Quote:
Originally Posted by Utsuro no Hako
So now the truth can be told -- this episode contains the one scene every novel reader wanted to see. No, not the duel with Heathcliff. And not Asuna doing Unlimited Bladework with a single sword.
No, the truth is, novel readers are just a bunch of shippers who wanted to see Kirito and Asuna get married. Who cares that Heathcliff pwned Kirito -- Heathcliff sleeps alone in his bed tonight while Kirito is unleashing two years worth of ... something.
Boss fights are cool, but Asuna knocking Kirito out and dragging him to bed is better.
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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.