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REVIEW: Sword Art Online eps. 8-14


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Fencedude5609



Joined: 09 Nov 2006
Posts: 5088
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 11:18 pm Reply with quote
A B? Thats being far, far too generous.
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RyanSaotome



Joined: 29 Mar 2011
Posts: 4210
Location: Towson, Maryland
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 11:19 pm Reply with quote
Oh boy, this review will cause a shitstorm.

Anyway, I like the show... its one of my top 5 of the year, I'd say. Great action, good characters, and its top of the line when it comes to otaku battle shonen anime.
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Fencedude5609



Joined: 09 Nov 2006
Posts: 5088
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 11:21 pm Reply with quote
RyanSaotome wrote:
and its top of the line when it comes to otaku battle shonen anime.


Thank god this isn't true or things would be truly dire.

BTW. I have extensive thoughts on this.
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HitokiriShadow



Joined: 09 May 2005
Posts: 6251
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 11:28 pm Reply with quote
Theron Martin wrote:
Fortunately the series handles the content which comes after that much better.


Well, you know, aside from the entire goddamn reason any of this happened. spoiler["I forgot." And something about wanting to see a castle.] Are you f***ing kidding me?

Episode 14 was incredibly rage inducing. I pretty much lost it when spoiler[Asuna magically broke free of the paralysis for the sole purpose of throwing herself at a sword.] Sheer, incoherent rage.

Edit: Episode 14, not 4.


Last edited by HitokiriShadow on Thu Oct 11, 2012 11:32 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Etrien



Joined: 27 Mar 2009
Posts: 525
Location: Tokyo, Japan
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 11:29 pm Reply with quote
That C for story is pretty in-sync with my feelings. Although for me, that'd spill over to be my overall grade, too. Mediocre is the best way I can describe this show. It manages to be just entertaining enough that I'm still following it, but it's far too flawed to make me love it.
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Kohii



Joined: 12 Nov 2010
Posts: 428
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 11:30 pm Reply with quote
Meh. it started out great, then the flaws became much more apparent. The first half was good, but nothing exceptional. Let's see how the second half unfolds
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relentlessflame



Joined: 14 Dec 2004
Posts: 188
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 11:31 pm Reply with quote
Fencedude5609 wrote:
A B? Thats being far, far too generous.

In fairness to your complaints, he gave the writing a C. But like the reviewer, I think the plot conveniences aren't so overwhelming that they destroy the show on the whole. Of course I understand that some people, such as yourself, weigh things differently, and that's fine too. Personally, I think SAO has been one of the most consistently interesting, entertaining, and fun shows of the year, which also features one of the most endearing anime couples in a good while. So, to me, I think the review is pretty fair as far as these things go.
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Twilightmaster



Joined: 24 Aug 2008
Posts: 129
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 11:33 pm Reply with quote
I pretty much entirely agree with the review here. I think my nostalgia for loving .hack// made me like this series more than it might have deserved but none-the-less even with it's faults I liked this series for what it was doing at the core of the matter. The character development when looked in a whole was probably the best part of the series, in my opinion. The plot and some of the twists either didn't make sense or were so improbable that it kinda pulls away from enjoying it as much as it could have.

anyways, again, good review. I agree 100%.
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Splitter



Joined: 19 May 2003
Posts: 1276
Location: Knockin' on Heaven's Door
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 11:50 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
The Kirito/Asuna relationship development, despite a weak start, also eventually gains enough traction to make the emotions that develop between the two credible; some of their late scenes together are even remarkably tender and heartfelt.


This is one of the funniest things I've read all day. Asuna has all the personality of a stale waffle; a strong heroine except when Kirito is and always will be stronger, made especially apparent when she spoiler[turns into a doting housewife at the drop of a hat] and Kirito is nothing more than a template for adolescent male wish fulfillment. There is nothing genuine about either of them. Their relationship is as genuine as the union of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen.

All of their "relationship development" has been staged since the beginning and there was never any doubt it would end up the way it did. The only surprise is how infuriatingly quickly spoiler[Asuna devoted herself to Kirito] given how completely spontaneous and flat their interaction was beforehand. And I could probably forgive the series of that, except THESE ARE THE ONLY TWO CHARACTERS THE SHOW HAS CARED ABOUT FOR 14 EPISODES.
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Zerreth



Joined: 16 Mar 2006
Posts: 209
Location: E6
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 12:18 am Reply with quote
SIX scriptwriters? Holy crap it's like digimon 02 all over again....
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Fencedude5609



Joined: 09 Nov 2006
Posts: 5088
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 12:20 am Reply with quote
Lizbeth in her one episode had a more satisfying character arc, and relationship with Kirito, than Asuna managed in her what, 10?
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Key
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Joined: 03 Nov 2003
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Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 12:32 am Reply with quote
Fencedude5609 wrote:
Lizbeth in her one episode had a more satisfying character arc, and relationship with Kirito, than Asuna managed in her what, 10?

Riiight. And monkeys may fly out of my butt.
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dtm42



Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 14084
Location: currently stalking my waifu
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 12:35 am Reply with quote
Talking about Sword Art Online is about ten times more fun than actually watching Sword Art Online. Partially explains why the series discussion thread is so incredibly popular (eight-six pages and we're only half-way through the show).

Key wrote:
Riiight. And monkeys may fly out of my butt.


Please record that and post it to YouTube, okay, thanks.


Last edited by dtm42 on Fri Oct 12, 2012 12:37 am; edited 1 time in total
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Mad_Scientist
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Joined: 08 Apr 2008
Posts: 3013
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 12:36 am Reply with quote
*pokes head into SAO discussion*

Key wrote:
Fencedude5609 wrote:
Lizbeth in her one episode had a more satisfying character arc, and relationship with Kirito, than Asuna managed in her what, 10?

Riiight. And monkeys may fly out of my butt.


I actually thought the Lizbeth episode was one of the weakest side stories, focusing on one of the weakest side characters.

*runs screaming from thread*
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RyanSaotome



Joined: 29 Mar 2011
Posts: 4210
Location: Towson, Maryland
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 12:38 am Reply with quote
Mad_Scientist wrote:
*pokes head into SAO discussion*

Key wrote:
Fencedude5609 wrote:
Lizbeth in her one episode had a more satisfying character arc, and relationship with Kirito, than Asuna managed in her what, 10?

Riiight. And monkeys may fly out of my butt.


I actually thought the Lizbeth episode was one of the weakest side stories, focusing on one of the weakest side characters.

*runs screaming from thread*


I would also agree with that. Out of all the girl of the week episodes, Lizbeths was the less memorable for me. It probably didn't help that she was my least favorite of the girls too.
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