Sword Art Online
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Byakuryuu... I can see where you're coming from.
I disagree, but on subtle points. The thing is that I don't think that Kirito is supposed to be a flawless self-insert character... I think he just turned into that because the author wasn't sure how to tell the story he wanted to tell.
I guess the thing is, I'm not comparing Kawahari Reki to Stephanie Mayer, in my head I'm comparing Reki to Neal Stephenson, in his height as the author who took cyberpunk by storm in the early ninties with a book that had a main character named, I kid you not, Hiro Protagonist.
Reki isn't as ambitious, but the world his characters are hanging around in is fundamentally interesting. "What if the people were literally trapped in a video game?" I mean, if you honestly and sincerely tried to sum up SAO in one sentence, it would be about what Kayaba did, not really whatever Kirito got up to. In that case Kirito just becomes a vehicle to look at the world with, rather than a vehicle to fantasize about being cool... although I'm not going to deny that the second thing there happened, I think that was more a side-effect of trying to dress up the protagonist as cool and interesting without really succeeding. (Personally I think that Klein had a much more solid design as an "interesting main character", I think he had a much more definitive story arc).
Well, if scifi has one flaw as a literary form, it's that these interesting worlds are populated by flat characters, so there's that.
I guess basically my point is I'm willing to cut Reki slack in ways that you aren't willing to.
I disagree, but on subtle points. The thing is that I don't think that Kirito is supposed to be a flawless self-insert character... I think he just turned into that because the author wasn't sure how to tell the story he wanted to tell.
I guess the thing is, I'm not comparing Kawahari Reki to Stephanie Mayer, in my head I'm comparing Reki to Neal Stephenson, in his height as the author who took cyberpunk by storm in the early ninties with a book that had a main character named, I kid you not, Hiro Protagonist.
Reki isn't as ambitious, but the world his characters are hanging around in is fundamentally interesting. "What if the people were literally trapped in a video game?" I mean, if you honestly and sincerely tried to sum up SAO in one sentence, it would be about what Kayaba did, not really whatever Kirito got up to. In that case Kirito just becomes a vehicle to look at the world with, rather than a vehicle to fantasize about being cool... although I'm not going to deny that the second thing there happened, I think that was more a side-effect of trying to dress up the protagonist as cool and interesting without really succeeding. (Personally I think that Klein had a much more solid design as an "interesting main character", I think he had a much more definitive story arc).
Well, if scifi has one flaw as a literary form, it's that these interesting worlds are populated by flat characters, so there's that.
I guess basically my point is I'm willing to cut Reki slack in ways that you aren't willing to.
I never compared the author to Stephanie Meyer. I'm just saying that, after watching the anime, Kirito draws more parallels with Bella Swann in terms of his relation to the plot. I like the cliche of being stuck in a digital world, don't get me wrong, but Kirito is a character I just can't get behind as a protagonist.
I read the LN first and had great hopes for the anime, so I had expectations of a slightly different presentation of Kirito than what was shown the anime version.
Adaptations tend to fudge with the source material, so I do see where you're coming from... his human/social side needed more developing to be more a compelling hero and not Lone Wolf - AWRSUM for no apparent reason - shounen hero du jour.
The novel and side stories did more to help me understand his personality, particularly as he worked with each of the girls in their corresponding chapter(s). Sachi and Silica brought out his protective older brother tendencies. Lizbet was a good foil vs his lone wolf tendencies (and her tsundere side was very cute), and Asuna while being just as Mary Sue as he was... she had more development off screen than on screen (from a complete mmo newb to co-leader of the strongest guild... really? when? where? how? ) while meeting with Kirito off and on, mostly during floor boss raids, up until becoming his main squeeze.
If anything, there's some hope with SAO Progressive (Light Novel remake) giving all the characters some more development...
Adaptations tend to fudge with the source material, so I do see where you're coming from... his human/social side needed more developing to be more a compelling hero and not Lone Wolf - AWRSUM for no apparent reason - shounen hero du jour.
The novel and side stories did more to help me understand his personality, particularly as he worked with each of the girls in their corresponding chapter(s). Sachi and Silica brought out his protective older brother tendencies. Lizbet was a good foil vs his lone wolf tendencies (and her tsundere side was very cute), and Asuna while being just as Mary Sue as he was... she had more development off screen than on screen (from a complete mmo newb to co-leader of the strongest guild... really? when? where? how? ) while meeting with Kirito off and on, mostly during floor boss raids, up until becoming his main squeeze.
If anything, there's some hope with SAO Progressive (Light Novel remake) giving all the characters some more development...
Hey, does anyone know the names of these two guys? Even if they were an anime-only sight gag, I want to use them in my fanfiction. (Actually I already did as a cameo where they were heard but not seen, but I want to promote them from background scenery to foreground scenery, if you know what I mean).
They were named Lothari and Lacey inside Catsy's thing; I don't recall anything from the LN, I don't recall them getting named in the anime, and I don't recall anything from the 4-koma of dubious canonicity. Well, I already introduced an item called "Name Tag", so there's that.
They were named Lothari and Lacey inside Catsy's thing; I don't recall anything from the LN, I don't recall them getting named in the anime, and I don't recall anything from the 4-koma of dubious canonicity. Well, I already introduced an item called "Name Tag", so there's that.
sorry couldn't help myself
I don't think they were properly named.
Couldn't find anything on them on the SAO wiki either.
I went ad checked... the end credits of ep1 only credited: Kirito, Klein, Silica, Imouto, Moderator, and PLAYER (x5)
Checked ep 14... during his speech, Kayaba had a list of people getting logged out.
The only names I couldn't identify/locate were:
Mosaku
Tonnura
Mina
Ginn
Otherwise the rest of them were Kirito's friends, Klein's Fuurinkazan Guildies, Laughing Coffin Guildies, Golden Apple Guildies (Murder episode), Thinker/Yulier/Sasha (Yui's episodes).
I don't think they were properly named.
Couldn't find anything on them on the SAO wiki either.
I went ad checked... the end credits of ep1 only credited: Kirito, Klein, Silica, Imouto, Moderator, and PLAYER (x5)
Checked ep 14... during his speech, Kayaba had a list of people getting logged out.
The only names I couldn't identify/locate were:
Mosaku
Tonnura
Mina
Ginn
Otherwise the rest of them were Kirito's friends, Klein's Fuurinkazan Guildies, Laughing Coffin Guildies, Golden Apple Guildies (Murder episode), Thinker/Yulier/Sasha (Yui's episodes).
Time to put some more coal into the HYPE TRAIN!
SAO: Extra edition
It was a nice end of year present, great music as usual and fun story line.
And yes... SAO II (I'm pretty sure it's Gun Gale Online with Jedi Trap Kirito and Shinononononon) has been confirmed.
SAO: Extra edition
It was a nice end of year present, great music as usual and fun story line.
sure, the first hour was pretty much a refresher course/speed run on both the SAO and ALO storylines, but it was nice to see anyway.
Also the way they hinted toward GGO was discreet enough. I believe there's a trailer out there with the sexy sniper.
Also the way they hinted toward GGO was discreet enough. I believe there's a trailer out there with the sexy sniper.
And yes... SAO II (I'm pretty sure it's Gun Gale Online with Jedi Trap Kirito and Shinononononon) has been confirmed.
Oh crap! It's mine!Some crossovers for the series, if anyone is interested:
Souls Art Online 1 - 21.1
A Sword Art Online/ Dark Souls Fanfiction
Summary: A fic in which Kayaba decides to put the player's humanity on test as they try to rekindle the flames, constantly struggling against the Kingseeker system that keep amplifying the difficulty.
....F**king Tinkers 1 - 4.6
A Sword Art Online/ Worm Fanfiction
Summary: A fic in which Taylor Herbert ends up trapped within the world of Sword Art Online, where the AI slowly begins to override Kayaba's control, and where the death toll rises with the stakes.
Souls Art Online 1 - 21.1
A Sword Art Online/ Dark Souls Fanfiction
Summary: A fic in which Kayaba decides to put the player's humanity on test as they try to rekindle the flames, constantly struggling against the Kingseeker system that keep amplifying the difficulty.
....F**king Tinkers 1 - 4.6
A Sword Art Online/ Worm Fanfiction
Summary: A fic in which Taylor Herbert ends up trapped within the world of Sword Art Online, where the AI slowly begins to override Kayaba's control, and where the death toll rises with the stakes.
More crossover:
Back in the Game (Log Horizon x Sword Art Online)
Summary: Due to the events of Sword Art Online Incident and Alfheim Kidnappings, all NerveGear and AmuSphere devices were banned from public use and RECT closed its doors. With their loss, Kirito moved back to playing the long-running Elder Tales series with some of his friends from the gain. They log in just as the latest expansion pack is launched and they end up inside of Elder Tales...
Back in the Game (Log Horizon x Sword Art Online)
Summary: Due to the events of Sword Art Online Incident and Alfheim Kidnappings, all NerveGear and AmuSphere devices were banned from public use and RECT closed its doors. With their loss, Kirito moved back to playing the long-running Elder Tales series with some of his friends from the gain. They log in just as the latest expansion pack is launched and they end up inside of Elder Tales...
There is the first two parts of SAO Aincard(Sword Art Online) and ALfheim(Fairy Dance), there is also SAO2 with GGO(Phantom Bullet) and back to ALfheim(Calibur and Mother's Rosario) it is translated up to episode 18 of SAO2 which is where mother's Rosario begins. The first season is available dubed on Crunchyroll and you can watch SAO2 as it is released each week on the Toonami site if your in the USA. Sadly for me that means Crunchyroll with the the enjoyable subtitles for me after I finish the released dvds.
Souls Art Online is now at Chapter 42.... Lots of permanent deaths going around now. Kingseeker is a dick.
