Any anime about being stuck in a computer game is inevitably compared to Sword Art Online. When Log Horizon made its début on the scene, the most common compliment was that it was ‘more realistic’ than SAO. This didn’t strike me as necessarily a good thing. I don’t want to watch a show just to get lectured on proper MMORPG mechanics. As it turned out, Log Horizon does get the mechanics of MMORPGs right, but what makes it truly great is so much more.
The problem with SAO was that it was blatant wish-fulfilment. The main protagonist Kirito is a Gary Stu whose only flaw is being so damn good at the game that everyone else is envious of him. Along the way he acquires the trophy wife Asuna (just because a girl can use a sword and is given the label of ‘strong’ does not automatically make her more than a cardboard character) and other female members of his harem. By sheer deus ex machina he is carried along by the plot and saves the day. What makes it worse is that the series never really looks at characters beyond the individual that is Kirito. SAO is less about Sword Art Online, the game that they’re stuck in, and more about Jesus Kirito.
In Log Horizon's later episodes, it is highly unlikely that even a third of the frames in the episode contain Shiroe, the main protagonist. Shiroe himself is no self-absorbed prick with delusions about the extent of his powers. Next to Kirito, Shiroe is like an adult, which only makes sense because Shiroe is also a graduate engineering student. Log Horizon is about the trapped gaming community and the political ability of an individual to influence the direction society takes. Shiroe’s only goal, outlined simply, was to ‘improve the mood’ of Akihabara, and he did so by kickstarting the gaming economy through the creation of goods in demand. His meticulous plan to bring the other dominant powers to cooperate with him is not something that can be compared to some flashy sword swings on the part of Kirito. Next to Log Horizon, SAO is purely solipsistic.
Log Horizon's cast is diverse, and one character in particular deserves mention. Minori is a young girl also trapped in the game, and spends most of the initial episodes basically performing child labour under the auspices of an exploitative guild. After being liberated by Shiroe, the story focuses on her growth as she eventually assumes roles of greater responsibility while facing ethical decisions. In this case, Shiroe ends up playing the role of a mentor and role-model, and it's fascinating to watch Minori through mimicking him, understand his motivations behind his actions. Of note is also Princess Lenessia, a self-described 'lazy and unmotivated' girl who ends up changing the fate of her country, and playing a key role in a powerful political alliance. It's generally hard to manage a cast of nearly twenty consistently appearing characters, but Log Horizon manages to make them absolutely endearing and sympathetic. More than anything, Log Horizon paints an optimistic and comedic picture of human cooperation while skilfully portraying an intriguing world with shadowy politicking in the backdrop.
The one flaw that Log Horizon has is its art and animation. The character designs and backdrops are a bit bland (though charming) at times. Especially because Log Horizon's focus was never on battles - battles being hardly conducive for creating anything constructive - it really isn't that bad not having top notch art. Season two will be airing this fall, and I'm definitely watching.
