That's why I gave this anime such a high score. To me the overall feel of anime and my enjoyment thereof far outweighs the couple of scenes I didn't like (there were two scenes especially I absolutely hated, and one or two finer details that bothered me but not nearly enough to ruin the show)
Story (8/10)
The story was unique and very clever. The first arc was the best of all and the only reason it did not get full marks was because they did a lot of time skips. I honestly think the first arc could have taken up 2 whole seasons. That being said, I felt the time skips were well done. You see the growth in Kirito especially (I would have liked to see more in Asuna though) and important milestones are shown that when pieced together start to flesh out Kirito's personality. The story has it all: Explosive action scenes (the fights are really well done), an amazing world, a refreshingly unique romance that is different from most anime's out there, and a whole lot of feels.
Art (8/10)
The art was beautiful and consistent. Action scenes were mind-blowing and the worlds of SAO and Alfheim were stunningly detailed. Landscapes were breathtaking and the scope of it was huge!
Sound (9/10)
Even the haters of SAO have to admit that the score was nothing short of a masterpiece. Sound affects were good too, especially the sword fights and in game sound effects which sounded incredible. Even the opening and ending songs were good. No complaints here.
Characters (8/10)
I liked just about every character in SAO and really felt that I got to know them...except for ***SPOILER ALERT FOR A FEW PARAGRAPHS*** the dumbass hentai slugs which don't fit into the story at all and the villain at the end of the second arc
A lot of people also complain about the Harem aspect of it, but I honestly didn't see any of that (in the light novels or both seasons of the anime). A lot of the girls do like Kirito and try to flirt with him but he only deflects their advances away, and when they all learned about Asuna they backed off rather quickly despite maybe still having a crush on him.
I also really liked Kirito's character, despite people complaining that he was very much a Gary Stu. At the start of the anime we see a lonely, withdrawn guy who is somewhat disconnected from reality. He is awkward around others, and not very social. Because of the fact that he prefers to spend his time playing games, he has unsurprisingly become really good at them. This combined with his unique out of the box perspective when it comes to solving problems, his understanding of the game as a beta tester and sly mind make him very powerful in the SAO world. Despite his incredible strength, he makes decisions he regrets and as well as many mistakes along the way. Another thing I enjoyed about him was his love for playfully teasing others as seen throughout the series. He is powerful, but far from a perfect gary stu and definitely not boring.
Asuna is another character I loved. People seem to hate that she is a badass and has maxed out waifu skills. I say why can't she have both? Nothing wrong with being able to make a killer sandwich after a tough boss fight is there? On many of the reviews that I saw, I noticed people hating that she became a damsel-in-distress in the second arc (like actually needing help from a male friend diminishes her worth as a person somehow). It isn't like she had a choice in the matter. I mean she nearly escaped from the Game Admins clutches on her own! and without her quick thinking, Kirito would never have been able to save her. I guess I will never understand the hate.
The other characters were diverse and fun. I really liked Egil, Klein and Lisbeth. Yui was just plain adorable. i didn't think much of Leafa, but that may be because of the cringes I got for the whole loving her brother a little too much thing.
***END OF SPOILERS***
Enjoyment (10/10)
I thoroughly enjoyed this anime. The feeling I got while watching it was nostalgic of the feeling I got from some of my first animes! I couldn't wait to get home from work so I could continue watching. It made me laugh, made me cry, and made me excited whenever something badass was going on. Keep in mind this is a Shounen anime that has a nice mix of action, comedy, drama and romance with very little ecchi (the one or two scenes with ecchi feel so out of place and weird). So judge it as such. It is not an Oscar-winning story, or the paragon of the romance genre of anime. But it is definitely very entertaining to watch.
Overall (10/10)
Was I left wanting more? Would I buy the Blue Rays? Would I re-watch it? Did it make me go out and read the Light Novels? Did it make me want to write a review about it?
Yes to all of the above! One of my favorites for sure
