Aphrael (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
silverthunder) wrote2012-11-26 09:46 am
silverthunder) wrote2012-11-26 09:46 am
Entry tags:
Sword Art Online (so far)
I've only seen about eight episodes of this series, but I do have some things to say about it so I decided to go ahead and make this post. My opinion could change later, obviously.
Following in the tradition of the .hack series, Sword Art Online is about a virtual reality MMORPG where players can log in and experience the game as if they were physically there. Like .hack//Sign (and perhaps other titles, but this is the one I know of), SAO is about being trapped in the game with no way to log out. However, in SAO this is global (all players are unable to log out, not just one). Additionally, if you die in the game, you WILL die in real life - and the only way to escape the game is to clear all 99 levels of the main dungeon.
Fans of MMORPGs (and fans of RPGs in general) will probably enjoy this title. It's fast-paced, well animated, has gorgeous music and exciting battle sequences, and there are many things that will be immediately understandable to gamers and make SAO feel like a real RPG.
I am really enjoying this anime, and look forward to watching more (Cody and I are watching together and trying to take our time since it's still airing right now). However! I cannot say it is perfect (far from it) and there are still a few problems I have with it.
SAO has chosen to direct its focus primarily on plot, rather than following the slow-moving, character-oriented example of .hack//Sign. The first two episodes deal with the main storyline, but there are several episodes of side stories that follow, their obvious intent being to flesh out the world and fill in the gaps where time passes and the main character builds up levels. I think this is a good decision, but it's also a bit disorienting to see new characters get introduced every episode and then have them disappear after the episode ends. Obviously, said characters get very little development, and it's clear that their purpose is to give us more insight into the main character (Kirito). However, that insight still feels a bit shallow to me. This could come with future episodes, though.
Those characters who aren't designed for one-episode arcs get a tiny bit more development, but for the most part, they seem to be fairly one-dimensional at this point. I mean, this is a series with a fair amount of character death involved, but if what I'm feeling when a character dies is "well, I feel sad that Kirito is sad over this", then my attachment to that character was pretty superficial. At this point, besides the main character, there are few characters whose death would have me feel sad for them aside from the impact to Kirito's angst meter. And that sadness wouldn't be much more than "that sucks, I kinda liked that person".
The series seems like it's trying to steer away from the typical damsel route with its main love interest, Asuna, and made her a competent player with a reasonably strong personality. Having her make her way up the ranks to be a leader in her guild adds to this as well. The problem is that I feel like she doesn't really embody her identity sometimes.
For example, in episode eight, she intends to take a break and spend a day with Kirito. This is fine in itself, but why, if she is such a good player, does she need to run and hide behind Kirito and have him fight a duel to get her "escort" off of her back? She could've fought that duel herself. And after the duel, she orders him back to headquarters - why not do that from the beginning? If she's a person of authority, how come she cannot handle this one member? It undermines her position and undermines what they are trying to make us believe about this character. Supposedly she is not a damesel in distress, but at times, she (inexplicably) acts like one.
Which is a shame.
Aside from characters, there are some logical problems I have with SAO, the most pressing of which is: how on earth are they all still alive? Digital food bits are not going to provide real nourishment; this is just not possible from a headset! I fail to see how they could've been carted off to hospitals while connected to the game (given that if the headset is removed, they die), so what is sustaining them? The lack of information about what's going on in the outside world leaves a very noticeable disconnect that has me constantly feeling like something is missing.
I do realize they want to focus on the sense of isolation of the players and the fact that they have been cut off from the real world (so of course they'd have no idea of what is going on out there). Perhaps this will come later (although I've heard rumors from those familiar with the light novels that it does not). I might be judging too hastily, but still! It's not that hard to toss in a 'I wonder how we're all still alive, given that we can't eat for realz or anything'. Just having the thought there would go a long way to bridging that gap I'm feeling.
Maybe I'm being too quick with that judgement. There's still quite a few episodes to go. But I still feel like this is something that should've come up sooner.
Anyway, for all of this, SAO is pretty damn entertaining. I'm definitely looking forward to watching more and seeing how this story unfolds!
OP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA-ZdNkRBGA
ED: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w36jj0F-6pc
Following in the tradition of the .hack series, Sword Art Online is about a virtual reality MMORPG where players can log in and experience the game as if they were physically there. Like .hack//Sign (and perhaps other titles, but this is the one I know of), SAO is about being trapped in the game with no way to log out. However, in SAO this is global (all players are unable to log out, not just one). Additionally, if you die in the game, you WILL die in real life - and the only way to escape the game is to clear all 99 levels of the main dungeon.
Fans of MMORPGs (and fans of RPGs in general) will probably enjoy this title. It's fast-paced, well animated, has gorgeous music and exciting battle sequences, and there are many things that will be immediately understandable to gamers and make SAO feel like a real RPG.
I am really enjoying this anime, and look forward to watching more (Cody and I are watching together and trying to take our time since it's still airing right now). However! I cannot say it is perfect (far from it) and there are still a few problems I have with it.
SAO has chosen to direct its focus primarily on plot, rather than following the slow-moving, character-oriented example of .hack//Sign. The first two episodes deal with the main storyline, but there are several episodes of side stories that follow, their obvious intent being to flesh out the world and fill in the gaps where time passes and the main character builds up levels. I think this is a good decision, but it's also a bit disorienting to see new characters get introduced every episode and then have them disappear after the episode ends. Obviously, said characters get very little development, and it's clear that their purpose is to give us more insight into the main character (Kirito). However, that insight still feels a bit shallow to me. This could come with future episodes, though.
Those characters who aren't designed for one-episode arcs get a tiny bit more development, but for the most part, they seem to be fairly one-dimensional at this point. I mean, this is a series with a fair amount of character death involved, but if what I'm feeling when a character dies is "well, I feel sad that Kirito is sad over this", then my attachment to that character was pretty superficial. At this point, besides the main character, there are few characters whose death would have me feel sad for them aside from the impact to Kirito's angst meter. And that sadness wouldn't be much more than "that sucks, I kinda liked that person".
The series seems like it's trying to steer away from the typical damsel route with its main love interest, Asuna, and made her a competent player with a reasonably strong personality. Having her make her way up the ranks to be a leader in her guild adds to this as well. The problem is that I feel like she doesn't really embody her identity sometimes.
For example, in episode eight, she intends to take a break and spend a day with Kirito. This is fine in itself, but why, if she is such a good player, does she need to run and hide behind Kirito and have him fight a duel to get her "escort" off of her back? She could've fought that duel herself. And after the duel, she orders him back to headquarters - why not do that from the beginning? If she's a person of authority, how come she cannot handle this one member? It undermines her position and undermines what they are trying to make us believe about this character. Supposedly she is not a damesel in distress, but at times, she (inexplicably) acts like one.
Which is a shame.
Aside from characters, there are some logical problems I have with SAO, the most pressing of which is: how on earth are they all still alive? Digital food bits are not going to provide real nourishment; this is just not possible from a headset! I fail to see how they could've been carted off to hospitals while connected to the game (given that if the headset is removed, they die), so what is sustaining them? The lack of information about what's going on in the outside world leaves a very noticeable disconnect that has me constantly feeling like something is missing.
I do realize they want to focus on the sense of isolation of the players and the fact that they have been cut off from the real world (so of course they'd have no idea of what is going on out there). Perhaps this will come later (although I've heard rumors from those familiar with the light novels that it does not). I might be judging too hastily, but still! It's not that hard to toss in a 'I wonder how we're all still alive, given that we can't eat for realz or anything'. Just having the thought there would go a long way to bridging that gap I'm feeling.
Maybe I'm being too quick with that judgement. There's still quite a few episodes to go. But I still feel like this is something that should've come up sooner.
Anyway, for all of this, SAO is pretty damn entertaining. I'm definitely looking forward to watching more and seeing how this story unfolds!
OP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA-ZdNkRBGA
ED: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w36jj0F-6pc