SAO: Aincrad/ALO (Anime Review)

Heeeeeeyyyy! :3

Since this is a blog, I'm supposed to post stuff (huge surprise TT_TT) and at the moment I've decided to do reviews and start up a database (obviously unfinished) and I'll start with the most popular anime of 2013 (that wasn't mainstream anyways ^.^), SAO, otherwise known as Sword Art Online.

Simple introductory plot: In 2022, 10,000 gamers are trapped in a VR (Virtual Reality) game named SAO that takes place in a massive virtual castle floating in the sky called "Aincrad". The game creator announces that the only way out is to defeat the final boss atop the 100th floor, but that death in-game also means death in real life.

The floating virtual castle, Aincrad in SAO.

Negative Point of View:

Guess I'll try to be generous and not to critical.

You see, the actual light novel series, which the anime is based off from (volumes 1 and 2), jumps from the first floor to the 74th. There was massive potential in that long gap. Because of this, the anime story line team used the side stories as filler episodes to make up for this, which is understandable, but in no way is very satisfying.

(Skipping 73 floors just doesn't work too well, Reki Kawahara. As an author, you should have more respect for the hearts on loyal fans -.-)

Furthermore, there is so much more to the SAO story than just the former and ALO. There is also GGO (Gun Gale Online) and Mother's Rosario, then Alicization, which is still ongoing. With so much popularity, there was absolutely no need for ending the season right there.

Volume 5, Phantom Bullet Arc (GGO)

Volume 6, Phantom Bullet Arc (GGO)

There's also a bit too much fan service. Kirito clearly has a harem going, though I'm glad Kawahara decided that he would mostly just stick with Asuna. However, this particular aspect of it is not very detrimental; it's merely a personal preference.

As with most animes, there was wasted potential, and I do have to say this was very definitively one of those. SAO could have been much more epic and fun to watch, but I do like it nonetheless.

The second arc, ALO, also reduced Asuna to a plot device, which was a little unexpected, and though Kirito is journeying to the World Tree, he goes through events which are not quite necessary at all for the advancement of the story. This was a little confusing, though still enjoyable.

Positive point of View:

I liked how Kirito was a rather rememberable character, and the theme about a death game was quite interesting. The combat was also well-defined, and those scenes held good animation. More accurately, there were a few very epic scenes that were quite likable.

Kirito had a great personality, who fought in the name of protecting what he loves, such as his friends and Asuna.


(Though this is rather short, that basically summarizes all the good aspects of SAO. More may be added later, since I am quite busy at this time :3)

OVERALL RATING:

Not very well thought out, but quite good. Haven't seen one quite like it in a while. Thumbs up, congratulations! ^.^