Sword Art Online

Maybe I'm a sap but I love this show. I loved it when I watched it ten years ago and I'm loving it again watching it with my daughter this year. It reminds me of all the good times that I had playing WoW and raiding with my guild. It's smart, funny, exciting, and thoughtful, as long as you ignore the weird cousin-love thing that crops up for a few episodes

(Note that I've only watched the first two seasons...)

So far I've seen the first dozen of episodes. It goes without saying that this anime is very beautiful and with strong memorable characters. I was hesitant at first to watch this because of the video game theme. But it's a very mature show for what is contrary to what it appears to be in first glance.

Teenage boy Kirito gets stuck in a futuristic MMO game and together with other players in his situation they have to beat the game to be set free or die in the real world.

It's not the typical action packed anime, although it could turn into another Naruto/Bleach/OnePiece of ridiculously overpowered action heroes, I think a better description so far would be a tragic romantic sci fi show. I can't remember when I've seen so many characters die in an anime in such a short succession.

Anyway don't miss this, I'm glad I didn't. There are very few animes these days that make me want to see forward for the next episode.

With the help of a friend, as well as Sirlionhart's Let's Play of Hollow Fragment, Sword Art Online became the first Japanese Anime that I got into. Closest things to Anime prior that I watched were Avatar: The Last Airbender (Some don't really consider it anime as its American, but its based off it) and if you count movies, Spirited Away. But back on topic.

After my friend showed me game-play of Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment, I decided to check out the series on Netflix and I was instantly hooked. It was humorous at times, very deep and emotional, and really epic. The characters are likable, the story is amazing, the music, score and theme songs, awesome.

I understand that a lot of people don't like the show, and I see the reasons why. I was disappointed when the First Story Arc came to what seemed like a sudden and rather quick end (Which is the reasoning behind me not giving the show a perfect 10 score). I honestly wouldn't have had a problem with different Story Arcs if the first season had focused on just one (Much like ABC's Once Upon a Time, because I think the Story Arcs were rather good.

But overall, I am really glad that I got into the show. It may not be perfect, but I liked it and I really look forward to Sword Art Online 3 as well as the movie (that is, if they have officially been announced rather than rumored)when they come out.

Well I have to say, this has got to be the hardest anime to review and rate that I have come across so far. It is one hell of a mixture. But I did had a great time watching it, was very entertaining and that is what really matters.

On the plus side, I loved the setting/premise, a world where virtual reality has been perfected and MMORPG's truly come to life. The RPG gamer in me was really happy while watching this anime. DAMN I wanted to be in SAO so bad. The animation was great, especially that of the action sequences. I loved em. Coupled with amazing soundtrack, they really became epic. Protagonist was very likable and cool. The heroin was hot. :p

Now on the bad side, the anime felt really rushed in the beginning. It actually felt like I skipped an episode couple of times. Would have been better if they stretched out the first arc into 24 episodes or so, would have been much better. It got a little too much lovey dovey too later on, which was off putting. The side characters were good BUT they got very less screen time, way too less. It was like the anime forgot about them. And then there was the second arc. It didn't suck as bad as many said it would but still it was nowhere near as good as the first arc. IT just didn't had the same feeling as the first arc. The setting in it was cool, had a lot of Final fantasy vibe to it. But the love stuff was lame and pointless.

As for the rating, well I would give it like:

First arc (1-14 episodes) 8.8/10.

Second arc 6.5/10.

Overall, despite its flaws, I somehow still found it to be very enjoyable and was engaged in it a lot. 8.3/10.

This is an okay anime series. Why do people hate it so much?

It is because of the supposed "sexism"? (Lol, as if the otaku crowd has ever cared that much about sexism) or because the main character supposedly is a "Mary Sue/Gary Stu/Marty Stu/Whatever"? A lot of protagonists in shonen anime are bigger Mary Sues yet people love them. Just ask Akira Toriyama.