SAO Newbie’s Impressions Put Characterization Up Front

Who doesn’t remember the days of World of Warcraft — OK, actually they’re still here, but who really plays that anymore? — Or Habbo Hotel? I certainly remember getting on AIM instant messenger and telling my friends to meet me in the main hall of said games and exploring for hours on end. And when it was time to log off I always wondered, “Wouldn’t it be great if we could stay in this virtual reality all the time?”

Well, it’s not exactly what you wanted but it’s the next best thing. Sword Art Online (or SAO) is an anime that has truly gotten into the mind of today’s gamer. But what starts off as what you may think is an awesome game quickly turns into a virtual nightmare that will leave you in a cascade of “the feels” and then some.

The story takes place in the year 2022 and a new virtual reality game called Sword Art Online has been released by Kayaba Akihiko. Akihiko is not only the game master but he is also the inventor of the “nerve gear” the players use to log into the game. In some sick twist Akihiko locks all of the players into the game detailing that there is no “log off” option and if their nerve gear is removed from someone on the outside or if the player loses all of their HP in SAO … they’ll die in real life. Like, honestly, who thinks of that?! Why would you want to kill gamers? I’m quite sure our antagonist could use his obvious knowledge to, I don’t know, kill a terrorist or something? But nonetheless, it makes for a really interesting plot.

One thing I’ve admired in the series thus far is the room the creator, Reki Kawahara, has left for character development. The protagonist, Kirito, has proven to have determination and fearlessness but there’s something else there for the kid, some more growth that I’m hoping will definitely come to light in the following episodes. As for the other characters like Asuna and Klein, I’m hoping that Kawahara doesn’t make me fall in love with them just to rip them from my soul when they could possibly die.

With stunning animation and graphics, cheesy gamer talk and pretty B.A.M.F characters, Sword Art Online looks like it’s going to be a fun and emotional roller coaster of an anime that I would definitely recommend. And to top it off, Season 2 is already being aired!