Review of Sword Art Online
Spoilers ahead: I have to say I really like this show. Its concept of being stuck in a game that you can only leave by dying is a really interesting one that allows for a good combination of Isekai elements with more dramatic elements grounded in reality. This review will be split up into two parts: the Einkrad arc and the ALO arc. Einkrad: This is the peak of the season by far (of the whole series if I'm honest). The music is just spot on, changing between the bustling town centers, calm meadows, and the ominous, life threatening dungeons. The second episode is where I realised thatthis show was going to be really good. While we understood in theory that the characters can die, by having Kirito form a bond with a party just to have them die in front of him is absolutely gut wrenching, particularly as he hears a recording of a girl who was afraid to die. The main relationship of this Arc is of course between Kirito and Asuna, whose relationship feels quite natural in its progression. The inclusion of Yui, while not completely necessary, I feel solidifies this relationship, creating a familial bond between the two leads. The ending of this Arc was a slight let down, but overall good start to the season
ALO:
Many people understandably do not like the second half of the first season. While I agree that it is inferior to the first Arc, I believe that it is disproportionately disliked. My main two gripes with this Arc is that it sidelines Asuna into mor of a token role and that is largely a rehash of the ideas from Einkrad, only minus the stakes. While the world of ALO is quite an interesting one, without the life or death stakes, it lacks any real consequences. For instance, when Kirito dies in the boss room (before being resurrected) all I could think was that he could just respawn. I understand that he wanted to rescue Asuna quickly, but death ultimately doesn't matter. However, where ALO fails in the digital world, it does open up room to develop Kirito's real world familial relationships, namely with his sister. While it is a little melodramatic, I felt that this relationship was adequately developed without interrupting the flow of the plot in an intrusive way.
Overall, if I could make SAO into the ideal show, I would probably remove many of the elements explored in ALO in favour of expanding upon the themes of the Einkrad Arc. However, this is not to say that this is a bad show, and in fact I would highly recommend it, if only for the first Arc