AnimeSuki Forums

Urzu 7 · 2012-08-19, 21:44

I have interest in this series, but don't know what it is about. Can someone tell me what it is about and what I can expect from it? Is it a good series? Should I check it out? I like most any type of anime. The only genre I've seen that I don't like is the horror genre.

***relentlessflame*** · 2012-08-19, 22:04

In short (and without spoiling anything), it's about the lives of people playing a virtual reality MMORPG with some very "high stakes" rules (outlined in the first episode). We follow the journey of one particular player, Kirito, and the various people he meets along the way. If you've played any MMORPGs, a lot of the elements will seem familiar to you. It has elements of science fiction, fantasy, action, drama, and hints of romance.

Whether it's good or not... well, I like it anyway, and it seems to have a fair bit of popularity. But the only way to find out is to try it for yourself. It streams on Crunchyroll.

Urzu 7 · 2012-08-19, 22:07

So it takes a page from .Hack/, but would you say it is better? Is the real world modern day Japan? Sometime in the future and in Japan? Sometime in the future and part of some nation we don't know/a made up nation?

***relentlessflame*** · 2012-08-19, 22:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urzu 7

So it takes a page from .Hack/, but would you say it is better? Is the real world modern day Japan? Sometime in the future and in Japan? Sometime in the future and part of some nation we don't know/a made up nation?

It's a VR game, so it's set ostensibly in future-day Japan. But the setting of the anime is entirely in the game itself.

Haven't actually had a chance to watch .Hack// yet, so someone else will have to do that comparison, I suppose.

Adigard · 2012-08-19, 22:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urzu 7

So it takes a page from .Hack/, but would you say it is better? Is the real world modern day Japan? Sometime in the future and in Japan? Sometime in the future and part of some nation we don't know/a made up nation?

Technically SAO and .Hack came out around the same time although SAO may be older, so whether either took a page from the other would be hard to pin down.

It certainly seems like the real world future Japan, although it's set in the confines of the SAO MMO, so we know next to nothing about their version of Japan. But it certainly seems like a slightly futuristic version.

SAO 'feels' like the author spent more time playing MMOs, where-as I never really got that feeling from the original .Hack anime. .Hack felt more single-player JRPG with multiple people, if that makes sense?

Urzu 7 · 2012-08-19, 22:30

I wanna check this series out, but will I not appreciate it as much if I've never played on MMORPG before? I should I enjoy it just fine?

***relentlessflame*** · 2012-08-19, 22:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urzu 7

I wanna check this series out, but will I not appreciate it as much if I've never played on MMORPG before? I should I enjoy it just fine?

...Just give it a try. I don't think any of us can give you a firm answer if you'll enjoy it or not, because everyone's tastes are their own. While I think some MMORPG experience helps a bit, I don't think it's necessary; the mechanisms of the game are explained. If the premise seems interesting to you, then give it three episodes and see what you think. By then you should have a pretty good sense.

Urzu 7 · 2012-08-19, 22:59

I'll check it out. Right now I'm asking about different series. I haven't watched much anime in the past couple or few years and then lately I've gotten more into it and I'm ready to dive into more series, so I'm looking into different series to check out. Ones that are new.

n120cky · 2012-08-20, 04:18

Well now Urzu 7 mention it, I'd like to know how non MMORPG player point of view for this series, I mean can they just enjoy this series as a fantasy adventure, or the MMORPG aspect will give another +point in it.

I believe this show will as good as is even without MMORPG aspect, if any all the series mechanism can be adapted as special technology well pretty much like Kyoukaisen-jou no Horizon.

Adigard · 2012-08-20, 06:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urzu 7

I'll check it out. Right now I'm asking about different series. I haven't watched much anime in the past couple or few years and then lately I've gotten more into it and I'm ready to dive into more series, so I'm looking into different series to check out. Ones that are new.

Ultimately, like any other anime what someone likes someone else shall hate. Always best to give any show a 1ep stress test and see if you survive to the end. If you do, expand to 3 eps and make a decision. Worst case scenario you've sunk what... an hour into a show... but at least you'll be able to make a proper informed decision.

If you're looking to watch that one single great show that aired in the last few years, well, that's a totally different question.

Lots of people like the SAO anime, others aren't so happy with it, but since it hasn't finished it's 25'ish ep run, you won't get many informed decisions about just how great of a show it is.

jpwong · 2012-08-20, 08:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urzu 7

I wanna check this series out, but will I not appreciate it as much if I've never played on MMORPG before? I should I enjoy it just fine?

I feel even if you haven't ever played an MMO you can still appreciate the show. That being said, the discussion topics for the episodes are littered with MMO terms that aren't actually used in the show, but describe the specifics of what's happening, so you may get lost there without wiki help, but that's beyond the anime itself in the first place.

Znail · 2012-08-20, 10:04

While I think anyone can enjoy the series, no matter if you have played MMO's or not, so can't the setting be ignored and just viewed as any fantasy series. The main reason is that a general theme of the story is about how different people deals with the setting. Thus the setting have an impact almost every episode.

LKK · 2012-08-20, 11:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by n120cky

Well now Urzu 7 mention it, I'd like to know how non MMORPG player point of view for this series, I mean can they just enjoy this series as a fantasy adventure, or the MMORPG aspect will give another +point in it.

I haven't played any MMORPGs and I'm thoroughly enjoying the series. I look forward to each new episode with great anticipation. I haven't had any troubles understanding what happens in the show. Not knowing anything about MMORPGs only gives me problems when reading the discussion threads. Much of the time, I have no idea what everyone's talking about. Truth time: I don't even know what "MMORPG" means.

Ray · 2012-08-20, 11:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by LKK

Truth time: I don't even know what "MMORPG" means.

Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games, or something akin to that. SAO is a VRMMORPG, with the VR meaning "virtual reality".

Awrya · 2012-08-20, 13:15

As long as you have played games, where you will level up after gaining experience from defeating enemies, an MMORPG isn't that much different.

Just think of it as a game, where other players are playing at the same time, in the same game as you and are able to interact with each other.

Another meaning of MMORPG is

Spoiler for just for fun:

SPARTAN 119 · 2012-08-21, 18:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Awrya

As long as you have played games, where you will level up after gaining experience from defeating enemies, an MMORPG isn't that much different.

Just think of it as a game, where other players are playing at the same time, in the same game as you and are able to interact with each other.

Another meaning of MMORPG is

Spoiler for just for fun:

But Akihiko takes care of that problem in the first episode... Much to the dismay of said many men... and Silica...

NoemiChan · 2012-08-21, 18:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Awrya

A
Another meaning of MMORPG is

Spoiler for just for fun:

...sometimes.....*guilty

Awrya · 2012-08-23, 12:27

It has been posted in the Speculations&Theories (anime-only viewers) since yesterday

Jinx999 · 2012-08-25, 12:36

One semi-complaint I have is that the producers of the Anime have just been animating the short stories as they are, without attempting to form a coherent narrative. Which means that the story has been disjointed, there are several important incidents that will have to be done as flashbacks, when they could make an interesting storyline. They have laughing coffin come out of nowhere and disappear, when they could make an entire short arc about them.

***relentlessflame*** · 2012-08-25, 13:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jinx999

One semi-complaint I have is that the producers of the Anime have just been animating the short stories as they are, without attempting to form a coherent narrative. Which means that the story has been disjointed, there are several important incidents that will have to be done as flashbacks, when they could make an interesting storyline. They have laughing coffin come out of nowhere and disappear, when they could make an entire short arc about them.

I don't think they would have nearly the time to animate all the possible backstories for all the different elements shown and hinted at in the anime, and I highly doubt they will be covered in "flashbacks" either. In the end, these elements aren't actually important, even though I suppose they could have been interesting.

In the end, I think this is no different than a MMORPG itself -- all the players have their own personal stories that define their experience in the game, but here we are only being shown highlighted/selected experiences of Kirito's journey through the game.

If this show could have 100+ episodes, perhaps they'd have the time to flesh out all the different groups, everything that's going on in the world, all the different battles on the way to the top floor... but yeah, that's really not possible with only 25 episodes.

2012-08-19, 21:44	Link #921
Urzu 7 Juanita/Kiteless Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New England Age: 40	I have interest in this series, but don't know what it is about. Can someone tell me what it is about and what I can expect from it? Is it a good series? Should I check it out? I like most any type of anime. The only genre I've seen that I don't like is the horror genre. __________________

2012-08-19, 22:04	Link #922
*relentlessflame* 　 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2003 Age: 41	In short (and without spoiling anything), it's about the lives of people playing a virtual reality MMORPG with some very "high stakes" rules (outlined in the first episode). We follow the journey of one particular player, Kirito, and the various people he meets along the way. If you've played any MMORPGs, a lot of the elements will seem familiar to you. It has elements of science fiction, fantasy, action, drama, and hints of romance. Whether it's good or not... well, I like it anyway, and it seems to have a fair bit of popularity. But the only way to find out is to try it for yourself. It streams on Crunchyroll. __________________ [...]

2012-08-19, 22:07	Link #923
Urzu 7 Juanita/Kiteless Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New England Age: 40	So it takes a page from .Hack/, but would you say it is better? Is the real world modern day Japan? Sometime in the future and in Japan? Sometime in the future and part of some nation we don't know/a made up nation? __________________

2012-08-19, 22:30	Link #926
Urzu 7 Juanita/Kiteless Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New England Age: 40	I wanna check this series out, but will I not appreciate it as much if I've never played on MMORPG before? I should I enjoy it just fine? __________________

2012-08-19, 22:59	Link #928
Urzu 7 Juanita/Kiteless Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New England Age: 40	I'll check it out. Right now I'm asking about different series. I haven't watched much anime in the past couple or few years and then lately I've gotten more into it and I'm ready to dive into more series, so I'm looking into different series to check out. Ones that are new. __________________

2012-08-20, 04:18	Link #929
n120cky Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010	Well now Urzu 7 mention it, I'd like to know how non MMORPG player point of view for this series, I mean can they just enjoy this series as a fantasy adventure, or the MMORPG aspect will give another +point in it. I believe this show will as good as is even without MMORPG aspect, if any all the series mechanism can be adapted as special technology well pretty much like Kyoukaisen-jou no Horizon.

2012-08-20, 10:04	Link #932
Znail Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011	While I think anyone can enjoy the series, no matter if you have played MMO's or not, so can't the setting be ignored and just viewed as any fantasy series. The main reason is that a general theme of the story is about how different people deals with the setting. Thus the setting have an impact almost every episode.

2012-08-20, 13:15	Link #935
Awrya U mad? Join Date: Apr 2012	As long as you have played games, where you will level up after gaining experience from defeating enemies, an MMORPG isn't that much different. Just think of it as a game, where other players are playing at the same time, in the same game as you and are able to interact with each other. Another meaning of MMORPG is Spoiler for just for fun: Many Men Online RolePlaying as Girls __________________

2012-08-23, 12:27	Link #938
Awrya U mad? Join Date: Apr 2012	It has been posted in the Speculations&Theories (anime-only viewers) since yesterday __________________

2012-08-25, 12:36	Link #939
Jinx999 Member Join Date: Jun 2004	One semi-complaint I have is that the producers of the Anime have just been animating the short stories as they are, without attempting to form a coherent narrative. Which means that the story has been disjointed, there are several important incidents that will have to be done as flashbacks, when they could make an interesting storyline. They have laughing coffin come out of nowhere and disappear, when they could make an entire short arc about them.