Review of Sword Art Online
Alright, I just finished watching the entire series. I know there are a lot of mixed reviews concerning this particular anime. However, I actually enjoyed the series quite of bit. Granted, I too had some issues, so my assessment is not completely bias. Story: 7/10 I have never actually watched any anime where the bulk of the story takes place in a virtual world. However, the premise of this particular show was very intriguing. Basically imagine that your trapped in an MMO and the only way out is to beat the game. However, if you die in the game you die in the real world, whichdefinitely raises the stacks considerably. The only way to win is to clear one hundred levels of a giant floating castle. Sounds pretty awesome, right? Well unfortunately, the show doesn't actually go through each level, but instead skips entire levels and sections between episodes.
Characters: 7/10
Sadly, the show itself had great potential but fell short in proper pace and characterization. The pace of this show is really off, especially the first half. The second half does a considerably better job with the overall pace. However, the first half of the show is undeniably the most interesting, but hops around and skips large amounts of time. While the second half is a forced attempt to keep the show alive with a new virtual environment. As for the characters, most characters excluding the main characters, have almost no additional screen time beyond one episode. These supporting characters are very interesting, but there isn't any time dedicated to fleshing them out or developing them at all. However, the relationship developed between Kirito and Asuna is probably one of the most pleasing aspects of this show. These two characters really and truly develop real feelings for one another. Yet, not everyone is a hopeless romantic, so this could be a hit or a miss depending on who's watching.
Art and Sound: 9/10
The animation in my opinion is top-notch. The characters flow with smooth fluidity and the timing is excellent, especially during the action sequences. There isn't any cheesy delay between one attack or another, but consist flow of action instead. The soundtrack is pretty good, and blends well with the setting and situation. It seamlessly blends right into the background. The animation and soundtrack are definitely the saving grace of this show. I genuinely enjoyed watching the series for those two things.
As I am writing this, I find it hard to give this anime an awesome review. Sword Art Online made some obvious mistakes that could have made the series amazing. However, I would say it accomplished what it set out to do, and that was to be enjoyable. Overall, Sword Art Online is a good watch and generally enjoyable.