Sword Art Online - Episode 3 Discussion / Poll

[lansglenn]

Wow, so many brutal reviews Q_Q

[Hmm....]

Originally Posted by Utsuro no Hako

Spoiler for Structure of the story to this point:

Well, the last couple episodes have been side stories. They're meaty side stories that could easily be two or three parters, but they're still side stories and the writers probably don't want to spend half a cour on them.

My opinion is that, if you don't want to spend time on it, just skip it altogether. Volumn 1 novel structure was fine as it is. Doing SAO in chronical order is also questionable in the first place, with all these time skip we will face.

[Miraluka]

@Lantern: Japan loves making any form of Lances to suffer, eh?

Originally Posted by tsunade666

Fate/zero did cut something but it didn't felt this rushed even an anime viewer Klashikari felt that its rushed.

Spoiler for Comparison to what was cut in Fate/Zero:

Saber vs Berserker and their past and reason to fight of the latter . By several passages of the anime the character I care the least was Saber, I found very funny how much she got her pride slapped each time by others POV . Pretty much a laughable character.

Originally Posted by tsunade666

but for me this small or side story is what make the main story great because it should flesh out and introduce the characters so you can sympathize or understand them.

Several times I don't care since the one who will get over it are the main characters. Also some of theses SS contradicts the Vol.1 in various passages that can confuse one.

Originally Posted by Klashikari

Really, the whole "but they are just side stories!" doesn't cut it at all. Sure, if the light novel could manage to throw people to high floors right after the whole incident period, that's fine for the format. But not using these side stories would be a quite weird decision from an anime perspective, which has no luxury in info dump considering the 20 min limit, so using the side stories as a way to give information and cohesion in the background of the story is obviously logical.

But that is exactly not a reason to rush with such pace, side stories or not.

Thats why I didn't care about them that much. Some times I feel them like novel fillers.

[kyp275]

Originally Posted by tsunade666

well they can add narration or info right? like what they did with episode 1 ending. That by December 2000+ already died and first floor isn't cleared yet.

They don't even say time skip or I don't even see a hint that they did a time skip. The first I saw is the cups of wine and Kirito sitting in the side table there are plenty of ways to make the transition of things not that bad.

Actually they listed the dates during several scenes throughout the episode...

[tsunade666]

the date at the beginning is 2023 - 4 -8

Its been shown below from the first scene in a structure that looks like a tavern. Then the Kampai and the face of Kirito.

I also felt the same thing based on Kirito's expression.

But aside that scene. The other scene that should be emotional and should have meaning just felt rushed.

[bludvein]

Well I can't understand Japanese, so ill have to wait for subs to make a final assessment, but using what I know of the LN to "fill in" the dialogue this chapter doesn't seem that rushed to me. If anything, they expanded it a little bit in some parts.

[Netto Azure]

Originally Posted by lansglenn

Wow, so many brutal reviews Q_Q

We came, we saw, we conquered.

That's how fandoms think IIRC.

Still it's mostly based on the expressions of the characters...you could just simply bring up the LN translations and pause scene by scene and read to feel the underlying internal monologue. xD

[kyp275]

Originally Posted by Netto Azure

We came, we saw, we conquered.

That's how fandoms think IIRC.

I'd say it's more like We came, We saw, WeOMGWTFBBQIT'SNOTLIKEINTHENOVELS!

[konart]

Finally managed to watch the episode. And I can't really understand those complaining. Yeah, they could've give us more development and story, but I woudn't call it being a rush. It was a transitional story between the prologue and the main story and it felt like one.

oh, and btw, I want Kirito and Asuna amw with "Show me the light" song in it now. Just for a balance.

[Awrya]

Subs aren't even out yet we have 3 pages already?

From what I read this episode cut out a lot of stuff from the side story, and to top it off it was poorly adapted and/or rushed? As someone said, maybe there was just too much hype about SAO, if it continues like that maybe it'll turn into the biggest flop of this summer. But then we have another 20+ episodes, it may get better.

*waiting for subs*

[Utsuro no Hako]

Originally Posted by lansglenn

Wow, so many brutal reviews Q_Q

Most of the comments right now are LN readers, and we aren't the best judges of how impactful it is. The real test will be when the anime-only viewers show up -- if they aren't in tears, the episode failed to capture the source material.

Originally Posted by bludvein

Well I can't understand Japanese, so ill have to wait for subs to make a final assessment, but using what I know of the LN to "fill in" the dialogue this chapter doesn't seem that rushed to me. If anything, they expanded it a little bit in some parts.

Apart from a couple scenes from the beginning of the story, I don't think anything was left out, but what was included would've benefited from a little room to breathe.

Well, there was one change from the story that really disappointed me:

Spoiler for Comparison of the endings:

In the story, Sachi actually sang Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer instead of merely humming it. I think it would've packed a lot more punch that way, and I was hoping they'd even use it as an alternate ED.

[zeniselv]

Originally Posted by kyp275

I'd say it's more like We came, We saw, WeOMGWTFBBQIT'SNOTLIKEINTHENOVELS!

its certainly seems this way.

PS: LOL, whats that BBQ?

[kyp275]

Originally Posted by zeniselv

its certainly seems this way.

PS: LOL, whats that BBQ?

http://www.urbandictionary.com/defin...term=omgwtfbbq

a rather commonly used term in EVE Online :P

[Miraluka]

Originally Posted by Netto Azure

We came, we saw, we conquered.

That's how fandoms think IIRC.

Still it's mostly based on the expressions of the characters...you could just simply bring up the LN translations and pause scene by scene and read to feel the underlying internal monologue. xD

LOL, so true .

[Ray]

Spoilers

Spoiler for Episode 3

Sorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload?

Originally Posted by kyp275

btw, what do you guys think of Sachi's VA? for some reason she didn't sound quite right to me :/

I'll admit that I usually don't pay much attention to VAs, unless they're mediocre or outright terrible. Nonetheless, I thought her VA was good.

Originally Posted by kyp275

I'd say it's more like We came, We saw, WeOMGWTFBBQIT'SNOTLIKEINTHENOVELS!

Exactly.

Originally Posted by Awrya

From what I read this episode cut out a lot of stuff from the side story, and to top it off it was poorly adapted and/or rushed?

It did, but that was expected. Anyone who's expecting material not to get cut is simply fooling themselves, and will be disappointed.

In my eyes, no, it wasn't. But that change from person to person.

[Deltaray]

It did it fairly well, didn't expect much more, felt kinda natural for me, they didn't really skip that much, only 3 scenes from Side story if I remember right, and they even added one new (Argo, and speaking of her, Argos News was pretty brilliant tbh.)

But yeah, around 9 material in my books.

[Dann of Thursday]

Originally Posted by Utsuro no Hako

The real test will be when the anime-only viewers show up -- if they aren't in tears, the episode failed to capture the source material.

Well, to be fair, I wasn't in tears after reading the story. Wasn't that much affected at all really aside from feeling bad for Kirito and whatnot.

Spoiler for Spoiler:

I mean, it was pretty clear from the start it wasn't going to work given what we knew happened after as well as the fact that after six months she had likely already been buried.

So, I didn't figure this would make me cry at all. Can't really recall a book that managed to do that. Maybe I've read too much and I just sort of expect this sort of thing now. Or I'm an unfeeling monster

[Ray]

Originally Posted by Dann of Thursday

So, I didn't figure this would make me cry at all. Can't really recall a book that managed to do that. Maybe I've read too much and I just sort of expect this sort of thing now. Or I'm an unfeeling monster

I suppose it depends on your definition of 'in tears'; for me, it's crying or tearing up. I almost never cry, but I do tear up from time to time.

[Liquidzero]

Originally Posted by tsunade666

I remember in the end of episode 02. He should still be on floor 2 but what floor are they now? and he is already level 40!!! when they say they are level 20 and he also said he is 20 (or so I think, I think he said ni ju? which is 20 right?)

Spoiler for comparison to the novels:

hah you think that's jarring, the time skip from the events of the first episode to the actual start of the story in the LN is even greater.

[trinitem]

I defended the last two episodes, but this one was a little bit less so for me. Rushed for sure.

Kanpai out of nowhere for the start was definitely WTFBBQ.

Kirito really doesn't seem to show much attachment to any of the guild members. He shows slightly more for Sachi, but not that much more.

Originally Posted by kyp275

btw, what do you guys think of Sachi's VA? for some reason she didn't sound quite right to me :/

She read as a much more meek head voice in my imagination. Not that the VA didn't sound that way, but something felt off for sure.

Speaking of unfitting VA's though, the information dealer was a much worse offender for this episode. I was hoping for a sly rat voice rather than a squeaky rat voice.

My favorite part of the episode was by far watching the first guy get tenderized by the picks. Lots of twitching lol....