5 Anime To Watch If You Love Shangri-La Frontier
Shangri-La Frontier thrives on a mix of hardcore gaming, quirky humor, creative worldbuilding, and a protagonist who charges through chaos with confidence. If you love watching Sunraku explore a wild game world full of broken mechanics and unpredictable boss fights, there are other anime that offer similar thrills.
From VRMMOs, game-to-reality mechanics, to gamer-driven action, these five picks bring something unique while giving you the same kind of fun energy Shangri-La Frontier delivers.
5. The King’s Avatar
The King’s Avatar follows Ye Xiu, a former professional gamer kicked out of his eSports team. Set in the online game Glory, Ye Xiu reenters the field from scratch, building a new character called Lord Grim and assembling a fresh team while working at an internet cafĂ©.Unlike most anime, this one focuses on team strategies, timing, and decision-making. It’s about brainpower over power levels. With fast-paced duels, dungeon runs, and a heavy focus on skill, it hits hard for anyone who enjoys competitive gaming without fantasy plot armor.
4. BOFURI: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, so I’ll Max Out My Defense.
Kaede Honjou, known in-game as Maple, is new to VRMMOs, so she maxes out her defense stat to avoid taking damage. The result? She becomes nearly untouchable and ends up breaking the game with bizarre builds and unintended abilities.She eats monsters, gains poison resistance by accident, and ends up ranked among the top players. The anime is lighthearted and filled with creative skill evolutions, crazy gear, and wholesome friendships. If you love unexpected mechanics and watching a player bend the rules of a game world, this is pure fun.
3. Overlord
The tone is darker and more strategic, with heavy focus on world domination, magic systems, and overpowered spells. It’s a great watch if you enjoy watching a gamer handle an unpredictable fantasy world on his own terms.
2. Sword Art Online
Sword Art Online is the go-to VRMMO anime for a reason. It kicks off with Kirito, a solo player who gets trapped in the full-dive game Aincrad, where dying in-game means dying in real life. As he battles through floors filled with powerful monsters and dangerous guilds, he uses his quick thinking and reflexes to survive.While more serious in tone than Shangri-La Frontier, it shares that same love for exploration, level grinding, and big showdowns with boss monsters. There’s also a huge focus on gear, stats, and navigating game mechanics under pressure.
1. Log Horizon
After a mysterious event traps thousands of players in the MMORPG Elder Tale, strategist Shiroe steps up to make sense of it all. Rather than rushing into battle, he uses game knowledge, contracts, and team coordination to build a functioning society.What makes Log Horizon different is how much time it spends on the rules behind the game world, from item mechanics to politics. With clever planning, party synergy, and real stakes, it's perfect for fans who love the tactical side of gaming as much as the action itself.