Forum - View topicREVIEW: Sword Art Online episodes 15-25
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Key
Moderator
 Posts: 18210 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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I have no problem with that. That you at least conceded on a couple of things satisfies me that you're not just blindly hating on the series (like some others are). Besides, that last post was probably my last lengthy commentary on the series for quite a while. |
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Etrien
 Posts: 525 Location: Tokyo, Japan |
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I've had this discussion open in a tab in my browser for days now with the intent of contributing to the discussion, but I've realized I keep putting it off because I just don't care enough about the show to invest that kind of time. I did, nonetheless, want to make two small responses to things said earlier in the thread (though I forget who made them).
First, it's true that popular shows will always earn a certain number of detractors who find fault with it simply for being popular. But this doesn't mean that everyone who doesn't like it falls into that category or that their disagreements should just be blindly dismissed as such. I found SAO to be terrible, but its popularity had nothing to do with that. In fact, most of the heavily-hyped fan-favorites of the last couple years have been shows I greatly enjoyed, if not outright loved. Madoka, FMA, Death Note, Haruhi, and even Code Geass were all fun shows. Second, to whoever said something along the lines of "the show was at least compelling enough that even the detractors kept watching it"... I've got to disagree. Even the first half of the show was bad enough that I almost dropped it 3 different times. The only reason I stuck with the show was because of the hype surrounding it. As mentioned above, these hugely hyped shows have had a pretty good track record, so I invested some faith in that "well, it's not very good right now, but maybe it will eventually turn into something great." Plus, if I dropped it early and people kept praising it, I knew the curiosity would eat at me. There is also the fact that, for a while, I was genuinely trying to understand what others were getting out of the show that I was some how missing. Back during the first half, I remember being surprised that Bamboo still had it in her top 10 on the Stream. I actually don't agree with all of the criticisms to the show, including many in this thread. I do actually think Kirito grew as a character (albeit not necessarily in an interesting way). And, while I do think he is absolutely a Stew made of the purest of Garies, I don't actually think that is inherently a problem. An MMO setting is one of the rare cases where such a thing is borderline appropriate. I do have lots of other problems with the show, but most stem from the fact that I think it was terribly written. Terribly, terribly written. If a show makes me want to facepalm once an episode due to poor writing or faulty logic, it's probably going to be a bad show in my book. SAO typically did this to me several times an episode. I could go into details on exactly what I mean by bad writing (some are issues I've not even seen raised), but I honestly just don't care enough anymore. If you love SAO, you're absolutely entitled to that opinion. I've no interest in trying to dissuade you, and unlike certain people, I'm not going to be an asshat and try to act like that somehow makes you or your tastes inferior to anyone else's. But I also have no real interest in spending even more time trying to explain all the problems I saw in this show. SAO, I wash my hands of you. |
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Setsura1
Posts: 261 |
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I personally LOVED this anime. While it may have its flaws like any other it kept me wanting to see what happened next and the drama was so suspenseful that i ended up watching the whole series in one go! It's like when IS:Infinite Stratos was given a bad rating (though nowhere as good as the novels and had many a flaw) even though it was actually pretty good. If you were ever an MMORPG player i think it makes the anime better for you since you know all the terminology and things about their environment. In the end I really loved this anime and i stick to the phrase.."To each his own"
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Etrien
Posts: 525 Location: Tokyo, Japan |
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Not necessarily, speaking as an ex-MMO player. I think it really just comes down to the differences in what people want in their entertainment. |
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Oroboro
 Posts: 143 |
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As ex-MMO player myself, who's been playing since the earliest days when MMOs resembled SAO more closely, I find my perspective on gaming allowed me to be a lot more understanding about certain things. Namely nitpicks about game mechanics, and issues about Kirito's strength. Since, all in all, my Orc Warrior in his prime could have done everything Kirito did and then some. (Except maybe bend the rules of the game with sheer willpower. It sounds like your major complaint is with the writing in general in any case, so fair enough. |
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Tuor_of_Gondolin
 Posts: 3524 Location: Bellevue, WA |
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As someone who has played many MMOs over the years, I feel the exact opposite: if you know actual MMO tactics, then what happened in SAO is even *more* unbelievable and often plain BS. Soloing a level appropriate boss mob? No freaking way. Being able to exceed/surpass the way the game is coded? Nuh uh! You learn to *manipulate* the game, often in ways the developers never considered (the use of the Monk's Fake Death ability in the original EQ is an excellent example of this). If our hero had managed to outwit the game, then that would be different. If he had gotten together a great raid party and had episodes of them honing their skills, developing intricate methods of teamwork and integration -- much like executing plays in sports -- I would be more impressed. Of course, the standard excuse to all of this is: this is an MMO of the future! Yes, yes. We all know that. But if you try to explain things away with that excuse, you are to the same degree reducing SAO's similarities with modern, real MMOs. So I disagree completely with your statement. |
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Setsura1
Posts: 261 |
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Well as I said, "To each his own", With every anime there will be people who enjoy it or don't enjoy it. The wonderful thing about anime is that there is always another one you will find to enjoy! |
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banichi
Posts: 3 |
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Sales figures for its early Blu-Ray releases in Japan are very high, it is by far the most popular new series of the year on Crunchyroll based on number of user ratings, and ratings on most sites are universally high. Granted, "anyone can vote" ratings are much more popularity and entertainment value measures than quality measures, but those two factors are what seem to matter for your comment. And I think you're right that the people who liked the series are generally not anywhere near as vocal as the detractors. |
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