[Anime] Sword Art Online (Postponed to Summer 2012)

Although I still prefer Morning Dew Girl

Well I'm relieved to hear that it does get better and that the next episode the actually story starts. I thought that the whole anime was going to be told in short stories that didn't amount to anything.

Well thank you for clarifying, I assumed there was something I was missing, but I thought it was Manga. Is there a manga?

I like it so far though. I understand why it might suck - cause of all the side story. However starting episode 8 the main story is going to start and anyone who's read the light novel or the manga knows this.

It feels like Naruto to me, in a way. I kinda want to watch it to see where the mess of a plot goes next, but at the same time it feels like a complete waste of time. I found it boring and uninteresting, and the anime killed off a character that was from the opening about ten minutes after she appeared. I was hoping the murder arc would make me interested, but I just gave up and dropped it after finishing that. It just doesn't have the appeal all the other anime I'm watching this season have.

To me its one of the better anime shows I've watched in a long time. Only second in my book to Hunter X Hunter this summer season. Although I will admit the side stories were starting to get on my nerves.

I thought the same thing! I'm like "Well she's in the opening, she can't die." Then she dies, but then they make you think they'll resurrect her, then they don't. Why? just, Why?

Well, they kind of can't. Actually, I'm kinda glad they killed off a seemingly-important character. It's just that she didn't have a role other than just another character Kirito came into contact with. Even (Madoka spoilers)

[color=#2e1a6b]I've never watched/read any Sword art online, and it seems that I'm missing out. What's the best place to start?

Episode 1 is (obviously) very important, and you'd be missing out on quite a bit if you skipped it. Episode 2 is also very important. Episode 3 is highly unimportant, as the only thing that would be of any significance in later episodes would be a certain drop. The episode wasn't really good, either. The rest is what feels like filler, but may be important later on.

The fillers are there to show the character relationships and what not. Like the meeting OP complained about, it shows Asuna and Kirito on opposite sides of the table. Now imagine how there are no episodes based on the side stories. Now skip from episode 1 to episode 8. You got Kirito who knows all these characters, and a main girl who obviously likes him. He is widely known as a beater. You got a dude in a cloak who observed his fight with an emblem of a guild and a shitload more. Most are explained through Kirito's thoughts in the novel, that which we wont hear for shit in the anime. Without said fillers try to understand how all of these things are happening and tell me how that works out.

These 'filler episodes' might seem pointless and a waste of time but they are there to create some sort of character developement for those who didnt read the novel. I.e. Kirito being against Asuna joining him on a party, why? Because of his past with Sachi. Also, episode 5 in which the meeting occured where Asuna and Kirito are still on 'acquiantances' relationship to episode 7 where they are friends and Asuna already likes Kirito. One can obviously guess she started liking him between those times and it gradually grew over time once episode 8 starts. Those that read the novel and were disappointed regarding the episodes, expected much and were given average or below average results. Like Kai said, pages and pages of story compressed into 24 mins, fuck 20, with the OP and ED taking 4 mins.

Enjoy the anime, try not to think much of it. You will ruin the fun yet again.

[color=#2e1a6b]I wasn't necessarily referring to the Anime. I guess my question wasn't clear: Should I start with the light novel, manga, or anime?

Preferably, the Light Novels would be the first choice as it is the original. However, the anime is a fairly decent adaptation of the novels so you could also choose to go from there, and then head to the source material. Not much is actually missing, and as others had stated before, the anime makes better sense as it is presented chronologically.

The manga... well, to each their own.

Also, put the spoiler tags properly lol.



It made me cry in the LN... I hope the anime is able to do the same to me.

Kaimax pretty much said everything... lol. The problems are pointed out straight on. But hey, those are meant to be there; as it's an adaptation of the LN.

Yeah, I pretty much took 2-7 as setting up the world so enjoyed them from that perspective. Trying to fit most side stories into one episode did mean quite a bit of jumping around though. Does make it easier to understand a lot than if they had gone from episode 1 to 8.

*Points to the novels*

Apparently, it works out just fine.

Edit:
Nevermind, my reading comprehension sucks.

Even though they are following the Light Novel very closely I found the Grimlock arc to be the bane of my existence. Since they crammed so many of the side stories I was actually quite disappointed by episode 7 and its paste. Now to answer your question does SAO suck? It really depends if you like this sci-fi/fantasy genre, but I would say "yea it's not bad" It's got a decent plot and a really kickass soundtrack. I just wish they would be consistent with the paste they are going at per episode.