Sunraku stops being an underdog and starts being a problem, watching him go from crashing through impossible content to methodically dismantling god-tier bosses with pure ingenuity is intoxicating. The animation swallows you whole; these fights don't just look expensive, they feel like watching someone solve a puzzle you can't quite see the answer to. Season 2 trades the exploratory thrill for something slower, heavier: watching a player stop discovering and start dominating.

Rakuro "Sunraku" Hizutome has spent his life clearing broken, bug-ridden VR games, until he takes on Shangri-La Frontier, a hugely popular title that proves far tougher than anything he is used to. He has come to love it, and he has already made a name for himself by battling two of its seven nearly unbeatable unique monsters. To advance the story, he sets out with his rabbit guide Emul to obtain a magic operation unit from an ancient workshop. His clanmates Arthur Pencilgon and OiKatzo help him through the quest, though they may have their own reasons for pitching in. Along the way Sunraku picks up new allies and useful knowledge as he hunts strong foes and digs into how the game's world works. The season mixes action, adventure, comedy and sci-fi fantasy.