Forum - View topicSword Art Online: What makes it SEEM so bad?
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Moderator
 Posts: 18188 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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To follow up on what Vaisaga said, the anime was actually more expansive on its storytelling than the original Aincard novels, except for leaving out the reference to taking out Laughing Coffin. (And really, that was only one or two paragraphs in the novel, IIRC.) The first novel only covered episodes 1, 8-10, just a little bit of 11, 13, and 14. A single light novel taking six whole episodes to adapt is actually such a thorough treatment that it's rare; Spice and Wolf is the only other LN adaptation I know of which has been similarly thorough. Sticking in the side stories from the second novel gives you episodes 3, 4, 7, and 11-12, with 2 and 5-6 coming from (I believe) later short stories. |
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Chiibi
 Posts: 4829 |
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Well, the funny thing is, the content of episode 02 of Aincrad is exactly what happens in Progressive volume 01. I haven't read my copy yet but I skimmed through it and saw the illustrations. So if they included these scenes in the anime, I find it a bit odd that the Laughing Coffin bit that ties to Phantom Bullet wasn't included as well.
............on the other hand, I have no idea if Progressive was written before or after Phantom Bullet was written. |
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Vaisaga
 Posts: 13227 |
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It's more common than you think. Each season of High School DxD has 6 eps per novel, Amagi Brilliant Park is 12 episodes for 1 novel (with events from other books mixed in), Hibike Euphonium was 12 episodes for one novel, as was Rokka no Yuusha.
After. I'm okay with the Laughing Coffin bit. At least the PK Guild was established in the Aincrad Arc, even if they were only relevant twice. Kirito had gone through a lot in those 2 years so I wouldn't blame him for forgetting some stuff until something reminded him. That event wasn't really relevant until Phantom Bullet so it was mentioned when it was needed to. |
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Chiibi
Posts: 4829 |
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^ Lol, we can always count on you for answers.
You really like light novels, huh? :3 I love them too but I've only read a handful. First was Haruhi.  I bet that was many people's first.
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Vaisaga
Posts: 13227 |
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There's a handy mobile app I'm probably not allowed to name that lets you read translated books on your phone. Good for break time at work. Or times when I should be working but I'm at a really good part so shut up!
Novels I've read... Let's see... Mobile Suit Gundam was actually the first I read. Haruhi was next after that. Since then there's been Absolute Duo, Cube x Cursed x Curious (probably the best I've read so far), Ero Manga Sensei, Fate/Zero, Infinite Stratos, Kanon (the Nayuki and Shiori routes only), Madan no Ou to Vanadis, Mahouka, Problem Children are coming from another world aren't they, a bit of Oreimo, Rokka no Yuusha, Invaders of Rokujouma, Blade Dance, Silver Cross and Draculea, Unlimited Fafnir (also really good), Sumi Washio is a Hero, Wakaba Nogi is a Hero, World God Only Knows, Another and Vampire Knight: Fleeting Dreams. 23 titles, huh? Might be missing some too. This is in addition to the English novels I read. Of those Gundam, Another, Vampire Knight (all 3 are single volumes), C^3, Fate/Zero, Draculea, and Sumi Washio are the only titles I've read to completion. Rest are either ongoing or I dropped. Blade Dance, Fafnir, and Wakaba Nogi are up to date with the Japanese releases. So far as Sword Art Online is concerned, I've only ever read bits of the 2nd novel (Liz and Silica's stories naturally), Calibur, and of course chapter 16.5. |
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Lobokendo
 Posts: 135 Location: Somewhere |
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Haruhi indeed was my first lightnovel as well and to this day still my favorite anime/lightnovel. SAO and A Certain Magical Index are the only other lightnovels I've really gotten into. That said, I don't really think SAO was adapted as faithfully as is being implied. The fact that the entire narrative of the story changed in the adaption is one of the few things I dislike about the anime. It may be a pretty small thing, but hearing Kirito narrating everything really made me appreciate small things here and there. One of my favorite moments of the novels is in the Fairy Dance arc when Kirito and Leafa are heading into the mountain and are being followed. As they are walking through it Kirito remarks to himself alluding to it being similar to the mines of Moria in LOTR. While small, I really liked touches like that and they are almost all lost in the adaption.
Another thing about the lightnovels is that they really color my judgement towards SAO positively and that's part of why I started this discussion. I feel like it might be a lot easier to overlook the problems in Fairy Dance if you read Mother's Rosario before the Aincrad arc even finished its anime run. Just a bunch of small annoying personal biases. |
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Chiibi
Posts: 4829 |
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NOT A SMALL THING, THAT IS ALSO MY FAVORITE DETAIL ABOUT THE NOVELS. If the anime had done that, I think more people would like Kirito a lot more. For one thing, his thoughts can be pretty amusing and witty. I've laughed out loud at some of his comments.
Hehe that's great. I look forward to reading that soon. |
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Lobokendo
Posts: 135 Location: Somewhere |
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I suppose it is a little more important than that, but in the grand scheme of things SAO did work out even with those changes. May have inadvertently gotten more hate because of that, but I guess the decision was made not to give us Kirito's thoughts instead of the way Haruhi or Index did it. |
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Chiibi
Posts: 4829 |
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Well, I finished novel 02 of Aincrad and I discovered VERY interesting things.
1. The relationship between Sachi and Kirito is confirmed to not be romantic, nor was it ever intended to be. I already suspected this; even while watching the anime first. I didn't see chemistry between them. That's because there wasn't. They were friends. Kirito describes himself and Sachi as "two ally cats licking each other's wounds". Sachi only slept in his bed because she couldn't fall asleep unless he was next to her to tell her she wouldn't die. So you can throw that in the face of the ones who complain "every girl falls in love with him" because, no, not this time. 2. Kirito was in a very fragile state of mind (think suicidal!) during the story of episode 03. He was so consumed with guilt over Sachi's death that he became obsessed with trying to make his own death meaningless. He thought dying in a quest to revive Sachi would be his best way to make it up to her. Want to know how his level was already at 70? He spent a half year grinding in an ant cave, every single night for six hours. And when he finds out the revival item won't work for her, he throws a fit. I don't remember this being shown in the anime, but he just throws himself into the snow, kicking and screaming over and over. Kinda struck a personal chord with me because I also acted this way the last time I was badly struck with grief. He still wants to kill himself after this but Sachi's final message begs him to survive. It's heart-wrenching. 3. Kirito and Asuna are based on the stronger players of online games that Kawahara himself played and Liz and Silica's admiration of Kirito reflects Kawahara's admiration for those said strong players. That's interesting to me. I think it also rules Kirito out as the (much accused) self-insert. Kawahara is basically watching him from the sidelines, rooting for him because he admits he was never able to get that strong in a game. He also admits that he favors Kirito a little too much and apologizes for this.
All in all, everyone should read these novels. Especially this second one. It fleshes EVERYONE out so much more and gives a lot of personality to both Kirito and Asuna, even the lesser side characters, to some extent. Reading every page was a delight. |
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Vaisaga
Posts: 13227 |
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Well, apparently Reki did an interview in-character as Kirito and when asked about Kirito's first love Sachi was brought up. |
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DuskyPredator
 Posts: 15462 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Not if this piece of fanart I found on the internet has anything to say: 
And here is a picture of Yui Riding Pina. 
It is not related, I just think it is cute. |
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Chiibi
Posts: 4829 |
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I would believe he had feelings for her, yes.
But in the novel, he quotes "If there's anything I can say, it's that there was no romance between the two of us." ........you don't have a link to that interview, do you? I'd love to read that. |
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GrayArchon
Posts: 393 |
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I sent you the links. It's from a Q&A thing Reki did back in 2005 in the web novel days for the series. Technically it's not binding on the light novels seeing as he did do some editing for publication. Changing the relationship with Sachi to being wholly platonic would be consistent with some of his other changes, though I'm uncertain if there was supposed to be romantic attraction on Sachi's end in the web novel. |
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Vaisaga
Posts: 13227 |
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... And you actually believe him. How adorable 
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Lobokendo
Posts: 135 Location: Somewhere |
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While I can't say whether or not Kirito and Sachi were in a relationship, it has been stated that Kirito did love her romantically. Also, I fear the ban hammer if I post this link to the interview, but I can quote the question and answer.
Q. Who was your first love? Also, what position would Asuna be, in order of the women you liked? A. Someone who was in the “Black Cats of the Moonlit Night”… I guess. Basically, that would make Asuna the next person I ended up liking after her. * The same rough question comes up at least 3 times all saying basically Sachi was his first love. |
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