Out of my summer anime viewing list, Sword Art Online was probably the easiest to recommend to others. While there were a couple of titles that could easily compete as my season MVPs, they weren't quite as easy to sell or explain to others, especially if the ones asking for a recommendation are casual anime viewers.
Adapted from the ongoing light novel series by Kawahara Reki, Sword Art Online introduces us to the future world of VRMMORPG, where players participate in Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games using an equipment called Nerve Gear, which simulates the players' five senses and allow them to control their characters with their minds.
In November 6, 2022, Kirito is one of 10,000 players who logged in to play Sword Art Online for the first time. He is quickly befriended by Klein, who had identified him as a beta tester and asks Kirito to teach him how to play the game. At the end of the day, the two say their goodbyes, intending to log out of the game. They both soon realize that they are unable to log out and join the other players when they are summoned back to the Town of Beginnings. There, SAO creator Kayaba Akihito announces that they will be unable to log out until they conquer all 100 floors of Aincrad, the floating game tower, and defeat the final boss. The more chilling news, however, is that their deaths in SAO would also mean actually dying in the real world. After learning that Klein intends to find his guild mates, Kirito decides to set out on his own. As their time in the game stretches into months and more players die, Kirito swears to finish the game.
There are very few anime titles that usually make me decide to include them in my viewing list with just one episode, and Sword Art Online is one of those. The first episode of the series did an exceptional job of introducing the world of SAO and in establishing the high level stakes for everyone who's logged in with their Nerve Gear. And the series does a pretty good job of building on that first episode. While the series would serve lighter moments and SAO providing a more than pretty backdrop for the series's storytelling, the audience never gets to forget the real danger that threatens the lives of the game's players. The series also tackles the issue of how the players are each responding to their situation, with some determined to clear the game as fast as they can and others more inclined towards leading "normal" lives in the game.
Kirito is at the center of everything, and the audiences get to witness his rise in strength and prominence in SAO. He is determined to reach his goal of defeating the final boss on Aincrad's 100th floor, even if he has wrongfully gained the reputation of being a beater (a beta player and a cheater). He gains fame as the strongest lone player in a game world where everyone rises along with their guilds, and only works with others to help clear the front lines for other players.
Yet, despite his decision to become a lone player doesn't mean that Kirito is able to successfully isolate himself from everyone. Aside from Klein, he would eventually meet others that he would strike up long term connections with in the game, especially with those who don't believe that he is exploiting the knowledge that he gained as a beta tester. But of those he would meet, the most important would be Asuna, the girl that he would eventually fall in love with and would be a driving factor for many of his actions in the series, particularly in the second half that featured the Alfheim Online VRMMORPG.
Aside from the intriguing story featured in Sword Art Online, it's characters are a main draw for me. The characters deviated from the prevalent anime stereotype of clueless male protagonist coming into power and helpless damsel in distress female protagonist figures. Both Kirito and Asuna show strength of character that's matched by their strength as players of SAO. And the bonds that they forged throughout the series were both hard-earned and satisfying to watch. Especially in the bond that they forged with Yui... she of the mysterious appearance and penchant for calling Kirito and Asuna as her parents, as well as the reason for many manly tears shed by my male anime viewing friends.
I also drew enjoyment from watching the action sequences featured in the series, which were exciting to watch and nail-biting in certain cases. I felt a constant need to watch the HP/life meter of both the characters and the enemies to assure myself that things are supposed to go the way they should... or I think they should.
I'm on the fence on whether they should have just purely focused on the main storyline of overcoming the challenges of SAO, and later Alfheim Online, instead of including side stories of Kirito helping random characters throughout the series. I'm on the fence, because even if I felt that they could have done without the side stories, they did serve some pretty good scenes that showcased how awesome Kirito can be. The show of power during the fight on the bridge on the Hill of Memories is probably one of my favorite scenes in the series.
I actually finished Sword Art Online before the new year began, but only had a chance to write about it now. I've also read some reviews and articles about the anime series since watching its final episode, with the feedback ranging from all out love (lecherous Asuna love, for some) to all out hate. I wondered why anybody would actually hate the series, until I realized that what they hate is the fact that it got so much adulation when they deem that it's just an okay series to watch.
As for me? I consider Sword Art Online as a must-watch.
I think that should be obvious by now.
Happy viewing!! Labels: Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Anime, Fantasy, Must-Watch, Romance, Sci-fi, Sword Art Online, TV
