Forum - View topicEpisode Review: Sword Art Online II
|
Goto page Previous Next Note: this is the discussion thread for this article |
| Author | Message | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
jeffinitelyjeff
 Posts: 12 |
|
|||
Yeah, I'd have to rewatch the episode to have more to say about specifics of what was or wasn't said, but my initial conclusion was that it was much too subtle (and we're still guessing, right? do we know that it's a random chance of losing stuff, or all stuff?). Especially since the action scenes and conversations mid-battle were treating it as dramatically as life-or-death, and they never justified losing their possessions as being anywhere near that important. It's a shame, because I recall a lot of time being spent talking about the mini-gun weapon their opponent had—they could have easily framed the conversation to be about how much they all wanted to get that weapon, which would've lead logically to Sinon fearing losing her weapon if she died.
I like this idea—we could even just have it at the top of any post to indicate "I'm going to mention things that happened up to THIS episode, and explicitly spoiler-tag anything after that episode". But that (as opposed to a one-time cut-off, which I also like) would only help people who aren't caught up wanting to comment on older reviews, which probably isn't that important of a use case—most people who comment here would probably be caught up before they comment, right? |
||||
|
||||
|
Key
Moderator
 Posts: 18188 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
|
|||
|
Yeah, in the Anime forum series threads we play much tighter on spoiler-tagging things, since not everyone gets to see the episode debut at the same time (some watch in raws straight from Japan, others watch it on official streams, etc.). Generally speaking in the Talkback thread, though, anything that's openly brought up in a linked review is regarded as not needing to be spoiler-tagged, so people who are behind and care about spoilers will just have to be careful not to go past the point where a post is clearly-marked as getting into episodes that they have not seen yet.
|
||||
|
||||
|
TUSF
Posts: 191 |
|
|||
I'm certain that you at least get some of their money. As for item drops, I'm not sure if it was explained in the book, but the author said in the commentary for the episode that it was a chance drop. Actually, yeah, it does seem some things should have been better explained in the anime.
Yeah... That scene looked pretty dramatized. Supposedly Dyne was freaking out because he was too prideful and didn't want to die to a bunch of PVE scrubs. The episode had its odd points, but it still provided exposition on the mechanics, even if it wasn't perfect. |
||||
|
||||
sunflower
 Posts: 1080 |
|
|||
|
The review was fair, though I don't agree with some of it. I do think this season is far more coherent than seasons 1a and 1b. I love Sinon and want to know what happens with her.
But all I really know is that it's one of the few shows this season where, when it ends each week, I grab my laptop and shake it trying to make more shows fall out. It never works. :( |
||||
|
||||
|
tobeast777
Posts: 68 |
|
|||
|
But, but.... it's so good! D; why do people keep giving this average ratings? Maybe I'm jaded because I read the light novel first? But even then it's very close to the original... I don't get it. I'll just have to ignore everyone and love it anyways I guess.
|
||||
|
||||
Bobduh
 Posts: 24 |
|
|||
Thanks! And don't worry, I'm used to the objectivity thing. Pretty much every critic will get that, but it's just not a thing that exists - art is complex, our engagement with it will always be based in both the work itself and what we bring to it. As for the Sinon thing, I personally didn't have a real problem there - I've run into many, many people who take their online games incredibly seriously, and I also think the audience was actually supposed to think "why does this girl take this situation so seriously? What does this mean to her?" It's offering a question the show answers the next episode. Though when I was talking about "necessary exposition," I was more thinking of the way this season has actually demonstrated the rules of GGO - stuff like how the sniper reticle works, the bullet-lines, etc. You can actually follow the conflict as a parsable game to some extent. |
||||
|
||||
|
princess passa passa
|
|
|||
|
Episode 10:
Another solid review, keep them coming please. As usual everything that was said was what I felt about the show. Kirito needs to bottle his essence and sell to men in need. Also, can I get some decent Asuna screentime to make up for the Fairy Dance Arc? [EDIT: Added episode heading, since this is the first post about this episode. - Key] |
||||
ChibiKangaroo
 Posts: 2941 |
|
|||
|
The review was accurate. The first half of the episode was thrilling. The second half of the episode was necessary character development, but it was handled poorly in such a way that (as I mentioned in the series thread) seemed to draw Sinon ever closer to Kirito's harem. Probably the worst offending dialogue there was the part where spoiler[Sinon asks Kirito if he will protect her for the rest of her life. I understand what they were trying to get at there (i.e. she was challenging his philosophy of "live to fight another day") but it came across as her inviting him to bring her into the protectorate of his harem.] That made me cringe a bit. And yes, as the review states, this was another incident of the tsundere being tamed by the righteous male lead. At this point, SAO can't do that anymore without it being a negative.
So I generally agree with the review. All the points seem to have been hit accurately. I do still think the grade should be a little higher (maybe B- or C+ this time), but can't really complain. |
||||
|
||||
|
HelloNova
Posts: 7 |
|
|||
|
I'll just go ahead and reply to both of the people above me.
Ragga - I'll put it in a spoiler, but it isn't REALLY a spoiler. spoiler[The second half of this season, titled Mother's Rosario, is entirely based around Asuna. There is very little Kirito in it.] As for this episode.. This was such an important scene in the light novels, and I feel they didn't adapt it well at all. Sinon's dialogue just didn't match up here, and the tension of the scene in general was just gone. I'd been feeling that they were adapting this arc well, but ruining this one part has destroyed most of the good. I'm a bit worried for the ending now. |
||||
|
||||
ShiroKingyo
 Posts: 5 |
|
|||
I agree. This is my favorite story arc of the light novels and while they're being pretty faithful to it, and the visuals are pretty, it has lacked a lot of the tension and drama of the original story. |
||||
|
||||
|
Key
Moderator
Posts: 18188 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
|
|||
|
I have not read the original novel for this story arc (yet), but I have not found the course of events here to be lacking in tension and drama. I also felt that the scene involving Sinon breaking down was handled well regardless of SAO's track record (which I do not entirely agree with, either, but that's a discussion for another time).
|
||||
|
||||
|
yuqing_s
Posts: 2 |
|
|||
|
I really wish that have more episode
|
||||
|
||||
|
sunflower
Posts: 1080 |
|
|||
|
I felt the same way as Nick. What a missed opportunity with Sinon's confession. There could have been such a good conversation between two vulnerable people, and instead the girl flails and the guy will fix everything. Booooo.
|
||||
|
||||
skaly
 Posts: 148 |
|
|||
|
"I understand it can sometimes be tough to visually spruce up a scene of pure dialogue, but if you do that by staring at the heroine's short shorts the entire time, it makes it hard for me to take either the scene itself or her as a character seriously."
You've basically nailed my problem with the show. This is a show that wants its story and characters to be taken seriously to some extent, and the fanservice-y elements undercut this. I feel like we are dealing with two different shows. The show is half excellent, half tired tropes. |
||||
|
||||
|
Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11354 |
|
|||
|
Episode 11
Noticing her butt is how Kirito figured out the truth behind Death Gun. If you think I'm kidding, watch that whole sequence again. It wasn't a very subtle metaphor. I agree that her rear cleavage has undermined several scenes and the character for me. I'm not saying a woman wouldn't choose a low-slung outfit like that in a game, but Sinon doesn't seem the type of person who would be comfortable with such a display. Myself, I'm finding it hard to fear a group that sounds like Laughing Coffee. Last edited by Gina Szanboti on Sat Sep 13, 2014 5:12 pm; edited 1 time in total |
||||
|
||||
 |
All times are GMT - 5 Hours |
|
|
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group