Forum - View topicSword Art Online: Alicization (TV).
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Chiibi
 Posts: 4828 |
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I really like how the scenes with Kayaba and his love interest were revealed; it shows a much more human side of him and we needed this.
As expected, Asuna and Kirito's feelings towards this guy are super-complicated. I think it was good to throw in her line "I know it sounds selfish BUT...." because yeah, a lot was sacrificed so you two could meet each other. 
.............at the same time, you can look at it as finding the silver lining in a terrible situation....which is how I always felt since season 1. Tragedy does bring people together. Nothing is really black and white. @Harleyquin: NO CLUE! Hopefully it will be answered. All I know is that Alice and Eugeo (probably) do not exist as people in the real world and that makes me a sad panda. 
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DuskyPredator
 Posts: 15457 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 7
Things Kirito's swords have been smelted from: Dragon poop, and a tree. Blacksmiths tend to have a rocky relationship with him. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2834 |
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#8
The long-awaited duel. Although the result isn't really in doubt for anyone who's been following this franchise from the start, the process is an interesting one. Unlike the Nervegear worlds, belief plays a huge rule in bending the laws of the AI to the player's whim. Kayaba said something similar to Kirito in both of the previous seasons, but it's in this Soul Translator world where Kirito's ability to bend the rules in his favour gets legitimised. The stuck-up nobles' petty vindictiveness even gave Kirito a chance to get more of an insight on how the bending of reality mechanic functions. No idea who the disembodied voice belongs to, but she certainly helped salvage the situation from its initial irreversible strait. With the accelerated passage of time in this world, it shouldn't be long before the duo achieve their aim of entering the central tower as full-fledged knights. Perhaps then the main storyline will take off for real, much of the exposition thus far has been light entertainment but mere diversions to what's at stake for the main cast. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2834 |
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#9
Slow episode this week. One of those episodes where exposition and world building is the main focus rather than the action. Still, it's interesting considering everyone bar Kirito is an AI brought up in an artificial world which is supposed to be laying the foundations for combat AI. Nice to see Eugeo take centre stage for once. Turns out the stuck-up nobles from last week outrank Kirito and Eugeo in the senior dormitory. Kirito is probably not far off the mark when he says the strength of their swords comes from their insufferable snobbishness. Too bad snobbery doesn't really hold up when taking on a woodcutter's arm with superior muscle strength. For an AI construct, the concept of social hierarchy and the relationship between those on top with those below isn't too far off from the real world. Too bad noblesse oblige isn't observed as strictly as Tiese's family in this world compared to the virtual one. The last scene sets Eugeo up as someone similar to Kirito, what with the number of female characters who are really interested in him. Too bad he's too nice to flat out reject the proposition put forward at the end. Kirito might be on to something when he says the two stuck-ups have it in for Eugeo. Question is what's the plot (if any). 9 episodes in, so there's still time before the pace has to pick up. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2834 |
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#10
Had this series gone any slower from last week, I would have begun to wonder if the pair would ever achieve their aim of getting to the tower. Turns out this week throws a big wrench into the works. When there's a warning about the show's content to begin with, that usually pricks the attention of viewers watching this from the get go. Turns out the rules in this Fluctlight world aren't as ironclad as they're made out to be. The cold war between the pair of protagonists and the two stuck-ups finally reaches a head. The latter apparently hide behind some kind of pseudo-feudalistic noble code which allows them to "punish" perceived subordination from their societal lessers, it's about the limit they can go before they actually fall foul of the system laws and get hauled in. Eugeo actually loses his right eye trying to disobey the system rules to save the juniors, just as well he gets it back towards the end. Unlucky he failed to connect cleanly with Humbert Zizek and only cost him his left forearm, although his career as a swordsman is finished it would have looked better if it was the right arm that was taken out. Kirito's timing is as convenient as always, but he goes one better when taking down the show-off blondie. I don't know if there's any significance to the strange glitch which affected the armless one before his life ran out, but with their actions their fate is sealed. Probably the last time viewers will see the teacher, but her final parting words to Eugeo were a little cryptic. I thought AI in this world didn't knowingly attempt to breach one of the taboo index entries (nothing similar to what the two stuck-ups were doing). With that final scene, it looks like the story can finally move on from its preparatory groundwork to something more interesting. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2834 |
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#12
The battle between number 31 and the two prisoners is an entertaining one, and it shows off a few features of this AI world which are different from the ones Kirito has lived in. It does take an unexpected coincidence to stop the Knight from finishing off the pair, and after the two of them escape the series goes straight back into exposition mode. A lot of questions from previous episodes are answered in this week. Things like why the Taboo Index came to be and how the Nobles from the last two weeks could get away with the things they did. The new introduction to the cast isn't really human per se, but as Kirito has rightly pointed out it was not possible to interact with the equivalent in other worlds because of the lack of a human avatar. I get the feeling the story being told has more to it and it will probably take up most of next week as well. Conveniently Eugeo is off the scene having a bath so the two outsiders can talk freely of a matter which would create a lot of complications for a Fluctlight resident. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2834 |
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#13
New Year break done, so part 2 of the world building exposition with Cardinal this week. There's probably no better example of "parameter-setting quest episode" than this week. A few questions from previous episodes (the flowers, the ability to sense a bolt hole when under pursuit etc) are answered in this episode. The rest of the episode sets out Cardinal's stall and illustrates the scale of what Kirito has to do. Even if he succeeds at the end, the whole reason he's inside the system is to fix his oxygen-deprived brain so if he doesn't convince Cardinal to change her mind all of his efforts may well be for nought. It's probably no coincidence that the Tower's 100 floors are exactly the same number as the 100 levels Aincrad had in the first season. The pair will start their great quest at level 3 and then work their way up from there. I have no idea what Cardinal gave them towards the end, but it's probably some kind of long chant which unlocks the potential of their weapons to maximum just like Knight 31 did two episodes ago. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2834 |
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#14
New OP and ED to commemorate the start of the second half of the adaptation proper. Brilliant visuals, but neither song leaves much of an impression compared to their respective predecessors. Animators certainly didn't waste any time; no sooner have the duo retrieved their weapons they are assailed by the eponymous Knight of this week's episode. Good way to start off the second half by putting in a stylish duel between the three contestants. If Eugeo's weapon and its attribute is based on the weapon's origin, then the ice for Eugeo's attacks will probably be complemented by the earth from Kirito's sword. Since next week's episode title is another Knight to take the stage, Kirito's new moves might get an airing then. Interesting coincidence that this week's No. 7 is an old acquaintance of Eugeo from the start of the series. Perhaps it's for the best he wasn't killed, he might have a say yet in what happens later this series. Why are two kids dressed in the Sword Academy's uniforms so high up in the Central Cathedral? |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2834 |
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#15
It looks like getting to the top of the tower for the pair of protagonists isn't as straightforward as it looks. The two kids who met them at the end of last week could easily pass as Assassins, fortunately Kirito is very alert and never judges anyone based on appearance alone. The story they did tell about how they came to be is quite a twisted one as well, but there isn't much more that would surprise viewers given the lowdown to date about the Administrator. Not how they planned it, but the duel at the 50th floor still took place after all. As always Kirito always puts up a good fight no matter what kind of physical shape he's in. This week's central duel doesn't disappoint like the last one, but the character of this week's knight has less endearment than last week's. Since the episode ends on an incomplete cliffhanger, hopefully viewers will learn more about who she is and why she's acting the way she does, especially with the telling hints thrown around throughout the episode. Annoying how Kirito's trump card is only revealed next week, but Eugeo's ability is indeed less of an offensive one and more of a defensive ability. Convenient immobilisation of foes taken unawares is very useful, but Kirito's ability needs to deal the finishing blow otherwise both of them are in for another round laser tag. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2834 |
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#16
Just when the audience is lured into a false sense of security after seeing Kirito unleash his sword's trump card, the series immediately unleashes an even stronger opponent who has no issues taking on the two swords in their enhanced mode AND with the added penalty of limited uses to ability activation. Kirito's idealism might well be his undoing; using that dagger to save Fantia instead of its original purpose is all well and good, but if the Cardinal is right in saying the Administrator doesn't always remain in a dormant state then Kirito has effectively thrown away the one tool at his disposal which can end the final confrontation without issue. So the Osmanthus Knight turns out to be Alice. Although she's second-last in the Knight ordering, she's clearly a cut above Fantia at number two because of her weapon's unique abilities. Unfortunately Eugeo has lost his chance to immobilise her, but the cliffhanger ending and next week's episode title (finally something other than a Knightly title!) suggests matters aren't going to be predictable. |
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Chiibi
Posts: 4828 |
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I am caught up finally!
#17 Really enjoyed Alice getting more screentime as well as her interaction with Kirito (no, I don't ship them) but seeing them attempt to climb up the wall was both entertaining and a bit suspenseful. It seems they both have a fear of heights. I laughed when they swung each other into the wall and exchange of "YOU IDIOT!!" back and forth. 
And Eugeo's "TIME TO FIGHT, OLD MAN." ".........excuse you, I'd like to finish my bath first." 
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15457 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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I wish that I had more to say, but I am kind of just wishing for more game stuff. Maybe there is some programming stuff that figure into people liking, but I kind of feel a little difficult for where it stands.
Finally having Alice, a female character who can stand on equal level for our protagonists, was a final welcome part. And, I have an appreciation of gargoyles that can be pretty tough and may attack in groups. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2834 |
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#18
While the other two are pretending to be climbing Everest, Eugeo shows just how much he has improved in his first solo performance since the duel against the two arrogant nobles. Based on the episode title, it's no surprise his opponent this week is the previous owner of his blue sword. Bercouli is quite laid back for a knight commander, but his experience and skill are genuine and it's only because Eugeo went for the unorthodox tactic that he managed to get the stalemate he was aiming for. A shame the duel is interrupted by the "prime senator", incredibly incongruous for something shaped like that to mouth off and display magical skill completely above what appearances would dictate. If Bercouli is right in musing about his eventual defeat to Alice should he fight her several years down the line, then Kirito has to lay everything out next episode in his conversation if he wants to get the crystal out of her head. The good news for him is, if he does succeed in talking her over without needing the Cardinal's direct intervention, there won't be any more knights remaining to bar Eugeo and Kirito's quest to get to the pontifex. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2834 |
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#18.5
I've been had. Should have checked the programme schedule before watching. It's very clever, but the animators have used this week's episode as a recap after Kirito promised to tell Alice everything he knew about who she was. Completely fell for it hook, line and sinker without thinking for a moment that a recap would be thrown in. Just the one narrator, but the recap scenes are curated with a focus on Alice's background and the big duels with the Knights since the last recap episode aired. It would be very anticlimatic for Alice to flat out declare Kirito is lying before cutting him down in the next episode, so I'm interested to see what she has to say after all that. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2834 |
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#19
One would think after using last week to recap most of the events succeeding the first recap episode to Alice that the storyline could go along without repeating most if not all of Kirito's sales pitch to Alice. It's all worth it in the end as the reason for the episode title is revealed by Alice herself. If that graphic is anything to go by, Alice has the same problem Eugeo did earlier in the series but no longer has someone to fix the eye for her. As for Eugeo, is it any surprise that he ended up the way he did? I'll give the Pontifex credit; she's really good at manipulating hearts and minds. I suppose one doesn't become an immortal omnipotent being without learning a few tricks about getting people to fall in line no matter how much of an enemy they start out as. If she succeeds in converting him to her side, what odds of a Kirito vs. Eugeo duel to finish off the adaptation? |
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