All You Need Is Kill.

Needless to say, it is generating a lot of buzz regarding the storyline it will follow and very out-of-the-box animation. Everything should go well if they respect the source material and the core ideas of the series.

All You Need Is Kill anime will have a fresh take Rita Vrataski from All You...

After Dandadan‘s release, it enjoyed unprecedented success that stemmed from its unique storyline and beautiful animation. Not only that, but its interesting characters and fresh, never-before-seen story angles also pulled the audience towards it.

Saitama from One Punch Man [Credits: J.C.Staff]

This is why, after a massively successful season 1, we will get a season 2 only after waiting a mere 6 months. However, this is not the same fate enjoyed by many of the older series that also have a longstanding legacy but might lack the same level of hype.

The anime industry prioritizes a quick release and good quality of the massively popular shows and forgets the older yet important ones because of trends. This results in shows like One Punch Man being pushed aside.

The rise of hype-driven anime production Okarun from Dandadan [Credits: Science Saru]

One of the most glaring issues of the anime industry is its occasional shift in focus toward profit.

Shangri-La Frontier is one of the most popular anime currently streaming. The popular series relies heavily on its video game elements and features several VR games within it. The most recent edition, Galaxia Heroes: Chaos, is a game based on Super Heroes, with many references to characters and concepts from popular comic books. One of the most prominent villains in the game, Yggdrya is extremely similar to Poison Ivy from DC Comics. Although no single character from the imagined Galaxia Heroes is a direct rip-off from real-life comics, there are many influences. There are also plenty of original characters as well, like Ranzo.

One of the most prevalent comic references is the use of the Ben-Day dots shading style. This modern-art staple was heavily used in early comic books and has become synonymous with the medium. Studio C2C honored this style and made sure it was prevalent in...

Before we start, don’t think this article is to hate on Solo Leveling. In fact, the Solo Leveling anime adaptation obviously managed to meet the manhwa readers’ sky-high expectations, especially with its Season 2. At first, no one could imagine Studio A-1 Pictures, which mostly makes slice-of-life or rom-com anime, could ever adapt the manhwa as well as they hoped. But they did not disappoint!

A still from Shangri-La Frontier Season 2 Episode 22 | Credits: Studio C2C

However, when it comes to sheer animation superiority, the crown has to go to Shangri-La Frontier, and there’s no doubt about it. What Shangri-La has done with its latest Episode 22 of Season 2 is simply otherworldly. They didn’t just cook, they made a whole barbecue!

Shangri-La is the new hype train for providing animation masterclasses Megumi Natsume’s in-game model | Credits: Studio C2C

Isn’t it unironically quite interesting, how both Solo Leveling...

Shangri-La Frontier may be a power fantasy isekai anime, but unlike some other popular series this season, it doesn’t sideline its side characters. Sunraku (Rakuro Hizutome) may be eager to take on every monster himself, but he remains a loyal friend to his clanmates. Wolfgang consists of skilled players who support each other both in-game and in real life. Though Sunraku, Oikatzo (Kei Uomi), and Arthur Pencilgon (Towa Amane) only officially formed a clan after defeating Wethermon, their friendship runs much deeper. So, when Oikatzo needs help for a real-life gaming tournament, it’s no surprise that he turns to them.

Wolfgang is an ambitious group, but they haven’t had many opportunities to work together yet. Since Shangri-La Frontier follows Sunraku’s perspective, the audience only knows what he does. During the Wethermon fight, he trusted Pencilgon and Oikatzo completely — despite having no idea what they were doing...

Shangri-La Frontier has been giving us high octane action for two seasons now, following the journey of “Trash Game Hunter” Hizutome Rakuro, better known as Sunraku, into the best game in the world. But Slf is not the only game featured in the show, as we have also seen our main character taking small detours into other games, both of the trashy kind he favors and good ones. But do you remember all the games he has played in the anime? Lets go over all of them right now! Shangri-la Frontier Games Shangri-La Frontier Faeria Chronicle Online ~The Prayer of the Fairy Princess~ Berserk Online Passion Unite Rounds Nephilim Hollow Galaxia Heroes: Chaos Shangri-La Frontier The titular game of the show is considered the best game in the world, with a dedicated player base of over 30 million people. It’s a full-dive Vrmmorpg with top-of-the-line technology that allows the players...

Set in the Isekai game world of Shangri-La Frontier, the name of the series itself is the name of the game our Mc and other characters play. And it is one of those rare series where the story perfectly justifies the gaming aspect of its core narrative. Shangri-La masterfully incorporates the game mechanics into its storyline and just everything about it screams perfection!

A still from Shangri-La Frontier | Credits: Studio C2C

However, that’s not the only best part. While one can go on writing pages and praising everything this series does so well, it’s highly necessary to point out this recent piece of info first. We just got to know there is a major inspiration behind the show’s character dynamics, and how they act with each other in general!

Hollywood inspired Shangri-La Frontier‘s character dynamics Arthur from Shangri-La Frontier | Credits: Studio C2C

You might...

So what genre are we exactly dealing with here? It isn’t precisely the Isekai genre that’s being discussed, rather it’s the kind of stories where we get to see the active involvement of game mechanics in the Mc’s character development. While it’s true that Solo Leveling is obviously not an Isekai, one may think even Shangri-La Frontier isn’t one either.

Sunraku in a still from Shangri-La Frontier Season 2 | Credits: Studio C2C

However, Shangri-La still ticks every feature this genre has to offer. So, it is indeed considered a proper Isekai.

But, we are not comparing that! The point of this article is to make fans clear that while other series may be cooler in some ways, when it comes to incorporating a game mechanic into a storyline, nothing beats Shangri-La Frontier.

Shangri-La Frontier perfectly defines the Video Game Mc development archetype

What Shangri-La Frontier...

Shangri-La Frontier is one of the most underrated anime currently streaming. The series follows Sunraku as he attempts to navigate one of the greatest and newest fully immersive VR Games. In Shangri-La Frontier, Sunraku encounters many concepts rarely covered by other anime. Sung Jinwoo also accesses an inventory in Solo Leveling, but his inventory is nothing like Inventoria. Jinwoo can take specific weapons in and out of his inventory but cannot go inside. This is just one of the many ways Shangri-La Frontier distinguishes itself from other competing series.

Upon first accessing the Inventoria, Sunraku realizes it is full of futuristic weapons. Each of these weapons is from the game's Age of Divinity period. While not much is known about the futuristic age, its technology is more advanced than anything currently in the game. Sunraku's Inventoria and special weapons have become some of his most useful and exclusive tools in Shangri-La Frontier.

Shangri-La Frontieris one of the most interesting and compelling anime currently streaming. Although not a fundamentally normal isekai, it has many of the hair-raising battles the genre is known for, like Sunraku's first encounter with Lycagon The Nightslayer. While it might not have the same stakes, it has equally compelling duels and rivalries. After losing to Lycagon for the first time and receiving the canine's curse, Sunraku makes it his ultimate goal to get revenge on the monster. However, his fated rematch with one of the strongest of The Seven Colossi came much sooner than he originally anticipated.

While traveling to a destination on Vysache's recommendation, Sunraku and his party run into the clan Sf-Zoo, preparing to encounter a powerful beast. They arrogantly claim that they will be the ones to defeat Lycagon once and for all and gain permanent access to Raibituza. The attempt hilariously blows up in their...

Shangri-La Frontier is one of the most interesting isekai anime currently streaming. The popular series follows Sunraku as he tries to complete the latest fully immersive VR Game. Along his journey, Sunraku meets many incredible player characters and NPCs alike. However, the isekai anime series highlights several non-playable characters in particular. The most important Npc Sunraku has met is the former ruler of Rabituza, Don Vysache. The giant Vorpal Bunny plays a critical role in helping Sunraku prepare for some of his greatest fights. Yet, there are several points where Vysache tries to dissuade the protagonist from battling altogether.

Vysache appears to care for Sunraku's safety. Yet, his actions could have a tinge of self-preservation. Some fans have speculated that Vysache is a member of the Seven Colossi. If this theory is true, it provides another reason for Vysache trying to stop Sunraku from hunting the colossi. There is likely...

If you’re a fan of the Isekai fantasy genre, chances are you’ve heard of Shangri-La Frontier already. But in case you haven’t, just letting you know it’s one of the most impressively written Isekai shonen series ever, and undoubtedly, the best of this year. Those who are watching it, just can’t stop singing praises about it, and by a long shot!

Sunraku from Shangri-La Frontier | Credits: Studio C2C

However, the show does have some of the craziest action scenes, with cheerful adventures, and a bunch of laughter, but there’s another thing that’s equally interesting though, if not more. That is the story behind how Shangri-La Frontier even came to life.

And you would be quite shocked to know that a game like Elden Ring happened to be super influential for the author of Shangri-La and it eventually became his inspiration. But, how...

When I logged in to my music streaming service the morning of the drop of “Frontiers,” I was immediately captivated by Awich’s prowess yet again. This was another hit that forced the listener to sit down and pay attention, but with so many additional layers, this was clearly a song inspired by her previous albums, leveled up. Performing since the age of 14 and debuting with Universal Music in 2020, Awich has released five studio albums and has taken over the international stage with her performance at Coachella in 2024. Related: Shangri-La Frontier Season 2 Anime Second Opening, Ending Song Music Videos Streamed Like many of her dedicated fans, I didn’t realize the song was the latest anime opening for Shangri-La Frontier Season 2 until the release of the music video short on YouTube. “Frontiers,” Awich’s first anime credit, is a rap that beautifully mixes the plot of the anime and Awich...

Yes, in case you might not be aware, but Shangri-La Frontier is indeed an isekai series! It’s understandable why some people think it’s not because it doesn’t have the full isekai vibe where you reincarnate as someone else, but the word ‘isekai’ simply means getting transported to another world.

And it doesn’t necessarily have to be via reincarnation. So this makes Shangri-La a through-and-through isekai series. But what’s exactly so special about it that earned it a reputation as big as the king of Isekai?

Sunraku and Emul | Credits: Studio C2C

For those who haven’t been lucky enough to watch it yet, it’s fair to say that the world Shangri-La Frontier has provided us with is simply phenomenal. And this very world (along with highly detailed player interaction and game/combat mechanics) makes the series stand out far apart from any other...