Sword Art Online - Character Discussion - Asuna

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by FlareKnight

She's got to be amazing having a second page considering her only appearance in the series was the OP in the first episode .

Boob talk will do that sometimes.

Anyway I think I'm going to like Asuna since I hear she's quite a bit like Kuroyukihime, but Kuroyukihime just has such a head start in the groovy chick department and has so many upsides that it's going to be tough for her to catch up.

It seems like all of a sudden cute dainty "moeblob" chicks are on the way out in terms of popular female leads though and more rough and tumble, but not absusive ones are on the way in in a big way and I can only see this as a good thing. I like too that I am becoming aware of more LN writers like Kawahara that realize you can have a strong female lead and not have to have to go overboard and just make them be a horrible holier than though abusive bitch that is worshipped in spite of all their terrible personality traits coughnisioisincoughhrmph.

[Fallen3dge]

ImO Asuna>KYH. But that'll only be obvious later on. Also she's more successful than kyh in getting what she wantS

[Ray]

Originally Posted by Fallen3dge

ImO Asuna>KYH. But that'll only be obvious later on. Also she's more successful than kyh in getting what she wantS

Opinions are opinions, and I can't say I prefer one to the other; they're both awesome characters. I hate choosing between characters I like loads.

[Fallen3dge]

I dont really follow aw as much as sao. Not enough fighting from KYH

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by Fallen3dge

ImO Asuna>KYH. But that'll only be obvious later on. Also she's more successful than kyh in getting what she wantS

How can something be obvious if it's just a personal opinion? Thanks for the reassurance about her character, but I'll be the one to just the quality of her character for myself.

Originally Posted by Fallen3dge

I dont really follow aw as much as sao. Not enough fighting from KYH

I'm starting to get the impression that that's the case for a lot of people that insist that SAO is superior to AW in every conceivable way cause from what I've watched of both first episodes it's just kind of not the case from what I've seen. Especially since KYH has fought plenty when she's actually needed to. The problem storywise is she's already at such a high level of power that it'd just kind of defeat the purpose to have her fight lower level scrubs cause it would make half the battles they've shown in the show so far a cakewalk for the protagonists.

Also I'm looking forward to seeing Asuna be that much better at getting what she wants cause again from what I've seen of KYH she just has this uncanny knack of knowing exactly what to say at exactly the right time to get a particular person on her side and makes it look entirely effortless. There's a reason I compared her to Reinhard Von Lohengramm, but who knows maybe Asuna ends up being a Yang Wen-Li.

[kyp275]

Originally Posted by Kaioshin Sama

I'm starting to get the impression that that's the case for a lot of people that insist that SAO is superior to AW in every conceivable way cause from what I've watched of both first episodes it's just kind of not the case from what I've seen.

Heh, it may very well be. That said, the issue with AW is that it took a lot more time than SAO before it really starts to get into the meat of its main plot, while SAO pretty much hits the ground running and never really stops.

Comparing Asuna and KYH... Asuna's character comes across as more... genuine and real? Since you get to see how she changes and develops as a character throughout SAO, while KYH has pretty much remained the "I IZ MYSTERIOUS TSUNDERE!!!"

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by kyp275

Heh, it may very well be. That said, the issue with AW is that it took a lot more time than SAO before it really starts to get into the meat of its main plot, while SAO pretty much hits the ground running and never really stops.

Comparing Asuna and KYH... Asuna's character comes across as more... genuine and real? Since you get to see how she changes and develops as a character throughout SAO, while KYH has pretty much remained the "I IZ MYSTERIOUS TSUNDERE!!!"

We seem to have a very different definition of Tsundere. Also to be honest if Accel World is as enjoyable and interesting as it is for me now and it hasn't even hit the best parts of it's main plot then I'm really looking forward to the rest then. Like with SAO though I kind of just have to take peoples word for it and see if it actually ends up being the case later on though.

[kyp275]

Originally Posted by Kaioshin Sama

We seem to have a very different definition of Tsundere. Also to be honest if Accel World is as enjoyable and interesting as it is for me now and it hasn't even hit the best parts of it's main plot then I'm really looking forward to the rest then. Like with SAO though I kind of just have to take peoples word for it and see if it actually ends up being the case later on though.

Heh yea, I guess the label is a bit off, though I guess you can say KYH is dere-for-haru-and-tsun-for-others

and yea, AW really starts to take off later on, I'm sure you'll love it

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by kyp275

Heh yea, I guess the label is a bit off, though I guess you can say KYH is dere-for-haru-and-tsun-for-others

and yea, AW really starts to take off later on, I'm sure you'll love it

Yeah I've noticed, she's kind of scary when she needs to be. I sort of expect the same from Asuna.

[Edgardes]

Find it strange that KYH comparison with Asuna, since KYH personality is more like that of Kirito.

[sky black swordman]

Originally Posted by Edgardes

Find it strange that KYH comparison with Asuna, since KYH personality is more like that of Kirito.

Hmm Thats true.

[novalysis]

The other consideration is that thanks to Acceleration even at the end of SAO, KYH almost certainly has much more life experience by AGE 14 than Asuna has at the end of SAO. When we see KYH, we've seen a character that has underwent a great deal of development even before the story starts- infact, even more than Asuna.

[kyp275]

Originally Posted by novalysis

The other consideration is that thanks to Acceleration even at the end of SAO, KYH almost certainly has much more life experience by AGE 14 than Asuna has at the end of SAO. When we see KYH, we've seen a character that has underwent a great deal of development even before the story starts- infact, even more than Asuna.

which is a moot point if the reader doesn't know what it is. Off-screen character development is not character development at all.

KYH is a character with "potential" for a great deal of development, there just haven't been a whole lot of it yet.

[Edgardes]

Originally Posted by kyp275

which is a moot point if the reader doesn't know what it is. Off-screen character development is not character development at all.

KYH is a character with "potential" for a great deal of development, there just haven't been a whole lot of it yet.

The Reki prefer to increase the secrets surrounding her.

[novalysis]

Originally Posted by kyp275

which is a moot point if the reader doesn't know what it is. Off-screen character development is not character development at all.

KYH is a character with "potential" for a great deal of development, there just haven't been a whole lot of it yet.

There's a difference within my mind between character revelation, and development. What KYH needs is more character revelation (ie, Backstory), not more development (changes of personality in story).

But in truth, this whole conversation about KYH vs Asuna deserves to go to the Comparison thread.

[sky black swordman]

^ Indeed and if it does not the MODS will move it.
But I do agree with all you said. @novalysis

[Chiibi]

I like her! At first I thought she'd be a quiet and serious type of kuudere girl judging from most of the second episode. But I was surprised when she laughed so pleasantly at the ending scene. Asuna's more laid-back than I thought and I like when I can't predict character behavior. She seems like a sweet girl who's just a little shy. Her design is also nice.

The way she scooted on the bench so quickly when Kirito sat next to her was so cute. XD I love characters who seem nervous and awkward at interacting with others at first.
And the way she devoured that bread with cream was really cute and funny too.

I loved the whole KiritoxAsuna bread scene.

Also was it me or did it seem like the first time she revealed herself in battle, we got a brief "Dur...she's PURRRRTY!" reaction from Kirito? XD
The sparkles around her seemed to indicate that.

[Lantern]

Originally Posted by novalysis

There's a difference within my mind between character revelation, and development. What KYH needs is more character revelation (ie, Backstory), not more development (changes of personality in story)..

Me thinks the underlying problem is that Kawahara has a nasty habit of creating new and plot-relevant female characters EVERY SINGLE volume, thereby shafting much of KYH's screen time. He even admits it himself in his afterwords. This is a problem for Asuna too in later arcs, but at least she gets a full arc dedicated to her own in vol.7 (where Kirito gets shafted instead ). So it balances out.

[novalysis]

Originally Posted by Lantern

Me thinks the underlying problem is that Kawahara has a nasty habit of creating new and plot-relevant female characters EVERY SINGLE volume, thereby shafting much of KYH's screen time. He even admits it himself in his afterwords. This is a problem for Asuna too in later arcs, but at least she gets a full arc dedicated to her own in vol.7 (where Kirito gets shafted instead ). So it balances out.

Because, while Kirito and Asuna are the center of each other's world, they aren't the whole world? And despite the fact that they are their mutual centers, their world is continuously expanding.

Spoiler for Mother's Rosario:

And writing that domestic scene at their house in new Aincrad in Volume 7 get's old fast anyway.

Anyway, I always take "There is But One Ultimate Way" as an apology for that phenomena.

[Lantern]

Originally Posted by novalysis

Because, while Kirito and Asuna are the center of each other's world, they aren't the whole world? And despite the fact that they are their mutual centers, their world is continuously expanding.

Oh don't get me wrong, I'm perfectly fine with how it played out in the entire SAO. There is good amount of revelations and developments for each and every characters' roles as the SAO-verse unfolds so I ain't about to complain. My comment mostly refers to the discussion regarding KYH's treatment in AW, but that belongs to another forum so I'll stop right there