English Dub Review: Shangri-La Frontier “Regrets Always Lie in the Past”

Overview

Pencilgon sends Sunraku and Oikatzo to the Iron Ruins of the Divinity to grind their levels to at least level 50. While there they encounter the Lifestide Lake Serpent monster…

Our Take

Picking up from the previous episode, Sunraku, and Oikatzu/Katzo embark on further leveling up their characters in a specific area under Pencilgon’s advice for the upcoming battle against Wethermon. Following her detailed instructions, they two traverse some futuristic-looking ruins, reaching an underground lake using fishing rods which were also specifically chosen by her. Plus, I do appreciate the little details such as Sunraku and Oikatzu’s chemistry as you can tell they’re long-time gaming friends.

It’s here where we also get to know Katzo a bit more, with Sunraku explaining to Emul that Katzo is a guy playing with a female avatar, and Katzo’s class is a “Monk,” explaining the Kung-Fu style. As they face Lake Serpent (which mostly resemble giant snake-like eels) creatures, Sunraku unveils substitute weapons, while Katzo showcases a unique character build with powerful punches. The grinding session proves fruitful as both characters level up, but before facing Wethermon, they must meet a specific NPC, adding a layer to their quest.

Overall, a decent filler episode that helps the audience get to know a character we know very little about, while also filling in gaps of info left unanswered. Such as Sunraku’s substitute weapons and the fact that Katzo is technically a dude despite the appearance of his Avatar. I also personally find it funny that Sunraku himself technically missed crucial knowledge by skipping the first town which further highlights the richness of the Shangri-La Frontier game. On the upside, it also proves how good the game itself is. Plus that random segment in the post-credits made the proceedings even funnier. Now the real question should be, who the heck is this person they have to meet on Pencilgon’s behalf?