11.08
I stopped watching at episode 13 even though I know that technically the first arc ends at episode 14, but with the direction things were going, I couldn’t put myself through another episode of this.
Sword Art Online started off promising enough, taking place in a distant future where technology has reached the point where mainstream videogames not only appealed to a slightly broader audience than you’d expect, but also were able to literally insert yourself into the game. Mix in the fact that the programmer of the game has gone crazy and trapped all the players in his game and you have a decent premise for a series even if it does seem like it would go in a predictable direction.
My main gripe with the series is that it doesn’t play it safe by taking your typical direction based on its premise. Being trapped in a virtual world while your real-world body is essentially in a coma ups the stakes significantly and gives enough reason for the cast to try their best to escape their virtual prison as soon as possible. However, rather than putting full priority to leveling up and becoming strong enough to fight the final boss and escape the game, most of the victims have become content with their new life in the gaming world. This slight bend in the plot is interesting enough but isn’t given the proper amount of screen time it deserves. Instead, we’re treated to a series of for the most part contained episodes ranging in quality from substandard to somewhat interesting. Each of these episodes only slightly nudges the main cast towards the overarching plot, which by this point seems to have taken back seat in favor of everything else.
I have no problem with episodes starting off slow and culminating to a bigger payoff in later episodes, but the way SAO pulled it off just seemed… weird. The story is told from the perspective of gamer Kirito, who feels the need to travel throughout the game solo. This mindset of his is eventually changed when he meets Asuna. However, it doesn’t change immediately upon meeting with her. Instead, the two cross paths a number of times before any kind of romance blossoms, but by the time that happens I’m just left confused as to why it had to happen in the first place. On the one hand, I find that the buildup towards their relationship was erratic at best, but on the other hand, I did enjoy some of their interactions once they did start traveling together as a couple. This odd mishmash of emotions just made me feel manipulated and ultimately took me out of the story as a whole. If you’re going to make kickass action sequences, fine; if you’re going to pull at my heartstring with the remainder of the script, fine. But regardless of what you do, be it action, romance or a blend of both, it needs to have a distinct direction.
By the time I reached episode 13, there were a fair number of moments of action as well as drama, but they seemed to have been built off a foundation that didn’t relate to either—the fact that they’re trapped in a virtual reality, which you’re only reminded of a handful of times. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think the series was about people that lived peacefully in a virtual world with the occasional problem; not about people wanting to escape it altogether. With a strong premise but muddled direction, I’d say the series could be enjoyed by some, but in the grander scheme of things is definitely one of the more forgettable anime titles as of late.