Sword Art Online II

A year after escaping Sword Art Online, Kazuto Kirigaya has been settling back into the real world. However, his peace is short-lived as a new incident occurs in a game called Gun Gale Online, where a player by the name of Death Gun appears to be killing people in the real world by shooting them in-game. Approached by officials to assist in investigating the murders, Kazuto assumes his persona of Kirito once again and logs into Gun Gale Online, intent on stopping the killer.

Once inside, Kirito meets Sinon, a highly skilled sniper afflicted by a traumatic past. She is soon dragged in his chase after Death Gun, and together they enter the Bullet of Bullets, a tournament where their target is sure to appear. Uncertain of Death Gun's real powers, Kirito and Sinon race to stop him before he has the chance to claim another life. Not everything goes smoothly, however, as scars from the past impede their progress. In a high-stakes game where the next victim could easily be one of them, Kirito puts his life on the line in the virtual world once more.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Kirigaya, Kazuto Main

Matsuoka, Yoshitsugu Japanese

Yuuki, Asuna Main

Tomatsu, Haruka Japanese

Asada, Shino Main

Sawashiro, Miyuki Japanese

Konno, Yuuki Main

Yuuki, Aoi Japanese

Yui Supporting

Itou, Kanae Japanese

Kirigaya, Suguha Supporting

Taketatsu, Ayana Japanese

Tsuboi, Ryoutarou Supporting

Hirata, Hiroaki Japanese

Ayano, Keiko Supporting

Hidaka, Rina Japanese

Shinozaki, Rika Supporting

Takagaki, Ayahi Japanese

Mills, Andrew Gilbert Supporting

Yasumoto, Hiroki Japanese

Miki, Kazuma Producer

Futami, Yousuke Producer

Itou, Tomohiko Director

Iwanami, Yoshikazu Sound Director

Reviews

Aug 29, 2023

NevesPT

Recommended

"Sword Art Online II," the 2014 sequel to the original series, continues to explore the virtual reality gaming realm with a renewed focus on augmented reality and a fresh narrative arc. The story follows Kirito as he becomes involved in a new game called "Gun Gale Online," which centers around gun combat. This season offers a blend of action, mystery, and personal growth.

Viewers are recommended to watch through at least the first arc to fully appreciate the evolution of the storyline.

The standout feature of "Sword Art Online II" is its ability to transition smoothly from the MMORPG setting of the first season to the shooter-focused ... gameplay of Gun Gale Online. This change injects a breath of fresh air into the series while maintaining its core exploration of virtual worlds. The narrative is a mix of gun battles and detective work, as Kirito delves into a mystery involving a player known as "Death Gun." The pacing, although improved from the previous season, occasionally stumbles during slower exposition moments.

Characters continue to be a driving force in the series. Kirito's growth remains central, but this season introduces Sinon, a complex character who provides a fresh perspective on the virtual realm. Her interactions with Kirito create a dynamic that further enriches the story. The emotional undercurrents are present, particularly in Kirito's determination to protect those he cares about.

Visuals maintain the high standard set by the first season, blending action sequences with serene landscapes and character-driven moments. The introduction of a new game brings with it diverse visual styles, adding layers of immersion to the storytelling. Music, once again, serves its purpose adequately, complementing both high-stakes battles and quieter introspective scenes.

Ratings:
 Cast: 8.5/10
 Animation: 8.5/10
 Music: 8/10
 Story: 8/10
 Overall: 8.25/10

In summary, "Sword Art Online II" maintains the spirit of the original while introducing new elements that keep the franchise engaging. With its exploration of different gaming dynamics and its commitment to character development, this season offers an enjoyable continuation to Kirito's virtual adventures. While not without its occasional narrative hiccups, the series remains a captivating journey into the evolving landscape of virtual reality gaming.

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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Aug 27, 2023

Peach_Main

Mixed Feelings

Female Kirito is the best Kirito = Phantom Bullet Arc is the best.

Okay, I'll get serious now. Sword Art Online II, an anime that I would not have expected to find when I was getting into Sailor Moon during Summer 2014 since the former aired on the same day of the week as the latter's remake. Since I didn't think the first season was bad, I decided to give this one a go. This one... is also getting the Mixed Feelings treatment due to what I consider to be a near fatal mistake this season made after the halfway point. Like I did for Season ... 1, I will score each covered story individually and their average will be the final score at the end.

The Phantom Bullet Arc, in my opinion, is one of the most creative ideas I've ever seen for a story. In the virtual reality online game called Gun Gale Online, there is a mysterious player who calls himself Death Gun, who appears to be able to literally kill players in the game. By shooting another player with his Type 54 Pistol, the victim's body in the real world instantly dies. Since this is considered a crime, it's up to Kirito to investigate and stop Death Gun before another player is murdered. You might wonder why is the Ministry of Internal Affairs giving the task to Kirito. It's because Kirito is well versed in virtual realities compared to everybody else in the series. A lot of people seem to dislike this logic. Personally, I never have been bothered by this. I'm just happy to see a sequel and hope it's an improvement from the Fairy Dance Arc, which it is.

I did say in my review for the first season that Sword Art Online traditionally likes to have a new female lead character for each arc. The Phantom Bullet Arc's female lead Sinon is an interestingly written character. The third episode goes in-depth with her backstory where she saved her mother along with many other people at a post office from a robber. The robber threatened to shoot everybody to death if the post office doesn't give him any money pointing the gun at Sinon's mother. In response, Sinon manages to get the gun off the robber's hand and used it to kill him. Wow she's a hero! She saved so many innocent lives that day. She must have become very popul- no, the other kids at school call her the murderer. Even Sinon's mother gave her a dirty look immediately after she did the deed. What a bunch of d*cks! Now, Sinon's got a fear of guns in the real world and by her one and only friend's suggestion, is playing Gun Gale Online as a means to conquer that fear. Now she is one of the best players in the game and seeks to win the upcoming Bullet of Bullets Tournament.

Death Gun is also entering the tournament, leading Kirito to convert his Alfheim account into Gun Gale Online in order to participate in it and confront him. Upon entering the game for the first time, Kirito's avatar has a very feminine appearance. I know the avatar type he has is labeled as a male avatar, but the appearance makes it not obvious at all. Honestly, I actually like this idea because it's one way to make the Phantom Bullet Arc stand out from the others. Kirito does not bother to correct anybody mistakening him for a girl, including Sinon, and makes his preparations for the tournament with him main weapon of choice being... drumroll please... well, pretend you're hearing a drumroll right now!

.................................................................................................................................................................a photon sword.

Yeah, laugh all you want because Kirito does end up being a top player with this weapon. It is said it's due to his agility or something. Even if it's just a video game, it does get a little to unrealistic with Kirito being able to deflect bullets with a photon sword. I know the series is called Sword Art Online, but this is a little too much sometimes. At the very least, Death Gun came prepared expecting Kirito to pull such a feat and has something prepared to combat against the photon sword.

Of course you can expect Kirito to be the victor with some assistance from Sinon. With Death Gun defeated and his tricks exposed, the Phantom Bullet Arc comes to an end... after Kirito helps Sinon with her fear of guns... from there, the arc concludes.

Very rarely I encounter anime that pulls off a stunt called Recap episodes and Sword Art Online II introduced me to it. After the end of the Phantom Bullet Arc, the animators decided to fill the next week with a Recap episode of the entire arc... really. Was that really necessary? Apparently, it's another tradition with this series considering there was an Extra Edition movie that came out before this season which recapped all of Season One and Kirito and his friends doing a quest afterwards. Yeah, you're not missing much if you didn't see that movie, and I am certainly not reviewing it!

The Phantom Bullet Arc did get a little too silly at times, but it is most certainly an improvement over the first season. It avoided the Aincrad Arc's issue with halting progress from time to time and it definitely is a step in the right direction after how insulting the Fairy Dance Arc was. It's my favorite arc and I am giving it a 9/10. I wonder what this series has in store for us next.

...Sigh...

The second half of Sword Art Online II is NOT, I repeat, NOT the fourth arc. Instead, we get not one, but TWO short stories BOTH taking place in Alfheim Online. Most people take their anger out on the Fairy Dance Arc by never wanting to see this game ever again, or at least have any more stories taking place in it. What's even worse is that the second short story is actually GOOD. The first one however, is a massive load of What The F*ck?! I was disgusted by it watching it for the first time and I still am to this day. I'll be brief because I seriously do not want to linger on it for too long. Spanning just for only three episodes, Kirito and his friends go on a hunt for the legendary sword Excaliber. Why does Kirito want the very thing that is giving him flashbacks of the Fairy Dance Arc is beyond my comprehension. Since Sinon is now officially one of Kirito's friends thanks to the events of the Phantom Bullet Arc, she is invited to the quest as well. The only memorable moment I like with this short story is the fact that Sinon chose the Cat Sith race for her Alfheim avatar and Kirito teased her by pulling her tail. Probably coming off of loving the arc she was introduced in, so I may be a bit overzealous with that.

Along the way, they find a trapped girl named Freyja, who Kirito's friend Klein decides to free since he is completely infatuated with her. If you've watched this entire short story until the very end, you should know why I had to cuss in the previous paragraph. For those who haven't, I'll just say Freyja is the reason I needed to use profanity. Moving right along, with Freyja's help, Kirito and his friends defeat a boss and Kirito gets his hands on the sword. Even while refraining from spoilers, I am not happy with having to review this short story, especially since the next is so good, I won't be surprised if there are several people who completely missed out on it because these three episodes of the first short story made them gave up on Sword Art Online II. This is a recipe for disaster. You want people to see something good? Don't make them suffer through such an atrocious and pointless short story that literally holds no relevance since Excaliber only appears in Kirito's hand once during the events of the second short story. It is so bad, it should never have been a part of the season. Maybe it could be fine as its own OVA outside of the main seasons but other than that, the short story Caliber (They didn't even properly name it!) sucks. 3/10, let's finally get to the short story people love to talk about.

Contrary to popular belief, Mother's Rosario is not a main arc in the Sword Art Online series. It's a short story, and a better one at that! Asuna Yuuki, the main female lead and Kirito's girlfriend, is the main protagonist of Mother's Rosario. One day, there is a rumor going around the Alfheim community about a professional player who won so many consecutive Player VS. Player Duels. Even Kirito can't beat them! This player is a girl named Yuuki Konno, having her first name be the same as Asuna's family name. She is the leader of the Sleeping Knights guild and they want to defeat a floor boss in New Aincrad, so their names can be engraved on the Monument of Swordsmen as proof of their existence. Why do they care for something like this? Because Yuuki is terminally ill having HIV / AIDS since birth and does not have much longer to live. Man... remember the good old days when HIV used to be the scariest virus of them all? Ah... the memories.

The Sleeping Knights are in need of a seventh member and after Yuuki duels Asuna, she chose her to help them fulfill their dream. After two attempts at a boss, they succeeded. That may sound short and simple so far, but half the story takes place in the real world. In the school established for those who survived the events of the Aincrad Arc, Asuna seems to be slightly struggling in her studies. This convinced her mother that it's best if she should move to a different school and stop playing VRMMO games. Knowing that she can't afford to be separated from her friends again, Asuna did her best to improve her grades and even showcased Alfheim Online to her mother in order to show her why she loves the virtual world so much. The mother-daughter relationship isn't the most exciting thing in the world, but it helps make Asuna's family feel like an actual real life family we're watching. I'm sure there are some gamers who can relate to Asuna during these segments.

The last part of Mother's Rosario involves Kirito and Asuna figuring out a way to have Yuuki experience the real world since Yuuki is stuck in the Medicuboid, designed for patients in terminal care. Since Yuuki has AIDS, she can only interact with other people through VRMMO games. Using the audiovisual bidirectional communication probe, Yuuki got to see the real world from seeing the school Asuna attends to getting to see her old place of residence. While Asuna and Yuuki got to have a good time together, eventually Yuuki's condition deteriorates. As one final thank you to Asuna, Yuuki passed her signature skill, Mother's Rosario, to Asuna before passing away. What a way to end off Sword Art Online II. Seriously, if it wasn't for the dumb idea of including Caliber into it, this could have been a solid season. The Phantom Bullet Arc was awesome and Mother's Rosario was very touching. If only it got more episodes to last a little longer. I'd say at least three more episodes would benefit it. Too bad they were wasted away with Caliber. Mother's Rosario was beautiful, but was kind of short for its own good. It gets 8/10.

Before averaging out the scores, there are more aspects of Sword Art Online II I have yet to go over. First, the art and animation. It's virtually the same as Season One, and honestly, I think the old art style still holds up. No complaints on the new style that comes a few years later, I just thought I'd bring up the fact that this may be the last time we see the old one.

The music selection of Sword Art Online II is amazing. For the Phantom Bullet Arc, Ignite and Startear are banger opening and ending songs respectively. The second opening used for the short stories, Courage, is also a decent song and I'd argue it fits Mother's Rosario a lot more than Caliber. A little fun fact is that the name Yuuki sounds like the Japanese word for courage. I bet they did this on purpose and if I'm right, that's just beautiful. Caliber's ending song may just be one of the few redeeming qualities that short story has. Mother's Rosario's ending song is a very beautiful song to listen to and it fits the short story's theme all too well. The final opening used in the final episode is a nice way to tell viewers that they have made it to the end of the season.

The voice acting is just as good as the music. The cast did a great job voice acting for the returning characters and new characters. They all perfectly captured how their characters were feeling in each scenario they were in throughout the season. The same can be said for Season One as well. They're good, just not the first thing I would remember. I just thought I ought to give some praise to Sword Art Online II. I want to say it's an underrated gem, but with what went down in Caliber, that really isn't the correct phrase.

Sword Art Online II could have gotten a solid 8.5/10 if only Caliber was excluded. Unfortunately, I have to do the proper math for it.

9 + 3 + 8 = 20
20 / 3 = 6.67

Since ratings can only be in integers, I will round it up to 7. Wow... so I'm giving this season the same exact score as the first.

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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May 17, 2024

Waffle188

Not Recommended

oh ma days man, SAO II is making the mandems livid innit.

Plot/Story and Character: 2.5/10

A 10-year-old probably wrote the entirety of this story. Everything just doesn't make sense. They live in a world where technology is so advanced that they have full-dive VRs everywhere; however, I guess this technology budget wasn't used on anything else other than VRs because the whole Japan doesn't have the technology to track one guy in-game and needs a 17-year-old boy to save the day.
The whole plot revolves around Kirito and this new girl, Asada Shino, so that all the other important/main characters, like Asuna, are simply left behind. Well, ... of course, they need to do this so that this new girl also joins Kirito's harem, and once she joins in, the show just gives up on them and they lose their personalities. Most of the girls in Kirito's harem party are so useless that if you removed them from SAO II, the story would probably run better. Rika, Keiko, and Sugu manage to add nothing to the show and just sit, hug Kirito and say, "WOW, KIRITO-KUN! SUGOI!!!!"
Hmmm, 5 girls might not be enough for Kiriko; how about we add another one: Konno Yuuki. Another one joining the cheer squad for the last 5 episodes (i have no words...)

Pacing: 3/10

The pacing is absolute trash. You thought the time skips during the Aincrad arc and the jump between the Aincrad and fairy land arc in the first SAO were bad? Well, prepare for yourself; SAO II manages to make it even worse. They managed to add in another arc in, so in total, there are 3 arc in 24 episode (Gun Gale Online or Phantom Bullet, Calibur, and Mother's Rosario.) I wish they could dive deeper in the gun world instead of vaguely exploring it, because I was actually interested in the story for the first 2 episode. 50% of the episodes were only talking, all of the information I got from watching 2 people talk for 20 minutes could've done in 2-3 minutes.

Animation/Sound: 7.5/10

The animators and the production team were undeniably good. It kept its quality from the first SAO. The fight scenes were done well, which is why I forced myself to finish this show.

Overall: 4/10
The idea of SAO is really a masterpiece. I really liked the SAO progressive movies (very recommended), where the pacing was actually good and Kirito didn't need his harem cheer squad.
But SAO II is just not it.

Reviewer’s Rating: 4

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