Sword Art Online - Anime Speculation & Theories (for anime-only viewers)
 

This thread is aimed at first time viewers of Sword Art Online and its purpose is to allow spoiler free speculation and theories to be aired. Having them in a central location may help focus the discussion instead of spreading speculation over the various episode discussion threads. If you are knowledgeable of the light novels and wish to speculate or discuss theories, then please do not post in this thread (use the Spoilers & Speculation Thread) and do not give away any spoilers in this thread!

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• Any form of spoiler or hint from Sword Art Online light novels.

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Magazine previews are an exception to the said rule. You are allowed to discuss those. (Properly labeled spoiler tags required).

How does the food thing work (and bathroom breaks, while we're at it). I mean, if you are trapped in a virtual world where you can't move your real body, how do you feed it? How would you go to the bathroom?

So, any particular guesses on what this Akihiko fellow is trying to accomplish by locking all the players into a survival game and committing the genocide of 2000 people so far now?

I know we don't have a lot of information to go on just yet, but Akihiko in his picture sort of looked like a doctor or scientist judging from the lab coat, so I'm guessing that some sort of experiment is being preformed through these actions. What exactly that would be though I'm not sure. Something psychological perhaps?

I think the moment you guys started referencing the novels you're disqualified from this thread. I'm no mod, but they separated them for a reason. Before speculation and discussion truly starts decide to either play the fool or avoid here entirely.

I can understand that knowing LN spoilers feels like having a toy you want to show off, but let those going into this series blind truly enjoy it.

don't really think what I posted were spoilers.... but whatever.

So essentially:
I am mad scientist.
It'so cool.
Sonuvabitch.

You've pretty much summarized it up if you look at it plainly I guess.

Maybe he's just a really bad gamer, and he wanted to take it out on all hardcore nerdkind.

This also gives me an amusing mental image of all 10,000 players scrolling hurriedly past the part of the Sword Art Online EULA which explicitly details all of the dangers and unique rules of his twisted death game.

Section 39d
By clicking on the I ACCEPT button, you acknowledge and agree to herewith forfeit your life, consciousness and soul to the developer to be used as meat for the grinder of the SAO client. To the fullest extent permissible by applicable law, in no event shall SAO or its licensors be liable for and loss of data, work stoppage, death, dismemberment, microwaving of higher brain functions, injury sustained from fighting dire wolves including but not limited to blunt force trauma, mauling, impaling, bisecting, eviscerating or taking 1d6 poison damage-

Yeah, yeah, scroll, scroll, scroll, I ACCEPT. Now how do I customize my Wood Elf's boobs?

Is this anime related to accel world? I checked the light novel timeline on wikipedia it seems mention accel world on there.

They have same author who wrote them.

While there are similarities in technologies and hints throughout both series, the author himself stated that his current stance is that there are no clear/solid connection between the two series.

IRL though, it's clear that AW was influenced by his work on SAO.

Personally I think that's more because he doesn't want to admit there's a connection because he's saving it for a future plot point that he doesn't want to reveal yet. Just the fact that they take place 20ish years apart and both involve a VR world make me think that.

Unfortunately I'm not the kind of person who will accept a "for teh evulz" excuse unless the character is just a really demented psychopath with absolute zero sympathy for human life. Sure what he's doing is pretty nuts, but from how he acted in the first episode, he didn't seem incredibly maniacal in personality.

Otherwise, even if it's entertaining to him on the side, there should be a greater motive for doing what he's doing.

I think the interview snippet, along with all his hints that he has achieved his objectives on its own highlights what is his most likely motive.

He clearly doesn't think of SAO as 'just a game (he developed).'

Maybe there's some social experimental motive underlined behind his crazy 10,000 hostage scenario, but it feels like he's just a game developer who's just that invested into SAO that he wants it to be 'a real world.'

Then again, the flaw with this theory is that if he's going so far as to remove the log-out button... why not make it even more realistic by removing the menu function altogether? If Kayaba was really into full-fledged fantasy role-play, the concept of obvious game features remaining ( messaging,menu, etc) makes it less 'real.' :p

If he does, he better have a damn good reason for doing so. I can see how some’d consider it fun/interesting, but it's also very easy to screw it up. I'm just going to hope he keeps the two as separate stories w/ no connection.

I doubt his intentions are merely personal entertainment off some massive power trip. There's got to be some ulterior motive why he's done this.

Long bow theory is he's trying to create the ultimate warrior, because any skills you earn with swordplay in the game, you'd retain in the real world. Otherwise, I think that girl with the black hair thats in the fetal position of the OP might have some story behind her.

I kind of wonder if perhaps he'd doing this to ween society off of virtual games. How many people will trust games now that this has happened? I suspect that game sales (of ANY game) will have dropped dramatically.

Endless "Go outside and play!" Soul

I've got a feeling that at the end of the show it will be revealed that this whole "playing with your life on the line" is just a gimmick built into the game. People don't actually die but were led to believe so in order to create the ultimate gaming experience. Everyone in the game knew what they were getting into but had their memory of it removed somehow and also this show is actually directed by M. night shyamalyan :P

Oh HELL NO! :frustrated:

that guy hasn't made a good movie in forever.