Anime Recap: After a lengthy journey, Shangri-La Frontier Episode 1 start with Sunraku emerges victorious over the dark lord in
Failia Chronicle. Princess Fearia expresses her gratitude, but Sunraku,
harboring a long-awaited grudge, unexpectedly attacks her, proclaiming her as a
menace to the world. He kicks her and insists that she go to hell along with
the defeated dark lord. The end credits of Faeria Chronicle Online ~The Prayer
of the Fairy Princess~ start rolling. Sunraku revels in the satisfaction of
finally completing Failia Chronicle and exacting revenge on Fearia.
In an era where display-based games are deemed retro
and fully immersive VR games have become the norm, the pool of exceptional
games is limited, with many considered "trash games." Despite the
general disdain for such games, Sunraku, also known as Rakuro Hizutome, is
among the few who actively seek them out. He puts Failia Chronicle on his
"never play again" shelf, confirming it as a trash game. Known as the
"Trash-Game Hunter," Sunraku contemplates which trash game he should
explore next.
At school, Rei notices Sunraku approaching and
mentally prepares to ask him about the game he's playing, coincidentally
mentioning that she's also playing it. As Sunraku gets close, she approaches
him to greet, but another classmate captures his attention, engaging in
conversation with him. After school, at the Rock Roll game shop, owner Mana
Iwamaki puts up a poster for Shangri-La Frontier, anticipating increased
business during the upcoming summer vacation. Rei enters the store and looks
around, but Mana informs her that Sunraku isn't there. Explaining that he's
engrossed in playing a special trash game, Faeria Chronicle, Mana notes that it
usually takes Sunraku some time to finish it.
Rei, having heard about the game from her sister,
learns from Mana that Faeria Chronicle is a legendary trash game known for bad
AI allies, absurd enemy attack patterns, and a plethora of bugs. Successfully
beating the first boss requires significant skill, and many players end up
trashing their headsets in frustration. Moreover, the final boss battle demands
facing the enemy with just shorts and a mask. In that moment, Sunraku enters
the store and asks Mana if she has any other trash games. Spotting him, Rei
quickly hides.
Mana expresses surprise that Sunraku managed to
finish the game already, and Sunraku confirms it. He proceeds to describe
Faeria Chronicle as an exceptionally bad game, singling out the female lead,
Fearia, as the worst part. According to Sunraku, Fearia consistently
exacerbates problems throughout the journey, leading to the deaths of villagers
and party members. He provides an example where she drives a carriage, runs
over a villager, and then blames the dark lord for the incident. Sunraku
highlights that even a slight annoyance to Fearia can halt the story's progress
for three hours.
However, Sunraku discloses that the reason he
endured until the end is a three-minute window between beating the final boss
and the credits rolling, during which players can beat up Fearia without facing
any reprisals. Despite this unusual outlet for frustration, Sunraku is
uncertain about diving into another annoying game right away. Mana then
suggests Shangri-La Frontier, a game with over 30 million players, and Sunraku,
after considering it, decides to give the game a try, opting for a change from
the tiresome experience of Faeria Chronicle.
Back at home, Sunraku reads that Shangri-La Frontier
was released last spring and set a record for simultaneous player log-ins.
Intrigued, he decides to start playing the game, developed by Utopia
Entertainment Software (UES), a company founded by the genius programmer Tsukuyo
Tsukuri, known for creating the fully immersive VR game system. Logging in, he
is presented with a menu to create his character.
Sunraku begins by choosing his character's job and
is surprised by the multitude of options available. Settling on a twinblade
mercenary for its flexibility, he moves on to select his character's origin.
Opting for "Wanderer" due to its luck bonus, which affects critical
chance and item drop rate, he proceeds to design his character's appearance.
Overwhelmed by the extensive options, he realizes the stark contrast to the
limited choices in the trash games he's used to. Uninterested in fashion and
prioritizing weapons over armor, Sunraku decides to sell his starting gear,
earning 9000 in-game currency. Since he's now without clothes, he opts to hide
his face with a bird mask, the only option available.
For his character's name, Sunraku sticks with his
usual gaming alias, derived from kanji in his real name. Skipping the story
introduction, he jumps straight into the game, eager to explore the world of
Shangri-La Frontier.
Sunraku finds himself in a realistic forest
environment, testing his movements, which feel remarkably true to life. Opening
the in-game map, he wonders about his location, expecting to start in a
beginner's tutorial town, a common setup in such games. Unaware that
"Wanderer" origin players start at random points in the beginners'
area, Sunraku discovers he's in The Rampant Forest, adjacent to Firstia town.
Deciding to head toward the town while exploring his surroundings, he checks
his stats, only to be unexpectedly attacked by a goblin.
Quickly equipping his Mercenary Twinblades, Sunraku
dispatches the goblin with ease, gaining a level in the process. The defeated
goblin drops a Goblin Hand Axe. Hearing a noise from the bushes, a Vorpal Bunny
emerges and attacks. Sunraku dodges its initial strike but is surprised by its
strength. The Vorpal Bunny attacks again, and Sunraku, anticipating its
movements, blocks the assault and delivers a critical hit, ultimately defeating
it. This encounter results in two more gained levels.
Searching for the bunny's knife, Sunraku
inadvertently fulfills a condition and learns a new skill called Flash Counter,
which provides a bonus to counters from parrying. Excited about the variety of
fighting styles and the absence of bugs—a rarity for trash games—he
contemplates trying different techniques. Driven by a desire for the bunny's
kitchen knife, Sunraku sets out in search of more Vorpal Bunnies.
Sunraku continues to level up, acquiring new skills
like Spin Slash during his encounters. Recognizing the rarity of the Vorpal
Bunny due to its low spawn rate, he perseveres, defeating fifty of them to
finally obtain two Vorpal Choppers. These weapons boast a special effect that
provides a bonus to critical damage. Among the abilities gained, Screw Pierce
stands out as particularly useful—a quick strike with a compact weapon. Now at
level 12, Sunraku believes he won't gain much more experience from the monsters
in his current location.
Checking the map, he realizes he has strayed far
from Firstia and is now close to Secondale. To reach Secondale, he needs to
cross a bridge guarded by an area boss monster, the Ravenous Snake. The
recommended level for the boss is 10, and it's recommended to face it with a
party of three. Speculating about the potential attacks of a snake, Sunraku
decides to challenge it. Shangri-La Frontier Episode 1 ends on a high note as
he approaches the entrance to the Rampant Forest at Firstia, he encounters a
large knight standing guard.
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