When the series first started I thought it was going to be great because it had such a strong start and great first few episodes, but that sadly wasn't the case. I ended up getting so angry with the way the story was developing halfway through that i actually stopped watching it for a while. I had no intention of picking it up again, but so many people were talking about it that I decided to watch it again in hopes of it getting better. I thought it was going to be centered on the fact that they're trapped in a game and fighting so they can make it out alive, but it turned out to center more on the teenage romance between the two main characters, Asuna and Kirito. It also had a lot of side stories that didn't contribute to the main story whatsoever. And it didn't really focus on the main plot. As a gamer, I really was interested in the idea of the gaming system and the virtual world and all the fighting scenes made me really want to play it. I think I like this anime because I love the idea of the game, the plot, and the virtual world, not the actual anime itself. I loved the idea of it more than the actual anime itself.
Story (5/10)
As I said previously, I thought that this anime had a strong start. The first couple of episodes had me thinking the anime was going to go in a completely different direction then it actually went. As the story went on, it just got worse and worse and made me more and more disappointed. The story felt very dragged out and at times forced and generic. What really makes me angry about this anime is that it had great potential to be turned into something amazing and the first couple episodes lived up to the expectations. The story starts out as everybody being hyped up about the new game Sword Art Online and when they first enter the game it's as great as everybody thought it was going to be, but then the creator comes and tells them that if they die in the game they die in real life and that they need to clear all the floors in order to get out of the game. That right there, could have made an excellent story line, but instead it focuses more on the romance between the two main characters and has a bunch of side stories that don't contribute to the main story whatsoever. The romance in it also felt awkward and forced at times. It was like a teenager had written it and that's what they thought love was like. Then on top of all that, Kirito becomes a typical "chick magnet awesome" character and every girl he comes across falls in love with him. All of the characters also can do nothing without the main character because it's one of those stories. Then as it goes on, the story obviously favors Kirito and makes a bunch of things that are supposed to be impossible happen for him so that he can win. Again, so generic I could vomit. I could go on and on, but the main point it that it was disappointing.
Art (8/10)
I thought that the art was fantastic. Probably the best thing about this anime. The way the characters were drawn was great and the fighting scenes were absolutely gorgeous. The animation was in no way disappointing. The hair wasn't one of those "how does their hair defy gravity like that?" it was pretty tame compared to a lot of anime hair. The outfits were also very nice. So basically, I liked the art the best.
Character (3/10)
The character development was awful in this story. It was generic, it didn't go into depth, and like with many other things in this anime, I was disappointed. Asuna, the main girl in this story started out as this awesome mysterious character that knows how to fight and ends up a "I can't do anything without my boyfriend around" character. She cries a lot, she seems incapable of doing anything without her boyfriend and it's ridiculous. I was looking forward to a cool female character that could actually fight, but no. Then with the main male character, Kirito, he had potential, but turned into a generic male lead. He became the strongest character that had a bunch of things helping him that were supposed to be impossible and had every girl he meets fall in love with him. Words of the day: disappointing and generic.
Overall (7/10)
