Sword Art Online - Weekly Episode-to-Novel Comparison Thread [Spoilers Aplenty]

[Clarste]

Originally Posted by lightbringer

Maybe I was expecting too much - anime-only viewers haven't really picked up so far on the duel glitch. People are instead praising the portrayal of shield users. Although the anime kind of toned down that moment... a lot... so that on first glance it looks like Heathcliff won based on skill alone. The only indicator that something is off is his facial expression afterwards.

I think it's a good idea to tone it down. It's supposed to be unclear whether he's just that good, if Divine Sword has a secret skill, or if it's blatant cheating. After the fact it becomes obvious that it was cheating, but given that Kirito has already been shown to be a master detective for some reason, it makes sense to show the scene as confusing more than anything else. So it's more plausible that he'd still have doubt.

[chaos_alfa]

Originally Posted by lightbringer

Maybe I was expecting too much - anime-only viewers haven't really picked up so far on the duel glitch. People are instead praising the portrayal of shield users. Although the anime kind of toned down that moment... a lot... so that on first glance it looks like Heathcliff won based on skill alone. The only indicator that something is off is his facial expression afterwards.

From what I remember even Kirito wasn't totally sure if what he saw was correct.

[itoastmysocks]

Originally Posted by chaos_alfa

From what I remember even Kirito wasn't totally sure if what he saw was correct.

yeah but they could have put some more emphasis on exactly that imho

[lightbringer]

Originally Posted by itoastmysocks

yeah but they could have put some more emphasis on exactly that imho

Just so. Kirito had some doubts after that. And it was also described in a way like a glitch. In the anime they just made it like a slow motion action sequence. I don't really mind but I wanted it presented in a way that would make anime viewers express some doubt, just like how this moment in the novel made people go "wtf just happened, hax"

[Cyblaster]

Originally Posted by lightbringer

Just so. Kirito had some doubts after that. And it was also described in a way like a glitch. In the anime they just made it like a slow motion action sequence. I don't really mind but I wanted it presented in a way that would make anime viewers express some doubt, just like how this moment in the novel made people go "wtf just happened, hax"

I think they did a pretty good job animating that scene in a subtle way. We should still see some motion blur from Kirito/Elucidator if it was just normal slow motion but instead we see him completely stopped in mid air while Heathcliff's shield moves into place.

[itoastmysocks]

Yeah, well the whole introduction of heathcliff, first the character, and then his actual combat prowess feels so rushed, it's no wonder they kinda rushed that part aswell, atleast they should have put kirito thinking about it afterwards into it, well atleast mention it or so.. but oh well... they also skipped the whole thing about Kirito asking Kuradeel if it was revenge for the two guys he had killed in the LC Crusade, which seems really odd after they actually showed PoH to us 2 episodes ago..

[kron]

Originally Posted by itoastmysocks

yeah but they could have put some more emphasis on exactly that imho

it would probably be too obvious in that case. i guess the anime only viewers are in for a surprise

[Meltyred]

I wished they would have introduced Heathcliff in murder case to make his introduction seem less rushed, but I guess Heathcliff ramen scene wasn't meant to be.

[NoemiChan]

Wow, the is the most "rushed" episode of SAO... Never thought they could compressed the LN version this way... well that's the downside.

A lot of I considered "Valuable scenes" lost their emotional impact in respect to the two characters relation development....

and.... the harassement cue didn't appear.?

[Krono]

Originally Posted by itoastmysocks

Yeah, well the whole introduction of heathcliff, first the character, and then his actual combat prowess feels so rushed, it's no wonder they kinda rushed that part aswell, atleast they should have put kirito thinking about it afterwards into it, well atleast mention it or so.. but oh well... they also skipped the whole thing about Kirito asking Kuradeel if it was revenge for the two guys he had killed in the LC Crusade, which seems really odd after they actually showed PoH to us 2 episodes ago..

They probably showed us PoH to foreshadow Kuradeel's LCD association. Given the comment about only recently joining, it's possible that PoH recruited him after the duel.

[Clarste]

Originally Posted by itoastmysocks

Yeah, well the whole introduction of heathcliff, first the character, and then his actual combat prowess feels so rushed, it's no wonder they kinda rushed that part aswell, atleast they should have put kirito thinking about it afterwards into it, well atleast mention it or so.. but oh well... they also skipped the whole thing about Kirito asking Kuradeel if it was revenge for the two guys he had killed in the LC Crusade, which seems really odd after they actually showed PoH to us 2 episodes ago..

Given that they showed PoH and didn't mention the LC Crusade, I'm actually expecting the anime to be saving it for later. I have no idea how they'd fit it into the timeline, but I can't imagine why they showed PoH if they're not planning on using him sometime this season. Laughing Coffin never really became important until Phantom Bullet.

[Utsuro no Hako]

Originally Posted by lightbringer

Maybe I was expecting too much - anime-only viewers haven't really picked up so far on the duel glitch. People are instead praising the portrayal of shield users.

You spoke too soon.

Originally Posted by creb

My first thought was that the creator of the game isn't quite being as hands off as it may seem, though then I calmed down and thought about how weird it would be that the creator would care enough to intervene. Then, my second thought was that Heathcliff is actually the creator of the game. Then, I decided, that's probably too out there.

[sky black swordman]

Originally Posted by Krono

They probably showed us PoH to foreshadow Kuradeel's LCD association. Given the comment about only recently joining, it's possible that PoH recruited him after the duel.

Kuradeel joining LC after the duel is a bit inpossible due to the fact at that time it no longer existed.
PoH recruited him is as well because once again at that time PoH should have been in hiding.

[Utsuro no Hako]

Originally Posted by sky black swordman

Kuradeel joining LC after the duel is a bit inpossible due to the fact at that time it no longer existed.
PoH recruited him is as well because once again at that time PoH should have been in hiding.

There's no evidence that the LC have been destroyed in the anime, and I doubt there will be since it'd be horribly anticlimactic to reveal that a group that's been set up as recurring villains was destroyed off screen. The writers either have a plan to include the crusade before the end of the series, or they're going to let the plot drop until GGO.

[teja208]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

Well, I guess I'm at odds with novel readers then, since for me the definite highlights of this episode was the duel and the whole bit with Kuradeel (great plot twist with him, by the way - I liked him a lot better as a cackling theatrical villain than as this super-strict, overly protective and paranoid guy).

Honestly, the romance part, while nice in some ways, also felt extremely rushed to me (I'd even say "tacked on" except it's too important to call it "tacked on").

But the awesomeness of the duel and the Asuna rescuing Kirito bit largely made up for it for me, hence why I rate this episode 9/10. I'm very glad that Kirito lost the duel and over how Asuna rescued Kirito this time. Kirito was bordering on a Gary Stu before this episode, but this episode has now effectively laid to rest such criticisms of his character. Heathcliff's character was very nicely fleshed out here too.


However, I feel like I just watched the highlights of two consecutive anime episodes. I think that the duel, the Kuradeel bit, and Kirito getting used to being in a guild again (even with a new look) should have had its own episode, and that the romance consummation should have had its own episode too. Mind you, it's possible that the novels themselves are similarly rushed, so this may not be a flaw with the adaptation (note to novel readers - Don't tell me what the case is on that here on this thread because it would be a spoiler, but I'm open to any PMs that people want to send on the topic).


The extremely rushed aspect is my only significant complaint about this episode (I have a couple other minor nitpicks, but nothing substantive), as I thought the first half or so of it was just fantastic. This is probably my favorite SAO episode yet.

I always enjoy reading Triple_R's impression and depth analysis on characters' thoughts, behaviors and dynamics, but this time, THIS TIME, I just can't shake of this feeling that Triple_R won't gonna like Kirito, Asuna, and Healthcliff role in FD arc by the time anime reach that point.

Sorry for posting this, but his expectations will likely bretray him more than ever. I don't know if I can bare watching this (and Asuna) unfold when FD starts airing.

[Clarste]

Originally Posted by Utsuro no Hako

There's no evidence that the LC have been destroyed in the anime, and I doubt there will be since it'd be horribly anticlimactic to reveal that a group that's been set up as recurring villains was destroyed off screen. The writers either have a plan to include the crusade before the end of the series, or they're going to let the plot drop until GGO.

I can't imagine why they'd go out of their way to show PoH if they planned to let it drop though.

[Utsuro no Hako]

Originally Posted by teja208

I always enjoy reading Triple_R's impression and depth analysis on characters' thoughts, behaviors and dynamics, but this time, THIS TIME, I just can't shake of this feeling that Triple_R won't gonna like Kirito, Asuna, and Healthcliff role in FD arc by the time anime reach that point.

I think a lot of people are going to hate what happens to Asuna in ALO, and I can't say I blame them. Awesome female warrior getting demoted to Princess Toadstool is a horribly lame turn of events.

Originally Posted by Clarste

I can't imagine why they'd go out of their way to show PoH if they planned to let it drop though.

I'm hoping we get some resolution to the LC plot, but with the announced titles for upcoming episodes, I don't see where it could fit in.

[Clarste]

Originally Posted by Utsuro no Hako

I think a lot of people are going to hate what happens to Asuna in ALO, and I can't say I blame them. Awesome female warrior getting demoted to Princess Toadstool is a horribly lame turn of events.

Well, it does fit the theme of the arc, which is "powerlessness". The idea being that after conquering SAO and earning their own freedom with their own strength, they get suddenly placed in real life where all of that strength they had counts for nothing, and they can't even protect what's important to them. Even with all the gamer strength that Kirito constantly shows, especially in the first volume, none of that actually gets him any closer to to finding her. Even when he finds her, his strength is meaningless before a GM that's willing to cheat. The message is clear: "This is not true strength, and it never was. But that doesn't mean you're weak."

So in that sense Asuna being powerless yet still working from within those limitations is appropriate. I really don't think the writing of ALO was very good, but it's consistent on that front, at least until Kayaba pops in as a DEM. I really liked the knife fight at the end though, when Kirito realizes that he's not helpless.

Then GGO goes on to explore the dark side of the same themes, with another SAO veteran who has a completely different reaction to realizing that he lacks "true strength" in the real world.

[Divini]

Originally Posted by Clarste

I can't imagine why they'd go out of their way to show PoH if they planned to let it drop though.

They might show his reaction when the game is cleared. That would be interesting.

[Krono]

Originally Posted by sky black swordman

Kuradeel joining LC after the duel is a bit inpossible due to the fact at that time it no longer existed.
PoH recruited him is as well because once again at that time PoH should have been in hiding.

Even in the novel he said he only joined them recently:

“Is this... for revenge? You're a survivor from the Laughing Coffin?”

I asked with my cracking voice. Kuradeel virtually spat out his answer:

“Heh, no way. Why would I do something as stupid as that? I joined the Laughing Coffin only recently, and only in spirit anyways. I learned this paralysis technique from them... Ah, that's bothersome.”

And other places in the novel it's stated that PoH was not captured or killed in the battle that destroyed Laughing Coffin. It's quite reasonable to think that PoH was around looking for revenge, or to rebuild Laughing Coffin, and recruited Kuradeel after watching the duel.

Originally Posted by Clarste

I can't imagine why they'd go out of their way to show PoH if they planned to let it drop though.

Like I said, probably to serve as foreshadowing of Kuradeel's Laughing Coffin connection. Given how little they've changed, and what their time contraints are, I doubt they'll do anything further with LC this season.