The series itself is divided into two separate arcs: the Aincrad Arc and the Fairy Dance Arc. But, I won't go into detail other than the two arcs hold slightly different objectives.
Anyhow, Kirito travels throughout the world where he meets noobs and experienced players along the way. Each character shown in the first arc in my opinion was great. I loved meeting each person and wish I could have seen more of certain people. The interactions between characters can be both hilarious and even heart-breaking at times.
For those of you interested as to whether or not the anime can relate to an actual MMORPG, the answer is yes. It definitely uses jargon such as: duels, guilds, switching, trading, etc. There is also a supposed auction house and most definitely an economy. Also, the boss fights which happen are pure epic. It was never dull watching the players collaborate together to try to defeat the bosses shown. Not to mention the holy music that plays during fight scenes, I really enjoyed and appreciate that. I'm sure other anime fans who love not only the animation and story, but also score and sound effects, will appreciate the audio too.
For those wondering what elements this anime has, it definitely relates to video games, but that's not it. It has fantasy, sci-fi, action, adventure, and yes romance (more than I thought it would have, honestly lol) elements. If any of these elements seem appealing, then check it out.
One last thing people might be considering is whether or not this is a good anime for beginners to watch. It's a good question, and one that many anime fans ponder when they want to introduce a friend to anime in general. My final answer is yes, it's a good show to introduce to a friend who watches very little or no anime at all, as long as that friend is into MMORPGs. Because the anime is about a subject they can relate to, they're going to enjoy it more. Obviously, if the friend is only into shooters, that person may not like it. However, there is one fatal flaw in introducing this series to a friend though: this show in particular is either a hit or a really big miss. The main reason is most likely because of the romance element. The viewer may either continue to watch it because they like the pairing, or they will hate it because it has some romance and its awkward to watch. This is especially true for people who have not watched any anime at all. Other than that, if you're willing to take a risk and introduce it to a friend then go for it.
Overall, I give this series a 8/10.
