It's easier to list the good aspects about SAO than the bad and pretty much the only thing that's legitimately good about it is it's premise and initially the setting. Which isn't an achievement because anyone with half a brain could've come up with these. But who could explain it better than the author himself?(everything of the following is obvously fictional and contains spoilers, if you just want to see the ratings skip it):
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He probably thought:
"Hey, i'm completely incapable of creating believable characters or a proper story, sticking to a theme and yeah, if i'm honest i also suck pretty much anything else, how can i still make a popular anime without having to work? Oh, i could target the 10-15 year old boys who don't care about all that. If i make an anime about MMO's they'll love it no matter what."
So he went to his producer who said:"Yeah, great idea, catering to the lowest common dominator is and always will be the best way to make fast money. You'll get far, son!"
Then the author teamed up with some other people and they started fleshing out the story.
Steve:"I think we should focus on the emotions and struggles of the main characters in such a frightening world and the dark aspects of humanity when everything just comes down to surviving. An MMO setting also allows for ridicoulus character development and interesting enemies and fights like they've never done before."
Author:"Shut up, Steve, you fucking dumbass. Our viewers don't care for that shit. We'll make the MC a weak kid who becomes overpowered as fuck in just two episodes. That's what i call character development, bitch. Kirito is just there for our viewers to insert themself into to fulfill their wishes of power. The female MC only exists to support him. I know our viewers have various fetishes- like the tsundere or the weak girl who needs to be protected- and she's there to fulfill them all. That's what i call a deep character."
Steve(crying, leaving the room):"..."
Author:"So, now that the loser is gone: Someone wants to go bowling?"
Greg:"Shouldn't we finish the anime first?"
Author:"Why are you always such a fun killer. Alright Mr. Tryhard, design some fillers, then i'll be back later to design the last episode of the first season where everything of the main story happens."
On the next day.
Author:"Guys... i drank to much last night. I know we're only around the half of the anime, but let's just end it here, i need to go to sleep."
Greg:"The motives of the villain are still missing."
Author:"Let's just say he forgot all of his motives. It's because he was so absorbed from the world he created he doesn't care for things like "motives". That's some deep shit."
Greg:"I just think you're a lazy fuck, i'm out."
So at the end of season one the author was alone because he fired all of the people who criticized him. But he met his only goal, he got tha $$$ from the kids. But now he's fucked, with absolutely no ideas how to fill the other half of the series.
"Hmm i could do just the same thing again. But now the protagonists have long ears, that should be enough of a difference. There's also a nice underused trope i've heared of called "damsel in distress". That should be enough of a story. I hate the people who criticized me. How can i annoy them even more, how can i strap my series of the last good thing it has going for it? Oh, the fear of dying. Now it's just a normal game."
I could go further because i haven't even called out the worst what's going to happen but i have to stop here. The second season is just a train-wreck and pushes the weaknesses of the first half to the limit.
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I know all this sounded sarcastic, bitter and mean. But i think if you can count yourself to the target audience(10-15 year old boys), you can have a lot of fun with the first season, but you should stop there. Note that compared to other people who's rating system is: 10- great/9-many flaws/ 8-average/7-shit/6-0 - doesn't exist, 5 really means average for me.
Story:
Already explained, interesting premise ruined as much as possible. 14 episodes were already too little for a proper story in this setting and more than half of them are fillers. Until episode 14 i would've given it a 6 or 7/10. Slightly above average and enjoyable. But in episode 14 we see that the author put absolutely no thought into the story. 3/10 for the first season. 1/10 for the second.
Art:
high production value but that's it, there's nothing more to it, it just looks pretty. If shows like Monogatari or Mononoke are 9 or 10/10. There's no way this is more than 6/10, probably 7/10 if i'm fair.
Sound: 6/10, but to be fair i can't think of an anime with a high production value that has bad music.
Characters: 2/10
because some minor characters are interesting. But you can't rate the mc's higher than 1. I don't think overpowered characters are bad in general, but i don't know what the author was thinking to put an extremely overpowered main character in a setting that is all about surviving. That's like putting Alucard in Pokemon to become Ash's new companion.
Enjoyment:
4/10. I would lie if i said i had no fun watching this. If you can see past the flaws, turn your brain of and watching it with the mind of a young teenager, the first season is mostly 8/10 until episode 14(which is 1/10). Second season probably 2/10 because i had absolutely no expectations anymore and sometimes got surprised by the smallest good things. if you combine the two seasons i think 4/10 is fair.
Overall:
It's unfair to criticize shonen because they don't touch adult themes, don't have deep, meaningful conversations or are loaded with symbolism. However the premise of this show is clearly very seinen. And it's completely fair to criticize shonen for their terrible storylines and characters, some of the best stories like TTGL or FMA:B are shonen.
Objectively it's a train wreck that even fails at it strengths. Who needs the million possible ways of power a character is able to have in an MMO, dual-wielding is the best and most unique ability! /s
If you want an action packed shonen anime, i would recommend anything over SAO, even Fairy Tail or Naruto, because at least they stick to their themes and hilariously enough their characters seem deeper than the Mariana Trench compared to SAO.
If you ever wanted to live in an MMO(which most people who played them thought about), it might be worth a watch. Mainly because there's currently no competition for this kind of anime and the author banked on that, sadly with success. It's unbelievable that this series has an average score of 8.3. People who liked it only liked it because of the setting and didn't care for anything else. I can get it if people give it a high "enjoyment" rating, but if you are rating the characters and the story with more than 3/10 you seriously need to watch other shows.
So, if you are a 10-15 year old boy with no girlfriend who dreams of living in an MMO, you've found a 10/10 anime for you(and i really don't mean this insulting, i wish i could've watched this anime 10 years ago). For anyone else- don't watch it. I'm giving it a 3/10 because i'm a huge fan of mmo's, action and nice graphics. If you don't value these three very high, it's nothing but an 1/10, maybe 2/10 for the looks.
