Review of Sword Art Online

Today I'll be tackling a recent giant in anime fandom: Sword Art Online. (If you're going to read this review not intending to watch it anyway because it's "mainstream" or whatever, just carry on. IMO, this deserves its fanbase.) Welcome to Sword Art Online! In case you live under a rock or just entirely missed the explosion of popularity that was this anime, Sword Art Online tells of a futuristic Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game in which players are trapped within the game until the game is cleared. Death means death in the real world, and clearing the game successfully means liberation for all 10,000players (or however many remain.)

The plot of SAO plays a huge part in its popularity; Virtual Reality gaming is definitely an exciting topic, and getting to watch an entire anime that spans 2 seasons of it is certainly going to go over well with fans. The SAO world of Aincrad looks aesthetically amazing, and constantly makes you wish you could play the game yourself. Every minor detail is paid attention to, in order to make it seem like a real video game.

The characterization also makes the anime extremely popular. The names Kirito and Asuna are well known throughout anime fans now, and for good reason. The two protagonists have dynamic qualities that appeal to multiple kinds of fans at once, and keep you wanting to see more.

Personally, I've watched the anime twice, and am going on my third run. Let me say, the rewatch value is phenomenal. You start to pick up on every minor detail about Aincrad, and really enjoy it. If I believed in 10 ratings, this anime would probably pick it up, it's that good. The second arc certainly didn't live up to the first, but it doesn't deserve the harsh ridicule it gets. It is still just as interesting.

What really makes this a great anime is its hook. Once you start watching close encounters, heart-wrenching moments, and a world you wish you like visit, you just don't want to stop watching. Plot progression is actually very well executed, although if they made the Sword Art arc 2 seasons they could've spent more time with floor clearing. That's the only complaint I can possibly think of. Loose ends are practically nonexistent, and the story keeps you entertained the entire time.

I hope if you haven't seen this, you now at least have the initiative to. You may not like it, but I certainly hope you'll find my review to be accurate.

Thanks for reading! Chuu~