Sword Art Online - Episode 23 Discussion / Poll

[Netto Azure]

Originally Posted by Clarste

Um... I think you're completely misinterpreting that line.

He is. It means that when he is able to free Asuna, he could finally "come back to real life" as the SAO event could finally be put in peace.

But anyways this episode was pretty good. Although the whole Gurren Lagann-style Giga-Drill bit was not something I'd expected the animators to turn too.

Spoiler for Novel Comparison:

...But alas animating Kirito hacking and slashing his way too the top would have probably been too expensive or they're running out of budget money.

At the same time they really didn't explain how the number of weakish zerg mobz increased in proportion to how far you've gotten to the top to highlight how Sugou is a sadistic scumbag even more. 12 per second was the rate of spawning IIRC?

Also poor Recon lawl, even though he's just a character foil it would be nice if he was developed more.

[NoemiChan]

Many clearly judging Recon by his character in the game...

Personally, Recon IRL is quite a likable character... I think he even has better looks than Kirito... I think he is a better person IRL, Suguha maybe assessing him as a whole through his clumsiness in the game which is unfair....

There was a saying... Some players are actually the opposite of what they are in game and real life...

[Dauerlutscher]

Meh episode.
Only 2 episodes left to save Asuna, to kick that jerks ass and to expose his evil plan to the world.

[NoemiChan]

Originally Posted by Dauerlutscher

Meh episode.
Only 2 episodes left to save Asuna, to kick that jerks ass and to expose his evil plan to the world.

...yeah.. and to release the two years load of........*

[Reckoner]

Retcon's character serves little purpose other than being a plot device in this story. I hate side characters that are not actually developed as their own points of interest in a good way. Make use of the faces you introduce in a story and you will have a better story IMO.

Anyways as for the episode itself. The directing/visual side of the fight is just disappointing. The last move by Kirito just seems like some sort of deus ex machina move he pulled out of nowhere to plow through everything (Yes aware of the LN difference, but just talking about the anime). It cheapens the effect honestly.

Still on the resolution of Suguha's storyline, all is well and good. It's not like her character to crawl up into a ball of self pity and do nothing so I'm glad the story doesn't go there.

Decent episode in any case.

[AyuAyu]

Originally Posted by Netto Azure

He is.

No, "She", please. ^^

yeah, I'm just kind of exaggarating, because i can't stand Sugu and don't like the whole developement around her.
Couldn't Kirito just say "I love Asuna. sorry." ? then everything would be clearer.

[Dauerlutscher]

Originally Posted by GenjiChan

...yeah.. and to release the two years load of........*

I'm afraid that ~40 minutes won't be enough time to make up fo it...

Originally Posted by AyuAyu

No, "She", please. ^^

yeah, I'm just kind of exaggarating, because i can't stand Sugu and don't like the whole developement around her.
Couldn't Kirito just say "I love Asuna. sorry." ? then everything would be clearer.

His feelings are clear as a day.

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by GenjiChan

Many clearly judging Recon by his character in the game...

Personally, Recon IRL is quite a likable character... I think he even has better looks than Kirito... I think he is a better person IRL, Suguha maybe assessing him as a whole through his clumsiness in the game which is unfair....

There was a saying... Some players are actually the opposite of what they are in game and real life...

I don't know a thing about looks, but when it comes to behavior... Game Recon is cute-ish. RL Recon is just creepy.

[Awrya]

Originally Posted by AyuAyu

No, "She", please. ^^

yeah, I'm just kind of exaggarating, because i can't stand Sugu and don't like the whole developement around her.
Couldn't Kirito just say "I love Asuna. sorry." ? then everything would be clearer.

Kawahara obviously wants to keep it open, for KiritoXSuguha shippers.
Not that it'd change the KiritoXAsuna ending, stressing their relationship from SAO to ALO arc...

[miroku2192]

Enjoyed the episode, breaking through to the top was okay, though the shock of it being an unbeatable quest wasn't really a "shock".

What does worry me now is:

1) Admins should know someone has been teleported.
2) Wouldn't the game creators not have 'created' enemies after this point since it was locked? Is it just a straight dash upwards now?
3) If admins know someone has teleported in --> They would know that such a person somehow got access to admin powers. Wouldn't he get in trouble for this? Especially once they look at his stats and realize he has blown up stats as well?

Permanent insta-ban just as he's about to hug Asuna? *cries*

Red Screen - You Have Been Permanently Banned From ALO

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by miroku2192

What does worry me now is:

1) Admins should know someone has been teleported.
2) Wouldn't the game creators not have 'created' enemies after this point since it was locked? Is it just a straight dash upwards now?
3) If admins know someone has teleported in --> They would know that such a person somehow got access to admin powers. Wouldn't he get in trouble for this? Especially once they look at his stats and realize he has blown up stats as well?

Permanent insta-ban just as he's about to hug Asuna? *cries*

Red Screen - You Have Been Permanently Banned From ALO

Yeah, I still don't think he has really thought this through. He's going into an area that only Admins can enter. Doesn't he think this may cause a problem? And if he's facing Admins, what does he think he can do to stop them? His drive to see Asuna is understandable, but it doesn't really "fix" anything on its own. But I suppose he figures that just seeing her again is enough -- in fact, I think he actually said that in a previous episode: "I need to see her".

I'm not blaming him exactly... but I think we shouldn't really mistake this "victory" for something resembling a battle strategy going forward. "Mission Accomplished. Now what?"

(I suppose that the main thing is just to combine what Asuna knows and what Kirito/Kazuto knows about what's going on, because between them they have a good understanding of what Sugou is really up to. I guess if they had some way to deliver a believable message to Asuna's father, that'd be one option, but I doubt he'd believe even Kazuto given the nature of what he'd be saying. They'd need irrefutable proof.)

[NoemiChan]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

I don't know a thing about looks, but when it comes to behavior... Game Recon is cute-ish. RL Recon is just creepy.

I think its the glasses that makes him creepy... Yeah, this season a lot of the villains wore glasses... I understand what you felt there....


Any way..

The Kirito and Suguha hug is a tear giver. At least he should have given her a kiss on the cheek or forehead. Onii-chan ecchi..

The following scene was... uhmm.. the usual.....

[Green²]

Originally Posted by relentlessflame

Yeah, I still don't think he has really thought this through. He's going into an area that only Admins can enter. Doesn't he think this may cause a problem? And if he's facing Admins, what does he think he can do to stop them? His drive to see Asuna is understandable, but it doesn't really "fix" anything on its own. But I suppose he figures that just seeing her again is enough -- in fact, I think he actually said that in a previous episode: "I need to see her".

I'm not blaming him exactly... but I think we shouldn't really mistake this "victory" for something resembling a battle strategy going forward. "Mission Accomplished. Now what?"

(I suppose that the main thing is just to combine what Asuna knows and what Kirito/Kazuto knows about what's going on, because between them they have a good understanding of what Sugou is really up to. I guess if they had some way to deliver a believable message to Asuna's father, that'd be one option, but I doubt he'd believe even Kazuto given the nature of what he'd be saying. They'd need irrefutable proof.)

Some good questions, but I think most of what Kirito will need to do has already been given to him. But like noted, he just needs to not get caught, since there's no turning back now.

[Znail]

Originally Posted by GenjiChan

Many clearly judging Recon by his character in the game...

Personally, Recon IRL is quite a likable character... I think he even has better looks than Kirito... I think he is a better person IRL, Suguha maybe assessing him as a whole through his clumsiness in the game which is unfair....

There was a saying... Some players are actually the opposite of what they are in game and real life...

Recon's flaws are pretty much the same in game and IRL. He is socially inept and doesn't understand girls at all. He pretty much totally missunderstands his own position with Suguha. He likes her, wants her and is trying to break the friendzone. But friendzoned is actually a bit charitable as Suguha seems to see him more like an acquaintance at best and possible even only as a fellow school mate that did her a favor once.

Thus we have Recon trying to kiss Leefa, using Suguha's first name etc in his attempts to bed her. While she is keeping this wierd creep at arms lenght as she hardly knows him. His false assumptions makes him fail to even get into the friendzone.

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by GenjiChan

I think its the glasses that makes him creepy... Yeah, this season a lot of the villains wore glasses... I understand what you felt there....

No, it's the over-familiarity and possessiveness. It's tolerable in game, but not so much IRL.

(Heck, I wear glasses. I'm not prejudiced against them.)

[taichi-kun]

Originally Posted by Znail

Recon's flaws are pretty much the same in game and IRL. He is socially inept and doesn't understand girls at all. He pretty much totally missunderstands his own position with Suguha. He likes her, wants her and is trying to break the friendzone. But friendzoned is actually a bit charitable as Suguha seems to see him more like an acquaintance at best and possible even only as a fellow school mate that did her a favor once.
Thus we have Recon trying to kiss Leefa, using Suguha's first name etc in his attempts to bed her. While she is keeping this wierd creep at arms lenght as she hardly knows him. His false assumptions makes him fail to even get into the friendzone.

This

What's more Lyfa was very sad and the guy just didn't care about her problems and continued with his stupid confession What a selfish dude

[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by Znail

Recon's flaws are pretty much the same in game and IRL. He is socially inept and doesn't understand girls at all. He pretty much totally missunderstands his own position with Suguha. He likes her, wants her and is trying to break the friendzone. But friendzoned is actually a bit charitable as Suguha seems to see him more like an acquaintance at best and possible even only as a fellow school mate that did her a favor once.

Thus we have Recon trying to kiss Leefa, using Suguha's first name etc in his attempts to bed her. While she is keeping this wierd creep at arms lenght as she hardly knows him. His false assumptions makes him fail to even get into the friendzone.

I basically agree with you, but I thought it was interesting in this episode how Suguha found something to admire even in his clumsy boldness. In a sense, they're both people with unrequited loves/crushes that won't work out, so perhaps they can actually become friends after all this. I do agree that until now she's basically been charitable to not just call him out for his "clinginess"... but I suppose he's not a bad guy even if he has a lot of growing up to do. Suguha probably realizes now that she also has a bit of maturing to do now too, so even though they're different... they're not so different.

Originally Posted by taichi-kun

What's more Lyfa was very sad and the guy just didn't care about her problems and continued with his stupid confession What a selfish dude

Well, you know... when Kirito failed to clear the tower last episode and was in a panic to rescue Asuna, Leefa also was basically on the verge of confessing to Kirito because she was worried about him and wanted him to look her way. And then, back in the real world, she did confess to him, even though she knows full well that he had his problems and was already in love with Asuna. Recon's confession here was because he saw that Suguha was hurting and he wanted her to depend on him. Leefa's confession was because she saw that Kirito was hurting and she wanted him to depend on her. So... I agree that the situations were different... but again, I think they're not so different. The main thing is that Recon is that much more clumsy/awkward and easy to figure out.

[Dr. Casey]

Originally Posted by GenjiChan

I think its the glasses that makes him creepy...

I don't think glasses make someone creepy at all, but seriously Recon... it's 2025 bro. Get lasic surgery or something, I don't think it should be all too expensive at that point. >_> It was a great investment for me even in 2007...

And this episode hints that Suguha and Recon are more or less just acquaintances? Huh... I thought they were fairly close friends.

[NoemiChan]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

(Heck, I wear glasses. I'm not prejudiced against them.)

So you're smart? I my place... Guys who were them are thought to be very smart....

Originally Posted by Znail

He is socially inept and doesn't understand girls at all.

Hehehe.... The only kind of kind of guy that understand girls are either a psychiatrist or a playboy....

Originally Posted by Dr. Casey

And this episode hints that Suguha and Recon are more or less just acquaintances? Huh... I thought they were fairly close friends.

They're still young though... After Kirito, I think Recon would be Suguha's next choice... When a door closes... another door opens... and that's Recons....

[Dr. Casey]

Poor Recon... Suguha will just use him as a rebound for Kirito, she'll hit it and quit it.