(L) Sword Art Online - Light Novel Discussion

[dotdotslash]

It is a little annoying to me that pretty much the only side characters who get fleshed out are girls with a crush on Kirito/Kazuto. For example, both Klien and Agil would seem to have interesting potential as foils as well. There is no real reason why Silica had to be a girl, sure the tentacal plant scene wouldn't really work, but the main story would still be fine.

Seems to be that romance in fiction often is generated by unrealistic or slightly toxic situations. Just because a romance starts in a toxic situation doesn't mean it is doomed to become toxic itself, but it sure does add some possibilities for various conflicts, although in the case of SAO the author seems more interested in pitting Kirito against various other VRs from what I've seen so far. I wouldn't want it to degenerate into a story with nothing but teen angst/romance, on the other hand the pair of Kirito and Asuna working together did for me make the end of the Aincard story interesting.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by Farodin

In the end it was more the virtual reality aspect which has drawn me to this series rather than the romance stuff.

Well, the main theme of SAO, which I think you could sum up as "the virtual/fantasy world can be as real as the real world," has a lot of potential if tackled properly. Unfortunately, in SAO this usually degrades into an idealization of escapism. It's a shame, and I hope some day a writer who is less concerned with self-indulgent bullshit will explore these themes properly.

Mind you, Kawahara does what he does because he knows his audience. It's just unfortunate that the other side of the coin is a huge waste of potential.

[Rageth]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

Mind you, Kawahara does what he does because he knows his audience and knows what sells.

And yet, the majority of SAO was written as a pet project on Kawahara's website for free, where he made not a dime off it (except for 1 or 2 Material Editions)

The Light Novel didn't even have any major changes in it, except for some scenes in the first book being rewritten, the interactions between all the girls in the second book being toned down, and one extra scene at the start of the 4th book (that didn't even make it into the anime)
The GGO arc is the first time he really did anything significant to the story, and he's refrained from doing too much in Alicization too, it seems.

[Netto Azure]

I typically just tune out the harem aspects since this is one where the relationship was straightforward since book one.

The other girls were just tacked on as the WN became popular.

Anyways if we're going to talk about how SAO doesn't tackle the issue of Virtual = Reality in a more realistic I'd argue that things got better in GGO and Mother's Rosario.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by Rageth

And yet, the majority of SAO was written as a pet project on Kawahara's website for free, where he made not a dime off it

Even as a web story, he knew for what kind of audience he was writing for, and he himself is part of that demographic as well anyway.

[Rageth]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

Even as a web story, he knew for what kind of audience he was writing for, and he himself is part of that demographic as well anyway.

Basically he just writes things he likes, and that happens to fall in line with what the majority of people want.

[bdim310]

Originally Posted by Rageth

Basically he just writes things he likes, and that happens to fall in line with what the majority of people want.

Well, he is a gamer. So he writes for gamers xD

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by bdim310

Well, he is a gamer. So he writes for gamers xD

If I remember correctly, he likes games but he's not really good at it, so I wouldn't exactly call him a gamer. He writes for those who suck but want to feel they're the greatest, and this goes beyond just games. Overall, it's a wish-fulfillment fantasy, one with a pro-escapism message at its core to boot. No wonder it's so popular.

[l.kostas]

A first announcement of Progressive volume 3, to be released in the end of 2014:
http://ranobe-mori.net/label/dengeki-bunko/
2014年末 ソードアート・オンライン プログレッシブ３
【情報元：15巻－巻末】｛情報提供：ROM さん｝

[bdim310]

Originally Posted by l.kostas

A first announcement of Progressive volume 3, to be released in the end of 2014:
http://ranobe-mori.net/label/dengeki-bunko/
2014年末 ソードアート・オンライン プログレッシブ３
【情報元：15巻－巻末】｛情報提供：ROM さん｝

So I am guessing volume 16 will be released sometime in April or so?

[Rageth]

Originally Posted by bdim310

So I am guessing volume 16 will be released sometime in April or so?

Likely, yes.

Look like the schedule will go something like this:

February -> AW
April -> SAO
June -> Absolue Isolator
August -> SAO
October -> AW
December -> SAO Progressive

Last year was something like this, but with Accel World, in place of Isolator.

[bdim310]

Originally Posted by Rageth

Likely, yes.

Look like the schedule will go something like this:

February -> AW
April -> SAO
June -> Absolue Isolator
August -> SAO
October -> AW
December -> SAO Progressive

Last year was something like this, but with Accel World, in place of Isolator.

So if that's the case, if they are going at the same pace as the WN with no major changes that would be the length of an entire novel (which is not out of the question), Alicization will be over in about 2 years.

Spoiler for Ending:

Hoping he changes the ending though! Too much harem, and I didn't really get a sense of closure. So, I am hoping it is either changed or one final arc will follow that is not nearly as long as alicization (even though I am liking it so far, and it is going to get AWESOME in about 2 volumes)

[omimon]

Originally Posted by bdim310

So if that's the case, if they are going at the same pace as the WN with no major changes that would be the length of an entire novel (which is not out of the question), Alicization will be over in about 2 years.

Spoiler for Ending:

Hoping he changes the ending though! Too much harem, and I didn't really get a sense of closure. So, I am hoping it is either changed or one final arc will follow that is not nearly as long as alicization (even though I am liking it so far, and it is going to get AWESOME in about 2 volumes)

Didn't the prologue at the end of the WN say something about a space MMO?

[bdim310]

Originally Posted by omimon

Didn't the prologue at the end of the WN say something about a space MMO?

Spoiler for ending prologue:

Yes, but the story never continued from there. The ending was kind of a cliffhanger in a sense. He may or may not continue with it (I would like to see a space based MMO, maybe like EVE Online, Starcraft, or Mass Effect? ) However, considering the popularity this series has gotten, the chances that it will continue in some way is pretty high imo

[omimon]

Originally Posted by bdim310

Spoiler for ending prologue:

Yes, but the story never continued from there. The ending was kind of a cliffhanger in a sense. He may or may not continue with it (I would like to see a space based MMO, maybe like EVE Online, Starcraft, or Mass Effect? ) However, considering the popularity this series has gotten, the chances that it will continue in some way is pretty high imo

Duel wield lightsabers Kiriko go!!

[c933103]

Originally Posted by dotdotslash

It is a little annoying to me that pretty much the only side characters who get fleshed out are girls with a crush on Kirito/Kazuto. For example, both Klien and Agil would seem to have interesting potential as foils as well. There is no real reason why Silica had to be a girl, sure the tentacal plant scene wouldn't really work, but the main story would still be fine.

Seems to be that romance in fiction often is generated by unrealistic or slightly toxic situations. Just because a romance starts in a toxic situation doesn't mean it is doomed to become toxic itself, but it sure does add some possibilities for various conflicts, although in the case of SAO the author seems more interested in pitting Kirito against various other VRs from what I've seen so far. I wouldn't want it to degenerate into a story with nothing but teen angst/romance, on the other hand the pair of Kirito and Asuna working together did for me make the end of the Aincard story interesting.

If Silica is not a girl in web version, then it would be hard for her to develop a romantic feeling to Kirito in web version. Well, Kawahara does have added more girl into the series intentionally, like in a certain Alicization volume, he turned sex of two children integrity knight from M to F.

Originally Posted by Rageth

Basically he just writes things he likes, and that happens to fall in line with what the majority of people want.

Note that all four story in volume 2 are adapted from web side stories so they are pretty much side characters. (btw, there are also side story for male characters, like the EX3.2 story

Originally Posted by bdim310

Spoiler for ending prologue:

Yes, but the story never continued from there. The ending was kind of a cliffhanger in a sense. He may or may not continue with it (I would like to see a space based MMO, maybe like EVE Online, Starcraft, or Mass Effect? ) However, considering the popularity this series has gotten, the chances that it will continue in some way is pretty high imo

I'd say it is a certain kind of open end...afterall, the whole reason why he started the accel world series is because he lack of inspiration&idea for SAO starting from midway of the UW dark territory war arc..

[bdim310]

So basically he ran out of ideas, and that is why he ended it that way? Basically, he was saying that he may continue if he gets more ideas for the story of SAO? Hope he does!

[c933103]

Originally Posted by bdim310

So basically he ran out of ideas, and that is why he ended it that way? Basically, he was saying that he may continue if he gets more ideas for the story of SAO? Hope he does!

Spoiler for :

but the end also say something like it is time to face challenges in reality as a student and study hard to get into university and such.....

[omimon]

Originally Posted by c933103

Spoiler for :

but the end also say something like it is time to face challenges in reality as a student and study hard to get into university and such.....

Isn't Kirito like super smart and is planning to go to the states to learn VR?

[Rageth]

Originally Posted by omimon

Isn't Kirito like super smart and is planning to go to the states to learn VR?

Kirito's "above average" smart. Not particularly special though. Nothing that he's done has portrayed him as such anyways. He's studying VR and programing, but that doesn't make him "super smart".