First Impression: Sword Art Online

One of the few anime I look forward to this season for the simple fact that it is produced by A-1 Pictures. Yes, I am officially a studio-fag now.

Sword Art Online is a virtual game that allowed the players get into the game and mentally moves their body like they normally would. It was the first day the game was released officially and thousands of players gathered in that virtual world only to be trolled by the creator: they can't log out unless they clear the game. If they forced it then they are dead. If they didn't survive the game, their dead as well. 

a daughter? already? >_>

Our protagonist, Kirito, was a player for the beta version so obviously he has some advantage. He kinda has  a complex - most possibly an extreme introvert. So it would be interesting to see him overcome all his inner conflict. I can't say much about the other characters because the only one they have introduce is Klein who is a noob and the first friend Kirito made in SOA.


Watching SOA somehow reminds me of Brave Hearts. Go figure. Also, the virtual online thingy, if you are a big fan of D.J. Machale's Pendragon series, then it should occurred to you that Veelox and SOA shared something similar. Kirito even said it himself: He thinks that the virtual world feels more real than the real world. I know some if not most of us can relate to that.


Being a biased jerk that I am, I can't find no fault in the arts, animation, seiyuu, BGM, OP or the ED which means I like it. As I have said in my preview, this show is definitely a must watch show for me.

I'm pretty sure most people disagree with me but meh who cares.

Episodes: tbc
Aired: Summer 2012
Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Game, Romance

arts & animation 7/10
story 7/10
characters 8/10
sound  7/10
enjoyment 7/10
overall 7.2/10


p/s: Personally, I thought the title was dumb. 

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First Impression: Accel World

I have seen some of the fanarts for this show, and what others have to say about it on Twitter but still, it doesn’t prepare me at all for what the show really is. I was totally lost the first five minutes checking it out.

We have this fat and short male protagonist, Haru, who is naturally weak and get bullied by everyone, and often escaped from reality by joining the virtual world, of which he transformed into a pig. Orz. One day he got a break when the most popular girl offered an application (Brain Burts) which totally shattered his concept of reality. It brings him to Accelerated World, or Accel World in short.

(c) Ekakibito

He is the kind of protagonist that pissed me off. He knows he is weak and cowardly so why the fuck doesn’t he want to change that and actually pushed people who wanted to help him away? I would have smacked people like him in real life so hard just for the fun of it. I mean, they love it, don’t they? That’s why they don’t want to change.

Oh, did I mention that the technology is so advanced they don’t need computer or keyboard or modem. All they need is what seemed to be an electronic neck collar that allows you to connect and use the computer using your eyesight vision. Pretty nifty, right?

Black Swallowtailed Butterfly warned Haru not to on the Global Linker at all after school but he forgot. What happened? He got an upgrade (he’s no longer a pig, but a kin of Green Power Ranger) and an opponent to boot.

I am more interesting to see what happened with his friends that he doubted though and probably the only reason why I would continue watching it.

The story is somewhat unique and the art and animation weren’t bad at all. I can’t say that I enjoyed it though. It is more like the story itself force me to sit through the entire episode because it got me curious. I personally think that’s a good thing. At least it piqued my interest.

Number of episodes:

Season: Spring 2012

Art & animation 7/10

Story 8/10

Characters 7/10

Sound 7/10

Enjoyment 6/10

Overall 7/10

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Honey and Clover II

I was first introduced with this anime when it was shown on Astro channel 25 but unfortunately I was not able to follow the series.

I bought the DVD last week (both season 1 and 2) and once I started I could not stop. Nevermind if I have to be awake at 4am in the morning as long as I finish it. It was addicted and with every chapter I fall in love more and more with the characters. This is the first anime that I do not have any antipathy towards at least one of the character. Imagine that!

I can assure you that even viewers outside the target demographic attest to its greatness, pointing out its heartfelt storytelling and unique visual style. It was supposed to be just good enough for sophisticated female viewers—and it ended up being good enough for everyone. Funnier than most comedies and more touching than most dramas (even the live-action ones), Honey and Clover has emerged as one of the best anime I had ever watched, and I've watched plenty.

The story begins right in the middle of things—Takemoto in his second year of college, Mayama nearing graduation, and Morita stuck in seventh-year hell. Then Hagu-chan came into the picture. She simply joins the cast, and the drama-go-round begins. There is no epic quest to fulfill, no convoluted conspiracy to unlock, no childhood friend to win over—it's just a bunch of college kids figuring out what to do with their lives, and it is fascinating. Every character gets a moment in the spotlight, with story arcs transiting flawlessly between each other. Even Takemoto, who spends most of the series as a neutral observer, closes things out with an inspiring personal triumph. The mood of the show switches effortlessly from madcap comedy to utter heartbreak and everything in between, yet nothing feels out of place. Within a single episode, a game of Art School Twister takes humor to new heights, and yet minutes later, Takemoto muses upon the meaning of friendship.

Honey and Clover succeeds because of its characters' complex personalities. Morita emerges as a quick fan favorite with his bizarre antics and affinity for money, but to focus on him is to miss out on the intricate relationships between everyone else. I can see myself dating him in real life. My heart reach out for Takemoto as well in his struggle to wins Hagu-chan love. In particular, Ayumi's unrequited attachment to Mayama is sure to arouse plenty of indignation about the portrayal of women in Japanese entertainment. But maybe that anger is because Ayumi openly reveals everything we hate about themselves: weakness, insecurity, and the tendency to do really stupid things in the name of love. She is the most human character in a cast of incredibly human characters.

If Honey and Clover has any faults, it's that you want it to keep going after it's over. It ends just like it begins—right in the middle of things, with so much more yet to be experienced. Without realizing it, you've become part of that circle of friends: you've shared their heartbreaks and triumphs, walked alongside them as they poured out their feelings, and watched each one of them learn a little bit more about themselves. Whether in school or not, who hasn't asked themselves at some point: "What do I want to do? Who do I want to be?" Honey and Clover may not have the answers, but it's all about trying to find them.

The other thing I realize when I had finished this anime is this: people do drifted apart as we get older...

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