Sword art online
Sword Art Online is one of those anime that, after watching it, you can’t help but see it again. The first half of the first season was probably the best series of episodes I have ever seen in an anime series. The way the show captured my attention and sent me into the world of Aincrad with the characters was truly amazing. The series was packed with action scenes, hilarious comic reliefs, and just enough romance to melt your heart.
Plot / Story
In this anime we are thrown into the world of the near future in Japan. A new VRMMORPG (Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) has just been released; however, only 10,000 copies are being released! Our main character, Kazuto, is one of those lucky few. In fact, it is even more special. Kazuto was part of the small group of BETA testers who actually tested the game before its release, so at the beginning of the anime, our beloved character is already addicted to this new world.
Shortly after the game’s release, something is terribly wrong. The logout button is missing from the menu. After a forced teleportation and announcement by the game master, it is clear that this is a “feature” of Sword Art Online and “not a bug”. Players are trapped within the game, any attempt to free them from the world from the outside will result in death. The only way to exit the game is to clear it or die trying.
Our number one man realizes that he has to become as powerful as possible and sets out to achieve just that. For most of the first half of the season, he’s an extreme loner. Especially after a conflict with other players after the defeat of the first boss, leading other players to believe that he is a cheater, or as he is known in the game, that he is a “puncher”.
Our hero makes a name for himself. He is commonly known as a beater, but also as the “Black Swordsman” who does solo on the front lines, which in this anime is unheard of. Throughout the journey, Kirito, as he is called in the game, meets up with friends and eventually breaks his lonely streak. Although it is well established that he almost always prefers to go it alone, even later in the series. He continues to make many friends, especially with Klein, the comic relief character, and Asuna, his love interest.
Aftermath / Bows
After the first season of SAO, they came out with SAO II, also known as Gun Gale Online, and some short bows. There are also some additional shorts here and there, but nothing really spectacular. The second season of SAO really left me; the story just didn’t carry much weight. The plot is that Kirito is sent to another game (GGO) to investigate mysterious deaths that seem to be happening around a character named “Death Gun”. This season features another supporting character, who was well liked, but found himself very hot due to the fact that he often flirted with our boy. Fans of the Asuna x Kirito couple, we’re not amused. Especially when Asuna is introduced as Kirito’s “friend”.
Other than that, the arcs that take place after SAO II are a bit dry. The only one worth mentioning is Mother’s Rosario, the latest release. This short arc restores your faith in the series even though our main character, Kirito, only makes subtle appearances. This arc focuses on Asuna’s development and her journey to join a small guild that wants to take on a boss alone. The emotional roller coaster you go through with this arc is intense, just to warn you.
general
In conclusion, this is a fantastic anime series. You should definitely give this one a try, especially since it’s available in both dubbing and sub. The series did a great job selecting English voice actors; It’s a bit difficult to adapt to Kirito, but you get used to him. I feel like this anime has a perfect blend of action, adventure, romance, friendship, and comedy. I would rather have a little more romantic action between Kirito and Asuna, but the emotional “I love you” Asuna whispers as Kirito stops a massive guild.
