Director: Tomohiko Ito,
Starring: Haruka Tomatsu, Cherami Leigh, Kanae Ito. Stephanie Sheh, Kouichi Yamadera, Marc Diraison, Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, Bryce Papenbrook,
Running Time: 175 minutes
Certificate: 15
Set in 2022, SWORD ART ONLINE begins with the worldwide launch of a new MMORPG. It’s a game where players log in using a special head-set and they are drawn in to a virtual reality world. Once inside the game it is revealed that they cannot leave until all 100 levels are completed. If they die in the game, they die in real life. A delicious premise which is exploited to its fullest in one of the best anime released this year.
The secret to SWORD ART ONLINE’s success is the wonderful direction and pacing that the show takes. The entire show is set in this brand new fantasy world and we have no idea what is going on in the outside world. We’re trapped along with the players, and it also provides us with a lot of mystery. The show also has huge jumps in time, with the second episode taking place 1 month after the first. This could have made the series feel disjointed and patchy, but instead it conveys the lengthy purgatory the characters find themselves in. Not only this, but it also gives the feeling of an epic adventure that is focusing on the key events. You are never privy to where the next episode will take you, with side characters suddenly absent, or new friends in tow.
The protagonist, Kirito, was one of the beater testers for the game, and so has an advantage in this new ruthless world of swords, sorcery and monsters. He is a complex individual who finds himself drawn to those in need, but understands the importance of completing the game. Exploring the themes of technology and human interaction, the players find themselves forced to create their own society. Will they see it as a game, or will they realise this is a life and death situation? The detachment is something that the writers look at in detail, as well as showing true heroes rise amongst their groups of wannabe gamers.
SWORD ART ONLINE’s biggest strengths include its ability to include surprisingly touching stories, with very little build up. You feel immediately connected to these characters, and sometimes their fate’s are wrapped up all too quickly. Usually it takes time, but the essence that Kirito is constantly changing those around him, adds to his loneliness, and makes the losses he suffers even harder. Taking a playful and narrative look at the rules and regulations of MMORPGs, SWORD ART ONLINE is also an epic fantasy with fascinating backdrops and wonderful stories to tell. The animation is excellent, and brings to life the action sequences. Simply wonderful storytelling so far, even if this is just the first 7 episodes.
SWORD ART ONLINE is released on Blu-ray and DVD on 16th December via Manga Entertainment.
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