Sword Art Online’s usual pre-debut episode preview is now out for the 10th chapter – and one can already see the lackluster still frame fighting to be quite prevalent, mixed in amogst heavily abused slo-mo action.
Assuming this clip below is indeed a valid hint towards the contents of episode 10, then it would mean the series should be packed near strictly with a battle between the protagonist and some expendable side-character. One would like to say such is s a fine development, and great progress towards establishing a conflict in the plot which the series will at least thresh out – unlike the fact that the characters are all trapped within a digital world at the mercy of the game, its creator, and one another, which hasn’t moved much since the first episode.
Then again however, this is episode 10, practically halfway into the series – and if the fighting is to be dished out to the typical stylings of Sword Art Online, then it won’t be anything more than absolutely horrid.
Nonetheless, at least one can place hope in that perhaps the protagonist may not prove ridiculously overpowered this time around – since one would like to assume that two high ranking RPG players would be relatively capable of meeting one another in skill. However, seeing as that would be accurate to the mechanics of an actual RPG genre based title, something which Sword Art Online seems to avoid despite being “an RPG genre based title” itself, that hope is likely spent in vain.
Essentially, the future remains grey, gristly, and cliched in the case of Sword Art Online.
Sep 5, 2012 @ 8:56 CDT
SAO characters fighting it out with skill? that’s preposterous!
Sep 5, 2012 @ 9:14 CDT
Unlocked new Movie Maker effects.
Sep 5, 2012 @ 9:22 CDT
maybe we’ll get another cliche like “Asuna’s counting on me” and then get a sudden powerup to beat him, i really don’t see the chances of this happening, NOT AT ALL, really
Sep 5, 2012 @ 11:55 CDT
Hmm, not really. This fight is important for a twist that happens on the climax of this entire arc, so just shut up and watch b4 getting to any conclusion.
Sep 5, 2012 @ 12:16 CDT
I believe it is inappropriate to attempt to scale the animation in accordance to the light novel as the animation is a separate work.
I agree that we should wait and see whether this proves as terrible as prior fights, or actually manages to be something intriguing, before calling it either – although based on the anime thus far, there’s little promise. Of course however, possibility does not die.
Sep 5, 2012 @ 12:19 CDT
I should add however – again, even if Sword Art Online does something interesting, this would be now episode 10, it’s already too late for recovery.
Sep 5, 2012 @ 15:40 CDT
Kirito’s class is “Protagonist”, it gives a 100% bonus increase to every level except intelligence.
Sep 5, 2012 @ 9:31 CDT
Expandable Side character my foot. I won’t say any more, but Heartcliff casts a deep and huge shadow.
Sep 5, 2012 @ 9:35 CDT
Expandable Side character your foot, your light novel doesn’t determine the fate of the animation.
To judge the animation, we should watch the animation – not read the light novel.
Sep 5, 2012 @ 11:57 CDT
No, Seventh. This fight is important. Considering that they have been adaptating this as close to the LN as possible, they WON’T mess up this fight.
I’m 100% sure. It is going to happen JUST LIKE the LN.
Sep 5, 2012 @ 12:14 CDT
That doesn’t change that we should judge an animation based on animation – we’ll see how the animation goes. Assuming it’s grand in the light novel – then hopefully, as you say, it turns out identical to the light novel.
“Considering that they have been adaptating this as close to the LN as possible”
Minus the proper episodic ordering – and I’m not sure if any of the extra pizzazz, like oppai fondling is in the light novel. There’s also a significant difference in how an author might describe a fight which may make it sound spectacular – in comparison to a flat and single still frame. These are important facets to consider.
Sep 6, 2012 @ 9:33 CDT
Seven, I can confirm the oppai fondling is in the light novel. And from what I saw from 0:19 of the preview, barring a iDOLM@STER style miracle, we will be getting more single still frame from this important fight scene.
Sep 5, 2012 @ 12:15 CDT
This Heartcliff hasn’t been introduced until the 9th instalment of SAO.
How can you not call him a side character coming from viewers who have not read this famed Light Novel?
If anything, to us viewers he’s but a mere personified boss battle with a realistically fake romance tethering it’s meaning to the ground, and for Kirito to predictably battle with shounen style, bringing a whole new name to “that move was cheap because it has so few frames!”.
The sooner that guy becomes a shadow of SAO the better, his roundness defying face, makes him stand out like a sore thumb, only making it a pain that other characters, couldn’t have been given more of those unique attributes.
Sep 5, 2012 @ 12:18 CDT
(or w/e that guys name was idk… that proves how much of a shadow he already is)
Sep 5, 2012 @ 12:19 CDT
Antagonist C.
Sep 5, 2012 @ 14:24 CDT
MMORPG? Skill?
Most PvP usually is down to who has grind the most levels or who bought the best stuff.
Sep 5, 2012 @ 15:32 CDT
In Sword Art Online, it comes down to who is the main character.
Sep 5, 2012 @ 16:06 CDT
Cannot wait to see this fight. If Kirito wins, he can have Asuna, if he lose, he has to join the guild. The fight depends on Kirito!
Sep 5, 2012 @ 18:19 CDT
umm, let’s see, this isn’t even in question anymore, based on the past, it’s now only a matter of HOW, now that it got predictable
Sep 5, 2012 @ 18:30 CDT
I wouldn’t say it “got predictable”, its been predictable for a while now – perhaps since episode two or three.
Sep 6, 2012 @ 1:47 CDT
Hopefully they won’t have too much slideshow action. That fight with the Dragon a few episodes back really could have used some animation. Although the recent boss fight wasn’t so bad. It was pretty much fully animated and a very close fight too. One wrong move or if the boss had just taken a bit less damage and Kirito would have been a goner. Of course as viewers we know Kirito has plot armor haha. Aside from the aforementioned boss battle, most of Kirito’s fights have been against players or monsters of much lower level than him, thus making the outcome a foregone conclusion. (Although he was still at least ten levels higher than the boss) His duel with Heathcliff is probably his first battle against a player the same or maybe higher level than him, I hope it’ll be a close and exciting match! Although if you don’t care about either sides of the battle then it’ll be dull either way XD.
Btw I’m curious about your gib on Kirito’s intelligence. I don’t believe he has shown any particular moments of dullness? He even seems to show slightly less density than most harem protags. Although I can’t say I’m a good judge due to my bias haha.
Sep 6, 2012 @ 8:48 CDT
“Btw I’m curious about your gib on Kirito’s intelligence. I don’t believe he has shown any particular moments of dullness?”
well one is running away just because a boss growled, affording to take a picnic after, the other is screaming “Stop!” instead of actually helping causing many others to die ,and this is just last week’s episode…
Sep 7, 2012 @ 0:00 CDT
I don’t know, aside from the picnic running away was their intention from the start. A boss is not something you usually take on with two people. Yeah Kirito did take out most of it’s life by himself in the end with Dual Blades, but that was a reckless desperate action that almost cost him his life. The boss may not look very intimidating from our view, but from the character’s view a it’s a super realistic beast thing. Of course it would inspire some intimidation.
Kirito didn’t cower at all vs the Dragon, but that’s because he knew he was XX levels higher and would kick its ass.
Okay screaming “Stop!” at an NPC boss isn’t exactly smart, but it was obviously a gut reaction. It doesn’t show any particular stupidity on Kirito’s part. Also I think it’s natural to show a bit of hesitation to put your life on the line to save others. Sure Kirito is all about saving girls, but in previous eps his life wasn’t in any danger at all so he could afford to just jump in.
Well I’m not saying SAO is teh greatest thing ever and everyone must like it, but so far I believe Kirito’s actions make sense in context. There are plenty of other things wrong with SAO though. Plot contrivances, too much random harem fun, etc etc.
Sep 7, 2012 @ 0:08 CDT
“The boss may not look very intimidating from our view, but from the character’s view a it’s a super realistic beast thing.”
Too bad the anime doesn’t portray this.
“Kirito didn’t cower at all vs the Dragon, but that’s because he knew he was XX levels higher and would kick its ass.”
You’re sure you’re saying this in reference to the animation and not the light novel?
“but it was obviously a gut reaction.”
From a player who is “XX levels higher and would kick its ass”? He’s played the game more than anyone, and is apparently vastly superior to everyone else, NPCs and enemies included – yet he’s still awkward and hesitant?
Sep 7, 2012 @ 1:05 CDT
Yeah, it sucks that the anime portrayed the bosses intimidating appearance poorly. However that doesn’t mean the characters actions were out of context/didn’t make sense, which is the point I’m trying to make.
As for the Dragon thing, I admit that I have outside info form the VN, but it’s still possible for anime viewers to deduce that Kirito was a higher level than the dragon based on the floor numbers and time skips etc. Well his domination of the Dragon in three frames (lol at that) pretty much implies his stats being higher.
My previous statement about Kirito being XX levels higher was referring to the dragon, not the recent boss. Against that boss he’s still in danger, as shown by how close the match was, and he knew this. It would seem strange to me if someone doesn’t hesitate when a life threatening situation arises.
So far he has only been shown to be vastly superior when compared to inferior opponents (Lower level players, lower level monsters). This ep was the first time we see him fighting against something that could potentially kill him. Using his reaction to inferior enemies isn’t a good judge for how he should act vs something that’s a threat.
Of course all of us viewers no there’s no way he’s going to die thanks to plot armor, but Kirito himself doesn’t know that. Thus the hesitation to jump into battle. Well I sound like I’m repeating myself, but my main point is Kirito’s hesitation this time around was because he wasn’t assured of his victory compared to all the previous battles vs lower leveled things.
Sep 7, 2012 @ 9:29 CDT
“However that doesn’t mean the characters actions were out of context/didn’t make sense, which is the point I’m trying to make.”
They don’t make sense, because the anime doesn’t properly present them. They only make sense if you read the light novel.
“It would seem strange to me if someone doesn’t hesitate when a life threatening situation arises.”
Again, this is another issue with how the anime portrays it. I agree with you, although if that’s the case, they shouldn’t have just trotted forward into a boss room within a fade to black split second of a predominantly romance packed episode. All the problems essentially go back to the anime – what you are saying definitely makes sense, but the anime doesn’t get any of it across, and that’s as it’s lacking.
If the animation were any better assembled, the petty three frame fights would look like far more than generic protagonist being invincible – but they don’t.