Sword Art Online

[Xerlic]

The LNs are definitely better than the show, although they're doing a really good job with this arc. But imo, the writing for the SAO arc isn't that good. Especially since a majority of the story is short stories added in volumes 2 and 8. (Although some of those short stories are worth reading, since the anime skipped some of them.)

Yeah, the writing wasn't exactly great, but I enjoyed reading it. It fleshed out things a lot more than the anime did. I also read some of the short stories and really enjoyed the one about how Asuna and Kirito first met. It went into a lot more detail than the anime did (episode 2 I think).

Does anyone know if this season is going to be all GGO or are they going to go into the next game like they did in S1?

[Mina]

I just started Season 1 of this today.
Already on episode 4.

The Vita game is coming out tomorrow and I figured since I was going to buy it I should definitely take a look at the anime first.

Really good so far.

[Deadgye]

Does anyone know if this season is going to be all GGO or are they going to go into the next game like they did in S1?

The GGO arc is only going to take up the first cour, or maybe a couple extra episodes. Mother's Rosario will be after that. It feels like they have more episodes than they need though, so we might get some SAO side stories animated-- or we'll get the start into Alicization.

[Hatedregret]

Worth the set up episode. Nice action. Hype.

[Diomer]

Worth the set up episode. Nice action. Hype.

Totally agree; next episode should be intense.

[Seha]

It felt too short! :c I want next epi already!

[Xerlic]

Work it gurl.

Spoiler: show

SAO S1 spoilers

Spoiler: show

I wonder if there's a connection between Kuradeel and Death Gun outside of both of them being in Laughing Coffin. He's using paralysis which Kuradeel used on Kirito and that random other guy.

[Kang]

Just started watching this anime last week and caught up to episode 8 for season 2. Really well done. Can't wait for the rest of the season (and possibly a 3rd season since they have so much material from the light novels to use).

[Salodin]

I liked log horizon so I gave this a shot, by ep 7 I hate it. So much stereotypical anime whining and fan service. It's so dull compared to horizon.

The reason I write this is because I'm wondering if it gets better. So...does it?

[Seravi Edalborez]

Of season 1? If you don't like the next couple episodes then it's not gonna get any better for you. Peaks at ep 14, then the rest of S1 can be skipped entirely.

[Ayase Ayato]

Once season 2 finishes and you want moar. Start reading the light novels!

[Elcura]

I liked log horizon so I gave this a shot, by ep 7 I hate it. So much stereotypical anime whining and fan service. It's so dull compared to horizon.

The reason I write this is because I'm wondering if it gets better. So...does it?

If you like fanservice then watch the second half of the first season, but if you aren't liking stuff up to episode 14/15 I doubt you'll like the rest. I agree that Log Horizon is better, kinda hard to watch SAO after seeing it.

[Hatedregret]

No game no life > both though.

[Ayn]

Dunno if people caught this, but while there are a ton of abridged series out there, there's an amusing one of SAO (and a not so amusing one).

This one always gets me.

[Deadgye]

I never understood the hate for the second part of s1 (alo arc), at least not to the point of recommending people skip over it. The setting for the next arc is going to be ALO after all. Definitely had a handful of notable flaws though.

Also Log Horizon and SAO are completely different, no point even comparing them. Alicization could compare to LH a bit though, I guess. And shameless recommendations: Legendary Moonlight Sculptor has some decent world building, power growth, and item descriptions; if you can get past the korean-ness of it and ignore some small flaws. Mushoku Tensei has good character development, power growth, world building(maybeh), actual romance development, people die, etc.

[Elcura]

Also Log Horizon and SAO are completely different, no point even comparing them.

Hmm, people trapped in MMORPG struggling to survive and escape. The only big difference so far is that SAO regularly gets bored of its setting and dumps it for the next whim while being completely obvious about the consequences of actions.

[The Stig]

Log Horizon was brilliant but it had a major flaw. I know it's usual anime rules/tropes and whatnot, but the focus on the little band of kids was way too boring for my preference. They just get in the way so much and it just staggers the overall plot per episode (which is maybe the objective...).

SAO I think done itself good by exiting Aincrad early. For this one simple reason, due to the rules of the world, people introduced either stick around forever, or gets killed off. Due to its bad pacing (not the anime's fault I think, there's some talk about how the novels made it like this?) it was not able to achieve it properly, there was not enough foundation for it. Should it want to remain in Aincrad for the entire season, then it would need some clever tricks up its sleeves and should adopt the "model" used in Attack on Titan (lotsssss of chars, most get some development, then are promptly slapped away with much surprise/shock).

[Salodin]

Hmm, people trapped in MMORPG struggling to survive and escape. The only big difference so far is that SAO regularly gets bored of its setting and dumps it for the next whim while being completely obvious about the consequences of actions.

This right here. You can tell SAO and it's characters gets bored of its MMO plot a lot, and in turn act like they're living in a medieval fantasy world then trapped in an MMO. LH on the other hand never lets you forget, and makes it a point to remind you where it is these people are stuck.

Log Horizon was brilliant but it had a major flaw. I know it's usual anime rules/tropes and whatnot, but the focus on the little band of kids was way too boring for my preference. They just get in the way so much and it just staggers the overall plot per episode (which is maybe the objective...).

SAO I think done itself good by exiting Aincrad early. For this one simple reason, due to the rules of the world, people introduced either stick around forever, or gets killed off. Due to its bad pacing (not the anime's fault I think, there's some talk about how the novels made it like this?) it was not able to achieve it properly, there was not enough foundation for it. Should it want to remain in Aincrad for the entire season, then it would need some clever tricks up its sleeves and should adopt the "model" used in Attack on Titan (lotsssss of chars, most get some development, then are promptly slapped away with much surprise/shock).

The focus on the band of kids was character development obviously; an important game element was revealed thanks to the mage kid.

[Elcura]

Log Horizon was brilliant but it had a major flaw. I know it's usual anime rules/tropes and whatnot, but the focus on the little band of kids was way too boring for my preference. They just get in the way so much and it just staggers the overall plot per episode (which is maybe the objective...).

SAO I think done itself good by exiting Aincrad early. For this one simple reason, due to the rules of the world, people introduced either stick around forever, or gets killed off. Due to its bad pacing (not the anime's fault I think, there's some talk about how the novels made it like this?) it was not able to achieve it properly, there was not enough foundation for it. Should it want to remain in Aincrad for the entire season, then it would need some clever tricks up its sleeves and should adopt the "model" used in Attack on Titan (lotsssss of chars, most get some development, then are promptly slapped away with much surprise/shock).

90% of anime follows teenagers/kids, it's not exactly a flaw if the characters don't suck.

And you considering leaving your setting early a good thing, which makes the characters even more important. But what characters are actually worthwhile when you take away fanservice? The pacing doesn't help either. SAO is a good idea taken half way, and LH feels like the same idea with more care and attention paid to the setting and characters.

[Xerlic]

SAO I think done itself good by exiting Aincrad early. For this one simple reason, due to the rules of the world, people introduced either stick around forever, or gets killed off. Due to its bad pacing (not the anime's fault I think, there's some talk about how the novels made it like this?) it was not able to achieve it properly, there was not enough foundation for it. Should it want to remain in Aincrad for the entire season, then it would need some clever tricks up its sleeves and should adopt the "model" used in Attack on Titan (lotsssss of chars, most get some development, then are promptly slapped away with much surprise/shock).

The pacing issues are definitely Light Novel based. The entire Aincrad arc is in 2 volumes of the light novel. The first 3 chapters of Volume 1 is like floor 1 of Aincrad and then it jumps ahead 2 years and they're on floor 70. The entire second volume is all side stories, so that's where the source material for Lisbeth, Silica and the Black Cats guild come from.

The author is actually doing a rewrite of the Aincrad arc called Sword Art Online Progressive. I think there are 2 volumes out now. The first story is how Kirito and Asuna first met which was episode 2 of S1. It's almost 200 pages long and they condensed it down to 1 episode, so obviously there is a lot of stuff that was missed. So far, it's taken that AoT approach you were alluding to.