Sword Art Online - Anime Spoilers & Speculation (for SAO Novel Readers only)

[Shinji103]

Originally Posted by Swordstriker21

I do agree that the plot of this episode seems rushed. But lets face it. Generally adaptations will always lack that little bit of magic that made the source material shine. What's done is done. Let's just hope the pacing improves when we get to the meat of the story.

Doesn't mean we have to like it.

And yeah Asunas character development this ep did feel lacking somewhat. But maybe this is just an LN readers bias. Anyway I'll still give the SAO anime the benefit of the doubt until it finishes it's run. What I'm worried about the most right now is if they rush RNR next Saturday as well. If they do condense it I hope they preserve the sense of loss and anguish that particular SS brought to the table for it's full effect.

I..........wouldn't get your hopes up. RNR is supposedly going to be one episode as well, and this episode isn't a really positive example of the studio's ability to compress material. If they do manage to pull it off somehow then great, but I'm certainly not getting my hopes up again after this episode, maybe not until they get to the main story anyway.

[Swordstriker21]

Guess the best policy right now is not to expect too much. As I've said I'm withholding judgement until after it's run.

[Hmm....]

Well, I think the real problem of this episode is that this episode is suppose to be Asuna's introduction episode. Yet, all they introduced us is, as oppose to sucidal solo rapier user Kirito saved from the dungeon and invited to the meeting, a plain quiet hood girl Kirito happen to partied with when he went to boss raid meeting. I found the latter not interesting at all. When you introduce a character and it is not interesting, that is a problem.

I don't know how deep is that bread conversation. I will need a sub for that. But frankly I don't feel it too sudden for Asuna to open to Kirito like that, because I didn't even feel anime Asuna is that close yet.

I do admit that my knowledge with novel do bias me here. I also believe that first-time viewer may not have a problem with this. What we got here is an generic anime girl of the week waiting for her turn to show up again in 3 episodes after Sachi and Silica which I fear wll face the same fate. So no harm done, to anime viewer that is.

[Netto Azure]

Well RNR is shorter so we should get a feel for it more.

But considering we got the same treatment for Asuna in the first volume...I'm not really that surprised.

[kyp275]

Originally Posted by Hmm....

Well, I think the real problem of this episode is that this episode is suppose to be Asuna's introduction episode. Yet, all they introduced us is, as oppose to sucidal solo rapier user Kirito saved from the dungeon and invited to the meeting, a plain quiet hood girl Kirito happen to partied with when he went to boss raid meeting. I found the latter not interesting at all. When you introduce a character and it is not interesting, that is a problem.

Not any worse than how it went in the novel, where Asuna was introduced as your typical female lead. The whole deal with Asuna's suicidal thoughts pretty much only exist in Aria, which tbh doesn't make it worth all the screen time it'd need to adapt that portion.

Originally Posted by Hmm....

I don't know how deep is that bread conversation. I will need a sub for that. But frankly I don't feel it too sudden for Asuna to open to Kirito like that, because I didn't even feel anime Asuna is that close yet.

Which is a good thing in my book. Aria was written to augment/retcon the original story, so for us novel readers, who already know that Kirito and Asuna ends up together, really don't have much problem when the two gets relatively close in Aria. For anime viewers however, it can certainly feel out of place, especially once you consider what is about to follow.

This is really a problem that is created by Kawahara with his patchwork of various stories that conflicts with each other in the Aincrad arc.

[Swordstriker21]

Originally Posted by kyp275

This is really a problem that is created by Kawahara with his patchwork of various stories that conflicts with each other in the Aincrad arc.

Good point. Maybe that's why I'm anticipating his proposed Sword Art Online : Progressive. A more cohesive and fleshed out reboot of the Aincrad Arc is much appreciated.

Yeah we may be really just biased because of the LN. But well no need to be such downers eh. Guess for an anime ep it still does it's job. I wonder how many dense people will take Kiritos attitude in the end literally in the next few days. I'm looking forward to the posts LOL.

[Hmm....]

Oop, look like my bad wording make you misunderstood me. By close, I ment closed to other people, anti-social, something like that. but never mind

Originally Posted by kyp275

This is really a problem that is created by Kawahara with his patchwork of various stories that conflicts with each other in the Aincrad arc.

I do agree with you here. This is the root of all evil. When I first heard SAO anime gonna follow chronical order, I was like heh? how are they goning to adapt that.

[kyp275]

Aye, in my opinion, adaptations should be judged on their own merits as to how well it presents its story, and whether it gets the idea of the original work through, and not how close it follows the source material, or whether it keeps every little details intact. If that's the case, then they might as well just forgo the adaptation and just tell people to read/watch the original material instead.

The LOTR movies did not go in-depth on the histories of the hobbits, they significantly changed Frodo's age, replaced awesome-Glorfindel with lol-Arwyn, cut off a bunch of epic scenes with Aragorn pwning orcs with Anduril at Helm's Deep, while adding in a bunch of lulz-elf fodders, vastly over-expanded the role of the army of the dead, and completely cut out the armies from southern Gondor.

and guess what, the movies still rocked.

[Shinji103]

Originally Posted by kyp275

Aye, in my opinion, adaptations should be judged on their own merits as to how well it presents its story, and whether it gets the idea of the original work through, and not how close it follows the source material, or whether it keeps every little details intact. If that's the case, then they might as well just forgo the adaptation and just tell people to read/watch the original material instead.

Too bad that episode 2 was significantly rushed and lacking regardless of base material.

And you're continuing that bad habit of lobbing everybody who doesn't agree with you in the same boat I see, in this case everybody who doesn't like episode 2 is can't accept anything different from the novels. Maybe if I didn't like anime filler episodes like the Bleach and the old Rurouni Kenshin fillers, you might be partially right.

[kyp275]

Originally Posted by Shinji103

Too bad that episode 2 was significantly rushed and lacking regardless of base material.

when viewed through the rose-tinted glasses of LN readers Ep.2 is about as average as it gets pacing wise in anime.

Originally Posted by Shinji103

And you're continuing that bad habit of lobbing everybody who doesn't agree with you in the same boat I see

Oh yea, please point out where I'm doing that.

Originally Posted by Shinji103

in this case everybody who doesn't like episode 2 is can't accept anything different from the novels. Maybe if I didn't like anime filler episodes like the Bleach and the old Rurouni Kenshin fillers, you might be partially right.

Of course not, I hardly think episode 2 was all that good myself, but primarily because of deficiencies in the animation department.

Some others on the other hand, seems to dislike it solely because what did not make it to the screen, which in my opinion misses the whole point of adaptations.

[Deltaray]

For next week we need Klein character topic for his actions, if anime keeps that scene where Klein holds that another guild so Kirito can solo that boss lol, really hope thats there, as that Side story is probably one of the few where Klein gets to shine.

[Wild Goose]

That and Caliber.

Klein really is Overshadowed By Awesome. He's an SAO noob who managed to hold his team together for 2 years, they're part of the clearing group, the top hundred players in the entire game, they've been at almost every boss fight, and they have taken ZERO casualties. In any other story, Klein would be the main.

Unfortunately, his friends are Kirito and Asuna. Isn't it said, Klein?

[Deltaray]

Since Klein is up now, I'll put this to spoiler to save space

Spoiler for Klein:

At the boundary that looked like it was 50m away, there were people I recently saw at the anthill, staring wordlessly at Fuurinkazan and me. The Fuurinkazan swordsman that was standing beside Klein leaned beside the leader’s face and whispered,
“Those guys are the «Sacred Dragon Alliance», a group of guys who can become orange just to attack the flag boss.”
I heard that name often too. Their name was as famous as the Knights of the Blood, the largest guild amongst the clearing group. Those guys should each be below me in level, but I had no belief in beating that many people.
But—perhaps the outcome should be the same.
Suddenly, I felt that whether I was killed by a boss monster or a guild, it would all be meaninglessly. But then again, at least it would be a better choice than fighting with Klein, right?
I decided to draw my sword from my back. I was lazy to even think. I just needed to be like a robot and focus on swinging my sword, destroy everything in front of me until I break down.
However, Klein’s shout caused my hand to stop.
“DAMN IT! THOSE BASTARDS!”
The katana user drew out the weapon at his waist faster than I could and growled at me from behind.
“Get over there, Kirito! Leave this to me! Go beat the boss! I won’t allow you to die though! I won’t forgive you if you dare to die in front of me! Never!”

[Swordstriker21]

Originally Posted by Wild Goose

That and Caliber.

Klein really is Overshadowed By Awesome. He's an SAO noob who managed to hold his team together for 2 years, they're part of the clearing group, the top hundred players in the entire game, they've been at almost every boss fight, and they have taken ZERO casualties. In any other story, Klein would be the main.

Unfortunately, his friends are Kirito and Asuna. Isn't it said, Klein?

Are you suggesting that Klein is the "Sa-chin" of SAO lol Nah he's more awesome than that

[Wild Goose]

Originally Posted by Swordstriker21

Are you suggesting that Klein is the "Sa-chin" of SAO lol Nah he's more awesome than that

Yes, he is the Sacchin of SAO, given that he's someone who everyone forgets and overlooks. Though Sacchin, being a girl, does have her fans, and at least Carnival Phantasm gave her some screen time.

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by Wild Goose

That and Caliber.

Klein really is Overshadowed By Awesome. He's an SAO noob who managed to hold his team together for 2 years, they're part of the clearing group, the top hundred players in the entire game, they've been at almost every boss fight, and they have taken ZERO casualties. In any other story, Klein would be the main.

Unfortunately, his friends are Kirito and Asuna. Isn't it said, Klein?

i really hope the author once he finish the recon does a side story on Klein and his guild.

[Swordstriker21]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

i really hope the author once he finish the recon does a side story on Klein and his guild.

I wanna see him actually go on a date w/ Skuld That would be pretty interesting to see

[kyp275]

Originally Posted by Swordstriker21

I wanna see him actually go on a date w/ Urd That would be pretty interesting to see

it's Skuld, not Urd :P

[Wild Goose]

Who is implied to be an actual person/employee of ALO's parent company, pulling duty as a GM/NPC

[kyp275]

really? I don't recall reading anything of that sort.

That'd totally turn the awesomeness down several notches if true