Despite having some subpar arcs, it’s still not bad.
Summary:
- Sword Art Online has both fans and haters, but it’s still better than most isekai.
- The world of the series is pretty nuanced, and Kirito is a good protagonist.
- The presentation — great animation and music — elevates SAO above many other series.
Over the years, public opinion on Sword Art Online shifted multiple times. From being praised for its intriguing plot as it aired, to being considered the most overrated anime ever, and back to a positive reception with Alicization, it has both dedicated fans and dedicated haters.
Another reason why SAO was talked about so much was its genre definition. It definitely influenced many isekai series, but fans can’t help but wonder if it counts as one itself. Well, that depends on your definition of isekai, but even if you don’t consider it one, it’s better than most series in the genre.
The World of SAO Is Well-Developed
First of all, SAO wins over most isekai because of its world. And this doesn’t just mean the world of the first game, the eponymous Sword Art Online. In fact, we don’t get to see much worldbuilding in the game itself, which is understandable, as it’s just a game (although we see more of it with the Progressive series).
No, the world of SAO means the entire setting — outside the game too. There’s a whole story about how the VR technology was developed, multiple games set in it, and people who played one game might reappear in another one.
On top of that, the sheer length of SAO makes it a long and epic story. Not many isekai series can boast that, and just because of this aspect, SAO is more memorable than most one-cour isekai series from the past few years.
Actually, Kirito Is a Good Protagonist
Moreover, SAO can definitely be praised for its protagonist, Kirito. Despite being considered the poster child for generic anime protagonists, he’s actually quite complex: he doesn’t want to be stuck in the game world, and, in later seasons, he develops trauma from all the things that happened to him.
And yes, SAO actually explores that aspect of him. That’s already way more than we get for many isekai protagonists.
The Animation and Music Are Very Good
These things aside, SAO is just really well-made. Of course, many series animated by A-1 Pictures are, but among them, SAO might be one of the best-looking, especially for its era — the first season aired in 2012.
It’s not just about the animation, either. The music is amazing, with most of the opening and ending themes being considered iconic — there’s hardly an otaku who wouldn’t recognize “crossing field,” the first opening, from just a few notes.
The soundtrack definitely helps, too — Yuki Kajiura is also famous for series like Fate/Zero and .hack//Sign, and her work on SAO fits the tone of the anime incredibly well.