SAO! THE MASTER ANIME SERIES IS HERE TO RULE!

SWORD ART ONLINE - SHORTENED SEASON REVIEW

Note: This review will not center around the plot itself and mostly just serve as how SAO felt. You will know what I mean when you have read this review. Enjoy.
Note 2: The real SOA pics for this review will be up shortly, until then enjoy the placeholder image of some famous sunglasses. Sorry for the delay.

Real image coming up soon.

“If we make it back to the real world. I’ll find you again. And fall in love with you again.” 

Oh boy, how true is this quote? Having binge-watched the famously hyped hit anime series “Sword Art Online” (SAO) in its eternity; I cannot help myself to feel saddened by it ending. The first couple of episodes were really good but even before the first half was over, I had already fallen victim to this anime’s power. I fell in love with this show. And now, that it’s over, I feel truly sad and experience the imminent urge to re-binge-watch it again and again. This anime wraps itself around your brain and will never let you go once you spoke word “Link Start”, so to speak. Normally, I like animes a lot (which is where MarXus would appear and shout at me how freaking dumb I sound when I fight for the honor of any anime around - except for the prestigious Mononoke classic) but with SAO it is a completely different story. I tried to find flaws (I found some), tried to conclude that it was good but so damn-well over-hyped (it actually wasn’t or at least was done understandably so) and that well, seeing it once was enough - it is not.

This anime is quite possibly the best around and will forever stay in your thoughts as it also changes the way you look at certain things. Beware, the following will contain spoilers! 

*****

Real image coming up soon.

Aincrad. Release Day. 10,000 players assemble at the starting point for an epic quest that will cost many of them their lives, as well in the game (SAO is a virtual MMORPG) as in real life. Thanks to some guy who was fed up with everything else. And in the end, he will not even remember why he killed over 4,000 players. If that doesn’t make for a fun start, I don’t know what does.

But in all seriousness, the series starts off strong, showing us what a great place SAO actually can be, what the players can get out of it, how they bond to have fun and, well, in some sort, play just so that at the end of episode 1 the game changes and lives are at stake. Whoever dies in the game, dies in the real world. The only way to survive the now deadly game is to finish it. And with that, this means defeating one boss enemy per level of which SAO features 100 of. 

Real image coming up soon.

In midst of all 10,000 players is Kirito, a 16-year old boy who already beta-tested SAO and therefore has some advantages and more knowledge on how to survive in this world. Over the course of the next two years (!), he would become the hero the players of SAO need and would at last become the person who ends the game and saves every player still alive. Or does he?

*****

STORY

The plot is intriguingly simple and yet so tasty. The simpler the plot, the more people have to concentrate on the characters, the rules and the environment. And SAO depends on this as much as the viewer or reader (this review will deal with the anime nevertheless) which will be rewarded over the course of the season.

Good job. 

CHARACTERS

Real image coming up soon.

The main characters are while not openly presented complex creations. What gives this series its advantage over other series is the development of bonds between the characters and not so much the characters itself. This plays out so well that in the end I routed for so many bonds that after it was over I had to wonder what just happened because normally, I’m not one to cheer loudly for pairings or even non-existing pairings normally - I like it when it works out or when there’s a good reason why not then if not but I never become a fanboy about much in any show. Yet, SAO manages to completely brainwash me here which is the highest achievement a show can produce for me. What was particular a pleasure to observe was of course the Kirito-Asuna story, and the Klein bond they formed. And even when SAO took a short break from its main story to deliver a side-plot, the new bonds were so pleasantly integrated into the show that you never felt that any was actually forced. And when that girl died in the secret trap in one of the labyrinths, you really felt that Kirito would not take that one well. In fact, every aspect was good about this department and I could go on forever, praising this show for what it accomplished but I’ll stop at the great connection that was made for so many characters.

Congratulations!!

ARCs

The season was divided into two main arcs, the first one centering on the virtual world of SAO, the second one taking part in Alfheim Online (ALO), the successor of SAO.

SAO ARC

Real image coming up soon.

From the start, the story unfolded and never stopped to take my breath away with its amazing visuals and character telling (combined with constant story development) but hit a little slow burner with episodes 11-12 which introduced us to Yui, the AI that would later become a life saver for Kirito and Asuna. At first, I didn’t like that short side-plot very much but after ALO, I’m somewhat glad it happened. 

Real image coming up soon.

 

What I liked about SAO was that Kirito thought he had to fight alone and then found help and comfort in Asuna and his friends Egil and Klein. And yet, he always was somewhat distanced to everyone so that he would be able to leave them, sacrificing himself for them if necessary. Until he fell so madly in love for Asuna, that is. Also, the bonds that were forged in the form of groups, gilds and the Knights of the Blood. Also, the twist of the end boss being the creator of this game and him already being revealed to them as their very leader was a nice touch. In the end, the ultimate sacrifice saved them all. And tears flooded the room more than just once during the course of the series which rarely a show or a movie achieves. 

The monsters were also eye-candy if so not beautiful ones. But they delivered their part. And so did Kirito with his quest to level-up and save the day. Which in the end, thanks to Asuna, he did.

ALO ARC

Real image coming up soon.

Now, being transformed into elves, ALO is a more friendly game and a more magical one at that. But there’s a catch: 300 players have not woken up yet and are still captured in the virtual space that ALO inhabited from SAO, including Asuna who is forced (she’s still in a coma, after all) to marry the guy who even beats out the cruelty and horror Akihiko Kayaba was in SAO who happens to help Kirito at the very last moment to end this game and later restart it as a normal game without the dying catch et cetera. In ALO, you could fly and you would not die in real life when you’re killed, but your brain would constantly be observed by scientists and their research led by some crazy guy who makes the first baddie look nice. 

What makes ALO so like-able is the new bond between brother and sister that emerges and the new world which is as beautiful as SAO ever was. Even so only Kirito, Yui and Asuna are left from SAO, the new characters help the viewer get over it by just being as awesome as the first batch of supporting characters was. 

Alongside the new skills and the new world were welcome new starts for Kirito whose elfish character took a whole episode to compute, hehe.

  

FLAWS

Real image coming up soon.

Minor things as the long pause that Kirito’s and Asuna’s after-wedding vacation posed and the from time to time nearly unbelievable power of Kirito do count as little flaws this show has but this not nearly enough to really kill any existing vibe. Apart from that, the animation itself looks breath-taking as well! The animation of the game that is, the anime animation however is also very good, and definitely in the higher ranks but not the best around, I admit. 

Real image coming up soon.

Also, from time to time, especially in the second half (the ALO arc), some of the drama and suspense of the death game or Asuna's fate in the ALO arc more precisely felt too undramatic for my taste. This could have gone a bit better. But apart from that this anime will make you suffer after you are through will all episodes for being through with them.

*****

Real image coming up soon.

In the end, the simple plot paid off so many times that it would be a miss if it had been not so simple. During every episode it encouraged the viewer to doubt the ulterior motives, to dive into an unknown world to silently discuss moral and modern society questions while delivering entertainment. And SAO pulled that one off brilliantly.

Real image coming up soon.

SAO is a great anime that may never be missed for any excuse. This one wraps itself around your brain and your emotions while entertaining at the highest possible level for any fantasy genre out there. Here’s to round two, Gun Gale Online, which will arrive this year.

SAO is a slick, adventurous, entertaining and emotional gripping anime with stunning visuals that without doubt is one the best ever, if not the best current anime series around. Yet, little flaws irritate the overall picture but do not kill the vibe. A must-see! 4/5 swords. 

I apologize for any part that might read a little confusing. I’m still sad about SAO ending after all. ;)