The time has come to tackle a story near and dear to my heart - well, perhaps not near, but definitely dear. Let's talk about Sword Art Online.
The Premise:
The video game world has finally come up with what gamers have been waiting for since before there were video games - a full immersion virtual reality game. A game where you can actually be in the game, actually live in the game world. One small problem. No logout button. One slightly larger problem. If you die in the game, the virtually reality headgear fries your brain and you die in real life, too. The only way to escape the game world is for someone to beat the game. But in order for someone to beat the game, players will have to risk their real lives fighting against monsters ... and sometimes, other players.
Fortunately for everyone in the game, socially awkward loner gamer Kirito and complete gamer newbie Asuna are in the world of Sword Art Online.
No, it's not a brand new premise. Detractors will cite .hack, informed detractors will point out that Tron did it even longer ago. (Oh, Tron ... how you longed for special effects you could not have ...) The idea of being stuck in a fictional world, whether the world of a book, a t.v. show or a video game has been around probably as long as there has been fiction.
The story follows Kirito and Asuna (who switch off as protagonist about like they switch in battles) as they make their way through different virtual worlds, as well as occasional glimpses of that oh-so-difficult real world. To cover the entire plot would take more than a single review, so I'll probably come back at some point to review the individual plot arcs. Suffice it to say: video games, virtual reality, swords, romance, adventure, magic.
My Opinion:
Sword Art Online has its share of fans and haters. Let me state this for the record: I LOVE SWORD ART ONLINE. Absolutely nothing you can say is going to make me dislike Sword Art Online. My enjoyment of this story is out of all proportion to its already high quality. (Haters, I'll get to you in a minute.) I like the characters, the plot, the style, the soundtrack ... it would be much easier to make a list of things I don't like about SAO. Um ... wait ... um ... well okay, that ... no ... Seriously, I can think of few other stories which have given me as much sheer enjoyment as this one. I once decided to watch just a few of my favorite episodes and ended up rewatching the entire series. I forgot they were all my favorite episode. If you watch it with me, I will say, "Ooh, this is the best part!" every two minutes, and will also inundate you with background information you don't even need to know.
For starters, swords. Who doesn't love great weapons and an awesome swordfight? And then we have the characters. For me to enjoy a story, I have to enjoy the characters. There isn't a single character I'd take out of SAO. And then there's the plot. Aside from the fact that I usually like "trapped in a book/a video game/history" plots (unless they're depressing, realistic and tedious), I like the way this plot develops; the places it goes.
To be honest, just writing about SAO makes me fangirl too hard to be coherent. I want to give you the whole entire plot and tell you why I love it all in one sentence, but that's just not possible. So I'll just say, if you want to know more, read the book ...
Light Novels vs. Anime vs. Manga:
Which brings me to this topic. SAO comes in three varieties (four, if you count the original web novels) - the light novels, the anime and the manga. I've met a number of people who have difficulty understanding this, so I'll explain. A light novel is exactly what it sounds like. It is a novel which is light. I don't mean the weight of the book itself. I mean that light novels are written to be easy to read - shorter than a full-length novel and formatted so you can easily carry it around, put it down, find your place in it again. They're intended to be easy to read on a bus or train. They usually have some illustrations but are not fully illustrated like manga. (Seriously, I have had the worst time getting people to understand that light novels are books. You know, books. Pages. Words. Not manga. Believe it or not, not every book written in Japan is manga. Try not to faint from the shock.)
Moving on.
Reki Kawahara (who is also the author of Accel World and Absolute Solitude, the first volume of which was published in June) originally wrote Sword Art Online as a web novel when he discovered that it was too long for a light novel but didn't want to cut any of the content. After Accel World (which was written later) became popular, Sword Art Online was published in book form. There are currently fourteen novels in print (and one in print in English ... I have got to learn to read Japanese ...). I very much enjoy Reki Kawahara's writing, especially his characters and character development. He seems to have a very good grasp on what different kinds of people feel, and how this effects their behavior. And he writes a good story. From what I've read thus far (in fair but imperfect translations on baka-tsuki.org - from which SAO was removed once it was licensed for publication in English - I'm buying the books as fast as they're published), I'll be perfectly okay with another fourteen SAO novels.
Then there's the anime. There are twenty five episodes, covering the plots of the first four novels, as well as a "movie" (a recap episode covering the series thus far while including some new material). In my opinion, the novels and the anime complement each other perfectly. If you really want the complete SAO experience, read/watch both. The books expand on a lot of things the anime skips over; the anime gives you the action. I really, really love the music and animation. It isn't as detailed as, say, a Miyazaki classic, but it has a ton more detail and a more natural style than a lot of the anime out there. And the use of cello in the sound track is lovely.
Just so you know, Sword Art Online II premiered on Crunchyroll today! I have been impossibly excited about this for months. Got myself a sandwich (had to have a sandwich for SAO) and watched it today - it did not disappoint, although I felt bereaved and longing for next week when it was over. Might just watch it again.
SAO was also adapted into a manga. I have to admit, it doesn't translate quite as well into a manga as an anime, and I don't like the illustration style as much as I like the animation style. But that's not going to stop me from buying every volume ...
Just so you know, there are also video games. Shockingly enough, I'm not a gamer but I have to admit I was seriously tempted to buy a PlayStation Vita solely because of Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment.
Warnings: SPOILERS BELOW
I'm not one of those people who insists that everyone must like everything I like, and that anyone who disagrees with me is a stupid loser. People have different tastes. I have friends who love things that I loathe, and vice versa. So if you try SAO and just don't care for it, I won't judge.
And to be fair, SAO is one of those stories where determination and love can overcome literally impossible obstacles. If that annoys you, then this story is going to annoy you. It makes sense, in a way, that SAO is often pitted against Attack on Titan/Shingeki no Kyojin. The two are opposites in terms of worldview (though I don't think that means you can't like both). SnK explores the more realistic idea that teamwork, caring and trying hard don't always work. But if I had a choice between living in SAO or SnK, I would pick SAO every time - and not just because I don't want to get eaten.
Some people argue that SAO is anti-feminist. They seem to be basing their entire argument on the fact that in the Fairy Dance arc, Kirito has to rescue Asuna from a creepy, kidnapping wannabe-rapist. I understand what these people are driving at but swap the characters - suppose Asuna had to rescue Kirito from the same circumstance? Would that be okay? Seems silly to me to argue that something is sexist while holding to a double standard. Besides the fact that Asuna makes a solid escape effort on her own, and SAO is rife with strong female characters. I will admit, Suguha's shower scene was completely unnecessary.
And to those who have a serious problem with Suguha having a crush on Kirito ... dare I say, grow up? The kid's fifteen. Remember who you had a crush on when you were fifteen? Still interested in that person now? I thought not.
I will admit that the anime starts a little slowly, and that a few moments are bit vague. (Wait, did he stab Suguo or ...?) Doesn't bother me - if you read the books, the vague parts will become clear and I don't mind a slightly slow start to something AWESOME.
Also - especially the Fairy Dance arc and parts of Alicization - this series is not for the kiddies. Most of it is pretty kid friendly (compared to SnK, it's a cute bedtime story for toddlers) but the parts that aren't, aren't. Fair warning.
And lastly, let's not get into chapter 16.5. I didn't read it, so I won't comment on rumors based on hearsay. Let's just say, from what I've heard, it's okay it didn't make it into the published novel.
The Premise:
The video game world has finally come up with what gamers have been waiting for since before there were video games - a full immersion virtual reality game. A game where you can actually be in the game, actually live in the game world. One small problem. No logout button. One slightly larger problem. If you die in the game, the virtually reality headgear fries your brain and you die in real life, too. The only way to escape the game world is for someone to beat the game. But in order for someone to beat the game, players will have to risk their real lives fighting against monsters ... and sometimes, other players.
Fortunately for everyone in the game, socially awkward loner gamer Kirito and complete gamer newbie Asuna are in the world of Sword Art Online.
No, it's not a brand new premise. Detractors will cite .hack, informed detractors will point out that Tron did it even longer ago. (Oh, Tron ... how you longed for special effects you could not have ...) The idea of being stuck in a fictional world, whether the world of a book, a t.v. show or a video game has been around probably as long as there has been fiction.
The story follows Kirito and Asuna (who switch off as protagonist about like they switch in battles) as they make their way through different virtual worlds, as well as occasional glimpses of that oh-so-difficult real world. To cover the entire plot would take more than a single review, so I'll probably come back at some point to review the individual plot arcs. Suffice it to say: video games, virtual reality, swords, romance, adventure, magic.
My Opinion:
Sword Art Online has its share of fans and haters. Let me state this for the record: I LOVE SWORD ART ONLINE. Absolutely nothing you can say is going to make me dislike Sword Art Online. My enjoyment of this story is out of all proportion to its already high quality. (Haters, I'll get to you in a minute.) I like the characters, the plot, the style, the soundtrack ... it would be much easier to make a list of things I don't like about SAO. Um ... wait ... um ... well okay, that ... no ... Seriously, I can think of few other stories which have given me as much sheer enjoyment as this one. I once decided to watch just a few of my favorite episodes and ended up rewatching the entire series. I forgot they were all my favorite episode. If you watch it with me, I will say, "Ooh, this is the best part!" every two minutes, and will also inundate you with background information you don't even need to know.
For starters, swords. Who doesn't love great weapons and an awesome swordfight? And then we have the characters. For me to enjoy a story, I have to enjoy the characters. There isn't a single character I'd take out of SAO. And then there's the plot. Aside from the fact that I usually like "trapped in a book/a video game/history" plots (unless they're depressing, realistic and tedious), I like the way this plot develops; the places it goes.
To be honest, just writing about SAO makes me fangirl too hard to be coherent. I want to give you the whole entire plot and tell you why I love it all in one sentence, but that's just not possible. So I'll just say, if you want to know more, read the book ...
Light Novels vs. Anime vs. Manga:
Which brings me to this topic. SAO comes in three varieties (four, if you count the original web novels) - the light novels, the anime and the manga. I've met a number of people who have difficulty understanding this, so I'll explain. A light novel is exactly what it sounds like. It is a novel which is light. I don't mean the weight of the book itself. I mean that light novels are written to be easy to read - shorter than a full-length novel and formatted so you can easily carry it around, put it down, find your place in it again. They're intended to be easy to read on a bus or train. They usually have some illustrations but are not fully illustrated like manga. (Seriously, I have had the worst time getting people to understand that light novels are books. You know, books. Pages. Words. Not manga. Believe it or not, not every book written in Japan is manga. Try not to faint from the shock.)
Moving on.
Reki Kawahara (who is also the author of Accel World and Absolute Solitude, the first volume of which was published in June) originally wrote Sword Art Online as a web novel when he discovered that it was too long for a light novel but didn't want to cut any of the content. After Accel World (which was written later) became popular, Sword Art Online was published in book form. There are currently fourteen novels in print (and one in print in English ... I have got to learn to read Japanese ...). I very much enjoy Reki Kawahara's writing, especially his characters and character development. He seems to have a very good grasp on what different kinds of people feel, and how this effects their behavior. And he writes a good story. From what I've read thus far (in fair but imperfect translations on baka-tsuki.org - from which SAO was removed once it was licensed for publication in English - I'm buying the books as fast as they're published), I'll be perfectly okay with another fourteen SAO novels.
Then there's the anime. There are twenty five episodes, covering the plots of the first four novels, as well as a "movie" (a recap episode covering the series thus far while including some new material). In my opinion, the novels and the anime complement each other perfectly. If you really want the complete SAO experience, read/watch both. The books expand on a lot of things the anime skips over; the anime gives you the action. I really, really love the music and animation. It isn't as detailed as, say, a Miyazaki classic, but it has a ton more detail and a more natural style than a lot of the anime out there. And the use of cello in the sound track is lovely.
Just so you know, Sword Art Online II premiered on Crunchyroll today! I have been impossibly excited about this for months. Got myself a sandwich (had to have a sandwich for SAO) and watched it today - it did not disappoint, although I felt bereaved and longing for next week when it was over. Might just watch it again.
SAO was also adapted into a manga. I have to admit, it doesn't translate quite as well into a manga as an anime, and I don't like the illustration style as much as I like the animation style. But that's not going to stop me from buying every volume ...
Just so you know, there are also video games. Shockingly enough, I'm not a gamer but I have to admit I was seriously tempted to buy a PlayStation Vita solely because of Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment.
Warnings: SPOILERS BELOW
I'm not one of those people who insists that everyone must like everything I like, and that anyone who disagrees with me is a stupid loser. People have different tastes. I have friends who love things that I loathe, and vice versa. So if you try SAO and just don't care for it, I won't judge.
And to be fair, SAO is one of those stories where determination and love can overcome literally impossible obstacles. If that annoys you, then this story is going to annoy you. It makes sense, in a way, that SAO is often pitted against Attack on Titan/Shingeki no Kyojin. The two are opposites in terms of worldview (though I don't think that means you can't like both). SnK explores the more realistic idea that teamwork, caring and trying hard don't always work. But if I had a choice between living in SAO or SnK, I would pick SAO every time - and not just because I don't want to get eaten.
Some people argue that SAO is anti-feminist. They seem to be basing their entire argument on the fact that in the Fairy Dance arc, Kirito has to rescue Asuna from a creepy, kidnapping wannabe-rapist. I understand what these people are driving at but swap the characters - suppose Asuna had to rescue Kirito from the same circumstance? Would that be okay? Seems silly to me to argue that something is sexist while holding to a double standard. Besides the fact that Asuna makes a solid escape effort on her own, and SAO is rife with strong female characters. I will admit, Suguha's shower scene was completely unnecessary.
And to those who have a serious problem with Suguha having a crush on Kirito ... dare I say, grow up? The kid's fifteen. Remember who you had a crush on when you were fifteen? Still interested in that person now? I thought not.
I will admit that the anime starts a little slowly, and that a few moments are bit vague. (Wait, did he stab Suguo or ...?) Doesn't bother me - if you read the books, the vague parts will become clear and I don't mind a slightly slow start to something AWESOME.
Also - especially the Fairy Dance arc and parts of Alicization - this series is not for the kiddies. Most of it is pretty kid friendly (compared to SnK, it's a cute bedtime story for toddlers) but the parts that aren't, aren't. Fair warning.
And lastly, let's not get into chapter 16.5. I didn't read it, so I won't comment on rumors based on hearsay. Let's just say, from what I've heard, it's okay it didn't make it into the published novel.
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