Story - Story writing is the second weakest portion of SAO. SAO was first created as a web novel by Reki Kawahara for a contest when he was still quite amateur, and it shows. The pacing, while I understand its necessity (showing every single floor would be tedious and get stale), was a bit all over the place and many of the main characters lacked real development. Side stories were clearly filled in after-the-fact and the main arcs are standard tropes or varying takes on them. That being said, it was enough to be compelling. The original premise to the story is quite interesting in and of itself, not only being trapped in a game, but being able to *die* in it. It really is a great setup for tension, and the first arc did a decent job making use of it. The Sachi episode especially, while short, was enough to tug at your heartstrings and provide context to Kirito's actions. There were some actually unexpected plot twists in the story which kept it fresh between arcs, and while there were a couple deus ex machina moments, a lot of the plot had at least a sense of cohesiveness and flow. The story doesn't win any points for originality, but it provided enjoyment, made me think a bit, and never left me bored, which to me is all that really matters in the end. A little above average.
Characters - Characters in SAO are a bit all over the place. Some are compelling, like Asuna, others are what many like to refer to as "Gary Stu", like Kirito. Some like Argo *seem* quite curious, but are never expanded upon. Kayaba is quite an interesting antagonist that remains a mystery, whereas Sugou is a very standard and simple "exists-to-hate" villain (could have had a handlebar moustache!). They are written well enough that they are pleasing and you are slightly invested, but none are really developed enough that you truly want to know *more* about them beyond just seeing them win. Reki learns his lessen in the next Season, but for SAO I, the characters imo are just simply interesting, but not special. Slightly above average. Asuna/Kayaba stood out as varied individuals, but were surrounded by a sea of mediocrity.
Art - The animation for SAO is really, really good. It's what I've come to expect from A1's best team. It isn't perfect and has its flaws, but the fight scenes are just beautiful and the colours vivid. The backdrops were absolutely breathtaking to see and really gave the feel of this grand MMO story and richness to it that many shows lack. Not to mention providing many a beautiful desktop wallpaper! The characters were emotive and distinctive, and the enemies wondrous. The animation really allowed you to immerse yourself in the show, rather than distract the viewer, which is what quality animation *should* do.
Sound - Yuki Kajiura. Really, that should be enough said. The SAO music is really, really well done in my opinion, it's the best part of the show! The score is great and the opening songs are some of my favourites and mp3 player worthy; just all around quality tracks as one would come to expect from Kajiura. The music in this show is actually quite reminiscent of her work with Fate/Zero, but that's a good thing! It always fits the atmosphere well and ratchets up the heroism or tension or tenderness depending on the moment. Honestly, do yourself a favour and pick up the OSTs and buy Crossing Field on iTunes or whatever your music player of choice is.
Enjoyment - Really, this is what watching anime is all about I believe. And for SAO? It passes with flying colours. I can't quite give it a 10, as the story could have been more compelling, but regardless, I always wanted to see what was going to happen next! I always enjoyed the fights accompanied by bombastic symphonies and the emotional moments with tender strings, I enjoyed seeing Asuna develop as the show went on, and I enjoyed the twists and turns in the story and the emotional roller-coaster it put me through. As I said earlier, the story/characters may be flawed, but the show executed with all its heart.
So, the big question you want to know if you're reading this: is SAO worth watching? As I originally said, I can't answer this for you; however, I do think it is good enough that most viewers could find something in it to enjoy and it's worth a try to see yourself if you enjoy it. It isn't as popular as it is for no reason, and even if you acknowledge its flaws, you have to give credit for its execution. At the very least it is worth watching to know what all the fuss is about!
