Shangri-La

The first half of Shangri-La was a spectacular feast of questions, some answers, tons of action, a lot of comedy, and some very interesting concepts that made the show an interesting sci-fi/action one, two punch. When last we left, Kuniko had been pushed into action and was set to attack Atlas, but some startling revelations came to light in those final moments before all hell broke loose. 

Going into the second half of the series I was excited to see what would come next, and more importantly how the series would conclude. Who was this unseen force that came to Duomo’s aid when they were under attack by Atlas? What do those swords mean? Is there some sinister secret about the existence of three main characters? For starters though I was eager to see how Metal Age took on Atlas and if Kuniko would prove to be the leader they were all expecting. 

The second half of the series was a bit confusing at first, I must admit. The first half had a ton of questions that were hinted at but never truly answered. It felt like all the answers were coming full speed and all at the same time, making the plot seem a bit thinly spread. You had the secret of the forest, the secret of the main characters, the oracles presence and involvement in how things would unfold, and Karin who controls a strange creature that helps her in turn control the global carbon market and make her millions. That’s only a few key plot points that arise in the finale of the series, so as you can see it gets a bit crowded. 

Despite how confusing the jam packed reveals of Shangri-La Part 2 were, it was well worth hanging on to see how things turned out in the end. There were so many revelations that took me completely by surprise and so many bizarre turn of events that helped close the series that I was a bit sad to see it come to an end. Unlike some other anime series that show great potential only to kiss it all away by just going berserk with fan service and an avalanche of idea’s magnified to increase their cool but don’t mesh well with what’s been introduced before, Shangri-La stays the course. I was glad to see that answers came and the show closed out with fruitful explanations that left no stone unturned and a hint that though the series has ended the continuing story is still a possibility. I highly suggest this very funny, completely action packed, sci-fi thrill ride. Enjoy.