Review of Sword Art Online

This is one of my favorite shows and the show that really got me into the world of modern anime. The show is really like 2 separate seasons, with the 1st half being far superior to the latter. Unlike Log Horizon, the NPCs have almost no role. This show is an adventure drama, while most of the other mmo strangers in a strange world shows have larger slices of comedy. I think this show broke a lot of new ground and whether you like it or not (i still don't understand the hate from some), I think it's responsible for theplot and character development of many other shows.

I actually revised my score down from perfect on my recent rewwatch simply because other shows like Log Horizon and Gate had set the bar higher for me. Also there several aspects of the second season I don't like: Asuna's character reduction, incestuous feelings (why do so many shows do this!), and a bit more fan service. However, my love for the characters, world development, and concept, trump all of the negatives.

If you like the MMO based animes, you should like this. Just know that it is not quite the same as the others, it takes itself more seriously and the comedy is less and different.

This show will always have a special place in my heart, although it lacks the rewatchability of other shows. I certainly will watch it again, but you never (or I never) watch the serious stuff again as frequently.