Sword Art Online – 08
I don’t know what kind of crazy fighting stance that is, but it looks awesome.
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Sword Art Online continues to be one of my favorite shows for this season, but I suppose I enjoy it a lot more because I get to blog about it every week. So are the rumors true for this series? Are we finally headed for the main story or are there more side stories left to reveal? In MMORPG related news Guild Wars 2 recently started up and I have been playing that! So if you are playing that game please let me know! |
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I apologize if these posts start coming out a bit later than usual. Fosh is always lightning fast, but I’m going to be a bit more sluggish in organizing these posts and writing my parts because I have to do the entry test for medical school soon. Sorry! I’ll do my best to stay on track because I don’t want to give up blogging SAO :3 |
Making a Killin’ Playing The Villain
Overcooled // Enter Kuradeel: the creepy escort who has no shame in lurking outside the house of a girl that looks half her age. Hey, there’s nothing wrong with older people playing MMOs, but this guy looks like the kind of man you tell your children to stay away from. The sunken-in cheeks and straggly hair that seems to suggest an acute lack of showering really make his first impression incite wariness. A classic predator. I took one look at him and didn’t like him. In fact, this whole episode seems to be structured to make us instantly hate the guy. I think he’s a dick, but I’m going to play devil’s advocate for a minute. Kuradeel is just following orders and trying to protect Asuna. He doesn’t want her to go off alone with someone who could potentially betray her. He has noble intentions – he just goes about them in a really pompous way, as if he knows precisely what is right for Asuna at all times. Asuna and her guild is incredibly famous – and that fame will only continue to grow. People are out for her, and he doesn’t want to take any chances. The irony is that because the Guild is recruiting people so rapidly is that there may be more danger from within the Guild than outside of it. The Blood Knights may fall apart in time, giving Asuna more of a chance to hang out with Kirito. That PKer from The Laughing Coffin in the audience seemed pretty chuffed about what he just witnessed, so there may be some dead Blood Knight members when Asuna is done traipsing about the dungeon with Kirito. Or perhaps Asuna herself will feel their wrath soon. Either way, Kuradeel might actually be on to something about Asuna’s safety (or lack thereof).
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Kirito throws the best parties
Foshizzel // After that fantastic meal provided by Asuna she invites him to a group because she wants to go out on some adventure with Kirito…or maybe you could just call that a date? Either way, Asuna wants to leave the boring home life behind and go kill some monsters. I don’t think he really wanted to tag along with her in the first place; however he was in no position to turn her down unless he wanted a quick death from a sharp kitchen knife! I really liked how Asuna reminded Kirito once again there are certain things you can’t do as a solo player, but do you think she is sounding like a broken record? I know she already said that quote to him before. Did anyone else notice they have used just about every scene from the opening video? This week we saw the strange black world, cooking scene and finally with the reveal of the giant monster at the end of this episode which leaves me to think might get a new opening soon! I mean after they defeat that giant blue demon.
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Virtual Epic Meal Time with Asuna
Foshizzel // After successfully killing of a random lizard man while on an adventure Kirito found a super rare ingredient in the woods (aka a rare rabbit in Sword Art Online) and what do players do with something like that? You cook it of course. Now I have some experience dealing with MMORPG cooking! Which meant killing several monsters for hours just for a chance at their meat or it usually involved doing lots of cooking themed daily quests for those rare ingredients. So you are probably asking yourself what does cooking give you as a player anyway, with most games cooking stuff rewards you with some type of amazing buff for like increased hit points, spell power or boosts some other stat for a few hours. So what does it do in Sword Art Online? I can only assume at this point it just keeps your body going in the game, but I wonder if eating in the game tricks your mind into thinking you are actually eating or maybe it grants buffs? I would love to find out how eating the game food affects your body in the game and real world.
Overcooled // I feel like this week’s episode harps on about a lot of the same themes from last week’s episode. One of them is the idea of players maxing out skills for their own personal enjoyment. Asuna has the highest possible level of culinary expertise because…well…why not? If Lizbeth can spend her time smithing items (like a sword powerful enough to break Kuradeel’s! Ohohoho, she did a mighty fine job on that steel masterpiece!) then Asuna can make delicious meals in her spare time. The big re-occurring message here seems to be that SAO is becoming a replacement fr the real world. More and more people have accepted it as their new place to live, and have given up on returning to the real world. In fact, SAO is the real world now for many people.
I feel like I keep repeating this every week, but I can’t help talking about SAO slowly turning into a new world in of itself! I’ve written about player immersion before here at Meta, and I think it’s a very important aspect for video games. Getting the player to relate to the avatar they’re using to interact with the world to the point where they feel like they’re actually a part of the game world is essential for the gaming experience. It’s important to keep the player feeling like what happens in the game world really matters to them. It’s all about emotional investment. You’re hooked once you start to care if your player dies or a party member leaves you. Maybe the aim of SAO was to reach a higher plane of player immersion to the point where the game actually becomes your new life. You are not just a character in a game…you live in the game!
Good to know I’m not the only women who threatens people with cooking utensils on a regular basis
As more and more games try to get gamers addicted to the point where they abandon real life to stay cooped up inside hammering away at keyboards or controllers, SAO has transcended all that by building you an entirely new life. A lot of people play games as a form of escapism, and SAO satisfies that wish like no other game ever could. Now people can leave the real world where maybe they’re bullied, shy or not-so-talented and become this incredible player with the ability to slay dragons. Just look at Accel World. It’s about a fat boy who is a loser in real life, but turns to the world of Burst Linkers to become popular and powerful. Even in real life people lose themselves in video games to become different people, and we don’t even have NerveGears! The allure of dabbling in another world where you are in control is just too tempting for some, and I like the idea of games in the future being so dangerously addictive and that players actually get stuck in the game world without any way out.
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Guild World Problems
Foshizzel // This week we finally got some details about Asuna’s guild growing thanks to the news about their recent success so far. I liked how they revealed that tiny bit of information on the Knights of the Blood, but in the end they left me wanting more; however they did show off a new character named Kuradeel aka Asuna’s in game bodyguard, but I honestly think he takes his job way too serious because she just thinks of him as a stalker later on in the episode. So does she really require all that protection every time she decides to go out? I think she could take on any player killers without breaking a sweat! Then again she is quite famous and she holds the title of vice captain of a very powerful guild or does it come down to the fact that she is a girl? I can see that being one of many reasons why the guild decides to protect her. Do you think she really needs a personal body guard or should they just swap Kuradeel for someone else? I think if they got another girl to watch out for her she might be more comfortable with the whole guard situation, but we all know Kirito probably takes over as her “extra special” body guard if you know what I mean…
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Final Thoughts
Although not a lot happens this week, I found myself oddly soothed by watching Asuna cook. As a big cooking hobbyist myself, I love that Asuna took the time to sharpen her culinary talents in SAO just for the sake of having hearty meals all the time. Aincrad is a living breathing world that everyone can learn to love and blah blah blah I GET IT. I feel like SAO keeps repeating the same theme over and over, getting increasingly more blunt as time goes on. Okay, stop now. The tone has been set. Let’s move on now, shall we? Anyways, despite SAO continuing to be rather average, I like where things are going with Asuna’s characterization. She’s a woman who has girly interests such as cooking and can still kick ass in a fight. She doesn’t need Kirito’s protection at all, but she enjoys his company and uses a mix of feminine wiles and threatening him with pointy objects to get him to tag along. She’s not at either extreme, and she keeps Kirito on his toes. There’s still the occasional eye-roller moment where she hits him and calls him a pervert, but for the most part I think she’s breaking away from the tsundere mold. As of now, she might be more interesting than Kirito, who has fallen into the “inexplicably perfect and cool” male lead category. He’s getting kind of stale. :/ Well, at least the man can fight.
This was a strange episode because the overall tone felt more like a slice of life episode especially that scene with Asuna cooking that special meal for Kirito! Thankfully they made it interesting with the guild drama, but I would love to see them explore more the Knights of Blood a bit more and what about Kuradeel’s role in the story? I mean she did order him to back down. I can’t help feeling that he will turn a villain later on, but I bet he will try to seek revenge against Kirito for humiliating him during their short duel! What else happened? Nothing really stands out other than Kuradeel turning evil and I am waiting for Kirito to eventually join the Knights of Blood! COME ON MAN DO IT ALREADY and I am excited to see the two of them take down that giant monster next time.
Asuna: teleporting to groping hands near you. Seeya next week!
About Tag Team
We live, laugh, enjoy and strictly believe on "more the merrier". When together, we usually come up with very chatty, conversation-based episodics and interesting posts.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
They mentioned in episode 2 that eating food in the game makes your mind think you’re not hungry, but won’t actually sustain your body in the meatspace world (I am moving away from calling it the ‘real’ world, because why is it more real than Aincrad?). And how many people remember Asuna at that moment, eating dry bread, because she didn’t know about butter she could get, and even barely hanging on to life. Quite a change from then to now.
Hmm, thinking about that, I’ve commented elsewhere that I liked the way they ordered the episodes. If we hadn’t had those other episodes in there, helping to portray time passing, how could we have reconciled this Asuna who is confident, open, and fairly happy with the one we had in episode two who was quiet, hidden, and obviously not sure of life. The time away from her, and knowing that time passed, allowed her character to develop away from us and help get through that dissonance.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
This is by far the best commentary I have seen on the show. And I’ve made similar comments in the past. Good work, Highway! Cheers! I will raise a Guinness to you!
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
The mind is the most important part concerning humans. Gain control of that and everything else with follow behind. Like you pointed out in your first paragraph about tricking the mind. SAO is pretty much like The Matrix except the people in it are aware of the situation. So if you encourage the mind to do something, it will do it, it will believe whatever you want it to. When a person dies, the brain automatically stops functioning which in turn affects the body because it can’t go on without it.
My god, how did this turn into neuro science?
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Yes, you guys always drum up the best discussion. I think I enjoy blogging this show more than I do actually watching it!
Asuna from the first time we saw her to the second time we saw her (even before now) is a huge jump. She’s gained a lot more confidence, and she’s getting a bit more settled into Aincrad now. Eating gourmet rabbit ragout and blooming tea is a big step up from dry bread, indeed!
Haha, meatspace is a interesting term for “real life.” It’s harsh, but it works.
As for the neuroscience side of things…the nervegear traps you in an completely new world using only game data and your brain. Although this probably isn’t quite possible yet in real life, it’s incredible what the brain can do. You can actually trick your body into thinking it’s full by altering the levels of certain hormones. I’m guessing that’s how Kirito and Asuna FEEL full when they eat in Aincrad, although their real life bellies are probably empty. Thinking of how complex the NerveGear would have to be to do that hurts MY brain…>_< Anyways, I digress...lol...
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I am trying to recall when I first heard the term meatspace? Being an “early adopter” of cyberpunk (of which SAO is a clear descendant) back in the mid 80’s, I’m sure I heard in back then, perhaps in the Cyberpunk 2020 Pencil and Paper RPG. Or from William Gibson himself? Wired magazine circa early Ninties? Highway, when did you first hear of it?
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
I did a little research. The term “meatspace” is apparently derived originally from the science fiction novel Neuromancer by William Gibson, published in 1984. Gibson derived this term from the punk rock band Meat Puppets, founded in 1980.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I read that novel twenty years ago, and it is in a sea of geekdom…Yeah, punk rock. Good lord, I have to find my old cassette tapes. Only that will lead to a middle aged idiot moshing in a pit…..
I highly recommend that Book and anything by Gibson if you want to find the roots of SAO. It would be like recommending a book on WWII fighter planes to Strike Witches fans. Or a the pantsu section of a department store catalog…I won’t judge….
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Anything by Gibson, huh? I’ll keep that in mind. I’ve been slowly trying sci-fi books (I’m new to the genre), so I might have to give that one a go when I’m done reading The Diamond Age :3
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Boy, I hope nobody was thinking I was claiming credit for that term. 🙂
Diamond Age has an interesting kind of similarity, but if you haven’t read Snow Crash by Stephenson, you might find that it has some of the same themes as SAO, or even more so AW, since it spends a lot more time in meatspace.
But, imo, jumping into ‘sci-fi’ with Stephenson is like deciding you’re going to start learning about the Napoleonic Wars and going right for War and Peace.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Ah, I didn’t start right off the bat with Stephenson. I read some Iain M. Banks and Kurt Vonnegut first. I didn’t really know where to start, so I just went with what I heard people praising. Hopefully The Diamond Age doesn’t scare me away (I’m only a few pages into it) if it’s as heavy as you say since I’m still just getting my feet wet here ^^;
I’m kinda-sorta really happy that you guys are readers as well as anime fans :3
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Oh, Diamond Age isn’t nearly as heavy as, say, Cryptonomicon. But it is still a fairly dense book. If you do find that it’s a little too difficult to keep track of, then I’d definitely recommend reading Snow Crash, because I found it a lot more accessible, and it deals more with themes you’ll already be familiar with, while I find the ones in The Diamond Age to be a little farther flung.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
@BB “My god, how did this turn into neuro science?” oh my brain is hurting…
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Heh heh. Keep thinking about it and your head will explode. SAO touches potential ideas and theories concerning the brain.
POWUH: Meta Resident and Werewolf Chaser with 1270 comments
Clearly because anime give us a chance to discuss whtever we learned in school/college/university.
And most of us learned stuff tht may be usefull for SAO…
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Agreed with OC! I always look forward to a Highway or Skylion comment it creates some interesting conversations <3
@Higway: Yeah I figured eating food in the game tells your brain in the other world "Yeah I have to eat" but like you said I don't think it will keep you alive forever.
Yep! Asuna is getting better and better with each passing episode, but I wouldn't mind some character flaws appearing soon...then again Asuna and Kirito are meant to be AWESOME not dull, but either way I like what has happened so far.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
There are plenty of “character flaws”. Both of them are growing young people that cannot quite come to grips with their feelings for one another. Asuna has some rather interesting insight into her Guild which may prove to be shortsighted, and Kirito has trust issues. All of these thing are being or going to be exploited for the story.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
True I guess I haven’t really looked that deep into the characters that much and Asuna is a type of character I like but I can’t say FAVORITE because I like the hyper girls which SAO is lacking >.< but I know were going for serious tones vs LOL-COMEDY
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I think that the classic “genki musemu” could more than prolly kill what they have built so far with this series. Which isn’t to say that that trope doesn’t belong. 8000 people…there has to be a Osaka-chan in there somewhere…
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
What gives me nightmares is that my own spawn could be subjected to SAO. I find myself torn. Would I don the VR helmet by any means necessary to go in and protect my kid….Or would I stay in meatspace, doing everything I could to keep my kid alive?
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Meatspace needs to be trending on twitter!
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Fosh…you are the devil….
POWUH: Meta Resident and Werewolf Chaser with 1270 comments
Meatspace is turning popular!?? SAO rocks lol.
But it sounds unsetting >.<
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
I picture a human made out of raw steak whenever I hear the term, and yes…it is very unsettling…
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
OC, well, they (we) are… We just have this more attractive skin on top.
As for the dilemma about going in or staying out, it depends. Do you really think you could do better than your kid? Do you really think that you could be more helpful there than waiting outside, and risking your own life (or is it really risking? Any more than living in our current world is?). It’s probably the waiting that’s difficult: you put care towards them for years and then all of a sudden they’re gone. Just gone, and you have no idea why, or how, or anything.
I’ll be honest, tho. I think the chances of something like SAO happening, without being able to get out, are somewhere between zero and zero. This isn’t a secret phenomenon, and it’s unlikely that Akihiko has that much of a programming lead on the rest of the world that noone could figure out how to patch in an exit. If that happened, within a week it would be seized by some government and patched to allow people to get out. We know it can be done, because there was an exit in the Beta, and they even talk about it being put in at the beginning.
So it’s a fantastic world and premise, but in our world it’s completely unrealistic.
POWUH: Occasional (51-75) with 71 comments
I can just imagine in the meatspace world…
>Breaking News! 314 more die in SAO while thousands still remain in comatose state under ICU’s around the world. The creator of SAO still won’t say a word on how to release victims during trials conducted by the UN. Black and white hatters from around the world were so far unsuccessful in cracking open the game servers!
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of course there’s the possibility that no one dies when they get disconnected and it was just a setup by the creator to force players into the ultimate mmo experience and no one has been able to access the servers to tell the victims 😛
POWUH: 900-999 with 915 comments
Yeaaah, Asuna is back, Yeaaaah!!!
This episode was nice, nice, nice, even though it couldn’t overwhelm the feeling that I had reading the LN XP
Kuradeel is sure, a creepy man and watching him on this episode helped me see what really was that “hate on the eyes” that the writer of the LN mentioned, Goood I don’t like him.
The duel was as fast as I imagined, since Reki Kawahara filled it with words to just describe that easy movement he made to destroy the sword. “Ooooh he is beater!!!” Go to the hell man! He is way stronger than you! You don’t have any right to tell anything, annoying creepy man! And that Laughing Coffin members… Hmm… Fishy.
The meal they had was so bizarre XD It would be so nice if it needed only a touch with a knife to cut the tomatos, my life would be so much better, with way fewer cuts on my fingers… And I imagined the floor where is Asuna’s house to be much more beautiful TT.TT I was expecting to see some scenery porn this episode.
The final thing is, I expected much more from “The Gleam Eyes” scene. It’s a pity that the scene wasn’t as better as I imagined…
And Fosh, Asuna jumped the spoon, since the knife is much more suited to kill XD
POWUH: Meta Resident and Werewolf Chaser with 1270 comments
Just curious, wht you expect frm the boss scene?? Its ady good IMO.
Aside frm tht, totally agree. Wht, Beater is still used?? Grow up. Just ’cause he a Beta Tester doesn mean he’s cheating.
POWUH: 900-999 with 915 comments
It’s because when I read this scene on the LN the feeling is not the same. The Gleam Eyes was described as something so, so frightening, that I was expecting that they would create a frightening atmosphere on the anime and make use of some light effects to make him feel as scary as the LN suggested.
Yeah, yeah -.-‘ I guess it’s because they still think that the beta testers was the reason so many died while still on the 1st floor dungeon. And he made the image of a cheater to himself when he used out of nowhere that black coat, that he actually earned winning the 1st floor boss.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Gleam Eyes just looks like a regular boss monster.He’s not particularly frightening. The scariest thing about him are the 4 HP bars beside his head, so I can see why you’d be a little disappointed. Oh well, hopefully the battle makes up for it.
I’m with all of you about how “Beater” is just a convenient term that places the blame on someone else. Only people who are afraid or insecure would bother to discriminate Beaters to make themselves look like they’ve tried harder. :/ By now, being a beta tester or not should be irrelevant.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
DEM 4 health bars!
POWUH: Meta Resident and Werewolf Chaser with 1270 comments
And no instant heal!!!
POWUH: 900-999 with 915 comments
But the point is that the LN made you imagine something sooo frightening, since… Hm… Well, I guess it’s not any important spoiler, but the fact is that The Gleam Eyes was so frightening that it made Asuna and Kirito run at the light speed just by seeing it. And the four bars of HP wasn’t even mentioned on the LN. This is why I was expecting more, I was expecting a reason why a boss would be able to made the two of them run like hell.
This beta tester prejudice should have ended by the time they reached the 6th floor since it was all they were able to do on the beta test period. But I can see why they would believe that a beta tester had advantages. They already had the grasp on the mechanics and the first floors was much easier for them. Just like they said, Sword Art Online is a competition from resources, since rare item drops to money and etc. They are not as easy to obtain as any other MMORPG we have ever seen. So the beta testers had a better start than the others. Still, at the 75th floor, it is not even close to some logical hatred. It’s just like you said, it’s a convenient term to make them feel better.
I like how Asuna ignores the fact that Kirito is a beater XD
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Ah yeah I suppose when reading the LN it comes down to the readers imagination? I know reading something vs watching is a totally different experience so I feel you! Especially during a fight? I liked reading the fights in the Index LN because I can picture them in my head! As for this monster I was hoping for x5 or x6 health bars…
OHhhhh! Then yeah at this point those people that cry about the beta players gaining an edge over the normal players should stop treating that as a bad thing! DAMN! Whenever the others run into issues they always blame the beaters…WTF!
YES! ABOUT TIME SOMEONE LETS IT SLIDE <3 Asuna
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
People who are ultimately insecure in their own abilities will cast about for almost any reason outside themselves for their inferiority. So rather than face up to the fact that other people are just better than they are at something, they blame it on something convenient. It probably didn’t help through these two years that the beta testers spent a lot of time hiding that status due to the social prejudice. But it still says a lot that some people will work closely with those folks, and still then blame them when they find out (I don’t know how much sympathy I have for, say, the leader of the Black Cats, who blames Kirito for his guild members’ hubris before jumping to his death. Maybe it can be dismissed as the angry words of someone who has just had tragedy befall them, and maybe it’s what he actually felt, but he couldn’t figure it out in the months they were together? And uses that as the excuse? Not particularly cool) that they are beta testers.
I also hesitate to give the writing staff credit for trying to expose the hypocrisy of discrimination, because it’s not particularly well done.
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
LN states that they were frightened because that was the first Demon looking boss they have gone up against, out of all 74 levels.
It helps to know the Light Novel also states what the characters are thinking and speaking at the same time, so many details are missed in the anime.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Yeah, it’s really lame that people still think that “Beaters” have any advantage from being in a beta test. What, that whole 2 months in an unfinished game gives you some unassailable advantage two whole yearslater? At this point it’s just an anti-elite epithet used by pathetic people to make themselves feel better by trying to drag others down.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
I want them to get over the whole beater thing already! Seriously players IT HAS BEEN TWO FREAKING YEARS PEOPLE MOVE ON! I mean surrrrrrrrrreeee they had two months of testing in the game, but still did anyone beat the beta version? I don’t recall that happening…
POWUH: 900-999 with 915 comments
No, they didn’t. They just reached the sixth floor, since it was sooo hard.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
ahh thanks
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
HOORAAAAY MORE ASUNAAAAA
Yeah it was a nice episode and yeah I imagine reading it is far more entertaining for the LN fans, but I always like the animation and music that sets the mood for the anime version.
That was easily the shortest duel of all time!
Yeah like Asuna said cooking in Sword Art Online isn’t as fun as it is in the real world, but hey they wanted to give us a slice of life moment between her and Kirito <3
Asuna jumped everything! I am surprised she didn't put something in the tea muhahahah
POWUH: 900-999 with 915 comments
It’s not like I am a LN fan. SAO is actually the first LN I have ever read and it really feels that the story flows better. But you have a point there, animation materializes everything you imagine while reading, it’s just sooo nice *-* And the opening is one of my favorite musics of this season. The only one that beats it is the first ending of Kokoro Connect.
Kuradeel… You weakling ¬¬
Haha XD It was the weirdest slice of life scene ever, then. I couldn’t even see the stew they made TT.TT Too bad.
Oh, you think so bad of Asuna, Fosh? XD She isn’t so malign as you think… Is she?
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Asuna is alright she is growing on me! I just like more of the hyper characters more than the serious to the point ones >.> but I know this series is more of a serious thing rather than comedy because of the whole death thing, but I am going to do a drawing of her so I can’t say I don’t like her! I tend to draw characters I like anyway <3
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
t It would be so nice if it needed only a touch with a knife to cut the tomatos, my life would be so much better, with way fewer cuts on my fingers…
Take it from a current foodie, you want those cuts, you become a better cook as a result. It is your mistakes and how you learn to overcome them that make you what you are (don’t worry, my boring old guy speech is over soon)….always where gloves when slicing peppers….always. And if you don’t….use talc before you go to the bathroom……
You have hit up an interesting point in how the world of Aincard works there, JPNIgor. This is a world which maps the breezes down to a T. Every blade of grass. But, you become a good listener by…..putting points into it? A great cook by…..putting points into it?
Yeah, listening for eavesdroppers (episode four) and cooking (this episode) become pretty automatic. Asuna hangs that lampshade rather nicely….
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I think the crafting part is a little more involved than you think. I was imagining it not as something you allocate points towards, but something you work towards. I don’t know if you’ve played WoW, but crafting in that is “you work at it, you get better” so the more things you cook, the more your skill levels up. I think the SAO systems work like that, and it’s that Asuna has spent time cooking stuff. And it can be frustrating, because you ruin stuff, or you make a lot of boring stuff, but it’s more like actual cooking than you think. It’s just that guys like Kirito or Egil don’t think it’s worth anything useful to spend that time.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 107 comments
…and the reason why Asuna thinks it was worth HER time is in the plain-tasting bread she ate in EP2! Perfect!
Having a nice bed is also an issue for her in the LN.
POWUH: 900-999 with 915 comments
You have a point there, but the thing is, I’m the kind of lazy guy who don’t want to cook it, just want to eat it ^^’ Unfortunately, life is not always as you want so sometimes you have to cut tomatoes for your mother ¬¬
I don’t remember the LN mentioning it, if there are points that you earn just to use in battle skills and others to just use in other skills. But I remember one part of the LN, where when Asuna says “I have mastered it last week”, Kirito thinks “She really is an idiot”, so I consider that he said it because she could be using those points in battle skills rather than at cooking. Since then, I consider that Battle Skills and other skills use the same point system.
POWUH: Beginner (20-35) with 24 comments
SAO doesn’t have a point allocation system. It’s just that the more you use a skill, the more you become good at it. Meeting certain requirements allow you to learn more skills and all players have a set amount of skill slots at a certain level (meaning they can only improve the skills equipped at the moment). That and there’s a quota to how many skills you can have.
Kirito’s just surprised that Asuna spent that much time mastering a skill she won’t use for combat.
POWUH: 500-599 with 543 comments
As for the new life, in episode 1, we were told that the guy who created the Nervegear and such had a quote saying “I’m going to make a game that replaces life” or something along that general idea. So by now, after 2 years, it really has begun to become true for everyone. They’re doing things they want to, like Asuna leveling up her cooking skill to eat good food. And like Highway says, she was eating dry bread with no butter in episode 2. By now, she cares about what she eats. What Kirito told her a while back about really enjoying the game has gotten to her.
As for the guild drama, I would hope that there would be a girl who could be Asuna’s guard, or perhaps Kirito will fill that role by joining the guild… If he joins the guild, we could really get to see how such a big guild operates in SAO, how it holds meetings, what happens if members fall behind, and such. We don’t really know what happens if people fall behind or if the entire guild gets to go up a floor even if not everyone is at the boss fight. Being at a boss fight where the boss doesn’t win is clearly a way to the next floor, but we don’t know the full details yet. (Although we might not ever.)
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Right I think the game creator wanted to escape the real world and move into Sword Art Online forever and ever and I have a sneaky feeling that the next girl to meet Kirito MIGHT be the daughter of the game programmer, but I haven’t read the LN so don’t quote me on that! I mean who knows…as for the other stuff yeah it seems everything in SAO is simple down to cooking.
Agreed! If Kirito joins her guild he will see a whole new world of adventure when it comes to the larger guild vs monster battles and we have seen how Asuna acts in those meetings a few episodes back, but Kirtio would be the best bodyguard hahah
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Still Seeking More Silica…..
Fosh, you are the devil with your macros. The Devil of Mirth! :kaka:
Still loving this show! My expectations were for action/adventure, but am overjoyed with the character narratives. But, like OC, I too am thinking that they are starting to overplay the hand a bit much, in terms of selling us on how “real” the world is.
Good Tag work…..
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
I feel you Skylion! WE NEED MORE Silica! I MISS HER T___T
-bows- thanks! I need to work on my pun skills hahhaa
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Well, beside my obvious reasons for loving Silica…they gave us a complete character in 22 minutes. We saw all of her pain and all of her joy. At her worst and at her best…and she gave us a bridge into Kirito’s meatspace conderns…
POWUH: Meta Resident and Werewolf Chaser with 1270 comments
Sorry to both of you… Show ▼
We need Lizbeth AND Silica lol. Miss both of them…
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
I can’t help thinking of The Matrix or the .hack series every time I see the people becoming more and more comfortable in this death trap of a game. It’s like the more time they spend, the more their fear of death softens and they’ve completely forgotten about the real world. Accel World serves as another example since the Burst Linkers who spend most of their time there no longer feel they belong in reality. It seems easy to lose yourself in such things as video games because as humans, we want escapism and sure control. To be honest, I wouldn’t mind being lost to something like that sometimes.
I’m glad Asuna finally got rid of that creeper Kuradeel. Like OC said, one look from him and I hated him right away. He gave my vibes that he’ll do something dangerous so he shouldn’t be trusted from here on out. But while I don’t like him, Asuna could definitely use a body guard because as the vice commander of a rapidly growing group, the danger is closer than you think. There’s the risk of treason, usurpation etc… Things that can happen from people you know and would let your guard down for.
Asuna inviting Kirito to a group? More like forcing him at knife point. One thing I’ve noticed in anime: These male leads with well endowed abilities can kill monsters and destroy stuff but they can never overcome their manipulating and possibly abusive girls no matter how hard they try (Goku and Chi Chi). Yeah, I’ve noticed that we’ve seen most of the stuff in the show that was in the OP. Maybe it’s showing us what will happen next. You just got to pay attention. If this has 24 episodes, we’ll be looking at another OP halfway through with more hints.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
You are 100% onto something important right there BB! I was thinking the same thing about the original .hack series because eventually that main character gets over the whole trapped in the game and he adjusts to it! YES! AW is a great example of how using the game world’s “power” a few Burst Linkers are abusing it for their own gain.
HELL YA! Kuradee is so creeeeeppppyyyyyy and well in his eyes he is just following orders, but I don’t think she needs a guard all the time…she is a badass fighter or they want her as a mascot type of character to represent their guild since she is famous? I can see them spinning that idea.
HAHAHAH Yeah Asuna basically forced Kirito into joining her party, but I sort of enjoy how pushy she can be at certain times like wanting to go out and kill things? HELL YEA! LETS GO! You know Kirito is like “it’s not like I want to go adventuring with you or anything…”
NEW OP WHEN!? Yeah they have shown just about everything in the current opening, but there is one girl left to showoff and another Knight of Blood member which I assume is the guild leader or a higher ranked member?
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
It’s because of the technology that’s become so advanced it gets down to the very nerves of the brain. That’s why it looks so easy to lose sight of things. Like SAO’s NerveGear, Accel World’s Neuro Linker and even the Assassin’s Creed’s Animus machine that uses your own DNA to view your ancestor’s past lives and learn all of their techniques in a short amount of time.
Yeah, I’ll try to accept that he’s “following orders” but to me, since he saw Kirito and knew what he was, she suddenly became jealous so he tries to put him down by beating him in the duel. But how does Kirito’s sword always manages to cut through everyone else’s? Every weapon should have a weak point. That’s why they would take it to be repaired but his own seems a bit too indestructible.
Asuna being such a high ranked guild members does pose some disadvantages. Some could see it as a way to become more popular by taking out someone of her stature. Like the more powerful or famous the person is, the more notoriety you’d get if you defeat and virtually anyone can be a threat. So in some ways, it would be good if she had a body guard from time to time.
POWUH: Beginner (20-35) with 24 comments
Kirito actually aimed for the weak point of Kuradeel’s sword. It’s the reason why he was able to break it.
Not really spoilers, more like LN details Show ▼
POWUH: Meta Resident and Werewolf Chaser with 1270 comments
Show ▼
A new ED is confirmed by the way. Still no news of new OP.
The forest in the beginning totally looks lk its out of El Shaddai.
And despite the groping scene is as cliche and eye rolling, its still fun to watch lol. (But I still see her as a self-reliant tsundere as w/h Lizbeth)
The caps on Gleameyes….
Bath
>Death (This means boss battle ryte?)
Glad tht they put SS 1st, if not then there no backstory to explain Kirito action… But unlike Sachi Asuna has the guts to knife Kirito up…. So chill bro.
I still think Kuradeel take his job too seriously or there SRSLY something wrong w/h him. (You will see)
Abt the Laughing Coffin guild member, either its setting up a Show ▼
POWUH: Meta Resident and Werewolf Chaser with 1270 comments
Guild world problem….. See wht you did there.
*Should they hv a meme ver??*
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
MUHAHAHAHAHA! I blame my MMORPG games and cheesy anime stories <3
NEW ED?! FK YA! Now we just need a new opening! Maybe after Asuna and Kirito meet the last girl in the OP, but there is another member of the knights of blood that we haven't seen yet and I imagine he is the guild leader?
Yeah I like making those meme shots <3
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 109 comments
here the next episode titles for episode 9-13:
episode 9:Blue-Eyed Demon
episode 10: Crimson Killing Intent
episode 11:The Morning Mist Girl
episode 12:Yui’s Heart
episode 13:The Depths of Hell
my guess episode 10 Kuradeel will seek revenge on kirito and by the way episode 11 and 12 will be the final side story becouse yui is very importend part for the continue of the main plot
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Oooooh! Thanks for the episode titles <3
Yeah judging by those titles I can see
10: Revenge
11: Hnnngg new girl p1
12: New girl's story p2
13: Maybe her death?
Great stuff! I CAN'T WAIT!
POWUH: Meta Resident and Werewolf Chaser with 1270 comments
I don mind more chicks 4 Kirito to fool around XD
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 109 comments
yui will not exactly be one of those girls that was in the side story and wont fall in love in kirito she will be somthing special for kirito and asuna but i wont spoil what exactly
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
This sounds very promising!
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 109 comments
i wont spoil to you but the boss fight in the next episode wont be long but not short as well
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
This is a case where adaption meets LN. I was still quite concerned about this Boss. I guess it is because Boss characters have been few and far between. Gleam Eyes in terms of animation is much more scary than the Kobold King guy.
But then, I have not read the LN. I take the adaption at face value.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
He looks more fearsome than the kobold boss, but we’ll see just how that holds up when he’s in motion. I think it will be fine though. The action has never been a disappointment so far, so I’m expecting some brutal attacks to be thrown at Kirito and Asuna. One of the big draws of anime is how glorious they can make action scenes look, which should (hopefully) do the LN justice.
POWUH: 600-699 and Wingman with 655 comments
the problem with this series is that i already read the books and know what will happen, thou its pretty obvious that long haired dude will do sth XD
funny thing is the whole anime series is like 2 volumes? of the book. so i hope they continue to season 2 with 3~4, and 5~6 and so on, since the author divides his episodes with two volumes anyways 😉
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
He’s in the OP song too, which suggests he’s got a fairly important role somewhere. Sadly, I don’t know what it is. Or maybe fortunately? I don’t want to spoil the anime for myself.
So we’ve covered about 2 volumes so far? Hmm, I wonder if they’ll just stop at 25 episodes then or try and get more seasons…I’d hate a cliffhanger. D:
POWUH: Meta Resident and Werewolf Chaser with 1270 comments
More exactly like: 1 chp of Vol 8, 3/4 of Vol 2 and now we r at Vol 1.
POWUH: 600-699 and Wingman with 655 comments
like D-LaN said we are back to Vol.1 right now because the author finishes his main story in the first volume, and the second volume is a collection of side stories 🙂 so we had a couple of side stories like how Kirito got his sword and stuff, and we are back to the main story where you want to clear this god damn game. this is true to vol 3,4 ; 5,6 and so on
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
As for the dilemma about going in or staying out, it depends. Do you really think you could do better than your kid?
…damn, hit me with logic why don’t you, HW…
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Hah! It actually wasn’t meant to be sarcastic, although it certainly reads that way. In battle, experience can count for a lot. Cool-headedness can count for a lot. Maybe you could do better than your kid at that kind of stuff, and even if your reactions are slower, or your fighting strength isn’t quite as good, you’d be a net benefit. But it would still have to be weighed against the fact that now BOTH of you are trapped in that world. And you know what, it might be better, depending on the circumstances, to be there, fighting alongside your family, BEING a family, sharing strengths and covering weaknesses.
And if worse came to worst, you both go down together, fighting your hearts out.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
It’s almost scary how you are reading me so well…
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Well, I think we’re holding down the fort for the Middle-Age Brigade here. And you seem like a totally awesome guy, witty and charming and suave and always interesting, you know, very similar to myself… 😉
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Thanks for the kind words. I’m just some nutter, really. Is there a fort for the Middle Aged around here? We formed a Brigade?!
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Well ain’t this the sweetest, budding friendship? Awww~ (Sorry I just had to comment. CARRY ON!)
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
In my case, it’s usually less of a ‘fort’ and more like a ‘porch’, from which I’m yelling “Hey you kids, get offa my lawn!”
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
SHIPPPPPPPPPPP !
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
A porch is fine, too. It is the natural setting for a cooler of suds, or a keg of Guinness. Add laptops, LAN parties, anime watchin’…..
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Fosh…devil….yadda yadda yadda….
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Whoa! Sounds like a big party is coming. Am I invited? LOL.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
This is something that I deeply value about this site. The capacity to make friends. There are a lot of folk and some many column inches on the internet to decry the internet. But if I make a single friend, then it those that decry can stuff it. And her, I’ve made a dozen or more.
Cheers, folks.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Now you just need to spend some time in Metanorn’s IRC channel, skylion! You (and everyone else) is welcome any time.
Hah, like I have any influence over who is welcome there or not. 🙂
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I just might…
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
I love everyone here because Metanorn has become a second family for me to interact with <3! You two are awesome!
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…and you were the first to welcome me here…
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
yesss I remember! xD
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
WOOT! Of course…