Review of Sword Art Online
Sword Art Online. As the title says. It is a virtual mmorpg in which players battle through 100 levels/dungeons to win the game. At the same time, this is a life and death situation. If you are killed, you will be killed in real life. Also, you cannot log out of the game until you win it. The sole cause of this is none other than the creator himself of SAO: Kayaba Akihiko. Story-8 while SAO has a great opening into leading to a life and death game, the stories that follow aren't the greatest. For instance, the first episodes cover the first level dungeon, which thenleads to the game 2 months after, and then 2 years. The story could have shown much more details, like the types of dungeons, play styles, available classes and weapons, and lifestyles. However, despite all this, the story does come to a conclusion, a tragic one, which does make me want to watch the second season. The action scenes are great though. As "sword art" says, there are mostly fights with swords. They are also different types of skills and abilities that are affiliated with the sword. The first arc of season 1 is much better than the second arc (ALO) in terms of action. But at least in ALO they develop the game more. While the action scenes may not last long, it is entertaining to watch. It is questionable whether changing the game from SAO to ALO was a good idea, but the ending turned out great. I also question Asuna's impact on SAO on ALO. She seems to be a relentless strong-willed fighter, but is hopeless and unwilling in ALO. In all honesty, I prefer that strong fighter girls stay strong and fight the same way they have been, even if they get involved with relationships.
Art-9
I have to admit, SAO looks like a real world, even though it is a virtual mmorpg. The places and dungeons look realistic, yet crazy. The swords are associated with color, symbolizing the type of characters that people are. The clothing is also unique. It is not the typical school or casual clothing, but rather vary from cloaks to armored gear to dresses.The clothing also resembles their characters. The scenery is great in SAO. Where they fight, the abilities that they show, and even the music.
Sound-10
This is why I like SAO. The OST is amazing. The action scenes have great music that follow along with the feelings that people feel. The openings and endings are great. It is pretty heart-warming. Usually I will plug in the SAO osts when I do my homework. The music never gets old. The fighting scenes, the romantic scenes, and everything else just works with the ost. It also matches the type of atmosphere of the virtual world. A beautiful landscape with a flute harmony is lovely to hear, while a symphony of violins and electric guitars shows fierceness and tension during battle scenes.
Character-9
While SAO does not introduce a great deal of characters, they sure do develop the characters well. Kirito is always serious until he meets Asuna, and then they begin to have feelings towards each other. That relieves some of Kirito's emoness as well as his distress. In addition, Klein always lightens up the mood. He is like a "comedian", always trying to make the best out of dire situations. And egil is a strong and good-hearted man. Someone you can always trust. As for sugou, they make a great job of showing how evil he can be. You will hate his guts to the point where you will smash a wall with your bare hands. At least that is what happened to me. His evil plan almost seems impossible to solve, but even the smallest hopes can lead to victory. As for heathcliff, he is a well-designed clever man. He is strong-willed, but can be too arrogant. Even as he created the system, thinking that nothing can go above or beyond the system, he couldn't have been more wrong. Overall, each character has some sort of trait that stands out, and makes it easy for me to understand.
Enjoyment/Overall - 9
SAO is entertaining to watch, and can keep you on the edge of your seats. Each battle only gets more intense, and Kirito shows his true colors by the power of his will. Those with strong hearts will prevail, as many anime show, but each anime has its own uniqueness in will that really grabs the watcher's attention. SAO is not just a virtual game of life and death. It is a matter of what you care about most, and what you will do to protect, even if it costs your lives. They say that everything has a limit, but there is no reason why you can't exceed your own limit. While the second season may not be so intense as the first, the action is there. At least they have action. And at least the endings are great. I look forward to watching the second season of sword art online, that is if they green light GGO and alicization. I recommend this to younger teens from middle school to high schoolers. It is a little bit childish for adults and maturing teens into their adulthood. Nevertheless, SAO is not a big disappointment.