Please be lenient with me since this is my first review. I just felt that I should write something about this piece I finished today. (maybe I will write more hmm...)
Anyway let's talk about the SAO. I got recommendation from my friend to this anime and he knew that I am sometimes very critical to anime series (I always like something with deep thought inside such as NGE, Death Note, Cowboy Bebop etc.) so he told me to watch it just to episode 14. Well good for me if the rest has no value. So I started to watch...
I used to play games a lot and especially the ones with good fighting system. This anime is for me just like a miracle. World of pc games and anime (my favourite ones :D) came together. From the first episode through the whole anime you can see some common mmorpg (not only from them but generally from the gamers world) habits like lvling, pking, a bit of cheating, crafting, fighting, hp potions drinking etc. Seems really cool in anime. But what are the deep thoughts in this anime?
Deep thoughts
Well in my opinion it is that thing many people criticise. The player's addiction to the game world. [SPOILER: They have no other choice though.] It seems like they live in real world instead of inside a game. Sometimes I got goose bumps when thinking about that. (especially when the main chars treated in-game program as their child) It is very interesting how the creators of this anime described human psyche. Like people are always looking for something they can hold. Something stable even though it is just an illusion. And they are even satisfied with that. That's one of the most important things in this anime in my opinion.
Second one is of course the reality paradox. What is real? Is the game world real? Is it ok when you act differently in game than in the real world? (You for example do things that you would never do in real world.) What about love in the game? About that is most of the anime. Dealing with love and fighting for it. You will eventually find out that it is not important if you are in the game or not. That love just is. And not just love, all the feelings. Really important point I think. Maybe most of the gamers should think about it for a while.
Then comes the admin. (another deep thought) Really interesting thoughts about him. Don't want to spoil but I think that almost everyone sometimes thought about his own world. About the flying castle in the clouds.
Composition
SAO is actually split to two halves (yea that's what I was talking about in the beginning). SAO and ALO. Well my expectations for the ALO? Just empty business ending for fans. Hmm I guess I was a bit mistaken. It is true that SAO (the first part) is the main part of this anime I would say. However ALO is not that bad at all. The thoughts from first part are continuing but in a bit different ways. Again a bit of psyche analysis. Story is continual in both of the parts and very good one as a whole piece I think. It may seem that ALO is just delay but contrary is the case. The fight is not over yet.
Result
I really enjoyed this anime and it belongs to my favourites. This anime is gift for all online and even offline gamers. Everyone can find something in there. (action, love, deep thoughts – my favourite, nice animation, oh I almost forgot and really amazing soundtrack)
