First off, the plot. As most people have mentioned, it's nothing special. The thing that draws me in the most in this anime is its premise. "Trapped" in a game world, they try to survive this "death game" whilst clearing the floors. Along the way, some unique stories unfold. I say unique, because they're situated in a game world. I'll try not to drone on about the story and other aspects of the anime, because the main reason I made this review is about something else.
Art and Sound was pretty good in my opinion. It was of decent quality as a product anime of 2012. No particular comments I'd like to make about them. if you're like me, I don't particularly judge an anime solely in its Art/Sound. it plays a minor role, but it's usually the characters that really makes an anime enjoyable for me.
Which is what this anime lacks in particularly.
It's not that I don't like the characters per se, but it's more of their reactions to the situations the anime present.
First off the bat is the first episode, where the game's creator announces that the online game is now a "death game". People panic, blah blah, and utter chaos ensues.
What I don 't get is, why though?
As a gamer, I play games to "escape reality". Not because I'm particularly unhappy, but just generally unsatisfied with it. Most people (that I have met and conversed with in numerous MMOs) play for the exact reason. To escape our current reality, where everything is dull and boring and nothing about you fits in to it, much like Kirito in the first episode implied. So what I don't get is, why, especially Kirito, is so unhappy with these turn of events? I would have expected that this would have excited him the most, being an avid gamer and all. I don't think he's a "recreational" gamer either, and the story implies that he's pretty hardcore when it comes to gaming. And yet, he's the first one to call "bullshit" on it all. Instead of Kirito looking agitated at the end of that first episode, I thought it would have made more sense if he was smiling instead. Not because he's a psycho who wants to die (which, I don't get either because you can die anytime in real life as well...) but because of the aspect of living a game as real life.
Might seem annoying if that's the kind of character we're plastered with, but it's the most realistic approach to it. Also, it gives room to the most important aspect of characters: development. Honestly, I see no room for character development in Kirito, and after reading the first light novel, I saw none whatsoever.
Another is the anime's contradictory nature in regards to valuing human lives. I must warn you, there might be some minor spoilers ahead, but I'll try to minimise the damage.
If you've read the light novel, you'd know that Kirito has a "certain skill" he can use that pretty much raises his already overpowered skill level, to a whole freaking dimension. And yet, he hesitated in using it in saving a persons life. it's not until one of them actually dies, that he starts to use it, whilst reminiscing the events of (I think) episode 2. Herein lies the contradiction.
After the events of episode 2, you would think that the trauma of it all would be the one hindering him in saving their lives. But no, its because of the prospect of letting out his "super secret skill". Which is just idiotic in my opinion; people are dying for heaven's sake. He of all people should know that. And yet he hesitated. Is keeping that skill secret so much more important than saving a person's life?
Anyways, focusing on other characters. The one whom I really liked as a character is Asuna, but for some reason, she gets the least respect in the anime from other characters, and it looks like from the author as well.
And by respect I don't mean idolization, she gets a lot of that. No, I mean respect as a woman. As a person.
It's like her opinions doesn't matter at all, made evident in episode's 7 and 8. Made most evident at the end of episode 8, where
[SPOILERS]
Heathcliff, the leader of Asuna's guild the K.O.B. challenges Kirito on a duel for Asuna. Which is just bloody ridiculous. Was it not Asuna who freaking suggested to party with Kirito in the first place? Was it not Asuna who WANTED to leave the guild for a while to spend time with Kirito? And yet she gets put aside and the men gets to do the decision making? The frak? Kirito wasn't "stealing" Asuna for crying out loud. I don't get it at all. Its like the author can't make up a soild idea on how to make a confrontation with Kirito and Heathcliff, and just opted for that. Of course, it could be that Heathcliff's real motive is to get Kirito to join the guiild if he loses, but how can Asuna and Kirito just agree to it all?
Despite my current gripes with the characters and their responses to the situations the anime presents to them, I still find the anime mildly enjoyable, hence overall, I give it a 7.
