Sword Art Online Review | Full Analysis | Why Kirito and Asuna are loved and hated.
First of all welcome to our humble blog where we talk about anime and discuss the shows in depth and why they are popular or worth watching. Nobody wants to waste their time watching a trash anime, unless it's kind of a meme and will be a pop culture reference. There's been a few occasions that come to mind.
ソードアート・オンライン
Ok, so SAO or Sword Art Online didn't have ANY hype when I started watching it way back when it came out and I found it decently entertaining at face value. My girlfriend HATES Sword Art Online so we needed to examine what was going on here.
I'm a simple man. I like some sword fighting and cute girls, so guilty there, and the Aniplex studio who pumped out this isekai weeb trap definitely snared me.
With the Sword Art Online Progressive Movie: Aria of a Starless Night Release on December 3rd 2021, the series has been thrust back into light and is gaining more popularity for the Sword Art Online Novels, Movies, and Video Game series.
Current Sword Art Online Releases
Releases
Sword Art Online
Sword Art Online Gun Gale
Sword Art Online Alicization
Arc 1: Aincrad
Arc 2: Fairy Dance
Arc 3: Phantom bullet
Side 1: Calibur
Side 2: Mother's Rozario
Arc 4: Alicization
Arc 4 part 2: Alicization Rising
Arc 4 part 3: Alicization Uniting
Arc 4 part 4: Alicization Invading
Arc 4 part 5: Alicization Exploding
Arc 4 part 6: Alicization Awakening
Arc 4 part 7: Alicization Lasting
Light Novels
30 light novels
Sword Art Online Manga
12 manga
Music
Oh and can we take a break real quick to say that Crossing Fields the intro song is an actual bop? Like, wow. That song just goes too hard. I can literally listen to it in the gym and get some serious work done or run super far. There's just something about a MASTERPIECE of an intro song that gives the anime some watch ability. Thank you LiSA for the freaking hits, not even to mention Gurenge from Kimetsu No Yaiba (Demon Slayer). A serious gift the the earth.
Table of Contents
We are going to analyze the anime a bit in depth and take multiple viewpoints to understand what makes sword art online something that I watched 3 seasons of but didn't really enjoy after the 1st one. I think I kept watching because I was waiting for it to get better and it just kept getting worse.
Similarly, I really enjoyed Log Horizon and Konosuba as Isekais go but they just fell victim to the speed at which SAO was able to vomit out episodes and snag air time globally.
FAQ Frequently Asked Questions:
Is Sword Art Online worth watching?
Yes, it's a quality drawn serious with huge popularity despite mixed reviews. I would suggest just watching the first season as it gets bad after that. Watching the first season should give you enough knowledge about the show to discuss it with friends and form your own opinion on it's quality.
Why did SAO get so bad?
SAO took a turn for the worse when they started changing the rules of the plot and trying to pump in more unnecessary fan service. Kirito was relatable in season 1 because he had a growth arc and was trying to find himself, and real emotions were conveyed. Once he was the strongest character in the game, he lost his values and became someone else. The inconsistencies of the character development led audiences to lose interest.
Why is Sword Art Online hated?
Sword Art Online has mainly gathered hate from audiences around the world for the characters being written and portrayed in a sexual manner with non consensual themes. There is a molestation / rape fantasy portrayed by the writers that doesn't translate well outside of Japan, and when the story started deviating from the MMO Massive Multiplayer Online story of a character surviving and growing to a defunct love story involving a sad overpowered player, viewers were mainly disgusted and ready to move on.
Why is Sword Art Online so good?
Sword Art Online has a great isekai theme, talented voice actors and awesome illustration and animation. Many people in Japan grew a huge following to SAO, and having loved :hack// and phantasy star as a kid, I was not stranger to the allure of shows like this at first.
Sword Art Online Review (Synopsis)
In a nutshell, this anime is great until it's not.
The premise is kind of exciting, a character buys a game that allows him to enter into a virtual world where he can team up with friends and fight battles, kinda like where we are headed with meta and the oculus equipment? Or a bad version of VR Chat?
The game comes with gear that lets the user feel reality and experience physiological changes to their real body that are made in the game, like pain. This sounds like an anime version of Ready Player One.
Anyway, the Main Character Kirito finally gets his game but everyone gets stuck inside and when you die, then you do in real life.
The story evolves from just surviving to solving the crisis, and they show some great character development at first as this story unfolds.
SAO Insights and Thoughts
There are countless reasons for die-hard fans to stick with the show, but there is an equally long list of reasons for haters to stay away.
Sword Art Online superfans, or those who have seen the series through all four seasons, have praised the show's progression over the years. Season after season, things have gotten better. The series' major focus shifts with each new arc, and the stakes for Kirito and his companions continue to escalate as the story continues.
Fans and critics alike are intrigued by Sword Art Online, which, despite its controversies, has become one of the most popular and polarizing anime programs of the last decade. Viewers are generally divided into two groups: ardent supporters who hail the program as a game-changer in the isekai genre, and outspoken opponents who are perplexed as to how and why the program has garnered such widespread appeal. What was it about Sword Art Online's success that sparked such excitement in the anime community?
Fighting sequences in Sword Art Online are fascinating to watch and wonderfully drawn, even in the show's weaker seasons and arcs, and this is true even in the show's lesser seasons and arcs.
Finally, Kirito's transformation from a shy loner in the real world to a revered video game hero is a compelling story that will appeal to a wide spectrum of people. Kirito's story has a powerful emotional impact on viewers, which may explain why the anime has been popular for so long. Kirito was portrayed in the first season of the show as a reclusive homebody with few outside of school connections who spent the majority of his time crouched over a computer, working on his computer. His real-life persona, on the other hand, has changed drastically as a result of his interactions with other players. If he and his lover, Asuna, can ever escape the Underworld, they hope to further their education at a prominent university in the United States. His social circle has grown significantly since he first arrived.
There's no doubting that the anime Sword Art Online is a visually stunning piece of work. On the surface, it appears to be a surefire winner, given to its strong concept and abundance of action. There are a few problematic character behaviors, but the overarching story is quite consistent for the first 14 episodes or so of the season. As the show's dynamics shift, there is less suspense and excitement in the second half than there was in the first. A few instances of poor writing and stereotypical characters make this anime more disappointing than it should be, and hence less enjoyable.
To leave the game, players must fight and kill 100 levels' worth of opponents and monsters, which takes up the first half of the game; the second half of the game is dedicated to insuring their survival. Players die in the game, and as a result of their choices, they die in real life. The story suddenly jumps forward about 20 levels, skipping over a lot of the training and action that had transpired up to this point. Temporal jumps that take the characters two years into the future are interspersed with filler as well as high-octane drama and action. Fortunately, most of this can be disregarded due to the unified plot. However, after a fantastic mid-season conclusion, the second half of this season entirely undoes the first half's wonderful work.
Sword Art Online is a visual feast for the senses. The use of brilliant colors brings to life colorful RPG components such as health bars and objects. When enemies are defeated, they shatter into crystallized shards, and the series' symphonic score gives the impression that the players are in an MMO. The hand-drawn anime aesthetic infuses each scene with a sense of whimsy and pleasure. Sword Art Online has a visual advantage over other animes because of the consistent degree of detail and usage of color throughout the series, particularly in the later stages.
Sword Art Online features a number of issues that are hidden beneath its visually appealing design. Kirito (Papenbrook/Yoshitsugu Matsuoka) and Asuna's Asuna (Bryce Papenbrook) play important roles in the plot (Haruka Tomatsu). Their plot arc is well-written, but it's only about the thickness of a sheet of paper. As the two characters' friendship develops, it is gradually shown that Asuna's character degrades, and by the end of the series, she is a shell of her former self. Kirito is a famous example of a "bland" anime protagonist, with over-powered attacks and a formulaic personality that makes him difficult to distinguish from other anime characters. All of the female characters in the program are either weak or infatuated with Kirito, undermining the wonderful work done in the first few episodes.
The second half of Sword Art Online overshadows the wonderful work done in the first half of the series due to an unnecessary and difficult storyline twist. Furthermore, the characters' ambitions, as well as the reasons behind the game's design and player entrapment, are blithely discarded. Characters and protagonists in Sword Art Online aren't very unique, and the series as a whole has lost a lot of its luster since its first release. Sword Art Online, on the other hand, has some redeeming features, like great aesthetics, a dramatic soundtrack, and a well-paced first half of gameplay. It's a shame that the second half of this anime was handled so poorly, because the overwhelming sensation felt by most viewers as soon as the credits rolled was disappointment rather than excitement. Because of the bad writing, it was difficult to understand the plot of Sword Art Online throughout its first few seasons. Throughout the first arc, "Aincrad," the pacing was variable, and at times downright shaky. Despite the fact that the episodes jumped back and forth between years and months with little explanation to compensate, this was primarily due to the fact that Season 1 had 25 episodes and Season 2 had 24, which was a hurried attempt to cover a big number of tales in 25 episodes. As a result of this hasty writing method, several viewers have expressed unhappiness with the show's lack of concentration as well as the shallow features of the characters.
The third season of Sword Art Online debuted in 2019, and the majority of the technical issues have been rectified since then, and will continue to be a constant in Season 4. Despite these technological advancements, Sword Art Online detractors have been expressing their discontent with the game for nearly a decade. There is also another critical point to consider.
Sword Art Online Analysis and Audience Opinions
This series' light novels are well-known, and I've read them all. 'It's also one of the best books I've read in a long time.' The bond between Asuna and Kirito, as well as the grandeur of the planet, are wonderful, and the plot twists will leave you wanting more. This is the anime for you if you want a beautiful story, have played any RPGs, or love a little romance mixed with action and suspense. The anime has already covered a substantial chunk of volume 2 of the sword art series, so the main and fantastic storyline will continue from here.
So there you have it. SAO has become one of the most contentious anime in recent years. Some consider it to be one of the best, while others consider it to be rubbish, and still others simply ask, "hey guys, can't we all just have different opinions?" I loathe groups one and two in particular with all my heart. I'm going to write a review to explain why I think it's a waste of time. What exactly are we waiting for?
Despite the fact that "trapped in a video game" has been done many times before, the premise of SAO was intriguing. The plot then devolved into chaos. Several significant events occur off-screen, but they are never mentioned again or explained in depth.
This occurs on occasion with titles such as "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," and "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," which sweep the audience away and leave them with a terrible taste in their mouths. Online communities, forums, chat rooms, and every other section of the internet known to man evolve into debating grounds. A popular product does not always get to bask in the adoration that it deserves. It's difficult to keep up with the bombardment of criticism that comes with acclaim. Finally, it should be recognized that popularity does not always correspond to excellence.
Sword Art Online, or SAO as it is colloquially known, is no exception.
SAO, based on Kawahara Reki's light novel series, has been the most talked about show of the Summer and Fall 2012 seasons, with mixed reviews indicating that it will likely remain so for a long time. As a result, the creative team of SAO aimed to produce an engaging work by basing their work on the intriguing premise of "players in a VRMMORPG where death is comparable to death in real life, and clearing the game is their only way out." It's bad that SAO fails to live up to expectations, but it's also unfortunate that the first episode was so promising and created the idea that this was a program worth watching, only for things to go wrong after that. One of the most contentious anime series in recent years has arrived.
Let's get one thing straight before we begin the review. I haven't read the original light novels as far as I know. As a result, I won't be comparing it to the anime. Now that it's out of the way, let's get on with it.
On the surface, SAO appears to have an innovative and well-executed concept. A large gang intends to embark on an adventure after logging into a VRMMORPG, only to be terrified when they discover the game's horrible truth. In the first episode, this concept was successfully realized. In my perspective, it's a solid start. Having said that, it just takes a few episodes for SAO to reveal its true colors and then deliver a crushing blow to my expectations and enthusiasm.
So, what went wrong? There's a lot more that could be stated.
The first three episodes of this first arc are dedicated to side narratives in which our protagonist, Kirito, meets one new female character each episode and ends up saving her from a jam. This collection of side stories is best described as "episodic harem." The love interest of Asuna and Kirito Asuna is the story's major heroine, with the other girls serving as supporting characters. In reality, this isn't a bad thing in the least. These side stories, on the other hand, have nothing to do with the series' overarching plot. This may appear to be an insignificant element, but it has no bearing on what is happening in the larger tale at any particular point in time. These filler-like episodes, for the most part, serve as a vehicle for our hero clothed in all-black to demonstrate his sexual prowess as well as his capacity to be the coolest guy in a world composed of pixels. They also have no bearing on the remainder of the story, and the characters (read: attractive chicks) who appear in these episodes are no exception. After all, they are "side" characters. So does SAO, who is well-versed in how to put them rid of their agony.
When the arc eventually gets back on track, it's only natural to hope that the program can now generate something of worth. However, this is not the case. SAO's basis begins to unravel as soon as the two protagonists' clumsy romance takes center stage. At this stage, opinions are divided. Some people may appreciate the romantic aspect, while others may despise it due to the personalities involved. In the end, it comes down to personal preference. Even if the story, world development, and everything else are sacrificed to allow the two characters to have sex in the midst of beautiful landscape, personal preferences aren't a convincing explanation. When things eventually become serious, everything appears to be good for a while, but the first arc, in my opinion, finishes on a bad note.
The second arc, which begins, is again another letdown.
It takes place in ALfheim Online, the virtual reality MMORPG that succeeded SAO's virtual reality MMORPG. Kirito, one of the main characters, begins the game with the intention of rescuing his wife, Asuna (duh), from the clutches of an archetypal foe. This arc's aesthetics are spectacular, but that's about all it has going for it. This film contains only a few climactic action scenes with dramatic combat music playing in the background, and they endure only a few seconds. Kirito's harem has grown with the addition of a new member.
Then the hilarity begins.
Dues ex machina is employed to end ALO, eliminating the possibility of a final battle with the adversary. It could have been excused if the ending had been handled more thoughtfully and persuasively, but an apparent ass pull is not acceptable. If anything, it demonstrates that the writer was at a loss for words and expected the audience to swallow whatever he could come up with, no matter how ludicrous it was, because he was stuck.
Although this picture has several shortcomings, the most noticeable is its chaotic plot implementation. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that after a few episodes, SAO has a terrible pacing and inconsistencies. It looks to be unsure of what it wants to achieve and how it intends to do it. This is especially obvious in the first arc, as most of it appears rushed. While we, the spectators, stay in the dark, Timeskips show that characters have already cleared a substantial number of floors. There is no connection to the protagonists' life-or-death situation, and everything appears to be a piece of cake as a result. Despite the fact that the protagonists' lives are said to be in peril, there is no sense of survival or urgency. 'Why are they being so irresponsible when they are meant to devise strategies to beat the game and make a quick exit?'" In other words, the arc is prone to deviating from its intended path. It sets out to do one thing, but ends up doing the exact opposite. It's unclear if it'll come through as a story about survival in the context of a VRMMORPG or as a sweet love story. It eventually decides to juggle both, but neither works. It's also worth mentioning that in some circumstances, the characters' actions are designed to violate established game principles, with the only explanation provided being that 'where there's a desire, there's a way, and at times, genuine love and determination may overcome any hurdle in the game.'
In the viewpoint of people seeking content, no amount of fanservice, eye candy, self-insertion, or guilty pleasure components can compensate for a story's shortcomings. This is what SAO is attempting. With the employment of all of the aforementioned components, it sugarcoats its lousy writing. Overall, no actual efforts are made to incorporate any form of world-building or character-building qualities.
The show's mediocrity is accentuated by low writing quality, but characterization also plays a role. SAO's characters are mainly one-dimensional. The show mostly focuses on Kirito and Asuna. The remainder of the characters are only story devices. There are also individuals who have nothing to do with the plot at all. Characters who feature in secondary stories, for example.
Let's begin with Kirito, the main character.
He's one of the team's most reclusive players, but he's also one of the most determined. Kirito is depicted in a similar fashion in the start. At this point, he appears to be a welcome variation from the usual anime male protagonists that are so prevalent these days. It's refreshing to see a well-rounded protagonist who can deal with life's difficulties. Unfortunately, the pleasant vibes didn't last long. Kirito's character is portrayed as a "perfect" person in order to make him more "appealing," resulting in a lack of credibility and an abundance of insipidity.
He's a nice person with a large heart.
This guy has the ideal mate.
Those who know him well admire him.
He has the uncanny capacity to make any other woman he encounters fall head over heels in love with him without even realizing it.
His entire goal is to meet the wishes of the audience, and he is far from a "individualistic" persona. When paired with Mary Sue, the show's Mary Sue, we get a lead pairing that seems like it came straight from a cheesy romance story.
Of course, Mary Sue was referring to Asuna.
Asuna's role as the female heroine is as stereotypical as they come. Her character has been praised in the same way as Kirito's has. Because she is attractive, popular, kind, and kind, every guy wants a piece of her. Then there's the fact that she's becoming increasingly adept at cooking with each passing day. It is her primary obligation to cook for Kirito and show him how much she loves him. As a strong, independent female player with a tsundere-like persona, she swiftly morphs into a dreadful damsel in distress who needs her knight in black cloak to come to her rescue whenever she gets herself into difficulty. Kirito's idea to go to war with her guild leader in order to get time off for her honeymoon is ridiculous. As the plot unfolds, it becomes evident that her role is restricted to being the protagonist's love interest and the object of fanservice. While this may appeal to men, it does not compensate for her poor writing. Aside from fan service, the show's second female character, who is also the focus of attention, has nothing else going on.
I'm referring to Kirito and his favorite imouto, in case you're wondering.
This is probably what the writer had hoped for all along, but they couldn't locate the perfect person for the part. To prevent Asuna from meddling with his intentions, he imprisons her and introduces Suguha, Kirito's cousin sister. Her character looks to have been created primarily to set up a traditional love triangle and melodrama. But she can't stop him since he loves Asuna and she can't stop him. That's a hard reality, I know. As a result, she hopes that a certain ALO friend of hers, whom she has grown to admire, would be able to alleviate her suffering. On the other hand, she is trolled to death. More drama follows, which is meant to be heartbreaking but isn't. It's a never-ending circle.
The entire cast is mostly uninteresting, with only two antagonists who fail to make an impression, one of whom debuts in the second arc and can give humorous light relief at times, and an assortment of minor characters that wouldn't have mattered anyhow. Simply put, the characters in SAO are a jumbled mess devoid of substance or complexity. They would have been more interesting if they had been more thoroughly developed, but who cares if they appeal to the intended target audience?
Let's get into the details.
A-1 Pictures does an excellent job with the images. The game has a lot to see and appreciate, from vast stretches of wilderness to beautiful cities and castles. The animation is handled really well for the most part. Despite my initial distaste, I've grown to like the character designs, with Asuna, Heathcliff, and Lisbeth among my favorites.
The soundtrack was composed by Yuki Kajiura, one of the most well-known names in anime music. Except for the one that plays during combat/intense situations, none of the soundtracks stand out much, no matter how amazing they are. It is, in fact, the sole song that is played the majority of the time during the show. Other songs, while fitting for the scenes in which they are performed, are quickly forgotten. The themes for the introduction and conclusion are the same. It's not revolutionary in any way. The soundtrack for SAO is, well, underwhelming in comparison to Kajiura's previous efforts. In the first place, it's difficult to believe Kajiura is the composer.
Finally, the review concludes that SAO had the potential to be a fantastic picture, but that promise was squandered by an unoriginal plot and uninteresting characters. Things gradually deteriorate after a bright start. Even yet, if one keeps their expectations low and accepts everything it has to offer without question, it could be a fun experience. Many people had high expectations for SAO, which is natural given that it is based on one of the most successful light novel series ever.
When Kirito was in an untenable predicament, the story skipped to the finish and didn't explain how he got out of it. Filler episodes about Kirito resurrecting some irrelevant bitch's bird crap are probably more important.
The main character has nothing to fear thanks to invincible plot armor and LE EPIC DUBBLE SWORDZ. The point of the two swords is eluding me. What made it a one-of-a-kind experience for him? Was there no one else who could take another sword from their grip? Think beyond the box if you're going to give the protagonist an outrageously powerful weapon. Kirito's unique ability to dual wield was continually hammered into our heads, despite the fact that other characters had been shown dual wielding on several occasions. The makers put virtually no effort into this series.
The plot's hurried nature was the most frustrating feature about it. When it came to filler episodes that added nothing to the story, they mostly concentrated on the romance between the main characters and the random ladies who fell in love with the protagonist's "blank slate." As a result, the plot's most important episodes were dealt with quickly and practically ignored in the larger context.
Despite the ostensible danger, it appears like you would have to be a complete moron to perish. Aside from the teleportation crystals and the protection of towns, the boss battles were similarly brief, uninteresting, and straightforward. Bosses, in any case, do not respawn. The arc then abruptly and unexpectedly came to an end. Despite the fact that there were supposed to be over 100 boss battles, only a few are shown to us that are easily won. But does SAO end there? Nonono. It hasn't progressed to the point where it's as bad as it could be.
The series as a whole centred around a virtual world where you couldn't leave and died if you lost. Assuming Kirito is already indestructible, an incident occurs that reduces the MMO's danger level even further, effectively killing any hope it had. In the second half, our uninteresting protagonist is attracted by even more ladies, including a 16-year-old player who inexplicably overpowers a gigantic man in a world where rationality is nonexistent and women are insulted. With THE ETERNAL POWER OF LOOOVE, our magnificent protagonist transcends all game restrictions.
That isn't how programming works, dude.
One of the worst stories I've ever encountered in any form is riddled with plot holes, contradictions, and deus ex machinas, as well as a complete lack of foreshadowing, originality, or subtlety. "120 Days of Sodom" is also on my list of books to read.
A beautiful environment, but a mediocre character design. The characters' clothes and armament were ordinary, as were the individuals themselves. There were also a number of horrific crimes.
All of the fairies appeared to be inept in my opinion. Specifically, the eerie butterfly man. A few glaring flaws, such as individuals who should have been in the background of a fight disappearing and reappearing after the fight, were trivial in comparison to the series' genuine concerns.
Kirito's appearance in the game was strange because he was designed to look considerably different from how he looked in real life.
The sound is identical to what you heard in the gallery. It's fine, but if the series lacks content, it's unwatchable. Even if the sound is fantastic, regardless of the icing, the cake will taste awful.
Characters: Oh my goodness! The worst part has arrived.
Kirito: Kirito was designed as a blank canvas for losers to fill in with their own characteristics. He lacks any semblance of a personality. I like to think of him as the Kristen Stewart of anime. His major distinctive feature is his power. Really. He's so powerful that people submit to him without even attempting to fight him. He's ideal for a video game-obsessed slacker. The only times he is challenged in the series are when the 1337 b34t3r is outclassed by a weaker rival. Most of his opponents are simply envious of him.
What is the goal of an action series in which the protagonist easily dispatches all of his enemies? He was on the verge of death several times, but was saved by plot armor. Everyone else's (virtual) reality, according to Kirito, has no place in his world.
Asuna, on the other hand, is impeccably dressed. She's strong, beautiful, and, most importantly, a skilled chef. They don't have any chemistry, and she falls in love with him out of nowhere. When you combine a Mary Sue and a blank slate, you get a twilight-level love story.
A strong female character may have been the writers' intention at initially, but given how perfectly she matches the female gender stereotype and how frequently she's the damsel in distress, I'd say her portrayal was overly clichéd and a little misogynistic. To say the least, this is plainly misogynistic. She's primarily here to make Kirito look good. There aren't many self-insers who don't have a Mary sue partner.
Suguha and Kirito are sister-cousins. Despite the fact that he looks exactly the same in the game as he does in real life, she was unable to recognize him. Apart from that, all I have to say about her is that she was inserted solely for the sake of fanservice and obligatory incest. No, I don't think it's all that bad. Another female to fall for Kirito, since you can never have too many of these in your life, right? She lacks personality and is pretty annoying. Kirito's coolness is her trademark.
The names of the villains elude me at the moment. We're supposed to believe that an MMO designer who was responsible for the deaths of a large number of people was ultimately a wonderful guy. There's also the butterfly guy. He was both my favorite and least favorite villain of all time because he was so entertaining. Purple tentacle men made an appearance as well. They were strange, despite the fact that I have no idea who they are or what their goal was.
Overall, the intentions of all of the characters are either unrealistic or non-existent. They try to make the original programming guy into a morally murky villain, but he fails terribly. However, he is also present to make Kirito appear cool for reasons that I cannot describe in a spoiler-free review. They make Butterfly Man excessively depressing and unrealistically vile. This character was created to contrast with Kirito in order to make Kirito appear more appealing, just like the rest of the characters in the series. I'm at a loss for words when it comes to the purple tentacles. They were, however, unquestionably the greatest villains of all time. Because the majority of the characters lacked motivation, the urge to rap tentacles was the only compelling one I encountered in this cartoon series. We applaud them despite the fact that they are uncontested Special Olympics champions.
There were many opponents present, but they are the only ones I care about enough to talk about. None of the others stood out in such a way that an uproar was needed. Let's just say they were all awful.
The rest of the world: Because everyone else is irrelevant. Suguha's offer was merely a kind gesture, and the villains don't really matter because Kirito is practically indestructible. Kirito only cares about Asuna because he likes her. There would be no story if Asuna didn't cook such awe-inspiring sammies.
Even if there are a few recurring characters who lack personality and development, they only appear infrequently and serve to improve Kirito's image or persuade women to pursue him.
There are numerous situations where Kirito becomes friends or acquaintances with characters that have little personality and are killed for doing nothing. The deaths of these random characters are then expected to affect us. You can't just say, "Ohhhh dey died, isn't that sad?" when a character dies. You'll need to improve your abilities.
Characters who go unidentified early on in SAO are even worse. Any writer understands that reducing characters to numbers removes all emotion from the equation, which is how we're supposed to feel about this. They most likely skipped these scenes due to their inability to portray realistic and sympathetic characters. Foreshadowed the rest of the show's characters' sluggishness and incompetence.
They didn't even make an attempt. Of course, they didn't. People won't notice if they don't, which is fine. It's time to get on board the hype train.
For me, the most enjoyable thing I did while watching this anime was giggling at the "serious" moments. When discussing Asuna's guild and strength level in real life, Kirito referred to her as "lightning flash Asuna." I sobbed along with Kirito. However, not in the way that I had hoped. I spewed my iced tea down my throat as I saw the butterfly guy licking a girl's face. There was simply too much information. It literally wrecked my clothes. Is anyone else astonished by how much fun they had? Is this being taken seriously? That is not the case. At the very least, that's what I'm praying for. Oh, my gosh, I hope that's all there is to it.
I'm not sure how anyone could appreciate the activity, and I surely didn't. They were all far too easy to locate. Every time it tried to make it appear as if he was in trouble, a miracle occurred. Many anime fights are predictable, but the inventive combat sequences and powers, or the focus on the characters, make up for it. The battles in this MMO are nowhere near as good as those in Runescape.
Aside from the quality issues, there were also quantity challenges. This isn't an action-packed animation. Most episodes featured Kirito saving Asuna, women falling in love with Kirito, or Asuna and Kirito's boring relationship as the focal point. There isn't a single episode that I'd call "action-packed." This is an issue since we were supposed to have 100 boss fights, but after 100 of such tiresome encounters, I feel I would die of boredom.
It was a dreadful love story. There are far better romantic comedies out there, and this one didn't have any. Rather, I'd want to read a book with engaging characters. Unlike most anime, which spends a lot of time cultivating the characters' relationships, this one happens fairly immediately and there's little time to savor it. This wouldn't be such a bad thing if their connection was interesting. They don't have any serious conflicts, however, and are virtually the ideal pair. It wasn't until Asuna was in danger that their connection began to improve. It's critical to understand that I mean "developments that made Kirito cry like a small girl." However, in comparison to other scenarios, they were actually pretty enjoyable.
Both the animation and the sound are ten out of ten.
To say the least, the animation is spectacular, and it is certain to accurately reflect the fantastic location from the light novels as well as the character models from the anime. Asuna and Kirito's voice acting was faultless, as was the overall sound quality, which, like the animation, was flawless.
ten/10 for story and characters
If you've ever played a role-playing game, you'll understand what it's like to die and have to start over if you don't succeed the first time. When your health bar runs out in this anime, you die almost instantly in real life. With a premise like that, this anime is bound to be intriguing and suspenseful.
For the time being, I'll stick to talking about the primary characters because the rest of the cast hasn't been introduced sufficiently. Kirito isn't your standard anime protagonist because he prefers to go solo rather than stay with his "noob" friend and defend him in the VRMMORPG for his own safety. After meeting Asuna, he quickly turns into a character you'll fall in love with in the novels (his main love interest and party member). Kirito and Asuna's romance is one of the most endearing I've ever seen in an anime or manga.
About the Author
Colton Woodard is an American Author and Anime Connoisseur. He writes Blogs as well as Anime Reviews for TheAnimeBlog.com. Colton also teaches Karate Online for the National Karate Kobudo Federation, and helps run their blog as well. Fun Fact: Colton loves to play TCG and his favorite is Wixoss (mainly for the art).
