However, this game starts when Kayaba Akihito, creator of this game, makes thousands of players who have logged in can not log out and stuck in it. To be able to get out of this game they will need to finish the game until the final. And if they died in the game world, they are also certain to die in the real world. Among these players, including Kirigaya Kazuto who log in with the name Kirito.
STORY
For me, the interesting part of SAO is the story ideas. Imagine how when a player is stuck in the game he was playing. He demanded to be strong, so that he can still be alive even if only in the game world. Because if he is killed in the world, he also die in the real world. Well, to me who also a gamer, this story is very interesting. Makes me think if I made myself come to be in the same world with Kirito. What will I do to survive? To what extent can I survive in my own game play?
Story ideas, good. Conflict, good. Tension was also nice. What is lacking is precisely in the course of the story. At 2 (or 3 if I'm not mistaken) early episode, SAO is recounted fitting in its tracks. How Kayaba, the game creators make all SAO players panic by trapping them in the world that he created. How Kirito suddenly trapped in a virtual world, then he should plan his game tactics so that he can survive. And how do the players get used to life in the game world. All can still be enjoyed fitting in its portion. The tension created is also felt. Not to mention the audience are invited to think wild in the story. I even want to immediately watch the next episode.
Unfortunately after that, SAO seem ups and downs. Sometimes feel excited, sometimes feels sluggish. The story that brought like has no connection with each other. There are some episodes that look forced to tell without given interlude or introduction first. For example, suddenly we're confronted with a story where Kirito had joined the leading team for the sake of completing the game. Or when Asuna join a guild called the Knights of Blood and becomes increasingly close to Kirito. There are no scenes that explain this, or some kind of narrative. Suddenly, the story has already emerged in the beginning of the episode. For me, watching SAO like being in a Shinkansen with high speed movement, and I tried to see objects that passed. Exhausting and confusing.
In addition, it makes me wonder that is a love story between Kirito and Asuna. In these parts of their scenes like get the full attention. In fact, they are given two full episodes which tell about the lives of Kirito and Asuna after getting married in a virtual world. 2 episodes without anything to do with an important episode in the SAO story, as well as the story and characters improvements. No wonder SAO it was instead known for the presence of Kirito and Asuna. Although in my opinion, there are some parts of it running is not natural, such as forced to happen.
ART AND SOUND
Two things impressed me. SAO I think quite managed to bring the game world in a picture. Coloring well balanced. Not to mention the effects on motion or on the body. I would not doubt Aniplex for it. There have been many some cool anime titles are held by Aniplex. Art design and application of the pictures are really cool. We can see in Mahouka Koukou no Rettosei, Aldnoah.Zero, Angel Beats, many others. Although there are some parts look different if it were in a different angle, but for me still be forgiven.
The same thing happened to sound. SAO is really as well-prepared. I love almost all the song, so I decided to buy the song via Anime Bibly along with other products such as Silica figure. Well, my favorite heroine in this anime is Silica if you ask me.
Here goes the list of opening and closing.
1. Crossing Field by LiSA ( eps. 2 - 14 ) ? opening
2. Innocence by Aoi Eir ( eps. 15 - 24 ) ? opening
3. Crossing Field by LiSA ( eps. 1, 25 ) ? closing
4. Yume Sekai by Haruka Tomatsu ( eps. 2 - 14 ) ? closing
5. Overfly by Luna Haruna ( eps. 15 - 24 ) - closing
CHARACTERS
It was the most amusing. When SAO is built with a very interesting idea, a characters actually are not as interesting as the story ideas. Kirito I think even mediocre. Yes Kirito is the main character. Our hero in this anime. But it seems to me a strong Kirito not depicted constantly. When Kirito be in one scene together with some female supporting characters, Kirito even seem sink. In fact, in my opinion somewhat forced. I do not know, whether because it shounen, so Kirito should be made like the god of the women? More like Hareem. But it seems to me, this is where the sinking of the strength of Kirito. I think the failure lies in the depiction of the characters in the story.
The relationship between Kirito and Asuna even for me was not so pronounced. Yes there are romantic scenes. Yeah right there romantic conflict. But in my opinion, it is here the weakness. The storyline that seemed half-hearted, not to mention the strength of character that are not so visible, making the relationship between Kirito and Asuna is so mediocre. I even consider their romantic conflict is just like usual scene in the action story.
OVERALL
Well, besides the story idea and sound, there is nothing interesting in SAO. The love story I think is also not so appealing. We can still find romance like this in several anime in the same genre. But, at least SAO is not so bad. Admittedly this idea is really interesting. I simply enjoy what is presented in SAO. In spite of all the errors still exist, I still consider SAO is interesting enough to be enjoyed.
