Sword art online is probably the most anticipated anime in this summer season, and it maybe the best in my opinion. Although there are a lot of critics saying that the anime is no where as good as the light novel series, but with 25 episodes its hard to focus on everything especially if the novel is up to its 10th volume, but who knows there might be a season 2.
Story 8
The story follows Kirigaya Kazuto with his game alias "Kirito," a "solo" player that was part of the beta in the game and his journey to clear the 100 floors, being part of the squad that is always on the front lines he is well known, and is called the black swordsman due to his clothes. His adventure leads him to meet many different kind of people, each one changing a bit of Kirito maybe in the future he would no longer be a solo player? i'll have to wait and see=P.
There are massive leaps in the time line such as in the first 2 episodes their like on floor 1 or 2, but in the 3rd episode there on 20 something? and Kirito is around level 40. It makes it really confusing because you don't really know what happened between, it would have been cool to show Kirito levelling to be honest, seeing it will probably remind the days of when i was levelling on a MMO. plus the fact that they don't continue on after each episode kinda sucks coz theres none of that cliff hanger feeling =/ but i guess i haven't exactly finished the anime yet so who knows it might occur in the future its only just begun, but i heard that the massive time leaps happen in the light novel as well. Although only side stories has only been released, the fact that i find them pretty good already hopefully the main story will be amazing as well.
But to be honest what i think makes this story amazing its how you don't really get bored when your watching the episode or at least you don't lose attention, it constantly engages you, its kinda the feeling you get when watching Full metal alchemist brotherhood where you cant help but keep on watching.
Art 8
Being released in 2012 it'll be surprising if the animation was bad. The character designs are very well done in this, the female characters kinda remind of some characters from guilty crown such as Asuna quite similar to inori as in the face not the hair style and stuff. The background is absolutely amazing, with so much detail, looking at some of the background will truly astonish you. The fight scenes are pretty cool, although there is little magic or skills involved despite this being a MMORPG, you only get to hear the skill name you don't really see it in action, the sword fights are pretty cool i think there pretty well animated i like the way when people disappear they kinda disintegrate, plus i like the way the monster/players are cut as well and i like what they do with the menu really makes it feel like a game.
Sound 9
The opening is pretty well done, the song is pretty catchy and is sang by LiSA who i find pretty good, she did the opening and ending for Angel Beats! and the Girls Dead Monster songs she also sang the opening for Fate/Zero. The opening video hardly spoils anything only showing characters and very little bits of fight scenes unlike some anime opening video's which spoil a lot for you like Shakugan no Shana... I quite like the OST in this anime, it really set the mood in some of the sad scenes/fight scenes it draws your attention more towards it. Especially the fight scenes it makes it more exciting to watch, and its one of those things where when you hear the OST again you will remember the scene.
Character 9
I quite like the characters in SAO, Kirito is your typical lone wolf that when something bad happens he takes it really personally, in real life he didn't really socialise much with the outside world, so being in a game that completely reflects your life its kinda hard for him to interact with other players in the game. Probably one of the reason why he is a "solo player" although not the only reason, other reason include bad experiences during the game, such as deaths and etc. Although it's pretty interesting to watch when he helps people out despite being a solo player.
Asuna is one of the few pretty girls in SAO and to be honest a girl in an MMO is not very common, she also fights in the front lines aswell, with the title "flash" that she gained due to her skill lighting fast attacks. Her personality provides plenty of comical moments, she's basically an innocent teenager, that gets easily embarrassed when topics around relationships come up or when embarrassing things happen, you can probably image what kind of comical scenes will come up cant you =P. I think SAO focuses on the relationship between Asuna and Kirito, although its not completely clear yet as only 6 episodes are out, i am definitely a fan of Kirito X Asuno =P.
I'm not completely sure if the characters currently introduced are side or main characters due to the fact that they only appeared once, but each female character seems to basically fall for Kirito and affects his mental state somehow whether in a positive or negative way.
Enjoyment 9
For me personally this Anime really pulls me in, I really like each fight scene that occurs, especially the ones where Kirito is basically completely overpowering every monster/player. The side stories are pretty good, even though there sides it feels like they play a big role in the main story in terms of character development. Each time there's a romance development between Asuna and Kirito I get really excited, they haven't really done much yet but I really want them to be together they work so well together =P. Its kinda similar to the feeling i get when Touma and Misaka from To Aru Majutsu no Index have romance developments xD.I can't really comment on the Main story yet as it hasn't actually started yet =/
Overall 9
Currently I am absolutely loving SAO mainly because of the fact that its an anime about an MMORPG =P, it has everything that you can ask for from a fantasy action adventure anime. I think everything is done to a high standard, and theres not much you can ask for except maybe less time leaps and more character development but the anime just started so theres not much i can ask for. This is the view point of someone who hasn't read the light novel so i can't really compare the 2, but I heard that the anime doesn't follow the light novel completely or leaves little bits out? who knows even without reading the light novel i think this is still pretty good. Hopefully with episodes about the main story starting soon SAO will become even better and maybe become of those unforgettable animes such as Clannad or Code Geass.
