Sword Art Online - Review

Elucidator [Kirito's black sword] and Lambient Light [Asuna's rapier] (Picture taken from theanimegallery.com)

Sword Art Online takes place in the year 2022, a year in with virtual reality gaming has become a norm. In the anime, VR gamers are enjoying the release of the next big game: Sword Art Online. The game seems to be a very normal game on the surface, being a hack and slash, kill monsters and level up type of game. Unfortunately, for the gamers whom logged into SAO, there was no log out button as Kirito and his new in-game friend Klein discover when Klein tries to log out. Moments later all players that were online were moved to an arena in which the creator of SAO, Kayaba Akihiko, informs them that every single one of the players was in a death game. They all were trapped inside the game unless someone climbed the levels and beat the game. The catch is that if one dies in the game, the VR console fries their brain, and they also die in real life. Along with a skilled partner-player, Yuuki Asuna, and her guild, Knights of Blood Oath, Kirito aims to beat the game, whether or not people truly had his back.

Kirito wielding his Elucidator and Dark Repulser with his dual wield skill (Picture taken from: animereviews.co)

I have actually watched this series a total of three times. Each time I noticed something a bit different. From the first time through while the series still was airing in Japan, I could easily tell the first arc in SAO is completely and totally better than the second arc in Alfheim Online (ALO). The second time I went through, I realized how rushed Asuna and Kirito's relationship is, at least to me. I purposely skipped over the SAO and ALO light novels to get straight to Gun Gale Online (GGO) so I don't know how the novels have it, but in the anime, I felt it was rushed. Then again, I am one that prefers highly emotional, romantic animes and/or romantic comedies that have a lot of romance, so that may be just my opinion. The third time through, I only watched the SAO arc because I was slightly tired of ALO. It wasn't the fact that the "incestuous" relationship almost happened, but more that ALO's arc just wasn't as good and often was much more sexual (though nothing in comparison to some anime). Still, I believe SAO is a great anime all around. It's a great intro to anime, a great anime for veterans who haven't watched and an anime worth rewatching time and again.

Yuuki Asuna in SAO (Picture taken from: wallpaperinhd.net)

Ruri's Rating: 9/10

Suggestions: Guilty Crown, Accel World, Btooom!, Fate/Stay Night, Fate/Zero

On a related note, I'd like to share with you all the first opening of SAO! The song is called Crossing Field, performed by LiSa!

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNh4ZHldQxI