Sword Art Online II Review
Sword Art Online II Review
“Riyoga, why did this take so long to come out even though your video editing process consists of shoving your head up your ass?”
Health issues are a serious bitch. Seriously, avoid them if you can.
Anyways, here’s the review that took almost twice the amount of time than normal to make. On to the next one.
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Art Credit – yuuki tatsuya (結城辰也)
(http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=27691)
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July 22, 2019 @ 6:25 am
Actually, I should point out that Kawahara generally releases 4 volumes a year. Before SAO: Progressive and the Isolator it was 2 volumes of Accel World and 2 volumes SAO now it’s 1 volume of Accel world, 1 SAO: Progressive,1 Isolator, & 1 SAO, & 1 SAO. The reason Kawahara is able to realese as many works as he does is because he already has drafts, namely in the case of SAO and The Isolator his old web novels. Out of Kawahara’s works the only one that is completely original with no basis on a pre-existing web novel is Accel World and possibly some of SAO: Progressive.
Other than that I do understand your points.
July 22, 2019 @ 6:26 am
Woah therer aaerew twwwooooo buuttt checks!
July 22, 2019 @ 6:28 am
So he said that he didn’t want to bash on SAO but then ended up bashing on SAO.
July 22, 2019 @ 6:29 am
am I the only one that likes kirito? I agree his background should be more fleshed out in how he became such a badass but his personality makes sense in a way. both he and asuna were stuck in that death game for 2 years and eventually became lovers. did the time jumps annoy me? yes. mainly because it doesn’t show bow he gets to be near god mode. but he’s not a bad lead character. Trust me. there are way worse leads out there than kirito. I like him because his underlying story standpoint was to protect asuna due to there relationship. it’s just natural for things like that to happen. I think they should have had a more fleshed out season so they can show him getting stronger. that’s the only problem with his character.
July 22, 2019 @ 6:30 am
Have you watched Monogatari Series? if yes, can you express your ideas about it
July 22, 2019 @ 6:31 am
Is heath care really the only reason that it takes a year to make a video?
July 22, 2019 @ 6:31 am
GGO was ok but the 2nd part of SAO2 was boring as hell. I only watched the 2nd part of SAO 1 because Asuna was imprisoned and i wanted to see Kirito finally get the pootang..
July 22, 2019 @ 6:32 am
I stopped watching when the show became all about Asuna, hate that chick
July 22, 2019 @ 6:32 am
Agreed, overall i too think SAOII is better than the first season
July 22, 2019 @ 6:33 am
Wait a minute… Two buttcheeks… HOLY SHIT THERE ARE TWO DEATH GUNS!
July 22, 2019 @ 6:33 am
The anime hipster like sao and people hate it dislikes attack on titans
July 22, 2019 @ 6:36 am
People judge Sword Art Online II by the standards of the first season. Really What anime could be possibly worse than Sword Art Online?
July 22, 2019 @ 6:39 am
What is your favorite anime?
July 22, 2019 @ 6:40 am
Lel falling in love with him cos he’s a great PLAYER, two sides to that coin.
July 22, 2019 @ 6:40 am
Sinon’s gun phobia… omglol, because being afraid of guns is just so debilitating and abnormal for a teenage girl that she just cannot go on with her life if she is afraid of guns.. and it is quite a common issue, too. And what’s with that gun she is keeping in her drawer?? where is her parents btw?? where is everyone else’s parents btw?? does anyone has any kind of family in this world at all? (sisters with brother complex not counting)
July 22, 2019 @ 6:45 am
Great video, I can see the effort you put in it. Also, good points were made, thank you Riyoga 🙂
July 22, 2019 @ 6:45 am
Better love story than Vampire Knight
BTW, you should review that if you already haven’t :3
July 22, 2019 @ 6:46 am
I subscribed, and i have to thank you for getting me out from my long standing boredom. Your reviews aren’t only useful for finding good info and good shows, but your presentations are also very amusing, and I find myself returning to some reviews that I personally like a lot (ToraDora and School Days reviews, I’m looking at you.)
I’m curious, what are your expectations for this year’s animes ? Will you make a video like before ?
July 22, 2019 @ 6:47 am
Agree 100%. I wrote my own review not long after SAO II finished airing and I think I was harsher on it than you, but our opinions were basically the same. I also feel like I’m the only person who thinks the second season was better than the first, but you do too so there’s one more.
Also, if SAO does get a third season I will not hesitate to punch myself in the face. I’d watch it just to see how bad it would be, but I’d probably not enjoy it. I hear A-1 is good about adapting things to the end so if/when it gets announced I’d reluctantly drag myself into it.
July 22, 2019 @ 6:48 am
death gun is nothing than flat killer, he looks cool and and he is very powerful, but his reasons are so stupid
July 22, 2019 @ 6:48 am
Personally I liked both SAO and SAO 2,but that is my opinion if you didn’t enjoy either or one of them that’s your opinion. It doesn’t mean you need to die in a hole of eternal fire, it only means we like different things. There is no need to go all "OMG YOU LIKE THE SHOW YOU NEED TO DIE IT SUCKED HARD!!!!!!!" if you didn’t like the show or "OMG YOU HATED THE SHOW I HOPE YOUR HOUSE BURNS DOWN" if you liked the show. (Not aimed at Riyogaa just all the idiots fighting over thier opinion
July 22, 2019 @ 6:48 am
Their problem is that Sinon is just another girl added to his group, even if she’s not in love with him. Sinon’s struggle made no sense, she took games too seriously, her PTSD was dumb, and she was constantly put at a misogynistic view because of the Reki’s logic of trying to make Kirito look more awesome.
Death Gun was only intimidating in this season because he kills people and wears a spooky mask. There’s no depth to this guy at all.
Plus, this season had way too many plot contrivances.
July 22, 2019 @ 6:50 am
Quote of the year from Riyogaa! In da description!!
July 22, 2019 @ 6:50 am
why is it that i feel i’m the only person that actually likes SAO despite it’s flaws… maybe it’s people like this "sao ii is the biggest bullshit I’ve ever seen" and this "I enjoy to hate SAO because its shit. No other reason." and this entire video ‘Your Anime Sucks: Sword Art Online II (Part 1) & (Part 2)’
July 22, 2019 @ 6:52 am
If you think Psycho Pass 2 was the worst show that finished in 2014, you clearly didn’t watch Glasslip.
July 22, 2019 @ 6:53 am
I enjoy to hate SAO because its shit. No other reason. Why do shit series get more seasons when good series just end?
July 22, 2019 @ 6:55 am
Even though I do enjoy SAO, I admit that there are a lot of problems with it. I definitely agree that SAO II took a lot of steps in the right direction, because I loved the GGO and Mother’s Rosario arcs. Calibur was eh, but I figure it was mostly supposed to be filler anyways, so I didn’t really mind it.
Honestly though, something that really draws me in to SAO (especially the second season) is the soundtrack. Well, maybe not the OST so much as the OP and ED songs. And yeah, maybe that’s generic, like "ohh everyone loves the SAO songs" but I love them for more than just their sound.
If you look at the translation and ending sequence for the first ED, Startear by Haruna Luna, it’s completely obvious that it’s supposed to be about Sinon. And while I loved that song, and the sentiment behind it, it’s actually the more subtle ones I like better.
Take the second OP for SAO II (Courage by Haruka Tomatsu) for example. If you try to connect the lyrics to the show, there are several different ways to interpret it. I personally thought it was almost like dialogue between Asuna and Yuuki. Or at least a duet.
"These footsteps were always within the light, but out of sight until today"
I see this in Asuna’s perspective, talking about her reliance on Kirito.
"It landed me in a maze with no goal, following a rain-soaked map"
For me, this switches into Yuuki’s perspective since she doesn’t know what to do with her inevitably short life.
"But I don’t have any regrets"
Kinda skips ahead to her final moments.
"Cause my screaming voice will surely be heard"
This is a toss-up, but I think of it as Asuna calling out to Yuuki when she finds her in the hospital. That’s just me though.
"I’m still on a journey to connect the sounds of the bell that will signal the beginning of this tale"
When I wrote my lyrics for this song, I changed the wording a lot, but I think this goes back to Yuuki wanting to leave her mark in the world by winning the boss fight with the Sleeping Knights.
"The future world you envisioned leads me to a sky of indefinite time"
This kind of gets split up in my interpretation, but the sky of indefinite time is an afterlife of some sort, and the future world could be something about Asuna and/or Yuuki’s ideals for the memory they want to bear, what they want to accomplish, etc.
"These two feelings will each take their individual shape"
I don’t really know how to connect this, but I think it has to do with Yuuki and Asuna becoming such close friends while both dealing with their own issues.
"Becoming even more than a miracle"
This could be a number of things, my personal interpretation is that it’s the miracle of beating the boss, even though that’s cheesy as hell.
"The future world that you envisioned exists somewhere, even now…"
I think this is one of the parts that gets me the most. It’s basically Asuna looking back on Yuuki, saying that the medical advances she helped with made an impact on the world, and that Yuuki did matter.
"No matter how many dreams overwrite it, there will always be that infallible light"
I took a different approach in my lyrics, but it’s sort of about Yuuki passing on, with no regrets. I don’t really know, I changed things up quite a bit.
"Ah, giving me my way"
Asuna’s perspective, Yuuki passes on the Mother’s Rosario to Asuna, and gives her strength.
Again, this is all my personal interpretation, so I don’t expect people to exactly agree with me, though I would like to hear what people have to say. This song can also be interpreted as being in solely Asuna’s perspective since it’s sung by her voice actress, but it still can also be interpreted more to Yuuki (and that’s why I sort of mix the two). I’d love to hear any opinions on this!
Translation used: http://www.lyrical-nonsense.com/lyrics/haruka-tomatsu/courage/#page=English-tv
July 22, 2019 @ 6:56 am
I appreciate your neutrality toward this show, especially after the hate its gotten and I kno I asked this three months but u please reupload Ur Oreimo rant
July 22, 2019 @ 6:57 am
Sao 2 was bad because it didn’t revolve around kirito dealing with trauma from laughing coffin, because he basically lost it when he saw the tattoo on death guns wrist, that could have been so awesome as a plot, but Sinon had to have her gun trauma, and it should’ve been them helping each other, instead of kirito gaining another girl to his harem
July 22, 2019 @ 6:59 am
First off I’ld like to say that I think that the light novel of mothers rosario was slightly more calmed to the point where only 2 chapters before they tell you I figured it out. But maybe I’m really dense and didn’t notice.
Second, you should reveiw HunterXHunter or Your lie in April. Interested to hear what you think.
July 22, 2019 @ 6:59 am
Hey are you going to do the spring anime guide you do for each season I love when you do that
July 22, 2019 @ 7:01 am
"I’d take a mediocre show on an upward trend then a good show on a downward trend any day"
I think thats a great quote for how people need to look at SAO. Its trying to learn from its mistakes. Im looking forward to season 3.
July 22, 2019 @ 7:03 am
Nice video, but you got your facts wrong. The SAO light novel is just a physical printing of the web novel with minor editorial changes. That is to say that Kawahara Reki had already written all of the main story line of SAO by the time the first novel was printed.
Also did you have any thoughts on animation and sound etc?
July 22, 2019 @ 7:03 am
i like yuuki even though i knew she was gonna die ): which kinda sucks
July 22, 2019 @ 7:05 am
There was a scene in the Caliber arc where she gave him the sword and said everytime you use it think of me ND THE GIRLS scolded at him
July 22, 2019 @ 7:07 am
Just interested, but what is your opinion of Log Horizon season 2. In forums it has received a lot of negativity, and personally I am conflicted to say the least.
July 22, 2019 @ 7:07 am
I loved the Mothers Rosario arc, it was a godsend compared to the writing before it. I found it was subtle ENOUGH, while giving off a vibe of "Something is going on, but what?" to make you hooked.
July 22, 2019 @ 7:09 am
I have had PTSD for 6 years. I suffered a traumatic injury when I was run over by a dump truck and let me tell you. It doesn’t take much to trigger. sometimes you don’t even know why it just happens. the way they portrayed PTSD was right on cue with how it really is. just thought I would let you know from someone else’s point of view who suffers from PTSD
July 22, 2019 @ 7:10 am
this is the best review of sao I’ve seen considering I’m a huge fan of it (despite it’s mistakes, which I kind of like the mistakes in a way I can’t explain) and have read almost all novels and rewatched the whole series many times. You definitely have done your research and I applaud you for that.
July 22, 2019 @ 7:10 am
yeah I saw the thing about the sleeping knights a mile away and made me pretty sad when yuuki died.
the thought crossed my mind for like two days or so. if you couldn’t tell by now, I liked that character.
July 22, 2019 @ 7:14 am
I really want to know why Psycho pass season 2 is your worst anime? like against Mahouka? Magical Warfare? Are you serious? is it considered the worst because it was completely off from Season 1? That can’t be the reason right?
If you wanna continue to bash Psycho pass 2 then I really wanna hear why its so bad (or in your words: Worst anime 2014). Sorry if this comment was mainly about PP2. but it was swimming in my thoughts throughout your review which I blame you cause you started the video by reminding us about it.
July 22, 2019 @ 7:14 am
I like SAO, but it’s biggest problem is that the stakes can never be as high as they were in the first arc without copying what they already did or making the threat in the real world and not in a game.
July 22, 2019 @ 7:15 am
In SAO2 Sinon has 2 buttcheeks. Deathgun is 2 people 2+2+2=5. When someone is misbehaving, they get hit. 5+hit=Shit.
SAO2 is shit.
I fucking hate Anime.
July 22, 2019 @ 7:16 am
You need to review Psycho Pass 2 because i don’t understand the dislike. It’s not as good as part 1 but If you put Sword Tard above it I really wonder why?
July 22, 2019 @ 7:16 am
I really liked the Phantom Bullet arc, except for the last episode of it. It was absolutely cheap, stupid, moronic and disrespectful. It could have ended so many different and better ways but no, you had to have the villain try to rape a character (Original, not unlike that villain you had in ALO) when said character has been shown to be strong, overcame her phobia, and *ahem* HAS A FREAKING GUN IN HER APARTMENT FOR SELF-DEFENSE. She even bonks the guy on the head and escapes. She doesn’t even have to shoot him, she just has to hold him at gun point until the police arrive. What is he going to to with a short range syringe against a long range machine that can spit lead? But no, Shinon gets trapped and BY GOD IT’S OUR LORD AND SAVOIR, KIRITO, CAN’T HAVE THE GIRL RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, JESUS-KUN CAN DO IT. Okay it went downhill but not so horrible HOLY CRAP THE GUY STABBED KIRITO, HOW IS HE GOING TO- it’s a node from the hospital. A node…… from the hospital saved him? A NODE FROM THE HOSPITAL SAVED HIM? THEN DON’T FREAKING STAB HIM AT ALL! Ii may like SAO but a horrible ended to an otherwise decent arc really pissed me off.
July 22, 2019 @ 7:19 am
You made a very fair point there that I never thought about. I had always just assumed Sinon was another member of the harem, but you can argue that it’s not necessarily more than a friendship. I was watching this and realized it’s still nothing amazing, but I’m also making assumptions about it because of what I’ve experienced in the past with this show. Nice review!
July 22, 2019 @ 7:21 am
wait you watch digibro review.
July 22, 2019 @ 7:21 am
Reki Kawahara is the M. Night Shyamalan of Japan.
July 22, 2019 @ 7:22 am
Kirito was a girl for the most part which made it even harder to self insert
0/10
July 22, 2019 @ 7:23 am
Sword Art Online was the first anime I ever watched so I’ve got to thank it for making me interested in anime. Although the more anime I watch, the more issues I find with SAO. Still it sits in a special place in my heart.