Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online II

Episode 9

This arc is clearly about Llenn (or, more specifically, Karen). Who she was, who she is, and where she wants to go from here. With all the action-packed gunfights (and Pitohui's insanity constantly stealing the spotlight), it's easy to forget how far Karen has come. More than that, it can be easy to forget why she started her character journey in the first place.

It all began as a purely self-centered endeavor. Karen was a girl who felt out of place in her own body. Her love of cute things contrasted with her tall body and quiet demeanor. It was only through becoming Llenn in GGO that she had a body that “matched” her likes; she could dress in pink and do all the cute things she felt she was “unsuited” for in real life.

However, throughout Sword Art Online Alternative, Karen has come to accept herself outside of the game. She has made friends who see her for who she is inside and would never judge her for the shape of her body or the things she likes, and she is confident enough in herself to no longer care what random strangers on the street might think of her. Strictly speaking, she doesn't need to be Llenn anymore.

That's the crisis facing Karen in this arc. Sure, GGO is fun and she's good at it but it was only a random chance that she started playing GGO in the first place. She would have played whichever game gave her a small body first. She's not really interested in violent gun fights and killing. With no real reason to stay, perhaps now's the time to try out other hobbies like ALO a shot with Fukaziroh.

However, all that is just a part of what's weighing on Karen. As we've established, Karen playing GGO was a selfish choice. She did it for no one but herself and held no expectations for others. The problem is that now others have expectations of her. With SHINC, she has a group of high-level, high school athletes who look up to her as a role model and their rival. And there's the whole complicated situation with Pitohui.

In a very real way, Pitohui is the most important person in Karen's life. She is Karen's first in-game friend, and a young woman whose life she literally saved from her own suicidal thrill-seeking tendencies. Then there is the additional layer that Pitoui is Elsa Kanzaki: a popular singer whose music helped Karen get through the roughest times in her life. Ever since Karen saved her, Pitohui's self-destructive obsession has shifted from recreating Sword Art Online to Karen herself.

All this puts a lot of pressure on a college-aged teen. Now that things are at least relatively stable, now is the perfect chance to make a clean break. The big question is—should she?

The underlying issue to all this is the same one Karen has always been dealing with: one of self-worth. Just as she didn't feel worthy of having cute things due to her body, she doesn't feel worthy of SHINC's respect or Pitohui's obsession. She doesn't see herself as a strong person Certainly not one able to live up to the expectations that have been put upon her. But now, thanks to her conversation with Fukaziroh, her true thoughts and feelings have been put out into the open. She can no longer ignore them and must make her choice: to run away or rise to the occasion.

Rating:

Random Thoughts:

• As this story takes place after Alicization, I can't help but wonder if they are actually people from Underworld when I hear the words “new AI”. They shouldn't be, as Underworld is supposed to be completely isolated at the moment, but we already know Alice can dive into ALO—so it stands to reason that those like her could technically dive into GGO as well.

• Elsa using Goushi as a literal punching bag (and him enjoying it) is their relationship in a microcosm.

• I wonder why Miyu got dumped. She seems to be the full package in both personality and looks. She also clearly makes an effort (both in dressing up and buying a freaking second AmuSphere just to share her hobby). But who knows, maybe the type of pretty boy she goes after loses interest when they see the hardcore gamer underneath?

• I love the joke of Karen sitting in the room the whole time while the members of SHINC talk about trying to make her realize just how strong of a person she actually is.

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Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online II is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

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