This is my lawn

Yeah, I more or less agree with you on all of this, though my overall assessment is considerably more negative. (though you haven't gotten to one of the parts I really don't like so) Even in the first half, which was better, most of the cast is really uninteresting and it's pretty poorly paced.

 

The second half is just a big, gross, cliched mess. Especially the entire deal with the sister-cousin is super gross (whatever, Japan, I don't care if it's legal or if he's adopted, still, gross.)

 

One thing (perhaps the only one?) I can't fault is the art, though. I think it's probably the best-looking series I've ever seen (although Free! might be giving it a run for its money)

I miss season one's theme song.

 

I agree with the art. Also I don't have high hopes for season two. The villain already spoiled his grand master plan. I feel like anything interesting they had was already revealed at the end of season one (which I actually did like).

 

I would have loved to see them both wake up and start dating and adjusting to life outside the game and figuring out what they want to do next. Or how they would go on dates and plan their future after everything they had seen. That should be season two in my opinion.

The second half really is a giant mess and I like to think that it never happened...

 

I swear it does get freaking better in the light novels almost immediately (aka SAO II, the real second season, which should begin airing this summer), but everyone I know is so turned off by the Alfheim arc (myself included, granted) that they refuse to give it a shot... And I understand, but it's kind of a shame.

Oddly enough, I actually liked Alfheim (in part) better than the Aincrad arc: I felt like Aincrad kept jumping too much, and the whole thing felt so disjointed that the continuous nature of Alfheim felt like a relief. Though parts of it are definitely messed up. So, so messed up...

 

I like the show more for its concept than its actual execution--I don't entirely understand how it's as popular as it is, but...eh. It's something to watch.

I'm at the part with the flying and the sister who is super creepy because, Japan, why?)

Gosh, seriously. And it's even worse because this seems to be a cliche now.

 

In general, I liked the first half of the season, but they could've definately gone more in depth. They were supposedly trapped in that virtual world for 3 years; they could've explored so much of it. The second half didn't have the same feel (except for one fight part way thru, which actually is one of my favorites in the show) and in general wasn't as good... and that can be said even without the sister thing thrown in.

 

I'm optimistic for the next season, although I can see it flopping again too, so I dunno.

 

They just adapted what was written. The original story did jump around a lot - but even now Reki Kawahara does a side story every now and again set during SAO to flesh it out. (In fact, one of the episodes in the first season of the show was actually released in print several volumes after SAO concluded in part of a compilation of shorter stories. There's one in there set in Alfheim that I really hope gets adapted because it fleshes out Asuna a whole lot and felt a bit more mature than what came before.)

 

But I do agree that it's a fault of his storytelling and maybe some more original, adventuring episodes should have been written just for the anime (not the stuff with him forming a "family" that bored me to death).

I just started Alfheim, so I can't say if I like it or not yet. I just know that I don't like the setup so far.

 

Anyway, the show is promising, so I'd give other adaptations a shot. I like how it deals with mature subjects and how the characters develop, though it could be executed better.

 

It's a similar issue I had with Angel Beats, but I was more lenient because of the comedy and I liked how they wrapped things up. From what I've heard, though, Clannad and its afterstory are just plain tragic.

*sobs endlessly over Clannad and then rages about the terrible last episode*

 

Well, you may be interested in Accel World also--same author as SAO, so it has some of the same issues, but I find that it's less disjointed than Aincrad, and I find the concept a lot more interesting. MMO software that lets a person alter their perception of time in the real world and then play as a fighting robot with powers determined by their mental trauma hooked me before I had a chance to resist.

(And Accel World might be set in the future of the same world as SAO... Still no clear answer on that.)

 

Yeah, Accel World was good too IMO.

When's the Accel World / SAO crossover ep? Apparently they did that in the graphic novel?

 

I believe the light novel did have a chapter where Kirito (in his SAO avatar) fought Silver Crow, but there was no winner, if I recall correctly. I haven't heard anything about them doing an episode out of it--if they do, I hope they would expand it a bit, because I'm not so sure that one thing is enough to make an entire episode.

Guess I'll have to check out Accel World, then. By the way, if there is a graphic novel of SAO, can anyone recommend if it's better/worse/the same as the anime? TV adaptations always seem different from novels (aside from FMA:Brotherhood).

 

Anyway, I finished Alfheim yesterday. It was better than I expected, but I am kinda severely disappointed by the villain. When Kasugaya had the chance to kill him, I was pretty engaged in the scene. All I could think of was "don't... don't..." and I really wondered what he would do. That scene was pretty well done, in my opinion.

 

Also I liked when his sister yelled at him after she figured out he was Kirito. She has made more progress than so many other one-sided crush characters I've seen. Also, siblings fight. A lot. I still think that aspect was creepy, but I'm glad with how they handled it. Now she just needs to get over it and the show will never allude to such a creepish topic ever again -ignores the dancing scene-.

 

Anyway, what I liked most about this season was life outside the game with everyone meeting up and the highschool where SAO players attended exclusively. Yes, that was interesting. Let's see more of that.

The series started as a light novel, which is basically just a fancy term for a serialized novel with a few pieces of art here and there. There are translations of some of them online, and an official English release just started. I haven't read them, so I can't compare. It looks like there are some manga adaptations as well, but again, I haven't read them so I can't compare.

Wait, Accel World is from the same author? I might have to check that out myself sometime. Currently the only thing I know about Accel World is that I really want a Silver Crow figma, but nothing about the story. I'm not a fan of SAO, but I wouldn't mind having the guy prove me wrong about him (with any hope it'd be SAO2, but that isn't out yet) and the concept for Accel World does sound way more interesting.

Guess I'll have to check out Accel World, then. By the way, if there is a graphic novel of SAO, can anyone recommend if it's better/worse/the same as the anime? TV adaptations always seem different from novels (aside from FMA:Brotherhood).

 

Anyway, I finished Alfheim yesterday. It was better than I expected, but I am kinda severely disappointed by the villain. When Kasugaya had the chance to kill him, I was pretty engaged in the scene. All I could think of was "don't... don't..." and I really wondered what he would do. That scene was pretty well done, in my opinion.

 

Also I liked when his sister yelled at him after she figured out he was Kirito. She has made more progress than so many other one-sided crush characters I've seen. Also, siblings fight. A lot. I still think that aspect was creepy, but I'm glad with how they handled it. Now she just needs to get over it and the show will never allude to such a creepish topic ever again -ignores the dancing scene-.

 

Anyway, what I liked most about this season was life outside the game with everyone meeting up and the highschool where SAO players attended exclusively. Yes, that was interesting. Let's see more of that.

There are two manga... Though I haven't really read much of either. One's a straight adaptation of the TV series. Then there's the Progressive, which is supposed to be a newer interpretation that expands on the story more.

 

The light novel, though, is where it's at. I truly do think it's a good read and does have things the anime didn't.

Thanks! That's good to know. I probably won't be in a rush to read the light novels, but I'll keep it in mind. Anime adaptations tend to be watered down compared to light novels or manga (with exceptions, of course #PrincessTutu), so I was curious.

I really preferred Aincrad to Alfheim, mostly for reasons of story. A big problem I had with Alfheim was the magic and everything, which was pretty weird when compared to the first season.

 

The final fight scene was cool though.