Sword Art Online

Ever since the release of the innovative NerveGear, gamers from all around the globe have been given the opportunity to experience a completely immersive virtual reality. Sword Art Online (SAO), one of the most recent games on the console, offers a gateway into the wondrous world of Aincrad, a vivid, medieval landscape where users can do anything within the limits of imagination. With the release of this worldwide sensation, gaming has never felt more lifelike.

However, the idyllic fantasy rapidly becomes a brutal nightmare when SAO's creator traps thousands of players inside the game. The "log-out" function has been removed, with the only method of escape involving beating all of Aincrad's one hundred increasingly difficult levels. Adding to the struggle, any in-game death becomes permanent, ending the player's life in the real world.

While Kazuto "Kirito" Kirigaya was fortunate enough to be a beta-tester for the game, he quickly finds that despite his advantages, he cannot overcome SAO's challenges alone. Teaming up with Asuna Yuuki and other talented players, Kirito makes an effort to face the seemingly insurmountable trials head-on. But with difficult bosses and threatening dark cults impeding his progress, Kirito finds that such tasks are much easier said than done.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Kirigaya, Kazuto Main

Matsuoka, Yoshitsugu Japanese

Yuuki, Asuna Main

Tomatsu, Haruka Japanese

Kirigaya, Suguha Main

Taketatsu, Ayana Japanese

Yui Supporting

Itou, Kanae Japanese

Tsuboi, Ryoutarou Supporting

Hirata, Hiroaki Japanese

Ayano, Keiko Supporting

Hidaka, Rina Japanese

Shinozaki, Rika Supporting

Takagaki, Ayahi Japanese

Sachi Supporting

Hayami, Saori Japanese

Kayaba, Akihiko Supporting

Yamadera, Kouichi Japanese

Mills, Andrew Gilbert Supporting

Yasumoto, Hiroki Japanese

Mori, Yasunori Producer

Miki, Kazuma Producer

Niwa, Masami Assistant Producer

Itou, Tomohiko Director, Episode Director, Storyboard

Reviews

Jun 2, 2024

Vergil_nunpuia

Recommended

This anime is the best in its genre and should be amongst the top .It should be on the most favourite thing that is and the game like system is the best.The Sword art online is the system where players are kept between live threatening situation.The story is awesome on its own way and the duo must be kept alive and the characters were not fond of it.People should comply to this type of anime and they should be obtain through its genre.Others will enjoy and the characters were unique and tremendous.The story is predictable and the artstyle is fitting.They have flaws and understanding of ... the situation they are smart and charismatic.

Reviewer’s Rating: 9

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Apr 4, 2024

LordGaru

Mixed Feelings

will be careful not to be overtaken by nostalgia. The work is fun to watch, especially if it's for the first time. The first episodes are very good, they make you think and want to watch more. However, after the 12th episode, I don't recommend it as much.

I have mixed feelings about them. I recommend it to everyone up to the halfway point, but unfortunately, S.A.O. is a love or hate

This work represents the beginning of all the hype for isekais, so it's a very cool work, it's a very important work, but it really doesn't make me very happy after the ALO part. ... Everything after episode 12, for me, is distasteful.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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May 8, 2024

Clypsedra

Not Recommended

I could literally rant all day about how terrible and pathetic SAO is, and I still wouldn't be satisfied by the end of it. There are just so many things about it that's garbage and infuriating, it's hard to choose.
I feel like SAO is such a joke. There are some people that genuinely like it for some godforsaken reason, but as for me, there are so many flaws with it that I don't get how you can watch it unironically and not feel like it's a comedy.

I think Asuna is one of the most bland waifu bait I've ever seen in any media ever. She ... has no consistency at all and she act like the generic housewife toward Kirito, like she's good for nothing else.
She's a textbook example of how NOT to write female characters.

Not only does she have no personality outside of being the love interest, but all her development, motivation and depth are tied to Kirito. I swear, she feels like she can't even exist independently without him being around, it's like she has no autonomy or character outside of her relationship with him.

It's so frustrating to watch. It feels like the whole show revolves around Kirito and how every girl adores him and thinks he's so amazing and incredible. They basically worship the ground he walks on, it's annoying as hell.
Also the show just refuses to give the other girls any development or depth to them. They're all just there as love interests for Kirito and nothing else.

It's such a lazy and misogynistic way to write female characters, I have no idea why anyone would defend it.
The action scenes feel half-assed, the story is convoluted, the writing is garbage, the characters are shallow and pathetic, and there is literally nothing that the show does well or executes properly.

Kirito has no personality as well. He's the epitome of an overpowered Mary Sue type character.
He's perfect at everything he does, always saves the day, never loses at anything and has no flaws or weaknesses. It's like he's a god amongst men and no one is stronger than him.
He's also an absolute Gary Stu, who is so smart and so good at everything that it feels unrealistic. It's like the author is trying to make him seem so cool and amazing, but it just comes off as super annoying and pretentious.

The second half of the story had so many plot holes and inconsistencies, the characters make stupid decisions and the whole story just feels bloated and convoluted.

Animation-wise, it's decent but nothing special. It's not bad, but it's not great either.

The music is generic and forgettable, and it doesn't really do anything to help the story or characters. It's just there as background noise.

And the action scenes suck. There's no suspense or tension in them. They just feel like a bunch of flashy lights and effects without any substance behind them.

1/10

Reviewer’s Rating: 1

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