I placed my hope a damn too much for SAO II when I already knew that the 1st season looked unworthy by the too-much drama for a deadly game that will took your own life horribly. And the main hero(ine)s are too strong like it seemed they didn't need anything to come up with any strategy or weapon or strong comrades for just victories. Even if the genre stated as shounen, the drama is way covering all of the shounen stuffs in the show.
Kirito who was the strongest player before, on SAO I, asked by Japan's ministry to go observe a player named "Death Gun" in Gun Gale Online. It happened because after this Death Gun shot players in the game, oddly the actual players in the real world found as dead bodies. The curiosity made its way and Kirito accepted it. By this new game, his partner, Sinon who is incredibly strong and has good analytical strategy, getting targeted by Death Gun. After some events of this Death Gun thingy, finally the story is pulling back the last game Kirito played, along with new member to recruit here, Sinon.
Sorry if I am too rude to explain the matter of dramatic scenes SAO brings to us. I cannot much elaborate my impression for the story itself since it's just some kind of drama that take place in virtual worlds, it's just like the drama is not enough to entertain with the childish story of a hero and his comrades to survive. I think the problem because they deal with the emotion of themselves makes their battles less intriguing, not helping much to boost the point from the story and character aspect.
I can say, the graphics are the core for my enjoyment. I still could enjoy it thanks to the visual aspect, it makes me watch the show 'til the very end of it. Nice colouring, the view of virtual worlds, the well-done movements, the details whether it's living-things such as facial expressions or their clothes and sceneries. Sometimes the battles are worth enough by the purpose to be delivered, and sometimes the battles were done just for..yeah battling, that was all.
As I say, the character aspect is not playing much role. The characters development sure developed just around the main characters such as Kirito and Asuna. However, few last episodes are nice altho' it was so easy to guess, the story flew nicely and touching,
Comes to think of the theme songs, some of it (including the insert theme songs) are so nice, while the others are average. The OP songs are "IGNITE" by Eir Aoi, "courage" by Haruka Tomatsu & "Separate Ways (セパレイト・ウェイズ)" by Haruka Tomatsu. The ED songs are "Startear" by Luna Haruna (my fav), "No More Time Machine" by LiSA & also by LiSA "Shirushi (シルシ)".
I just can give 5.5 for the show. Well the show entertained somehow, infrequently.
Pros:
The first half of first half story (when Sinon wasn't gone too emotional and everything turned into drama)
Graphics
Cons:
THE DRAMA EVERYWHERE (sorry the capslock is really mean it)
Character development is so bad
