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Sword Art Online is a Good show

For the sake of time conservation, my argument will be much broader compared to Pro's. My evaluation will be based on SAO's performance overall, so excuse my failure to point out specific cases. A few may be supplied for the sake of extended support for my claims, but otherwise, none will be provided. S/N : I will not be using the same systematic format as Pro. I will not be addressing transition, development, and likelihood of plot twists into different distinctive categories. They'll be implied through my response. There's a general consensus that I doubt much people would argue against : the fact that the premise of SAO is promising. By applying several themes adapted through online gaming (concept of guilds, health points, quests), the author introduces a superb idea that is extremely appealing to viewers. Because SAO is so attractive in terms of creativity, one would expect the execution to be masterful and capable of surpassing the standards that the public had set. Wrong. SAO is quite disappointing actually. 1. For one, SAO is doesn't meet any expectations for a complex or intricate plot. It lacks all the things that make any show essentially good. It claims to be a story of sacrifice and despair. A tale of alliances and betrayal. The struggle to retain humanity in front of impossible conditions.. But why in the world does it leave out all the essential components any good story needs? There's no deep interpersonal or political conflict. No psychology or moral dilemmas. No analytical tactics or mind games. No witty dialogue or response of any kind. And that is the biggest problem with this show. It is bankrupt in substance. It's mostly just uninspired action and has glimpses of good combat here and there. In other words, there isn't much analysis or strategy involved. If my intention was to create a successful mainstream show that appeals to the masses, all I'd have to do is follow the linear plot that the author wrote for SAO. 2. Another part of SAO that really disturbs me is the romance. Don't misunderstand, romance is neither necessary or unnecessary in action shows but once again what really matters is how it is delivered. In SAO, the protagonist is blessed with a flawless partner known as Asuna. Asuna and Kirito are said to be the perfect pair and many applaud them for their undying love for each other. What I fail to comprehend though, is why was the romance needed in the first place? It doesn't contribute anything special or worthwhile to the plot and is apparently just there to please hormonal teenaged fangirls. What's worse however is that their romance is- because of a lack of a better term, bland. There's no chemistry between the two. It's very similar to the interaction between middle schoolers. The male confesses his eternal love for the opposite sex, and she responds by fidgeting and shouting "Baka!", only then to abuse him somehow physically. (Recall the scene in which Asuna falls on Kirito and he accidentally gropes her breasts.) In summary, the romance is childish and lacks any spice that would affect any sane person emotionally. 3. For anyone who watches anime or is involved in literature at all, you should be familiar with the term deus ex machina. If not, here's a definition. de"us ex ma"chi"na- an unexpected power or event saving a seemingly hopeless situation, especially as a contrived plot device in a play or novel. Deus ex machina is primarily prominent in the second half of the first season of SAO. The protagonist literally doesn't do much but release a bunch of power ups that have no logical explanation as to where they originated from. It's a tad like the animes where "friendship and the power of will" can overcome any circumstances, even when you're 110% sure the opponent is more powerful. My only explanation as to why the directors even allowed for this to be released is that, at this point they were merely too tired and decided to throw a bunch of crap to satisfy naive watchers. There's not much to explain about deus ex machina in SAO, for it's exactly what one would expect it to be. There are a few other points that I could bring up, but because Pro didn't mention them, I will refrain from doing so. Best of luck, looking forward to your response as always!