Sword Art Online’s latest episode manages to be unbelievable in the extent that it is terrible – the previous episode dropped us at a point of suspense, only for the characters to run away and enjoy more cliches.
Indeed, a sporadic fade took us from recycled romance antics last episode, to a sudden appearance in front of a colossal pair of metallic doors which were seen to hold within some enormous creature – a boss caliber monster, something much more rare in this series based around RPGs than it should be. Now what follows this instance of anxiety? The characters run away like cowards – the overpowered protagonist apparently now feels too feeble to give any effort, and the series reverts back to rehashed scenes of romance.
Over half the episode is then spent on generic attempts at comedy, typical romance elements, and the most dried out delivery of animation seen in nearly forever – all of which, of course, is made no better by the awful character design and generally lacking visuals.
The extent of horrible at this point is truly just baffling, and quite grotesque, as one would have thought the series might have put forward some ounce of a struggle, if nothing more, towards achieving legitimacy – however, this series doesn’t even seem to take itself seriously as a slew of individuals all so conveniently pour into the scene, and what was once a party of two petty protagonists becomes a much more sizable group.
Now despite adding a stack of stick figure equivalents into the cast roster, around the mid-point into this episode, a period where a fight introduced the previous episode actually just now begins, it becomes dumbfounding as to why a swarm of worthless side-characters were tossed into the episode if the protagonist intended to fight the beast himself to begin with.
At least one can witness the deaths of these expendable side-characters who had no future in the series from the start – being added within simply for the sole purpose of meeting a gristly fate, not that anyone could care about their undeveloped lives anyways.
Into the plight, the animation does excel beyond the usual three still frame fatality – although the series has already ruined its own atmosphere, and the aftermath is merely over-dramatic in a manner no different than any average action series. Excluding the first episode, now that the side-stories have come to an end, a significant issue is that this anime feels as if it’s trying to push forward a central plot – all the while however, it’s still suffocating that story under an aspect of romance already so obvious, its mere presence is awkward.
Put into simpler terms, this series is now seemingly trying, albeit failing heavily, for an actual story – although even that being the case, the series is also vomiting forward some remedial romance which ultimately lessens the impact of the finer moments. And taking that into account with the previous eight episodes of sub-par, there’s simply no captivation or engagement.
And still not done there, the series has even dug its own grave in that its ruined the trust of the viewer – this episode ends with suspense aimed at an upcoming battle, yet we already saw such a thing last episode, and it led absolutely nowhere. If this installment is any indication, the characters will once more run away and return later.
Redemption is only possible up to a certain point – and Sword Art Online has already long passed it.
Sep 1, 2012 @ 21:29 CDT
Well I liked it…
Sep 1, 2012 @ 21:37 CDT
And that’s all that matters in the end.
Sep 1, 2012 @ 22:01 CDT
This was good. it has met my expectations – the battle was intense and I was surprised how Asuna was worried for Kirito. His brand new dual sword was epic. 50 combos streak!
Sep 1, 2012 @ 22:04 CDT
“it has met my expectations”
You have low expectations.
“I was surprised how Asuna was worried for Kirito”
Yeah that was definitely shocking, I never saw that coming in a thousand million billion years. Who would have guessed that the generic heroine would be worried over the generic protagonist.
Sep 1, 2012 @ 22:06 CDT
Then explain what kind of a battle were you expecting from Kirito and Asuna. They did a great teamwork.
Sep 1, 2012 @ 22:32 CDT
Go read the articles you don’t read.
“They did a great teamwork.”
Too bad that’s not a quality metric.
Sep 1, 2012 @ 22:41 CDT
“The characters run away like cowards – the overpowered protagonist apparently now feels too feeble to give any effort, and the series reverts back to rehashed scenes of romance.”
Do you want the characters to die? Luckily Asuna dashed in – throughout this anime, many have died in battle, of course, but thanks to Kirito as well save the day once again.
” all of which, of course, is made no better by the awful character design and generally lacking visuals.”
Sure enough the Visual Novel is way better than this, however, the studio did their best – not to mention this: People who create anime characters on a computer can’t add every bit of detail exactly like the Visual Novel because Visual Novels is based on drawings/illustrations.
“it becomes dumbfounding as to why a swarm of worthless side-characters were tossed into the episode if the protagonist intended to fight the beast himself to begin with.”
it wasn’t worthless at all – but at least 2 people from there other guild or whoever died while others survived.
Lastly:
” this episode ends with suspense aimed at an upcoming battle,”
Indeed this battle was intense – I was happy to see Asuna worrying for Kirito. Kirito had almost died in battle, but luckily he survived.
Sep 1, 2012 @ 22:50 CDT
“Do you want the characters to die? Luckily Asuna dashed in – throughout this anime, many have died in battle, of course, but thanks to Kirito as well save the day once again.”
I don’t even understand what you’re saying after the first sentence. But if you would have read the article before that statement you quoted, or had the ability to put pieces of information together, difficult as that sounds, you would recall how the previous episode wasted time building up a boss battle.
“Sure enough the Visual Novel is way better than this, however, the studio did their best – not to mention this: People who create anime characters on a computer can’t add every bit of detail exactly like the Visual Novel because Visual Novels is based on drawings/illustrations.”
There is no Sword Art Online visual novel – you don’t even know what you’re talking about. You’re reading other things and relaying the information here because you lack the ability to conjure your own thoughts.
“it wasn’t worthless at all”
Yeah, your nonexistent explanation proves that.
“Indeed this battle was intense”
I like how you didn’t understand anything from that paragraph aside from that short phrase.
Sep 1, 2012 @ 22:53 CDT
“Do you want the characters to die? Luckily Asuna dashed in – throughout this anime, many have died in battle, of course, but thanks to Kirito as well save the day once again.”
whoa, i like didn’t see repetitive things like these in the first few episodes!
“Sure enough the Visual Novel is way better than this, however, the studio did their best – not to mention this: People who create anime characters on a computer can’t add every bit of detail exactly like the Visual Novel because Visual Novels is based on drawings/illustrations.”
And an anime is? also , it’s a light novel,
“it wasn’t worthless at all – but at least 2 people from there other guild or whoever died while others survived.”
nobody would have died if they weren’t there to begin with
“Indeed this battle was intense – I was happy to see Asuna worrying for Kirito. Kirito had almost died in battle, but luckily he survived.”
what do you mean lucky? it’s because he’s the freaking protagonist, everything works out for the freakin protagonist and sides only die, typical development
Sep 1, 2012 @ 22:57 CDT
“And an anime is?”
An animation is based on illustrations and drawings!? That’s crazy!
Sure enough, Kirito saving the day would be more interesting perhaps if he didn’t do it every episode – and if it actually held plot relevance.
“nobody would have died if they weren’t there to begin with”
But then they wouldn’t have been able to waste 13 minutes on nothing and stalling time till the boss fight would have been more difficult. God forbid a series based around an RPG has a long, extensive boss fight instead of slideshow attacks or half-second overpowered Matrix ordeals.
“it’s because he’s the freaking protagonist, everything works out for the freakin protagonist and sides only die”
Usually, when a series is like this, it means it “sucks”.
Good to see gargamesh understands what he’s talking about – humanity hasn’t lost hope yet.
Sep 2, 2012 @ 14:38 CDT
Usually, when a series is like this, it means it “sucks”.
glad that seven and many others understand the gist of it all
Dec 13, 2012 @ 5:38 CDT
Glad that there is someone who can still think logically,i wont say SAO sucks, but it’s a bit disappointing from many different angle. In other words, it sucks
Sep 1, 2012 @ 22:31 CDT
Everyone is entitled to their opinion but I loved this episode =)
Sep 1, 2012 @ 22:38 CDT
Note however, an opinion would determine whether you like it or not – it wouldn’t make anything any better than it is, like the character designs or cliched romance.
Sep 1, 2012 @ 22:43 CDT
i think this is just alexsaingxd but only logged out
Sep 1, 2012 @ 22:46 CDT
It’s not me o.o perhaps it could be Misao or whoever. On the other hand, Seven can check IP address if he wanted too anyway
Sep 1, 2012 @ 23:12 CDT
Kirito is a Gary Stu but he’s not obnoxious and annoying. It’s really not that farfetched that he’s good at the game, He’s a beater. I won’t deny that Kirito is a Gary Stu but he’s a Gary Stu within reason. After having to deal with characters like Akatsuki from Estetica and Kamina from TTGL, Kirito is a breath of fresh air to me.
Sep 1, 2012 @ 23:27 CDT
Dude, Comparing kirito to kamina is like comparing earth and heaven, and kirito is really actually just any typical teen, shy around girls,
addicted and good at gaming.
Sep 1, 2012 @ 23:54 CDT
Had they just stared with the main story, we wouldn’t have to be treated to this sub-par, by the books love story. Asuna would have already loved Kirito, and we’d just have to piece together why. People would still complain, but hey, it would have been a lot less vocal. I’ve said this before, people love the side stories because they loved the main story before it. Would it have been so incredibly difficult to start the main story before introducing side stories? There would have been plenty of places to sprinkle them in. Goodness knows, that’s exactly what the author did.
Sep 2, 2012 @ 0:05 CDT
“we’d just have to piece together why”
A renowned tactic in the arts, visual and otherwise, is to leave certain elements implied instead of explicit.
Sep 2, 2012 @ 0:15 CDT
exactly. we would have implied their relationship over the 2 years as opposed to us being told explicitly to have us find out that Reki CAN’T WRITE LOVE STORIES!!
Sep 2, 2012 @ 5:47 CDT
It seems like he can’t write anything at this rate.
Sep 2, 2012 @ 7:21 CDT
Which then leaves one to wonder why for the love of everything good in the world didn’t they just do that in the first place. It would have made this show a lot better…and a little more unique.
That said A-1 kinda screwed us over…they might have been doing their best but then that would just mean they aren’t any good. For all the hype around the SAO anime, when one examines it closely one realizes that really the fight animation isn’t something to raise arms about, certain character traits and background were left out and took away some of the flavor, the pacing is a little dubious, character relationships were haphazardly built, what was supposedly a fantasy dream world that would have been the wet dream of every online gaming fantasy loving nerd has been turned into a generic fantasy setting no one can-and won’t bother to-immerse oneself in. As much as I love SAO and want to defend it, what is bad is bad.
Sep 2, 2012 @ 1:08 CDT
Great..another letdown…you take one episode to build up a boss fight element..and you expect it to have teamwork and strategy combined with skill..but NO its the generic main protoganist gets a power up out of nowhere and saves the day…i mean c’mon in all MMORPG the major boss fights are won in teams ..you gotta plan out a strategy..not just barg in to your deaths. This on the other hand was really cliched…not to mention the sub-par animation at times….and now Asuna is swooning over him like anything. And another thing about that talk with Heartcliff at the end…so he just miraculously appears out of nowhere and just challenges Kirito to a duel…and whats more surprising is the matter over which the duel is to take place…him stealing Asuna away…it was her idea to follow him. Oh well.. i dunno what to expect from the next few episodes…i’ll give this a B at max
Sep 2, 2012 @ 1:50 CDT
I’m glad someone feels the same, they could have just made kirito know all the secrets to the game (e.g. weak spots, manipulation of the mechanics , terrain, etc.) that will allow him to plan winning strategies w/c would lead to his reputation, but they just made him an overpowered SOB, this lead to non-thrilling fights as the outcome is already so obvious. SAO has been a big SIGH for me
Sep 2, 2012 @ 3:24 CDT
High expectations and then a letdown..this anime could have been so much better
Sep 2, 2012 @ 5:09 CDT
Agreed. I still like it,as I loved reading the novels…but yeah…this anime could have been done better.
Sep 2, 2012 @ 5:53 CDT
“the outcome is already so obvious.”
Same applies to the romance.
Sep 2, 2012 @ 5:52 CDT
Someone might end up telling you not to blame an anime for not meeting your expectations – although the only thing to blame is the anime when it is the anime that specifically sets those expectations, as is the case with the boss fight, and then fails to get anywhere near them.
And the boss fight majorly slipped multiple times – they introduced the boss only for the characters to run away, and then the second time around, a bunch of worthless side-characters passed away.
Feels as if they were specifically attempting to smash the boss fight into the shortest possible scene so they wouldn’t have to animate anything extravagant or bother figuring out how to make their slideshow run for an extended period of minutes.
Sep 2, 2012 @ 6:17 CDT
“Feels as if they were specifically attempting to smash the boss fight into the shortest possible scene so they wouldn’t have to animate anything extravagant”
i think they probably don’t even care about this show to to use enough of their budget to save it from letdown
Sep 2, 2012 @ 8:42 CDT
I wonder if they’ll hint at the absurd sex scene.
Sep 2, 2012 @ 8:52 CDT
Do not post links to other anime sites.
And I wouldn’t be surprised if they did, the key visuals contain nudity after all:
http://seventhstyle.com/2012/03/10/sword-art-online-key-visuals-possible-nudity/
Sep 2, 2012 @ 12:10 CDT
I heard that after this episode, two other side-stories are planned. What a catastrophe !
Sep 2, 2012 @ 12:38 CDT
It’s beyond redemption either way at this point.
Sep 2, 2012 @ 13:27 CDT
Sword Art Online Sucks. Overated Shit , Dropped It Long Ago.
Sep 3, 2012 @ 20:55 CDT
- Anonymous.
Sep 2, 2012 @ 17:14 CDT
dropped after seeing no plot at episode 8 i think? i dont even keep track anymore
Sep 2, 2012 @ 17:37 CDT
Not even worth keeping track – eight episodes is far too deep in for there to be no development.
Sep 2, 2012 @ 18:50 CDT
You bunch are really sad, you don’t even understand that the first episodes were side stories to intro characters and give a better feel for the setting, it was needed to do it that way since volume 1 of the novel starts with a huge time skip while as volume 2 has all the side stories that have composed the episodes up till now, like the Lisbeth episode and such. The main story started on episode 8, but if you don’t like it, because its not your thing, thats entirely up to you, but at the very least don’t criticize things that you have no clue on, Anyone who reads the novels laugh at you people who call Kirito a Gary Stu, you obviously have no idea of his character at all which is a shame since while the anime obviously leaves out details (its a given for novel adaptions) they did a solid job animating his guilt and reason for being a solo. Well in any case i encourage you to drop it, with your mentality its better if you do, there will be less trolls on the forums also. I mean seriously i don’t know how many noobs like you i have run into that expected a level by level series, that would be so dragged out and pathetic, not to mention slow. Also it shows what you know since Kirito doesn’t run away in his next fight moron, you shouldn’t assume when you clearly know little of the series.
Sep 2, 2012 @ 19:16 CDT
“but at the very least don’t criticize things that you have no clue on, ”
You shouldn’t be saying anything in that case since you don’t seem to understand anything about visuals, storytelling, animation, or otherwise.
You stated one of the series’ problems yourself – “The main story started on episode 8″.
If you don’t understand how storytelling or animation work, and think that starting the story in episode eight of a 24 or 26 episode series, essentially a quarter into the tale, is just fine and dandy, then you should go kick rocks.
“that would be so dragged out and pathetic, not to mention slow”
That sounds like what happens when the main story starts in episode eight.
Sep 2, 2012 @ 21:14 CDT
those side stories itself made SAO incomprehensable, remember in episode 4, he apparently had a regeneration skill, if the sides were put to make it chronological like you say, where the hell is that goddamn skill? seems like a stupid attempt to make it look like kirito risks his life , with them hoping we forgot about that fact, it was simply erased from the story, why? to stick in moments of cliched “i was so worried” by the heroine , a really sad attempt, actually making them look inconsistent
Sep 2, 2012 @ 23:26 CDT
I’m in no way defending the side stories that threw the series on a downward spiral after episode one, but Kirito regeneration skill would only save him if he can regen faster than what he took in damage. And if solo Kirito, who wants to save everyone including the NPC, can regen faster than a boss monster, he would have solo his way through and ended the series already.
Sep 2, 2012 @ 23:45 CDT
but then again, it did not take effect even during and after the fight, and even if the regen is weaker than the damage, it’s regen– it will heal you no matter what, they even did a close up on his life bar, which if they didn’t ignore what was established, could have healed steadily. just sayin’ if they’re gonna make a story ,be consistent with the facts and account them to make something happen,
Sep 4, 2012 @ 2:25 CDT
The anime is not really being inconsistent in this case. In the novel’s Kirito’s ability was state to be “Battle Regeneration” IE: it only works in combat. Hence after the boss battle was over, his skill wouldn’t trigger. It’s weird but that’s how it works. The anime didn’t bother to tell you the details, but it’s ultimately irrelevant anyway.
Sep 4, 2012 @ 10:32 CDT
“t’s ultimately irrelevant anyway.”
Except when the entire episode depends on that skill, then it’s not so irrelevant.
Sep 2, 2012 @ 20:22 CDT
ehhh could be worse, but still think it could definitely been done better. The only real complaints I have with series is the art and the pace and and manner in which the story is being presented. Firstly i really don’t like A1′s round blob art for SAO I don’t know how to explain it but it just really irks me and doesn’t seem to fit. I’ve read the light novel so I know how the plot improves later but I think instead of presenting the episodes chronologically they would’ve been better off using flashback episodes later so they could develop the main story first and draw in viewers rather than feeding them multiple episodes of incoherent side plots in hopes of building character development. Just my opinion on the series, maybe I’m biased because I’ve read the novel and believe the story will pick up later.
Sep 2, 2012 @ 20:26 CDT
I similarly dislike that round blob style – it’s present in Magi as well, and doesn’t entirely fit.
As for the way the anime presents the tale in comparison to the light novel, adaptations being awful is not a new concept.
Sep 2, 2012 @ 23:15 CDT
Like the last episode, this one follow volume one of the light novel. It’s a decent episode to those who follows and like it, and does have the suspense to those who have not read. And on what I have seen, A-1 Pictures may have been putting in some hints on what will happen next episode (but will not be explain until the final battle).
But in terms of the animation, SAO clearly has been lacking, especially those single frame combat sequences, which those not exist in an action series. Maybe we should not hold it to the standard of shows like Fate Zero, as I don’t think A-1 Pictures is not a studio that can deliever epic quality.
Sep 4, 2012 @ 2:32 CDT
Ouch, SAO has long passed the point where it can be redeemed in your eyes haha. At first I considered justifying or defending certain aspects of this episode, but I realize most of the disagreements come from personal tastes. Although there are some things that are just facts (Animation, Art, plot elements etc).
From what I know of the source material, it doesn’t change too drastically from here on. Sure it gets “better” to me, but what entertains me is different from what entertains you. XD You might want to save yourself future pain and stop watching. Of course if you enjoy writing these raging posts as much as I enjoy reading them then feel free hahaha. In hindsight it’s not too surprising that Accel World and SAO share similar flaws, seeing as they are both written by the same author.
Sep 4, 2012 @ 3:21 CDT
“(Animation, Art, plot elements etc).”
So basically everything.
Sep 5, 2012 @ 10:26 CDT
“Accel World and SAO share similar flaws, seeing as they are both written by the same author.”
Really? the same author? so basically, he makes a living out of writing epic fails huh, now i see why both are so obscure
Sep 15, 2012 @ 8:14 CDT
I seem to be the only one really loving this animeXD
Maybe becaus I haven’t read the visual novels, but still, I freekin love SAO.
Oct 6, 2012 @ 19:01 CDT
I can’t believe people actually like this show…
Oct 15, 2012 @ 3:34 CDT
lol protagonist too OP, Sachi the only character with potential died WAY too easily. It’s like the author didn’t really give a shit about her and was already using his horny ass mind to put some so called romance on the show. Cuz it’s evident that he never had any romance in HIS life. SOA was a fail and so is Accel World
Nov 27, 2012 @ 12:18 CDT
Overall yea.. half and half entertaining.. Incredibly predictable. I’ve enjoy’d the concept of the anime much more then the anime itself, and that’s solely the only reason I’ve continued to watch it.