The theme of Sword Art Online is pretty interesting, (if a character dies in the video game world, they die in the real world) if not a bit overused. Well, at least it carries life-threatening stakes and plenty of action, which always makes for an enjoyable watch. I won't dwell too deep into the story to avoid spoilers, but let's just say that plot progression isn't exactly always smooth, and there are moments that will make you think "wait...wtf?" But overall, the story line is pretty solid (though a bit conventional), with a clear and gripping conflict that the main characters try to overcome.
Characters:
Kirito is a very typical "good guy", a self-sacrificing knight in shining army,who will surely make all girls swoon and flock to him. And they do just that. His harem is ever-growing, though I personally don't find that too annoying, it's quite amusing actually. SPOILER *though I DO question his sister/cousin being in that harem...? incest is not exactly my cup of tea* SPOILER
Despite being cliched and saying the cheesiest things, Kirito is still pretty loveable because he is strong-willed and earnest, so I can imagine him having many fangirls.
Asuna seemed promising as she was a girl who was fierce, and was leading one of the strongest guilds in the game. Thankfully she's not a huge damsel in distress, so that's always a plus! However, as the story progressed, she lost more of her previous flair, and depended more on Kirito. SPOILER The side-effect of falling in love perhaps? I guess it's because now that she has Kirito, she doesn't feel the need to always be so independent anymore. Which makes sense, but I just wished she could remain full badass the whole way :P SPOILER Now, it's not that i don't enjoy the romance, I actually find it pretty sweet, even if it's a bit cheesy.
The villains of SAO are quite one-dimensional, with little to no character development at all. Viewers are given too little insight to the villain's motivation. This makes them seem like they are the bad guys purely because if they weren't, then there wouldn't be a story.
The characters in SAO seem to be too black and white, as Kirito is painted to be the perfect hero who always tries his best, while Kayaba and especially Sugou are perverse and sadisitc old men (at least that's the way it's portrayed). Because of such black and white characters, in the character department, SAO seems to lack complexity and depth.
Art:
The art in SAO is simply beautiful, with a great colour palette. Explicit detail is not only given to characters, but also the background scenery. There were often moments when my eyes were glued to the screen, just admiring all the scenery and different settings. It's certainly very visually pleasing.The animation is also really up to par, and makes action scenes look fantastic and epic.
Sound:
Background OSTs are not too memorable, but I did love the opening songs (the first one had a very whimsical feel that I thought was fitting for the story). Voice acting was the norm, nothing too special to comment on.
Overall, SAO is a trendy action packed anime with a bit of romance mixed in, which I think makes it suitable for many people, girls or boys. However, because of the black and white characters that lack complexity, it's like mindless entertainment. Still extremely enjoyable (perfect for those Saturday afternoons when you don't feel like doing much), but if you want something deep, philosophical and dark, look elsewhere.
