Editions Glénat got their hands on a nugget. Launched with great fanfare at the end of 2021, the Shangri-La Frontier manga was a fascinating proposition. Mix the worlds of issekai, video games, shonen by adding a reflection on the video game culture. The first volume thrilled our critics seduced by the tone, the graphics and the passion of the authors. This sequel confirms all the expectations placed in this series.
The G.O.Has.T of the dung meets the G.O.Has.T of games
Sunraku is a luminary in the world of video games. His legend, he built it patiently by overcoming the dung. Under this term are grouped video games badly done, full of bugs, so infeasible that we suspect their creators of hating the players. Their difficulty has deterred 90% of players from continuing to play. This is precisely what attracted and transcended Suranku. Succeed where so many have failed. This is also what allowed him to acquire a unique dexterity by triumphing despite defective hit boxes, poorly calibrated opponents or absurd puzzles. So when Sunraku decides to play Shangri-La Frontier, the G.O.Has.T of M.Mr.O, he expects to quickly master it. His first steps are a cold shower and a divine surprise. This well-designed, well-thought-out game puts his talents to the test. There are rules to follow, steps to follow. Dexterity is not everything. Maestro Sunraku must even admit defeat against the fearsome Lycaon, a legendary creature that he was presumptuous to attack so early. This failure stimulates him and he engages more in the universe. To progress, he is part of a unique quest. This attracts the attention of other players eager to extort information about this mysterious mission.
Shangri-La Frontier: Alone against the rest of the world
This second volume propels the reader into a real endless race. Indeed, despite the defeat and curse inflicted by Lycaon, Sunraku became a famous figure of Shangri-La. Proof of his merits, he was able to access a unique scenario. A story hidden in the game and accessible only to handpicked players. But all his successes make him a target. It is already recognizable among a thousand by its look and the brand of Lycaon. He is now envied by all experienced players who want to extract his secrets and access the unique scenario. Even old IRL friends are chasing her, not to mention a lover. 
The whole story is built around this impression of permanent hunting. We must be wary of all players, even the most innocent. Behind the fans who take pictures of him, who knows if there is not an informant. And when someone pops up to help you, doubt remains. Is it out of altruism or to eliminate competitors and reserve the reward? Sunraku must constantly dodge his pursuers while conducting his own quest and fighting monsters. Yet he will find unexpected help from the most unlikely of P.N.J. Emul a cute rabbit with unsuspected resources that leads our hero to review his assumptions. Appearance is not everything.
The school of skill
Shangri-La Frontier offers an absolute fusion between the shonen spirit and the game world. Indeed, this second opus offers an itinerary of the hero that would not deny Saint Seiya or Dragon Ball. Opponents are extremely powerful and surprising. The arenas (literally and figuratively) of these clashes are also very diverse with attention paid to the unexpected. For our hero, each fight leads him to go beyond his own limits. Mixing reflection and action, the drawing transcribes this mystical dimension where the reflex is as important as the observation. The whole culminates in the final tournament where the authors let go completely. What enriches this classic theme is the irruption of the video game imagination. In shonen, the hero succeeds by finding within himself unsuspected resources allowing him to push back the borders of death. Here, success comes through repetition, learning through failure. The Colosseum arc will speak to the many gamers (those of Baldur's Gate for example) who have experienced these epic battles. And this rule that it's not always the boss who hits the hardest who is the hardest to beat. Each fight is an opportunity for Sunraku (as for gamers) to use what he has learned and also to unlearn what he thought he knew (the Toxic Eagle is the absolute illustration).
Shangri-La Frontier: Dense universe
Shangri-La Frontier works extremely well by relying on the vastness of the world that is offered to us. In this second volume, the geography of this universe is still very vague. We know some cities. We have an overview of the rules that govern it, including the existence of bonuses put on the heads of players, the most aggressive and least fair play leagues. We also discover a whole range of players. Hardcore that targets rewards, patients, travelers, observers.They define the spirit of Shangri-La: an M.Mr.O.R.P.G, a social network, a virtual world. A game that also says a lot about the real world. Extension of it, this virtual world is the optimization for better and for worse. 
The immersion in this second volume benefits from the very high graphic holding. The drawings remain as beautiful and impactful as ever. We appreciate as much the care given to the armor, the textures, weapons as the energy of the fights. Thus, the exploration phases remain as interesting as the action phases. It is also necessary to highlight the imagination of the scriptwriter and the cartoonist. Shangri-La frontier does not forbid laugh. Heroic Fantasy rubs shoulders with kawai. Magic confronts mecha golem. The most innocent animals (rabbit, broad) mingle with fantastic creatures (the Bear, the hydra, the swamp shark, the nitro boar). An epic fresco unfolds before our eyes enhanced by a dose of humor and second degree finely distilled. This second volume of Shangri-La frontier transforms the essay. The promises of the previous volume are fully confirmed. The element of surprise has given way to the construction of dense, rich and stimulating universes. With this title, Glénat hit the nail on the head.
