Anime Review: Sword Art Online: Alicization Episode 1

Sword Art Online: Alicization Episode 1

Studio: A-1 Pictures

Genre: Action, Fantasy

Stream: Crunchyroll

Like many, I have quite a few issues with Sword Art Online. I’ve always loved its premise, but I feel like it suffers massively from inadequate execution. From the pacing and worldbuilding to the protagonist and other characters, there is a lot to dislike about Sword Art Online. Despite all of this, I’ve heard that the Alicization arc of the light novels is the best that the series has to offer. Because of what I’ve heard from the readers of the series, I’ve decided to go into this arc of Sword Art Online with an open mind. Sword Art Online: Alicization will be four cours, giving us roughly 50, which could be what this series needs.

The first episode of this new series is twice as long as a normal episode, allowing for quite a bit of exposition. The decision for an extended episode was a good one since there is a lot to digest here. The episode focuses on world-building, which is perfect for viewers who need to adapt to a new setting. If it weren’t for a young Kirito onscreen, you wouldn’t even be able to tell that this is SAO.

The second half of the episode will be much more familiar for fans, as we take a step back into Gun Gale Online. All of the characters are playing, making for a pretty fun scene, especially since it includes the characters that have never played GGO before. While the action on screen has improved, it still isn’t particularly impressive. Still, it’s nice to see SAO without all of the lazy action scenes.

After the intriguing opening and fun introduction to the main cast, the episode loses a lot of momentum. As usual, there is an excessive amount of explanation, as Kirito explains new technologies to Asuna and Asada. Kirito’s explanation feels like a lazy setup for the rest of the series, especially because it takes nearly ten minutes to get through it all.

The introduction to the antagonist was kind of underwhelming, and it’s difficult to be hopeful for the first good antagonist of the series. Regardless, the rest of the characters are standard fare, and nothing is outright offensive here. Kirito seems a little different than before, I guess he doesn’t seem as reckless. This may change though as the series progresses.

As far as production goes, this episode has everything a fan could ask for. Great animation, strong shot composition, and an exciting OST. Everything and everyone looks great, and nothing throughout the episode appears to be rushed. A few of the sound effects sound strange, especially for Kirito’s saber, but at least it doesn’t sound like it rips off Star Wars noises anymore. The OP, with music by LiSA, is great as usual, and one of the strongest of the series.

As a whole, this is one of the better episodes of Sword Art Online. While I really liked the first half of the episode, the second half was a splash of cold water and a reminder of the show’s many failures. Still, if you are a fan of the series, there is a lot to love. If you aren’t a fan, I don’t think this will convert you. Still, I am willing to give this series more time to develop, because I can’t deny the potential that this arc has.