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Dec 6, 2014 4:13 PM
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I was expecting something like this from the earlier episodes, but it still hit me hard in the feels.

Not sure why they'd disband, though -- sure, it's a reminder of the people they've lost, but it's also a reminder of the people they still have, and they seem like they don't have too many outside friends. Cutting themselves off from their friends would not be a good idea...
Dec 6, 2014 4:14 PM
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tummer said:

And, I really hate it when stories use terminal illness to garner unearned sympathy because of my own medical history. I was born with heart problems, I got a transplant two years ago, and I know exactly what it feels like to be "terminal". Yes, sick kids are a reality, and I wouldn't mind it in this instance it it felt sincere and genuine when it comes to the story. Instead, it's used for false sympathy (as I've said a number of times), but to bring back this whole "wanting to live in a virtual world BS".


Where exactly do you have the "wanting to live in a VR world BS"?

It is explained that the Medicuboid is used to lower the pain in the body from terminal diseases and there is much pain involved in most of those.

I don't have one but a really good friend of mine and my family died last year of cancer and in the same year an uncle of mine got diagnosed pancreas cancer; and especially in the first case I got to see how the pain slowly started to get worse and worse and medicine was no use anymore.

For these kind of people I dearly wish for such a machine so that they could walk and run again and live their last months or even years without pain.
Dec 6, 2014 4:14 PM
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salmon3669 said:
tummer said:


I said before that I actually liked Yuuki, mostly because of her attitude, but I've seen a lot of people say they don't feel attached to her, and I can see why. All she has is quirks, and not an actual character. And when I say "cheat", I mean "cheat". The story wants you to sympathize with her, and instead of actually giving her a character, they slapped the whole "Everyone Has AIDS" sticker on there to garner false sympathy. It reminds me a lot of "The Fault In Our Stars", where you have two unlikable and bland characters that you would never root for, but because they have cancer, you are automatically like them.

From the get go, Sword Art Online has had trouble when it comes to storytelling. It's main protagonist has absolutely zero flaws, it tackles the whole "trapped in a game" very poorly, and seems to think that "rape" is a good motivation for every single villain. I don't hate SAO, but I don't find it all that good. That's why I liked the Mother's Rosario arc: the show stopped taking itself seriously (except for this episode). When it tries to be dramatic or "meaningful", it falls flat on its face because it's just not all that deep.

And, I really hate it when stories use terminal illness to garner unearned sympathy because of my own medical history. I was born with heart problems, I got a transplant two years ago, and I know exactly what it feels like to be "terminal". Yes, sick kids are a reality, and I wouldn't mind it in this instance it it felt sincere and genuine when it comes to the story. Instead, it's used for false sympathy (as I've said a number of times), but to bring back this whole "wanting to live in a virtual world BS".

You did not read the LN. I can tell from that first statement you didn't. You only watched the shitty anime adaptation.


Yes, because this is a thread about the anime. I've even said before that I haven't read the light novels. But even if I did read them, my opinion would still stand because I'm talking about the anime. Even if I know information from the source material, that has no effect on how I feel about the show, good or bad.
Dec 6, 2014 4:15 PM

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Haha, almost as much forced drama as Key's shitty VNs.
If this is the author's idea of better writing he should just stop.
Steel Ball Run anime when?
Dec 6, 2014 4:18 PM

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The episode barely started and the feelings have already overwhelmed me T.T

Kirito sure has his ways of getting info and it seems Asuna needs to visit a place that has a medicuboid.

The medicuboid sure seems amazing...

So I was right to think that Yuuki suffered from a terminal illness...

Poor Yuuki...

Jeez... her parents died two years ago and her twin sister one year, and she's going to die as well... talk about an unfortunate family...

Ah... my second thought that they were all suffering from terminal illnesses has been proven right... damn...

I think they're going to use that thing that Kirito is using to connect Yui to the real world.
"Let justice be done, though the heavens fall."
Dec 6, 2014 4:19 PM

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Aww, shit. Terminally ill, that's so sad. T_T

I'm sure Yuuki will be able to 'attend' school through Kazuto's little camera installation. :)

Dec 6, 2014 4:20 PM

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Onyxthegreat said:
Aww, shit. Terminally ill, that's so sad. T_T

I'm sure Yuuki will be able to 'attend' school through Kazuto's little camera installation. :)


Or she will die and Kirito will cheer Asuna up with some of his hypocritical, deeply egocentric VMMO talk and then they will cry like in Anohana and every dumb teen will love it.

Truly feels/10, mainly feeling ashamed for having witnessed such bad writing.
Steel Ball Run anime when?
Dec 6, 2014 4:21 PM

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Personally, the themes that SAO portrays about the uses (and abuses) of fully immerse VR technology is what hooked me 3 years ago. This is why it extremely pained me to see the vitriol and hate the series receives every time it gets a discussion going.

Which is why I wanted to get past the ad nauseum attacks of "bad writing" in SAO1 and talk about the ideas presented forward. But the constant negative refrain left a really bad taste and perception towards the Japanese entertainment fandom on the internet.

Anyway, it is probably due to the reason that I rarely consume much in the "tear-jerker" genre that these kinds of plot devices still hit hard. I could see how it can desensitize people who read such things in a steady stream over time, but still I do hope moving forward that such things do not detract from discussion overall.
NettoAzureDec 6, 2014 4:24 PM
Dec 6, 2014 4:21 PM
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Nidhoeggr said:
Haha, almost as much forced drama as Key's shitty VNs.
If this is the author's idea of better writing he should just stop.

"Hasn't read LN, says author doesn't know how to write."

Well, now we know where ebola jokes came from.
Dec 6, 2014 4:23 PM

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salmon3669 said:
Nidhoeggr said:
Haha, almost as much forced drama as Key's shitty VNs.
If this is the author's idea of better writing he should just stop.

"Hasn't read LN, says author doesn't know how to write."



I read a bit, stop strawmanning any criticism. This is the equivalent of the forseeable tragic death in second rate Hollywood drama movies, nothing more and nothing less. Except that Hollywood movies of that kind sometimes have good actors and aren't written by some stinking otaku.

I mean, seriously? AIDS?
Steel Ball Run anime when?
Dec 6, 2014 4:25 PM
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NettoAzure said:
Personally, the themes that SAO portrays about the uses (and abuses) of fully immerse VR technology is what hooked me 3 years ago. This is why it extremely pained me to see the vitriol and hate the series receives every time it gets a discussion going.

Which is why I wanted to get past the ad nauseum attacks of "bad writing" in SAO1 and talk about the ideas presented forward. But the constant negative refrain left a really bad taste and perception towards the Japanese entertainment fandom on the internet.

Anyway, it is probably due to the reason that I rarely consume much in the "tear-jerker" genre that these kinds of plot devices still hit hard. I could see how it can desensitize people who read such things in a steady stream over time, but still I do hope moving forward that such things do not detract from discussion overall.

Humans have become monsters. It's the sad truth. People will never understand other people, won't care for other people, won't want to help others or sympathize, or do anything with others.
I figured this out after ebola jokes came about. The world is hopeless. We only work for our self-interests. It's a fact. Not only that but people can't look any deeper into a piece of writing anymore, they take it just as: this plot I read. Don't even try to take a moment to think about it. In fact, they are clouded by their own biases. I give up on humans. We were never made to like each other.
Dec 6, 2014 4:26 PM
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Caleb8980 said:


Where exactly do you have the "wanting to live in a VR world BS"?

...

For these kind of people I dearly wish for such a machine so that they could walk and run again and live their last months or even years without pain.


Okay, I will admit that saying it was "BS" was harsh, but I still stand by the sentiment. I guess the best way I can explain it is like this:

I once knew a guy who was really into SAO when the first season ended and he was writing a fan fic. He put a character like me in there: both my personality and my illness. He was asking me questions to better form the character when he asked "wouldn't this be the best thing for you? You would be able to do all these things you couldn't do in real life". I understood that his heart was in the right place, but I couldn't help but feel...offended. To me, part of getting better, or at least working through the illness is accepting that this has happened and not run away from the reality of the situation.

Now, I'm not saying Yuuki is running away from anything, at least I don't think. She made the best of her situation, and she seems to accept that she's going to die. She has those good qualities that I described above. I will admit I may have overreacted because of that one particular memory, but I still don't find it the best solution.

For me, and a lot of friends who have gone through similar things, we wouldn't opt into this kind of virtual world just to escape our disabilities, because our disabilities are apart of us. It's like another aspect of who we are, just like our eye color or the accents we have when we speak. Abandoning one part of us would be abandoning ourselves entire.

That's just sort of the way I see it.

Your heart is in the right place; I know my family would probably think the same way you do in this situation. Most people would. I'm just applying the world I know, just as you were. And I apologize if I was offensive in any way.
Dec 6, 2014 4:26 PM

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Nidhoeggr said:
salmon3669 said:

"Hasn't read LN, says author doesn't know how to write."





I mean, seriously? AIDS?


should have been ebola so it is easily relatable

Dec 6, 2014 4:30 PM
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Nidhoeggr said:
salmon3669 said:

"Hasn't read LN, says author doesn't know how to write."



I read a bit, stop strawmanning any criticism. This is the equivalent of the forseeable tragic death in second rate Hollywood drama movies, nothing more and nothing less. Except that Hollywood movies of that kind sometimes have good actors and aren't written by some stinking otaku.

I mean, seriously? AIDS?

Okay you literally that guy who probably jokes about ebola in school. That or you can't analyze what you just watched. All your analysis consists of is SAO has bad writing because it uses diseases to relate with audience.
Dec 6, 2014 4:31 PM

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Jul 2014
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Was expecting that.

Meanwhile death gun and sinon sit around drinking coffee, thinking about how SAO2 was supposed to be about them
Dec 6, 2014 4:36 PM

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Asuna managed to find Yuuki thanks to Kirito.
Yuuki has got a terminal illness and seeing her being hooked up to the machine is really sad.
So she had a twin, Aiko.
Sad that there are other members in the Sleeping Knights that don't have much time left.
2 more eps to go.
"I’ve set myself to become the King of the Pirates…and if I die trying…then at least I tried!" Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece)

Dec 6, 2014 4:36 PM
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vikki7783 said:
Was expecting that.

Meanwhile death gun and sinon sit around drinking coffee, thinking about how SAO2 was supposed to be about them


Dec 6, 2014 4:40 PM
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Feb 2014
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tummer said:
Caleb8980 said:


Where exactly do you have the "wanting to live in a VR world BS"?

...

For these kind of people I dearly wish for such a machine so that they could walk and run again and live their last months or even years without pain.


Okay, I will admit that saying it was "BS" was harsh, but I still stand by the sentiment. I guess the best way I can explain it is like this:

I once knew a guy who was really into SAO when the first season ended and he was writing a fan fic. He put a character like me in there: both my personality and my illness. He was asking me questions to better form the character when he asked "wouldn't this be the best thing for you? You would be able to do all these things you couldn't do in real life". I understood that his heart was in the right place, but I couldn't help but feel...offended. To me, part of getting better, or at least working through the illness is accepting that this has happened and not run away from the reality of the situation.

Now, I'm not saying Yuuki is running away from anything, at least I don't think. She made the best of her situation, and she seems to accept that she's going to die. She has those good qualities that I described above. I will admit I may have overreacted because of that one particular memory, but I still don't find it the best solution.

For me, and a lot of friends who have gone through similar things, we wouldn't opt into this kind of virtual world just to escape our disabilities, because our disabilities are apart of us. It's like another aspect of who we are, just like our eye color or the accents we have when we speak. Abandoning one part of us would be abandoning ourselves entire.

That's just sort of the way I see it.

Your heart is in the right place; I know my family would probably think the same way you do in this situation. Most people would. I'm just applying the world I know, just as you were. And I apologize if I was offensive in any way.


Nah you weren't offensive in any possible way :P

Your point is as valid as mine, it just depends on the viewpoint.

Also I can understand your point even more because I had a life-threatening accident in my childhood, too and I never want this scar to disappear as it is as you said a part of my life.

But in Yuuki's case as it was explained she volunteered to use this machine, so that other people could use it after her without any problems; yes her interest in VR was also a reason but she was 11 years old then, every child has dreams.

As you can see by her wish it also is not like she gave up on living with her disease, but she wanted to do things she couldn't do in years; I mean her dearest wish is to go to school, that is as close to normal as possible.
Dec 6, 2014 4:46 PM

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So this was it huh... got more feels from Yuuki Yuuna this week,not that it was a bad episode it was well done just didn't do much for me.
Dec 6, 2014 4:48 PM

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salmon3669 said:
Nidhoeggr said:


I read a bit, stop strawmanning any criticism. This is the equivalent of the forseeable tragic death in second rate Hollywood drama movies, nothing more and nothing less. Except that Hollywood movies of that kind sometimes have good actors and aren't written by some stinking otaku.

I mean, seriously? AIDS?

Okay you literally that guy who probably jokes about ebola in school. That or you can't analyze what you just watched. All your analysis consists of is SAO has bad writing because it uses diseases to relate with audience.
AIDS is too edgy for his tastes I guess.
Dec 6, 2014 4:50 PM
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Hxste said:
salmon3669 said:
Okay you literally that guy who probably jokes about ebola in school. That or you can't analyze what you just watched. All your analysis consists of is SAO has bad writing because it uses diseases to relate with audience.


Analyzing what? SAO never attempts to explore any of its themes. They just throw them in there for the sake of drama and are never mentioned again.

It's amazing this level of terrible writing spawns fantards who go around writing self-given explanations about "deep" ideas they pulled out of their ass.

They read the novels that actually tells a plot, unlike those that watched only the poorly adapted anime that gives only the basic info so they have a reason to add in fight scenes. I'm not defending the anime, I'm defending the integrity of the series.

If you want to see the fantards that worship the anime while refusing to read the original text, they aren't in the discussion threads because they would be bashed at. You can find them in a certain MAL fanclub.
Dec 6, 2014 4:54 PM

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Hxste said:
salmon3669 said:
Okay you literally that guy who probably jokes about ebola in school. That or you can't analyze what you just watched. All your analysis consists of is SAO has bad writing because it uses diseases to relate with audience.


Analyzing what? SAO never attempts to explore any of its themes. They just throw them in there for the sake of drama and are never mentioned again.

It's amazing this level of terrible writing spawns fantards who go around writing self-given explanations about "deep" ideas they pulled out of their ass.


There's nothing deep about SAO
Are you sure you aren't talking about Evangelion lolol
EVA is the epitome of half baked self-given explanations about "deep" ideas pulled out of the rabid fanbases' anus.

zzzeallyDec 6, 2014 4:57 PM

Dec 6, 2014 5:04 PM

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I was expecting this, maybe that's why it felt less sad than SAO Ep. 14.
But definitely good episode.
Dec 6, 2014 5:15 PM

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I said before that I actually liked Yuuki, mostly because of her attitude, but I've seen a lot of people say they don't feel attached to her, and I can see why. All she has is quirks, and not an actual character. And when I say "cheat", I mean "cheat". The story wants you to sympathize with her, and instead of actually giving her a character, they slapped the whole "Everyone Has AIDS" sticker on there to garner false sympathy. It reminds me a lot of "The Fault In Our Stars", where you have two unlikable and bland characters that you would never root for, but because they have cancer, you are automatically like them.


And I've seen the opposite. Her being at least as popular as Shinon BEFORE the aid thing. Mainly because of how we now have a character that is strong AND really nice and less... "socially challenged" than Kirito.
Also, no. Another of the main point of her character is escapism. She's using VR to run away from her RW problems (although she is right and doesn't really have any other choice that will help her; it doesn't chance that fact).
This doesn't come out of nowhere. It's a main plot point in SAO since a very long time. With Kirito asking himself what is better - the real world, or SAO? Which one does he like the most? Constantly.
Also, of course the story wants you to sympathize with her and it implies that she as a problem. Are you often crying about people whose life is perfect and all? That's not cheating; and people would certainly react in the same way if it was another less "popular" terminal disease. If you try to take things this way, then, EVERY SINGLE TRAGEDY EVER WRITTEN is crap. Because you know from the beginning that the characters will suffer, and there is no point for it except you being sad for them.
Which isn't even the case for Yuuki - Once again, Yuuki is a tool in SAO's "how can VR help people having terminal disease and who cannot move outside?". Aids being one of the best choices for this, since it kills your immune system.
Drama isn't the theme in SAO; VR is. You are supposed to be sad for Yuuki but the author isn't "cheating" for this. "Aids is bad" isn't the message of SAO. SAO's message is "VR is awesome because even people that don't have any hope can live a fulfilling life thanks to it". That's why Yuuki is here, and why she is how she is. Summing her up to her disease, without taking VR and its consequences, into account, how it helps her, etc, is missing what SAO is trying to say since volume 1.
And I'd say that this episode and the next one are really sad, but they are ALSO really, really beautiful about a certain thing, you'll see. Which wouldn't really work if the character was only here for her to suffer and us to cry on here. The part you are complaining about is actually the ONLY realistic part in the novel; there are people like Yuuki IRL. And even if you don't "know them enough" or if "they are bland", I don't think being sad for them would be a bad thing by the way. It's not exactly related, since Yui really DOES HAVE her use and the characterization and that's obvious, but even if it was, it wouldn't mean that it would be bad at all. Yeah, when someone have a disease I could have and it could ruin everything, I'm "supposed" to be sad and for the person. How is this cheating?
Once again, the character was already one of the most well-liked ones of S2 because of how she was nice, one of the nicest things on ALO, but strong and had a serious serious like Kirito as well, teaching life lessons to Asuna about how to go forward when she was in full emo mode. If that's jut a plot device, I think we can say that most characters everywhere are plot devices.
What you are saying suppose that Yuuki is bland to begin with. Which isn't the case. The anime clearly shows more of her personnality than Silica's, Leafa's, Lizbeth's and most other characters that are not Kirito or Shinon. There's a reason two SK are going to die very, very soon; but most people only care about her; she does have a personnality, which is unique enough in the anime, except compared to Kirito's but that's a plot point.
The character already had way enough characterization to be likable before Aids, and that's not quirk. She uses her own archetype that is very different from the one of the other characters.
Just because a character has Aids, it doesn't make him a cheap trick and that's it. Yuuki clearly has AT LEAST as much personnality as all secondary characters. If not a lot more.
If you want to write about thing that -could- happen in the real world, well. People like Yuuki ar part of the same world as you.
And summing up her character as this is downright dangerous. So, she was one of the most friendly character since the beginning of the serie, and one of the most "fun" ones, but not naive enough to let people do whatever they want with her, etc. Way friendlier and more character than Shinon at the beginning (and I like Shinon a LOT, just for other reasons). People have to be sad because of Aids, period, not because someone who is a good person is suffering? (which is pretty much what sympathy is).
Yuuki has aids because there isn't any reason for her not to, and she's supposed to be a tragical character (but a tragical one, and happy despite this; she's supposed to be at least as "hopeful" as sad and that's it. If her only characterization = poor thing that has Aids, the last point becomes quite strange.

From the get go, Sword Art Online has had trouble when it comes to storytelling. It's main protagonist has absolutely zero flaws, it tackles the whole "trapped in a game" very poorly, and seems to think that "rape" is a good motivation for every single villain. I don't hate SAO, but I don't find it all that good. That's why I liked the Mother's Rosario arc: the show stopped taking itself seriously (except for this episode). When it tries to be dramatic or "meaningful", it falls flat on its face because it's just not all that deep.

Now that's just stupid again. "Zero flaw". WHAT is a flaw? Technically, Kirito thinking he is Jesus and trying to take everything on his shoulders (and god damn Asuna if he dies during GGO, after all, it's not like she should care) IS a flaw. That's like saying that Shirou from FSN wasn't flawed because idealism = nice = quality.
Nope, he certainly was like this during S1. But in S2, definitively not. Between the mess in his head, the fact that he feels guilt for saving people, that he tends to put other aside every time, again, playing the martyr (which isn't very nice to the other characters when you think about how it means that he think that they cannot tak care of themselves; yai freedom AND hypocrisy since that's EXACTLY the opposite of what he does about himself) etc, Kirito DOES have quite a lot of flaws. The second point is just stupid; There has been ONE "rape" as a "motivation" and it's from the most stupid villiain, who was SUPPOSED to be pitiful, a creep, and a poor man's Kayaba. Shinon? It wasn't in Death gun's plans (who, again, was 3 people) at all, just one idiot going crazy. It had nothing to do with a "motivation" and wasn't even supposed to happen since Shinon was supposed to DIE, in the real villiain's POV. MR? No rape at all. Putting something that only happened in one arc out of 4 in the serie as "the only thing the serie does" is quite....... Yeah. Good luck finding any clue that RAPING Shinon was supposed to be the main motivation of death gun to begin with. Motivation has a meaning. And even with Spiegel as the main villain from GGO (which would be stupid, but, whatever), no matter how stupid he is, only went "lol rape" when he lost it because of Shinon rejecting him; basically, "love make you crazy" and that's it. He was already out of his mind enough for it not to be a "motivation" at all, compared to Sugou who was perfectly fine with it all the way. Death gun was here for revenge and because killing people is fun. Which isn't a lot better as a motive, but still.



And, I really hate it when stories use terminal illness to garner unearned sympathy because of my own medical history. I was born with heart problems, I got a transplant two years ago, and I know exactly what it feels like to be "terminal". Yes, sick kids are a reality, and I wouldn't mind it in this instance it it felt sincere and genuine when it comes to the story. Instead, it's used for false sympathy (as I've said a number of times), but to bring back this whole "wanting to live in a virtual world BS".

[/quote]

That's your problem. The character was already likable, and liked, beforehand. If to you someone can only have ONE reason to do something, then you'd need to be a bit less paranoid and more open-minded. If we take this your way, we aren't very far away from NEVER having characters like that because even if the character is really well done, when he will eventually die because of this, suddenly, THE ONLY THING that will matter is his disease and you are ONLY sad because of this, not because of the loss of the the person (which doesn't need a disease to happen; a good old murder will work too). And the disease define the person rather than just just being the weapon used for it. This would be more of a problem that it being "cheating".
You are the one seeing false sympathy here. As I said, Yuuki IS quite popular because of how "lively" she is and because of her interactions with Asuna; if you want a blanc character, take most of Sleeping Knight except Siune. THEY are more or less bland. Yuuki, a bland character? Not even close



And bullshit? It's everything but bullshit; it's the very theme of the show, and has AL-WAYS been. That's also a really common question IRL too, and for good reasons. What is reality? How do you define it? Is one reality superior to the other? Is one inferior? Is escapism good, or something that should be avoided?
What reality is is a question that is REALLY common in philosophy because of out subjectivity and the fact that we CANNOT see anything objective, and technically what "reality" is comes from an agreement between people; the fact that we technically cannot be sure that we live into "the" reality, period; not even of what we see, and that's not going into QM. It has always been a cornerstone in science and philosophy about pretty much everything. A LOT of movies have also been done about this. Yes, it' a important question. If you sums it up as "bullshit and that's it", then you are missing the whole point of SAO. Which explains quite a lot of things. The whole novel is supposed to be about the fact that "reality" isn't something so easy to describe; and the fact that in the end, even when it comes to how it works logically, there is no difference between reality and a VR. Of course skipping this or considering this this way removes most of the point of it.
And when it comes to medical uses, it's EVEN MORE EVERYTHING except bullshit. Jut because you don't see something's point at first glance, it doesn't make it stupid. That would actually be REALLY important and help people who just cannot go out to experience society, so yeah.



For me, and a lot of friends who have gone through similar things, we wouldn't opt into this kind of virtual world just to escape our disabilities, because our disabilities are apart of us. It's like another aspect of who we are, just like our eye color or the accents we have when we speak. Abandoning one part of us would be abandoning ourselves entire.


And once again. The point of SAO is to remove this goddamn virtual. YOU are only IN YOUR OWN head. You cannot KNOW anything about the --real-- world. It probably exists, but you cannot be sure that you see it. When you are having dementia, your hallucinations are real to you, too. So is there thare much of a difference between your brain "making feel you like" you though you touched [x] because of what your touch genetated in your brain? Compared to "lighting up" you brain so that you touch [x] ? That's the ONE AND ONLY difference, ultimately. And when you take into account that reality is subjective, and every some things you may think you see aren't here (that' the very basis of hallucinations, and most people aren't conscious of them) where is the difference?
Between saying "disabilities are a part of us, so, no virtual world, the real question is HOW MUCH and HOW is a virtual world different from ours. escapism is another subject. But THAT'S what SAO is about. Watch S2 ep1 again. He's saying a lecture to Asuna about it, etc. Of course, escapism is only a theme - but it's always a theme using the first point I just said. If the two worlds are just as real, and your 'real world" isn't real either (since, again, it is subjective and depends of YOUR brain and YOUR chemical structure; which depends between people), well... Can anyone really answer this question?
Whithout skipping the most important part, probably not. And we probably will not be able to until VR exist irl.


And by the way, "disabilities are part of what you are", that's easy to say, and to a certain extend, I approve,but when you are bling, mute, and deaf among other things, I don't think that the answer is so simple. Even if it is "what you are", if you cannot learn anything because of it and it becomes dangerous, then being stubborn isn't the way to go.
You don't "accept a genetic diseases" without taking any drug because "yeah it's a dangerous genetic problem but it's a part of what I am so who cares". When it comes to VR, it's the same as drugs; they're used to BYPASS the problem. They don't change your whole body and the problem is still here. You just used your intelligence to find an answer while still staying yourself.
And if your disability is REALLY SERIOUS, you don't really have a choice. Again, would you go outside without an immune system just because you want to struggle on everything? Struggling is ok and your choice, you're the one who will be suffering. Dying isn't. You are not the one who will suffer because of it. All the opposite.)
It's impossible to tell a generality that you can apply to absolutely everything disability-wise, because "willpowering through it" may work in some cases. In others, it definitely will not.
VR doesn't change you and you are still yourself, but if, say, going into school through VR is bad for you even if there no NO OTHER POSSIBILITY, it's just the same as not taking drugs. It's the overall health that count. And you can tolerate a certain number of things "because it's me".
But then again, it's stupid to think otherwise anyway even about VR. You are not abandoning a part of you or changing your eyes for your neighbour's ones. If tomorrow, you become blind and mute, VR is like learning braille. Not changing your eyes. Bypassing the problem is different from skipping it altogether.
willardhwrightDec 6, 2014 5:50 PM
Dec 6, 2014 5:21 PM
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OMG THE FEELS FOR THIS EPISODE.............
Dec 6, 2014 5:24 PM

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Great episode. Since leaving GGO the season has improved immensely (in my opinion).
Mirai, zura~!
Dec 6, 2014 5:27 PM

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Damn FEELS T_T

I can't bear this ... *manly tears*
Dec 6, 2014 5:29 PM

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I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR THIS (ಥ﹏ಥ)

Suddenly the OP and ED animations make a lot more sense now. This is beautiful, but very, very sad. ☹
Dec 6, 2014 5:32 PM

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Seeing how Yuuki's part is discussed in lengthy posts, i'll make it short:

I like the episode.

And one of the best things was one that has nothing to do (directly, though i 'll guess that will change next episode) with Yuuki: Kirito on the rooftop, tinkering around with the camera and Yui. He's working on his future, and given that he does that in what seems to be free time (even when it was only a break or whatever) shows even more how committed he is to it. Though having someone like Yui certainly helps.
Dec 6, 2014 5:37 PM
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Caleb8980 said:


Nah you weren't offensive in any possible way :P

Your point is as valid as mine, it just depends on the viewpoint.

Also I can understand your point even more because I had a life-threatening accident in my childhood, too and I never want this scar to disappear as it is as you said a part of my life.

But in Yuuki's case as it was explained she volunteered to use this machine, so that other people could use it after her without any problems; yes her interest in VR was also a reason but she was 11 years old then, every child has dreams.

As you can see by her wish it also is not like she gave up on living with her disease, but she wanted to do things she couldn't do in years; I mean her dearest wish is to go to school, that is as close to normal as possible.


Those are some valid points. I never thought that deep about the character because of the kind of show that SAO is. It sounds like you're someone whose read the source material, so you might have a deeper insight into these things than I do.

And some of my attitudes come from what I feel about the show in general. It's a show that just doesn't know how to handle it's deeper moments in my opinion.
Dec 6, 2014 5:39 PM

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fantastic episode. that is the SAO i wanna see and not overpowered Kirito and asses. this arc is witj this episode better than some wannabe serious cinema movies.
Dec 6, 2014 5:44 PM

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chocodino said:
Cloudy-Sky said:


Seriously I didn't expect this. I wish it was possible we got a happy ending but impossible. At least I hope they grant her wish about attending school.

For the LN readers I guess this was asked before but is there enough material for a new season? And is the next arc in the LN good (better or worse than GGO for example)


there is enough SAO for another 2 [maybe 3, depending on pacing] seasons, just to compare, the whole 2 seasons of SAO cover the first 8 LN, while there are currently 15 LN, but the next arc starts on Volume 9, and it could be said that it is at the half point [the web novel (original material) has been finished since long ago, so you can compare both to get an idea of total length].

about the next arc, I find it to be what really defines SAO in my opinion, it like they took the best parts of every arc and put them together, polished them, and also added more things, of course that's just an opinion
well, that sounds good! i am looking forward to it now.
Dec 6, 2014 5:48 PM
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Barion-Zara said:
Can people start rating this season up now. It's ridiculous how low it is compared to S1 even though it's way better <_<

Like seriously... the feels were soo strong here.
That ending will "kill me" of FEELS.

I have to get up and salute A-1, because they finally are adapting a SAO arc with the utmost perfection possible!

I will keep repeating myself, Yuuki is the best girl!!
Dec 6, 2014 5:49 PM
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LastChapter said:
Hxste said:


Analyzing what? SAO never attempts to explore any of its themes. They just throw them in there for the sake of drama and are never mentioned again.

It's amazing this level of terrible writing spawns fantards who go around writing self-given explanations about "deep" ideas they pulled out of their ass.

They read the novels that actually tells a plot, unlike those that watched only the poorly adapted anime that gives only the basic info so they have a reason to add in fight scenes. I'm not defending the anime, I'm defending the integrity of the series.

If you want to see the fantards that worship the anime while refusing to read the original text, they aren't in the discussion threads because they would be bashed at. You can find them in a certain MAL fanclub.

Exactly, that's what I tell people all the time. But they all think I am some anime "fantard". Seiously reddit is having a WAYYY more reasonable discussion about this episode than MAL.
Dec 6, 2014 5:50 PM
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Playcool said:
Barion-Zara said:
Can people start rating this season up now. It's ridiculous how low it is compared to S1 even though it's way better <_<

Like seriously... the feels were soo strong here.
That ending will "kill me" of FEELS.

I have to get up and salute A-1, because they finally are adapting a SAO arc with the utmost perfection possible!

I will keep repeating myself, Yuuki is the best girl!!

Actually, no they left out details. And those little details helped build up the arc. It's all collapsing right now. Because they left out those details. YOU HAD ONE JOB A-1 ONE.
Dec 6, 2014 5:52 PM
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tummer said:
Caleb8980 said:


Nah you weren't offensive in any possible way :P

Your point is as valid as mine, it just depends on the viewpoint.

Also I can understand your point even more because I had a life-threatening accident in my childhood, too and I never want this scar to disappear as it is as you said a part of my life.

But in Yuuki's case as it was explained she volunteered to use this machine, so that other people could use it after her without any problems; yes her interest in VR was also a reason but she was 11 years old then, every child has dreams.

As you can see by her wish it also is not like she gave up on living with her disease, but she wanted to do things she couldn't do in years; I mean her dearest wish is to go to school, that is as close to normal as possible.


Those are some valid points. I never thought that deep about the character because of the kind of show that SAO is. It sounds like you're someone whose read the source material, so you might have a deeper insight into these things than I do.

And some of my attitudes come from what I feel about the show in general. It's a show that just doesn't know how to handle it's deeper moments in my opinion.


Yeah I've read the novel but I always try to be as objective as possible and work with what was shown instead of what I read, because as you said before this is the anime, not the LN.

But because I've read it my opinion is always at least a bit biased so I interpret certain scenes different from an anime-only viewer, hence I'm far from your viewpoint. (but there are certain anime-only viewers who really interpret the anime as it was meant, e. g. relentlessflames from the animesuki forum...he is really amazing in that regard)

On the other hand I can't stand the first season (like most people who replied to you). I went as far as to give it 4/10 ( and at some days I'm willed to give it a lower one xD) even though I like the original novel even in those parts (except Fairy Dance so the ALO arc as it was the low point of the series)

But and this is important: the LN handles the "deep" (as what is deep in fiction :D) moments way better than the anime, although the distance became much closer now in the second season.
Dec 6, 2014 5:55 PM
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salmon3669 said:
I will keep repeating myself, Yuuki is the best girl!!

Actually, no they left out details. And those little details helped build up the arc. It's all collapsing right now. Because they left out those details. YOU HAD ONE JOB A-1 ONE.[/quote]

Indeed they left out details, but it was within expectation range right? They had to dumb things down for the general audience and cut things to save time and make it less boring. If people are dying to know the holes in the details that much, they would care enough to actually read the novels or look it up at the very least.
Dec 6, 2014 5:59 PM

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Good episode wasn't expecting all those feels in one go, I was thinking that it was possible that Asuna and Yuuki were related but that cleared it up. Can't wait for the 2 episodes!
Dec 6, 2014 5:59 PM
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salmon3669 said:
Playcool said:

Like seriously... the feels were soo strong here.
That ending will "kill me" of FEELS.

I have to get up and salute A-1, because they finally are adapting a SAO arc with the utmost perfection possible!

I will keep repeating myself, Yuuki is the best girl!!

Actually, no they left out details. And those little details helped build up the arc. It's all collapsing right now. Because they left out those details. YOU HAD ONE JOB A-1 ONE.


Come on cut them some slack XD This arc is impossible to adapt in 100% as it is with every literatur to movie/series adaption. Time is a real enemy and with that limited amount of time they had they made the best possible outcome, hence I can't blame A-1 here.

And compared to last season they did a stellar job :P
Dec 6, 2014 6:07 PM
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Bomb2chest said:
LastChapter said:

From the wikia:

The Medicuboid has a stronger electromagnetic output than both the NerveGear and the AmuSphere so it can make muscles completely numb and cancel out the spinal reflexes - making it possible to avoid using anesthetics which still have a small but rare risk. It has many more pulse generated components than the NerveGear and its CPU far surpasses the processing speed of the AmuSphere. These superior specs can enhance the in-game abilities of the user, although Asuna does not suspect that this is the source of Yuuki's amazing skills. The user can communicate with the outside through the speakers installed in the Medicuboid. During speech the screen on the machine will display the message "user talking."

She has the ability to do more but at a cost of her body :(. Was never expecting some advanced technology like that.


It is not because of that. The time she spent is the most vital key. Her neurologic system is more adapted, if you could say reacts to impulse signal from fulldive technology faster, the more time you spent fulldiving the more it adapts, which explains the reason why Kirito had so fast reactions against many others, but Yuuki still beat him.
Dec 6, 2014 6:07 PM
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I can't say Yuuki is the best girl cause, you know, i think of her more as a little sister that broke my heart in pieces.

Or something, the point is, i can't see her as a romance interest, she's indeed one of the best SAO characters, but the best girl is Sinon for me~ well, until Asuna goes back to the way she was in SAO or keeps like how she is in Mother's Rosario and doesn't go full dere again.

Anime-Planet.com - anime | manga | reviews
Dec 6, 2014 6:08 PM
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Caleb8980 said:
salmon3669 said:


Actually, no they left out details. And those little details helped build up the arc. It's all collapsing right now. Because they left out those details. YOU HAD ONE JOB A-1 ONE.


Come on cut them some slack XD This arc is impossible to adapt in 100% as it is with every literatur to movie/series adaption. Time is a real enemy and with that limited amount of time they had they made the best possible outcome, hence I can't blame A-1 here.

And compared to last season they did a stellar job :P

Let's hope ALicization will get a decent adaptation. Otherwise I will need to lose it.
Dec 6, 2014 6:11 PM
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salmon3669 said:
Let's hope ALicization will get a decent adaptation. Otherwise I will need to lose it.


The explanations of the mechanics for Alicization can't be half-assed else the rest of the arc will just be completely confusing.
Dec 6, 2014 6:15 PM
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willardhwright said:
Also, people using "cheap" "forced" and this kind of words, please define what you mean by this. Because if we stick by the original meaning of the words, there is a big problems here. A very big one.

Or maybe people think that things like that cannot happen IRL and our world is like in MLP, therefore it is forced. Must be nice to be able to deny everything that is too scary, and it sure is easy to write about something serious if the moment you do it you get this.

Also, actual arguments would be nice, because Yuuki was already one of the most popular characters BEFORE this part........ So saying that it is a trick out of nowhere sounds a bit like nonsense. So now you cannot use a terminal diseae or something because people will think that you are just trying to cheat with them? What the heck? What's the next stop, saying that people having them irl should shut up or they're just asking for sympathy?
The whole theme of this arc is "people are dying and want to left something in this world, virtual or not". you'll have an hard time doing this if everything was sugar and rainbows.

Criticizing is fine, but it's even better when "arguments" aren't something without any basis, or worse, a buzzword.
That's one thing that is quite wonderful in the anime community since a while, when you look at people, especially goddamn elitists, you'd think that everyone is a genius at writing and know everything about good/bad litterature/writing and what it is.
Nope, most of the time, something you don't like != bad writing, sorry, just watch the last thread and you'll have a pretty good example of how this isn't always the show's fault. And just because you fail to get something other do (getting something can mean being touched here), it doesn't mean that you are right and know everything about what "writing" is and it's just forced drama and others are idiots. God.
The damn "bad wriging" thing is so much of a buzzword that I'm pretty sure I haven't seen any forum not using it at some point. If it was coming with actual arguments, sure, but "bad writing" itself isn't an argument when you cannot explain the details, meaning and the why.

Also, by the way, it's not even only about Yuuki. SAO was ALWAYS about the uses and the consequences VR can have on society. And the medicuboid is all about this in this arc (Yuuki is an extension), medical uses. But I guess if it isn't action, it shouldn't be in the serie.


Exactly, your last phrase summs it pretty much, and mainly on this arc, people start to see the real impact it can have (SAO 1 first half also had, but yeah...)





Nidhoeggr said:
Haha, almost as much forced drama as Key's shitty VNs.
If this is the author's idea of better writing he should just stop.

Considers Key's stories, forced drama, ok. Gonna stop reading.
PlaycoolDec 6, 2014 6:30 PM
Dec 6, 2014 6:22 PM

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LOL It was trying to be sad. Then I saw CHINCHIN on the monument, roflmao

http://livedoor.blogimg.jp/matolabel/imgs/d/9/d9aa9bce.jpg
Dec 6, 2014 6:25 PM
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Zeally said:
Hxste said:


Analyzing what? SAO never attempts to explore any of its themes. They just throw them in there for the sake of drama and are never mentioned again.

It's amazing this level of terrible writing spawns fantards who go around writing self-given explanations about "deep" ideas they pulled out of their ass.


There's nothing deep about SAO
Are you sure you aren't talking about Evangelion lolol
EVA is the epitome of half baked self-given explanations about "deep" ideas pulled out of the rabid fanbases' anus.


Will disagree about Evangelion (you just didnt get the ending, read about it, then re-watch the series, and you will came to see the little details, or just go with the rebuilt movies.
Either way, people saying there is not deep about SAO, should just give the LN a try...






salmon3669 said:
Playcool said:

Like seriously... the feels were soo strong here.
That ending will "kill me" of FEELS.

I have to get up and salute A-1, because they finally are adapting a SAO arc with the utmost perfection possible!

I will keep repeating myself, Yuuki is the best girl!!

Actually, no they left out details. And those little details helped build up the arc. It's all collapsing right now. Because they left out those details. YOU HAD ONE JOB A-1 ONE.

Readed the LN more than one year ago, dunno about every detail, but for a anime adaptation, and considering how the adapted previous SAO arcs, it is really a major improvement.
Dec 6, 2014 6:31 PM
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Reyxe said:
I can't say Yuuki is the best girl cause, you know, i think of her more as a little sister that broke my heart in pieces.

Or something, the point is, i can't see her as a romance interest, she's indeed one of the best SAO characters, but the best girl is Sinon for me~ well, until Asuna goes back to the way she was in SAO or keeps like how she is in Mother's Rosario and doesn't go full dere again.


Will have to agree that deredere Asuna is plain boring, she was much better at SAO I, but MR gave her great development.
Dec 6, 2014 6:34 PM
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TazmanianFrog said:
I guess hospitals don't check to see if blood is contaminated before giving it to people anymore. :P The feels were real this episode.


One of the biggest medical scandals in Japanese history occurred in the 1980s. Around two thousand Japanese hemophilia patients were infected with AIDS because the Japanese government would not import a US device to eliminate HIV from the blood pool in order to protect Japanese manufacturers. In 1994 (when the writer was 20) this became a huge news story with the prosecution of the head of the Health Ministry's AIDS task force. In 2006 he was acquitted of murder.

I am pretty sure that Kawahara was subtlety referencing this scandal (otherwise there was no real point in making it specifically AIDS) and because while this story is supposed to be taking place in the future Kawahara wrote this story in 2010. By making Yuuki 15 this would have been squarely in the period when this scandal occurred. In reality, any kids from those patients at that time would have been the same age as Yuuki was in 2010, and would have had the same prejudice against them, which is another reason why Kawahara probably wanted to address it.

This is not one of the high points of Japanese history, so give Kawahara credit for dealing with it.

As for the animation, I was dreading this episode because I was afraid that A-1 would over do the "cries", but I have to give them credit it was pretty well done.
Takuan_SohoDec 6, 2014 6:37 PM
Dec 6, 2014 6:43 PM
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@y123y
You can literally just leave the thread if it bothers you that much lol. I'm sure no one would concede due to someone not liking a certain word.
Dec 6, 2014 6:45 PM

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Animes closed, due to AIDS.
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