Manga
The manga that were hits in Japan in the 2020s.
2020S HITS
About
Second year high school student Rakuro Hizutome is interested in one thing only: finding "shitty games" and beating the crap out of them. His gaming skills are second to none, and no game is too bad for him to enjoy. So when he's introduced to the new VR game Shangri-La Frontier, he does what he does best—min-maxes and skips the prologue to jump straight into the action. But can even an expert gamer like Rakuro discover all the secrets that Shangri-La Frontier hides...?
Character analysis
Sunraku's whole reputation is built on finishing 'kusoge,' badly made, frustrating games other players give up on, purely because he enjoys the challenge of breaking something poorly designed. Moving to Shangri-La Frontier, a genuinely well-made game, flips his usual approach upside down: for once his skills are being tested by something built to be fair. His min-maxing, rule-bending playstyle gives the story a lot of its humor, since he treats a beautiful fantasy world the way a speedrunner treats a glitchy old game.
Emul is part of the game world itself rather than a fellow player, which usually means being background scenery. The story leans into moments where she seems to have more personality and awareness than an ordinary NPC should, which is exactly the kind of detail that makes a game-focused story feel like it has stakes beyond just winning. Her exact nature within the game's systems is part of the larger mystery Sunraku ends up chasing.
Rei is part of the broader cast of skilled players Sunraku crosses paths with inside Shangri-La Frontier, each bringing their own playstyle and reputation to the table. Characters like this usually exist to show how differently the same game can be approached, speed, strategy, raw strength, compared to Sunraku's chaotic, rule-breaking style. More specific detail about their personality would need a closer read of their appearances.
Towa is introduced as another capable figure within the game's player community, part of the wider web of rivals and allies Sunraku builds as he climbs through Shangri-La Frontier's content. The game's structure as a shared online world means characters like this can shift between cooperating with Sunraku and competing against him depending on the situation.
Kei rounds out the circle of players whose skills and reputations intersect with Sunraku's own climb through the game. In a story built around a massive shared virtual world, side characters like this help establish just how large and varied the in-game community is, even when their individual arcs haven't been covered here in detail.
Status evaluation
The art delivers strong fantasy and in-game visuals, handling large-scale monster and boss designs well.
The gaming-adjacent premise is well-paced and makes good use of its fish-out-of-water hook: a player used to broken games finally facing a real one.
Sunraku's completely serious, rule-breaking approach to an earnest fantasy world is a consistent source of humor.
There is some heart in Sunraku's growing relationships inside the game, though the series stays adventure-and-comedy focused overall.
Fantasy monster threats appear regularly, but the tone stays adventurous rather than frightening.
In-game combat is frequent but not shown in graphic detail.
Game mechanics and world lore add a moderate amount to track, though the core story stays easy to follow.
This is an ongoing series. The exact current volume count has not been confirmed against a current source and should be treated as approximate.
“Watching someone who only plays terrible games finally meet a good one, and still treat it like he's trying to break it, never stops being funny.”