Instead of scoring this like many other reviews with numbers for each category, I will just talk about the different aspects of the show and what I liked/disliked.
The Setting:
One of the most unique settings in anime. Ever since this anime came out, I have always gotten the impression that we are waiting for the next MOP anime to come out with as great of a setting. In the first half of the series we had your typical MOP game with swords, parties, and money. What made everything so interesting though was the fact that if you die, you die in real life. The second half of the series also did a nice job showing such an amazing and interesting world. Yet I think the creators’ eyes were bigger than their stomachs, particularly with SAO. There were so many interesting aspects to explore: The Bosses, Party relationships, Character Interactions, and I felt that the show simply didn’t explore enough of the world.
The Plot:
The Plot also has some pretty major positives and negatives. The negatives definitely came in the first half BECAUSE EVERYTHING WAS RUSHED!!! Like the setting, the plot wasn’t developed enough. There were inconsistent time jumps and overall I never felt like I could connect with the characters. It was like reading a news article about a war and the nearby civilians. Sure, you understand why a character loves/hates another character but you don’t necessarily have emotions for them. When someone dies the emotions just aren’t there because you have only seen this character for one episode, yet Kirito might have been with this person for 3 months so of course he feels sad.
To make matters worse, there were a lot of filler episodes in the first half of the show. I felt like the show lost sense of where the final goal was. Yet, in the second half of the show with AOL everything gets fixed. The characters are consistently moving toward a goal. I can begin to feel for them. Also, there is an antagonist that truly feels like an antagonist. So through these points regard, the show improved heading into the second half of the season. This definitely gave me a more positive impression of the show.
Characters:
A weak part of the show. Kirito simply was so OP at times that it didn’t make sense. While his emotions make sense throughout, due to the plot issue mentioned previously, I never felt that I could connect with him. Asuna was sweet. Yet, ultimately she wasn’t anything special. Yui definitely kind of creeped me out with her personality switch between seeming like a child and an adult. I loved Suguha. She was well developed in the second half and her interactions with Kirito were fantastic. The side characters were simply kind of there. Overall, nothing truly special. Nothing was awful, but I definitely would call the characters sub-par.
Music:
It was pretty good. The First OP was great. The second one above average. The endings were so-so with the second one being better. The OST was also great, but I didn’t hear much variety. Not really much to say, the music is above average.
Sound:
I am giving this a different category from music. Here I am referring to the sounds of the show, particularly the sword battles. While I wouldn’t say that the sword sounds were 100% accurate, I will say that the timing and amount of sound was spectacular. I think this part of the anime goes underappreciated. The sword clings, during battle were spectacular and if you watch the show, please pay attention because it is fantastic!
Visuals:
Crisp, Clean, Bright, and Colorful…just the way I like it. The animation was stellar and fluid.
Overall:
This show is something of a mixed bag for me. On one hand, the show doesn’t develop its plot or characters well enough. Yet on the other hand, the setting and improvement over the second half make up for it. However, good or bad, this show was definitely fun and I really enjoyed it so give it a try even if you have heard bad things about the show.
P.S. There is a massive plot hole with Asuna at the end of the first arc. If anyone wants to discuss it or clarify the plot hole, please message me. Hope my review was helpful :D
