Why Sword Art Online Is the Best Anime Seaon 2

I easily could've fabricated this topic into a poll and called it a day, merely that'south just slow. I thought this topic would be more interesting with a blog, plus you get to hear my ain perspective.

Ah Sword Art Online. This was one of my very first anime I ever watched. Yet, this is a very decisive anime franchise in the customs. Some people like it, some people hate it, and some are in between. With SAO's third season now in the books, and that I've watched all three seasons, a question has been lingering in my mind: Which of the iii SAO seasons is the best in my ain opinion? So, permit's explore that. I'yard here today to decide, in my ain opinion, which SAO season is the best. I volition be breaking down each flavor into half-dozen different categories: Story, Characters, Animation & Art Style, Music/Soundtrack, Enjoyment, and Construction & Pacing. I volition then judge each category appropriately and give a score out of 10 for each category. This is going to be a long blog, so exist ready. With all that cleared up, permit us begin.

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:no_entry: SPOILERS AHEAD :no_entry:

You've been warned

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Sword Art Online

Sword Art Online gained a lot of attending from the general public back in 2012 and for proficient reason. It looked very promising with an amazing premise and some groovy blitheness & art from A-1 Pictures. Unfortunately, some anime don't always live upwards to the hype. I'grand not saying SAO is bad, in fact it'due south a pretty well-rounded anime. Merely, it could have been and then much more than what it was.

Story

In the yr 2022, a new MMORPG has surfaced chosen 'Sword Art Online' using a piece of engineering science known as the NerveGear, in which players tin can control their avatars within the game using nothing but their ain thoughts. However, in a roughshod turn of events, x-chiliad players before long realize that the game's creator has trapped them in this world until they complete all one hundred levels of the game, oh and if someone dies in the game they die in real life. So, our story follows our two main characters Kirito & Asuna as they must arrange to this new reality, fight for their survival, and hopefully break costless from the earth of Aincrad.

In my opinion, the story is too simple for my tastes. What I mean by that, is that while the principal goal of the plot is interesting, nearly of the stuff that happens effectually information technology isn't. It'southward also worth mentioning that due to the nature of the bear witness, many time skips have place, so a lot of things just happen sporadically rather than having any sense of build-up or development. Also, the second one-half of the season is actually uninteresting and lacks any sort of emotional urgency or depth. And finally, there are quite a number of filler episodes. That doesn't mean every episode is bad though. Episodes like the start three episodes, the ones with Yui, and the ones with the boss fights are really well done and bring up a lot of interesting ideas surrounding the narrative. Then while the story isn't a stick in the mud, I'd exist hard pressed to call it a great story.

Score: 5/ten

Characters

Information technology wasn't merely the story that was underwhelming, the characters are in a like situation, kind of.

Alright, main characters first. Get-go off, let me just say I don't hate the main characters, they're just a little underwhelming. To be honest, Kirito is merely kind of meh to me. He'south past no means a bad protagonist, he's just very generic, uninteresting, and banal. While I can hold he got a trivial grapheme development in the second half of the prove and he does accept his badass & heartfelt moments, that'south well-nigh it. Asuna is a little improve than Kirito because from the become go, she was one hell of a badass. But equally the serial progresses, she becomes less and less important and doesn't actually practice much.

Although, despite all that, the side characters are actually pretty fun & more interesting. You got the very loyal Klein, the prideful & aggressive Lisbeth, the kind & cheerful Silica, the intimidating however kind-hearted Agil, and the sweet & ambrosial Yui. All these side characters are way more entertaining than our two leads.

In short, while the side characters are pretty entertaining & enjoyable to lookout man, our two chief leads fall apartment in comparison, though they do get ameliorate evolution in later seasons.

Score: 6/10

Animation & Art Mode

To me, this is i of SAO's strong points. The art & animation are really vibrant & well washed. It eases us into the massive, awe-inspiring earth of Aincrad and it is just gorgeous to await at. The environments of Aincrad also offer a lot of variety ranging from snowcaps to flowery meadows to beautiful cities. Not to mention, the fight scenes hither look so awesome. From the choreography, to the clashing of swords, these fight scenes would certainly look like they came from an MMORPG.

Score: viii/10

Music/Soundtrack

The music is incredible. Yuki Kajiura is one of the biggest names in anime music, and her music is outstanding. And then far, the music's been perfect and set each mood beautifully. In item, the battle scene music. Oh my god. I found myself humming it when I was eating breakfast, just a testament to how well done it is. The OP/ED are both performed by LiSa, who's done a lot of OPs & EDs. While they don't stand out in any way, they're still pretty tricky songs, particularly that first OP.

Score: 9/10

Enjoyment

I think what it really comes downwardly to was just the fact that I enjoyed watching Sword Art Online. I can look at the flaws and choice the anime apart pretty easily, only those flaws never really stopped me from enjoying this anime. I never got bored while watching and that's what this anime was trying to practice: provide with u.s. with entertainment. At the end of the day, I watch anime because I want something that volition entertain me and go on me interested, and SAO certainly delivered.

Score: vii/10

Structure & Pacing

Long story brusk, the pacing is inconsistent. The first arc feels a lilliputian rushed, whereas the 2d arc moves at a snail'due south footstep. This is mainly due to how the narrative is structured. Since there'south many time skips, certain events or plot points are either rushed to conclusion or feel rather forced, like the romance between Kirito & Asuna, which isn't a bad romance by any ways. Likewise, for the Alfheim arc, there's no fourth dimension skips, but it's slow pacing makes it really mundane & boring. I feel like they should've cutting the second one-half of the season entirely and focused on the Aincrad arc, since the beginning half of the flavor was so much ameliorate.

Score: 4/10

Overall Score: 6.5/10

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Sword Fine art Online II

Sword Fine art Online II is a straight sequel to the get-go season and aired in 2014. While some people were delighted by Sao II ending, most were left wanting more than and eagerly anticipating the adjacent Sword Fine art Online. Again, this 2nd season of SAO isn't perfect, only it isn't garbage as some would say it. In fact, in my stance, Sword Art Online II is actually ameliorate than its predecessor.

Story

There are three story arcs to SAO II: Phantom Bullet, Excalibur, and Mother'southward Rosario. I'll summarize each of these appropriately.

Phantom Bullet is the master core of SAO Two. A year afterward escaping Sword Art Online, Kirito ends upwards in a VR called Gun Gale Online where he is tasked to investigate the deaths of VR players in the real world by them supposedly dying in the Virtual world by a mysterious killer known as Decease Gun. Once inside, Kirito meets Sinon, a highly skilled sniper affected past a traumatic past and Kirito & Sinon are dragged into a high-stakes game where the next victim could hands be one of them.

The story was crafted excellently, while information technology did have a slow start at kickoff, the ending was satisfying. In that location are yet inconsistencies to how the story picks up the pace. It just feels rushed fifty-fifty though the story presented itself well. The story though is packed with the Impossibilities similar the beginning SAO. This Fourth dimension, characters are haunted past their past , and it's upward to Kirito to guide them out of information technology. While that may seem irrelevant to the story, it adds a little emotional affect to the overall arc.

Excalibur is pretty much the filler arc of SAO II. Hither we find Kirito and the entire crew back in Alfheim. They all do a quest to retrieve the legendary sword Excalibur from an Ice Kingdom and ultimately save Alfheim altogether.

While it was a fun lookout, it was by far the weakest out of all the arcs. It didn't offer annihilation new, and it didn't bring out anything we haven't necessarily seen before in the SAO franchise. It is nevertheless refreshing to see the old team dorsum together including Sinon to articulate out dungeons and let them evidence off their skills. Although, this arc did offer an interesting perspective on how live the world & the characters inhabit really is, and how deep the zipper to this world runs in each of them.

And finally, the Female parent's Rosario Arc. In ALO, there's a rumor almost a player nicknamed every bit "Absolute Sword" who has won 69 duels in a row. This catches Asuna's attending and she has a duel with him... or should I say her. Turns out the "Accented Sword" is a girl named Yuuki who asked Asuna to bring together her guild, the Sleeping Knights in gild to defeat the 28th floor boss to have their names etched on the Monument of Swordsmen in order to leave a retention of their existence in the earth before the guild disbands.

I personally think this is the best arc out of SAO II. It doesn't focus on activeness equally much as the previous arcs, rather information technology focuses a lot on characters and their hardships in the real world. While some may get turned off by that, it really is a skilful arc to see farther character development in some characters.

Overall, the story of SAO Two is personally better than the first flavor & is executed more efficiently. While it may have its flaws in pacing, it doesn't effect the overall story that much.

Score: 8/x

Characters

This flavour did a ameliorate job with grapheme evolution. Kirito & Asuna feel more three-dimensional than they accept before. What I mean is that Kirito shows traces of PTSD after killing someone in SAO in the commencement arc and we get to come across how he'due south able to overcome his trauma. Despite Asuna's normally happy appearance, she's troubled by her position in society. Despite all her challenges in the real earth, she manages to put on a strong confront for all of her friends, even when she finds out that the first female person friend to truly sympathize her was someone with terminal AIDS. Also came the introduction of my two favorite characters in SAO: Sinon & Yuuki. I'll talk well-nigh Sinon first.

Not only is Sinon an incredibly skilled sniper in Gun Gale, she's written very well. Sinon may exist absurd-headed on the battlefield & cares deeply for her friends, but in the real world, she's fragile-minded with a PTSD of guns. Sound familiar? We become to see how she slowly manages to put her trauma behind her, and recaptures her more friendly and outgoing persona. She's like a mirror into Kirito'south character.

And finally, there's Yuuki, who'southward like a mirror into Asuna'south grapheme in the aforementioned manner that Sinon was a mirror of Kirito. She strives to protect her friends in the face of dangerous circumstances. She likewise puts on a mask of the happy, cheerful girl, fifty-fifty when her reality is a broken body constantly on the verge of death. That's because Yuuki is diagnosed with AIDS, and despite beingness diagnosed past a disease that has no cure, she continues to fight on. Her strength of will even helped Asuna detect the backbone to confront her mother.

Overall, the characters were much ameliorate portrayed than in the starting time season. While the old gang minus Kirito & Asuna get very petty screen time, they all experience more three-dimensional and more similar actual characters than they take before, plus Sinon and Yuuki are fantastically written.

Score: 9/10

Animation & Fine art Fashion

At that place is footling to say here. Animation & fine art are top notch. If at that place'south one thing every viewer of Sword Art Online tin can hold on, information technology's that it has great animation & art style. This serial continues the tendency, so I won't go any farther.

Score: eight/x

Music/Soundtrack

The music was quite amazing and thematic, connecting well with the ideas of the show. Information technology's truly difficult to match the melancholy feeling that the terminal catastrophe theme evoked when you realize that the song was something shared by Asuna and Yuuki, as the last notes fade out over Yuuki'southward memorial. Also some catchy OPs & EDs every bit per usual.

Score: 9/ten

Enjoyment

I had a lot of fun watching Sword Art Online II. Information technology gives me more to think about when I make up one's mind to let my heed wonder. Simply the thought of how close a different world tin can exist so close to us but makes me want to watch more and more. Everything that was adapted and portrayed made this show a lot more enjoyable, but I did have i problem: Sinon'south ass shots in the first arc. It was a little annoying and even happened during some of the serious scenes. That's ridiculous!

Score: viii/x

Construction & Pacing

Unlike in the first season, SAO II's pacing wasn't as inconsistent. The first arc may have been rushed a bit, but it didn't dampen the anime in my opinion. There were also some plot points that completely contradict the starting time season, especially when Kirito said he killed someone in SAO. We never really hear nearly this person Kirito killed in SAO and it'south being brought up now?!?! WHAT?!?! Other than that, structure & pacing really improved with this flavor.

Score: 7/10

Overall Score: 8.2/10

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Sword Art Online: Alicization

We finally made information technology to Alicization, SAO's 3rd season that aired in 2018. This season is based on the Alicization arc from the Sword Art Online light novels. Alicization is definitely the almost mature SAO season to date.

Story

The premise here is that Kirito is at present a part-time employee for the private constitute Rath, who aims to perfect their cosmos the Soul Translator, a state-of-the-art full-swoop interface which interacts with the user'due south Fluctlight, the technological equivalent of a human soul. I night, after becoming morally wounded & losing consciousness against a familiar foe, Kirito finds himself in a medieval world with its own history and lore and journeys with his newfound friend Eugeo to attain both of their (different) goals.

This story starts out slow, accordingly with a lot of focus on world edifice. Information technology brings about some ethical questions nearly humanity, playing God, and where to draw the line in scientific experiments. This flavour deals with more of these mature themes than the previous seasons e'er did, and I give it props for that. Too, it's a lot more darker since there'south blood & gore in the battles dissimilar the rest of the franchise. Overall, the story'south non executed besides as SAO Ii, especially with a massive bewilderment at the end, it'southward nonetheless written well enough to be enjoyable. It's an aggressive story with a lot more mystery, suspense, and darker themes.

Score: vii/10

Characters

Kirito, Asuna, and the whole gang return once again. Kirito's a little more stable than he utilize to be and I actually like the friendship he has with Eugeo. Asuna and the rest of the gang are their usual selves. Ii new principal characters are now introduced: Eugeo & Alice.

Eugeo is Kirito's childhood friend and is the focus for this season. He has an innocent, easygoing personality that makes the story work - much similar Frodo from Lord of the Rings. His opinions nigh himself, others and the society he is in changes throughout the story and the viewers get to experience the same things he does. He also appears somewhat cowardly in the beginning as he is unable to prevent certain events from happening. It'due south not until he meets Kirito that he develops a resolve and finds the courage to become a stronger person.

Exterior of the main duo, at that place'due south Alice. The show makes it clear that she's an important character from her introduction to later on in the story. Alicization also devotes time to developing her character after meeting Kirito. Despite having a rocky start, she develops respect and a growing trust for him.

In curt, the biggest strength of the characters this time around is the emphasis on character bonding & development, particularly between Kirito, Eugeo, and Alice. The newbies may not be as potent of characters every bit Sinon & Yuuki were, they were still nifty additions to Alicization.

Score: vii/10

Animation & Art Style

Aesthetically, Alicization is the all-time-looking anime from this series, and Sword Art Online has that reputation in general. The artwork is overall gorgeous. Background arts are vigor and vibrant, brimming with tiny blithe details with peachy use of graphical effects & the masterful employ of colors to provide a visual spectacle of wonder and please. The animation is solid, information technology makes the choreography of activity sequences very well-baked and smooth, and they incorporated new and old camera techniques and special effects to non only maintain but heighten the quality of the visual spectacle of the battles.

Score: 10/10

Music/Soundtrack

Unfortunately, the soundtrack is rather underwhelming compared to the last seasons. Great music, merely disappointing. Music from past seasons is repeatedly used past remixing it. Only a few soundtracks are memorable and they don't last long. Some of them sound very similar to Yuki Kajiura's other works. Simply new notable music is the Eugeo's theme and the Quinella's theme. Likewise, some more than catchy OPs & EDs from LiSa.

Score: 7/10

Enjoyment

I very much enjoyed my spotter of Alicization. Not simply were the bonding moments very wholesome, but the fight scenes are also enjoyable equally e'er. Not to mention, seeing some more than mature & darker imagery from what we've seen in the past is what makes me hold on to the border of my seat during the serious moments. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Alicization.

Score: 8/10

Structure & Pacing

In terms of pacing, information technology does commencement off a bit dull, but that's considering it's setting up this brand new world, just other than that, pacing was tolerable. Some episodes take a lot of talking involved. A lot of exposition is delivered this way and people, like myself, expecting all out action scenes will be disappointed or bored by these episodes. But, those are few & far in between. Overall, pacing isn't perfect, but not terrible either; information technology'south good pacing & structure.

Score: 7/10

Overall Score: seven.67/10

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Overall Verdict

All iii seasons of SAO were pretty well-rounded & enjoyable anime. Just at the cease of the twenty-four hours, ane flavor has to exist superior and when comparison my overall scores of all three seasons, it turns out that Sword Fine art Online II comes out as the victor.

The first season of Sword Art Online comes in last due to the story & main characters beingness too simple & predictable. In that location was so much potential for an astonishing anime, merely could simply become halfway up the road.

SAO Alicization comes in second for having strong character evolution & bonding, more mature & darker themes in its narrative, and some of the almost gorgeous visuals SAO has to offer. Unfortunately, the testify's underwhelming soundtrack and new characters that didn't impact me as much as others hold information technology back just past a niggling bit.

Just, in my opinion, Sword Art Online II exemplifies the best aspects of SAO and puts it together in one great anime experience. The story is more than fleshed out & well crafted, Sinon & Yuuki are fantastically written characters with Kirito & Asuna feeling more three-dimensional, the visuals are fantastic, the soundtrack is incredible, and I had the near fun watching this flavor than the other two. Which is why the winner for the all-time season of SAO is...

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Sword Fine art Online Ii

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Determination

Thank you to those who really took the fourth dimension to reach the end of this blog. I put a lot of hard work into this one! For those of you who've seen all three SAO seasons, which one is your favorite? Allow me know in the comments! Until next time! Beloved and peace! 🤗

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Source: https://aminoapps.com/c/anime/page/blog/which-season-of-sword-art-online-is-the-best/pLtQ_un2pVrmrekvrqeWZLKb6zrK4B

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