This review will contain select spoilers. Do not read if you don't like spoilers. Or go ahead. I'm a reviewer, not a cop.
I'd like to start off with, I have read the light novels up to volume 5, before the anime was created. So no comments about "The light novel is better."
I swear this anime is one of the most controversially discussed in the last few years, each side has their own valid points, and this review will have mine. You don't have to agree, this is just my speculation on the anime itself.
Story: (3/10) Although the story was a bit intriguing in the light
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novels, I couldn't help but notice it was quite similar to //Hack.Sign. Being stuck in a virtual world, can't get out, and in Alfheim, you can die. Anyway, this story seems to be filled with wish-fulfillment for teenage boys. Prince on a white horse riding in and saving the day etc. all that stuff. There are contradictions everywhere, and Kirito didn't really have anything besides being either; Emo, or Badass. (Not the good kind of badass). Also the pacing was all over the place. First it takes an episode to beat one boss on the first level, and the next episode it completely skips to the 50+ floor. As well as the end of the first arc, you are finally reminded that this is a game and they don't know each other's real name, after several months.
Art: (6/10) The art style is good, though there were few moments in the anime where the animation was a little off, however it was not a big deal.
Sound: (9/10) Oh the sound was amazing, Openings, Endings, BGM, the sounding they used for the emotional and battle music (Although not that very emotional) were correctly used and I personally believe the music is too good for the anime. Seiyuus did a good job portraying emotion, but I think the thing that got annoying over time is the whole "Kirito-kun!" "Onii-chan"
Charactes: (2/10) Okay now this is where shit went wrong. I'll describe each character one by one.
Kirito - His character development was almost at a standstill. The only things he is known for is being an emofag, or badass. His 'badassness' was brought in at episode 2 I believe where he acts like being a beta-tester was such a big deal, and knowing more information about the game makes you not even close to a cheater, just well informed. Out of 1000 Beta testers not one posted about the gameplay? It was the first boss, they'd most likely want to type a lot about their first boss fight. Furthermore, the term Beater is just horrible. He also seemed to be written in a way which says "All the b**ches I meet want my d*ck" You can't name a single female character that talked personally to him and wasn't already in-love with another character that didn't fall for him. Also his ability to somehow come back to life after having his life bar turned to nothing seems a tad bit convenient. In the beginning of the second arc, after Kirito had found out that Asuna was supposedly getting married to the most generic psychotic bastard out he went completely emo. He never once thought to himself in his depression "Why can't I just catch him off guard and record everything he says". But instead ran crying to his little imouto who has tits big enough to cover his head. Lastly, although there are many, MANY character faults I can find with him I will point out the one that I found most hilarious. Once his friend sent him the photo that seemed like Asuna from Alfheim, he rushed over, only to say shortly after discussing the possibility of finally meeting his 'wife' again. "Hey, how's the gameplay?" ....
Asuna: Okay, Asuna's character was fine in the first arc, however once the second arc rolled in she went from; decent heroine, to damsel in distress. Now that in normal cases would be fine, if you didn't consider the fact that Kirito got his data from SAO sent over to Alfheim, and somehow Asuna didn't? Also, if she is inside the game, and let's supposedly say that Generic Bad Guy reduced all her stats to 0, that would technically mean she wouldn't be able to move at all. Therefore in conclusion she would have her data left over, and DID still have her stats with massed agility. Next comes the chance she gets to escape. Escaping the 'cage' was smart on her part, except for the part where she finds the log out center and just looks around. And when she does finally find the log out button she hovers over it for seconds like she was screaming "OH I WANT SOMETHING TO COME OUT AND STOP ME!" Which she was then interrupted by tentacle monsters which is fan-service not at its finest. Also she mentioned in either the light novel or the anime that she did not mean to play the game, apparently it was a family members' and they were supposed to play it but had an unexpected situation change which got her to play it, which in the middle of the series she had the nerve to say "I knew that putting on the NerveGear would lead me to Kirito."
Suguha: Her character had to be the most pathetic in the whole anime. The only thing we knew her for was "I LOVE ONII-CHAN" and throughout the whole god damn series it was never answered. WHY THE F!@K DO YOU LOVE ONII-CHAN?". And then comes the incest problem; OH HE'S NOT MY BROTHER! HE'S MY COUSIN SO IT'S OKAY TO LOVE HIM. No... No.. it's not okay to love him; IT'S STILL INCEST.
Kayaba: Although he was portrayed as a genius, I think the whole "I'll end this game if you beat me here." thing was something only a complete idiot would do. And of course he reinforces the fact that Kirito is badass, telling everyone that dual-wielding is only given to the person with the highest reaction time. At the end of the first arc, he is asked "Why did you do it?" To which he responded "I don't know..." how do you not know... I'm serious.. how do you not know your reason for trapping 10,000 people inside a virtual world, and essentially killing thousands of them; either emotionally or literally. And at the end of the second arc. He somehow finds his way through Alfheim giving Kirito GM powers, and apparently the reason he was able to do this was that he hacked himself into the internet. Even though apparently the statistics of it being successful were something like one to one million.
Sugou: Most generic bad guy personality. Showing a kind normal face to the people he uses and turns into a complete douche in front of his enemies and even revealing his 'master plan'. This guy has to have one of the biggest inferiority complexes against Kayaba it's not funny.
Side Characters: God damn Loli inferiority complex-filled annoying side characters.
Enjoyment: (2/10) I can see that this anime is completely portrayed to the teenage male demographic as to all the; wish fulfillment, unnecessary panty shots, giant and small tits, and who could forget the reinforcing of hope that you can find someone like Asuna.
Overall: (4/10) This anime gave me quite a few laughs, and it actually had a lot of potential and with correct writing could have been amazing, yet we are given... this... fanservice and wish-fulfillment filled anime.
And I'd like to end on a note that I find hilarious.
Glopping noise.
Jun 12, 2013
Sword Art Online
(Anime)
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This review will contain select spoilers. Do not read if you don't like spoilers. Or go ahead. I'm a reviewer, not a cop.
I'd like to start off with, I have read the light novels up to volume 5, before the anime was created. So no comments about "The light novel is better." I swear this anime is one of the most controversially discussed in the last few years, each side has their own valid points, and this review will have mine. You don't have to agree, this is just my speculation on the anime itself. Story: (3/10) Although the story was a bit intriguing in the light ... |
