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Ok while overall this was a very enjoyable experience even tho this anime certainly had its flaws. In fact this review will most likely have many flaws itself considering its my first time writing one.




SPOILERs may follow

The
artwork
the art is very solid, tho nothing to write home about. Where it really shines is during the action sequences. Especially when there was a boss fight. The final boss was especially great. I mean to get away with such a large open battle field and so many characters being involved and not lose quality was really something. Overall normal non-action sequences were a little lack ... luster but are forgiven when considered how action oriented I considered this to be.


Sound
english voice actors
i don't know much about music but i found the intro to be quite enjoyable and match the show. Now I did not watch the original Japanese version but when compared to other dubbs/subbed works all I can say is.....meh it was alright. Kirito seemed to match his character pretty well and stand out above the crowd when compared to the others excluding Asuna who I thought did a brilliant job and was some great casting work on there part. the rest of the cast seemed a little plain to put it nicely. And Yuri i might add was a little annoying yet fitting for her age.


Story
( semi-short summary of first season)
main protagonist: Kirito
OK now story has its originality. Gamer finds game. Gamer does beta. Starts actual game. Then he's stuck.Oh and if you die in the game you die in real life. Nice start I was hooked he then joins a guild beats first boss only to find out how pissed people were at people who were in beta because they had a major advantage in this life and death game. The show had a basic action vibe and I loved it. The Dynamic art style during fights certainly helped.
Overall the first few episodes go like this he goes through the game being slightly over powered. Loses friends because of that fact. Kirito had the bright idea of joining a weaker guild. It doesn't flat out say the trap they set off was over powered because of this but I have my suspicions.
It was then we got a taste of what was to come. Enter Asuna a head strong character who would put the show on a 360 in terms of plot. Don't get me wrong she had a great character design its just we came for a action anime not some freakin' love story. BUT i'm getting ahead of myself she doesn’t flat out ruin it until the second(half of the first) season..... Ok ruin is a strong word more like change he feel of it. Kirito and Asuna then solve a murder mystery. Gets a little lacking in fights but had a good air of drama.
Then Asuna's guild leader demands he join there guild because he was stealing alot of her time away. So Kirito challenges him to a duel he win she can leave without any worries. Kirito loses he joins the guild. (MAJOR SPOILER) He loses, not without trying I mind you. It was a amazing fight. was when I fell in love with it all over again and it keeps up the pattern in fights through out. It is when they take out fights all together that I get annoyed. He then under circumstances I wont get into gets her anyway.
Enter the lovey dovey faze they the (SPOILERS) they get in game married and then the show hints that the bowchikawowowed with the what I like to call Asuna's pink hand of rape technique. Don't get me wrong I love romantic animes but the problem is its just like wolverine (movie). odd comparison I know, but I think it still holds true. We all came hoping this would be action/gaming anime but the second they get into the cabin it turned into a love story. For like 3/4 episodes I mind you and no fighting this whole time.In both wolverine and this we came for the action and it turned into a chick flick for awhile at least.
We then get a kid who is slightly cute and annoying who we don't see until elfhiem (probably spelled wrong) which I don't plan on reviewing unless this does well. All the big players in the game then take on the latest floor of the dungeon . This finally gets the show on track and leads to a awesome boss fight reminiscent of what the show seemed to promise. all just to have that become slightly empty when the (Spoiler) game master finally
shows himself as being one of the players in a kinda unconventional way, which to me seem to take meaning form what they had done in the past. he then challenges him to a winner take all match where they were freed and the creator of the game dies.
This then spills over into elfhiem when some of the players (including asuna) are left behind despite the fact sao was stopped.


To quote myself and summarize "In both Wolverine and this we came for the action and it turned into a chick flick for awhile at least". It did everything right up until the romance. Romance would have been fine if they didn't over do it, it had kind of became to much of a break from the action. I understand they needed a solid base behind Kirito's practically obsessive actions in elfheim yet they didn't need to do it all in one chunk. Overall 7/10 is a good number watch able yet not perfect.