Anime Review: Sword Art Online
Kazuto Kirigaya, who goes by the name Kirito online, has been playing MMOs a good piece of his life. He was part of the private beta for the latest MMO, Sword Art Online. It uses the latest in VR to provide a fully immersive experience. On the first day, when 10,000 users bought the game and are online, they find out that they can't log out. The creator, Akihiko Kayaba, makes an appearance in the main square to inform them that the only way out of the game is to complete the 100th floor of the tower they are in. If they die in the game, they die in the real world as well.
We follow Kirito as he fights his way through the world and the people he meets. We are given many views of how people handle their sudden imprisonment. Some commit suicide, some become killers of other players. Some decide to settle down to live in this new world, while others work reach the endpoint. Mostly, tho, the concept is a maguffin to move forward the relationship between Kirito and Asuna, a redheaded swordswoman who's skills are comparable. Their budding relationship develops naturally and is certainly one of the best things about the show. The other are the fights, which are pretty well choreographed.
While I do think it is an interesting concept, there are too many questions left unanswered about it when the maguffin gets resolved halfway through the show without much explanation as to why, or why everyone was trapped for two years without anyone from the outside being able to do something.
The second half of the series is weaker, with Asuna turned into a damsel in distress by being trapped in another game by a guy who is more of a rich creep rather than anyone who is a real threat. There is also the storyline of Kirito's sister falling in love with him (We find out beforehand she isn't really his sister, since Kirito is adopted, but it still comes off as awkward.)
Overall, I thought it was a good series even with the weak ending. It isn't hard to root for Kirito and Asuna.
We follow Kirito as he fights his way through the world and the people he meets. We are given many views of how people handle their sudden imprisonment. Some commit suicide, some become killers of other players. Some decide to settle down to live in this new world, while others work reach the endpoint. Mostly, tho, the concept is a maguffin to move forward the relationship between Kirito and Asuna, a redheaded swordswoman who's skills are comparable. Their budding relationship develops naturally and is certainly one of the best things about the show. The other are the fights, which are pretty well choreographed.
While I do think it is an interesting concept, there are too many questions left unanswered about it when the maguffin gets resolved halfway through the show without much explanation as to why, or why everyone was trapped for two years without anyone from the outside being able to do something.
The second half of the series is weaker, with Asuna turned into a damsel in distress by being trapped in another game by a guy who is more of a rich creep rather than anyone who is a real threat. There is also the storyline of Kirito's sister falling in love with him (We find out beforehand she isn't really his sister, since Kirito is adopted, but it still comes off as awkward.)
Overall, I thought it was a good series even with the weak ending. It isn't hard to root for Kirito and Asuna.