Well, anyway, here's Kawahara's only comment regarding the whole illusion magic scene; unfortunately I can't make heads or tails of it this time, but hopefully someone else can.
You know... there's a whole fan translation available that you can read up to that point. Actually there's a whole lotta shits lost in translation to anime.
About the illusion, Illusion magic really is just that, illusion. The front line just crumble due to panic. The illusion is based on the strength of the character, and Kirito was God tier.
About the end of this series,
There's a big humongous fight scene at the end of this arc if the anime staff doesn't disappoint
He explains that the illusion magic used by Kirito is a spell that "transforms the player into various different monster types depending on the value of the player's attack skill." Since Kirito's attack skill is maxed out, he transformed into an especially large monster.
He goes on to explain that even though he transformed into a giant monster, there is no change at all in his actual attack and defense stats. Which is why the captain told them to stand their ground and just hold the formation. What made them fail was the shock at seeing something like that, and not being able to react rationally. When Kirito got near to the mages, they failed to attack him because they fumbled the spell chanting.
Edit: I'll also like to add that the term used for the Spriggan spells is 幻惑呪文 which isn't exactly "illusion magic" per say. It's not a bad translation, especially if you just want something that sounds good, but "glamor enchantment" might be a more literal way to put it, if some people have specific hang ups about the specific meaning of certain words in English.
You know... there's a whole fan translation available that you can read up to that point. Actually there's a whole lotta shits lost in translation to anime.
No, I know, I've read up through LN volume 8. The translation didn't seem to do a good job explaining that point to me though, but duckroll's clarification in the post just above makes everything a lot clearer about how the whole thing worked. Like he said, translating the magic type as "illusion" added to the confusion a bit.
Also, I would think that, even with no actual changes to your stats, being in the form of a giant goddamn demon would improve your attacking ability, regardless of your opponent's mental state, but I guess that's not how ALO works.
Is there any game out there with a technique that works similarly so as to have some point of comparison, or is the sort of thing that only applies to a VRMMO?
No, I know, I've read up through LN volume 8. The translation didn't seem to do a good job explaining that point to me though, but duckroll's clarification in the post just above makes everything a lot clearer about how the whole thing worked. Like he said, translating the magic type as "illusion" added to the confusion a bit.
Also, I would think that, even with no actual changes to your stats, being in the form of a giant goddamn demon would improve your attacking ability, regardless of your opponent's mental state, but I guess that's not how ALO works.
Is there any game out there with a technique that works similarly so as to have some point of comparison, or is the sort of thing that only applies to a VRMMO?
One of the salamander guys says that he has improved reach, so I guess it does improve your offensive capabilities in a way even if it doesn't alter stats.
"He grabbed the last unlucky mage and raised him up. At the screaming body, he put force into his hands to squeeze..." So just a basic crush-to-death, though you're free to imagine the scene as you'd like, I suppose.
Volume 2 will come with songs for Sachi and Silica. Volume 3 will almost certainly have at least a Lisbeth song, and volume 6 will probably have one for Leafa.
Unfortunately for you, while I know that Yoshitsugu Matsuoka and Hiroaki Hirata are both very capable of singing, I doubt they'll get a chance.
I caught up to episode 19. I've got such mixed feelings on this show. On one hand it's always had a great deal of potential, but failed to achieve it. On the other hand, what we have instead is still somewhat enjoyable... And while I don't mind the anime tropes so much, the writing tropes are incredibly lazy and hard to forgive. I'm absolutely content to sit around and feel disengaged from the story while enjoying the phenominal locales and backdrops, but I also wish there was some intrigue along the way. Even when the story picks up, it still isn't that interesting, and when it isn't at the forefront we've got such an incredible world wallowing around and waiting to be used for something at the expense of "what if I actually fuck my brother?". Don't get me wrong here. I love that kind of thing, especially in hentai. But I can't help feeling that we'd be better served with a broader, more intricate, dialectic pertaining to the events transpiring. Maybe I just expect too much.
Pretty good fight this episode. Little confused how he can do dual wielding again after he said he doesn't have the skill anymore. Plus he blocks the demon sword with his 2nd sword. Rules to games don't seem to matter to the main character.
Pretty good fight this episode. Little confused how he can do dual wielding again after he said he doesn't have the skill anymore. Plus he blocks the demon sword with his 2nd sword. Rules to games don't seem to matter to the main character.
He knows how to use dual swords in real life and considering how ALfheim uses real world skill in the game, it's not surprising that Kirito can use dual swords in the game.
Pretty good fight this episode. Little confused how he can do dual wielding again after he said he doesn't have the skill anymore. Plus he blocks the demon sword with his 2nd sword. Rules to games don't seem to matter to the main character.
Lol. I see the best (worst?) of SAO is finding its way back into the show again! This is probably a good thing! Kirito truly is Batman once again. Unlimited tricks. Unlimited power. Unlimited wealth. He's always in the right place in the right time, and saving everyone single handedly! Omg!!!
Well, at least the fight was really cool. Probably the best player on player fight in the series so far. Too bad about all the terrible fanservice crap dragging the rest of the episode down. The backgrounds this week looked extra good too, especially the glimpse we have of the interior of the World Tree. ALO has pretty cool areas. Way better than SAO.
Lol. I see the best (worst?) of SAO is finding its way back into the show again! This is probably a good thing! Kirito truly is Batman once again. Unlimited tricks. Unlimited power. Unlimited wealth. He's always in the right place in the right time, and saving everyone single handedly! Omg!!!
Well, at least the fight was really cool. Probably the best player on player fight in the series so far. Too bad about all the terrible fanservice crap dragging the rest of the episode down. The backgrounds this week looked extra good too, especially the glimpse we have of the interior of the World Tree. ALO has pretty cool areas. Way better than SAO.
Though this should have been the first legitimately good episode of ALO, it instead resolved itself into merely being average, riddled with a plethora of unavoidable narrative and pacing flaws. As such, once again, this episode was poorly paced. The first half was quite good and thoroughly enjoyable, but the latter half was dreadfully slow and uneventful, littered with dull exposition and minuscule, trite "developments".
The fight was highly engaging and considerably impressive, but it's brevity was a bit underwhelming. However, this sequence was excellently choreographed and impressively animated, and definitely my favorite moment from the episode. Of course, these rare action sequences have provided the best aspects throughout this arc by far, which only illuminates how terribly monotonous and uninteresting the majority of developments in ALO are, especially when compared to SAO, which, at the very least, had a modicum of tension and intrigue.
Lyfa's intermittent realizations of
love for Kirito
and the occasional flickers of jealousy are laughably bad, since the only slight form of satisfaction I can derive from these inconsequential displays of emotion is solely due to the inevitability of
her glorious suffering once she realizes the truth of Kirito's identity
. The fanservice was ridiculously abundant throughout, and, though it didn't particularly detract from the episode in a significant manner, it's increased prevalence and occasional focus is quite unnecessary and excessive, but Lyfa apparently needs some sort of role in the story, so it clearly seems that this is all that she can provide.
The character interactions are consistently tedious and unconvincing, which is rather disappointing, but it distinctly appears that there's very little room for a believable sort of engaging chemistry when Lyfa is involved. As such, in their brief appearances,
Sakuya and Alicia
established themselves to be far better than Lyfa. It's an immense shame they couldn't accompany Kirito in her stead.
Thankfully, Asuna's contrived, pointless isolation and the momentary damage to her characterization has been temporarily reconciled by
her escape at the end of this episode
. Of course, I certainly expect
her victory
to be disappointingly short-lived, since
her attempts will likely fail
, due to the inescapable fact that Kirito's unparalleled strength and determination will simply have to be fully portrayed by his ability to rescue the weak and hopelessly captive damsel in distress.
All in all, despite the solid execution, Sword Art Online is disappointing and heavily flawed even during the better episodes of this arc, since ALO is perpetually unable to elevate beyond the horrible material it's adapting. The narrative is needlessly and artificially stretched, as it consistently falters into a repetition of meaningless diversions, which consequently forces the story into a seemingly subdued unimportance, lacking any significant weight and noticeable momentum. Really, though these last two episodes have been noticeably better than those that came before, they weren't exactly necessary to the larger story, aside from the ending to this episode. Though I should probably possess a somewhat heightened confidence in the narrative progress, since ALO managed to miraculously deliver two decent episodes in a row, I'm not looking forward to the next episode at all, as it will be particularly awful, but, of course, that can be said for the remainder of this arc, save for a portion of the ending and
The first 10 minutes of this episode were great. Plenty of action.
Later half kind of dragged a bit but I still enjoyed it I guess.
Also, about the sword blocking thing, I think based on what was said is that the skill is activated by the user. Makes sense because you wouldn't be able to block attacks with the thing otherwise.
I can't remember the last anime I've seen that has had such beautiful backgrounds.
Well, at least the fight was really cool. Probably the best player on player fight in the series so far. Too bad about all the terrible fanservice crap dragging the rest of the episode down.
I love action. I love fanservice. The problem with SAO is that it can't seem to handle these things with balance or unison. The fanservice is just shoehorned in like everywhere. I half expect to see Kirito's mom make an appearance (maybe her rack anyways), just to make some passing comments at her son. My frustration with this show is that under-utilizes an incredibly gorgeous, inspiring setting, while never bothering with pace, tension, or character development. I keep watching it, but at this point it's really just for the backgrounds - the occasional sakuga - and pocket Yui. Shame.
Lol. I see the best (worst?) of SAO is finding its way back into the show again! This is probably a good thing! Kirito truly is Batman once again. Unlimited tricks. Unlimited power. Unlimited wealth. He's always in the right place in the right time, and saving everyone single handedly! Omg!!!
Well, at least the fight was really cool. Probably the best player on player fight in the series so far. Too bad about all the terrible fanservice crap dragging the rest of the episode down. The backgrounds this week looked extra good too, especially the glimpse we have of the interior of the World Tree. ALO has pretty cool areas. Way better than SAO.
I actually like this arc better than the first one. It actually seems more like they are having fun in a game, unlike the SRS BSNS LIFE OR DEATH of the first arc. The whole incest storyline is just an excuse to show us Imouto's Boobs. I like the part at the end of 20 though
where Kirito unknowingly tells his imouto that she isn't like a girl.
Harsh, man. You gotta soft-pedal the stuff you say, not just lay it out like that.
The show itself has incredibly beautifully drawn backgrounds but then they just half-ass the animation so much of the time. Oh well. I'm sure with the sales it's going to garner that they will continue with the show next year and adapt more of the LN. I want to say I hope later it gets better written but I know better. Hopefully they will actually give it a better animation budget next year though.
Pretty good fight this episode. Little confused how he can do dual wielding again after he said he doesn't have the skill anymore. Plus he blocks the demon sword with his 2nd sword. Rules to games don't seem to matter to the main character.
I actually like this arc better than the first one. It actually seems more like they are having fun in a game, unlike the SRS BSNS LIFE OR DEATH of the first arc.
All of the fights in JJBA thus far just feel very dull compared to Kiritos fights. Only the big climax moments in one or two fights in JJBA really feel somewhat decent. Id take,Kirito over JoJo.
All of the fights in JJBA thus far just feel very dull compared to Kiritos fights. Only the big climax moments in one or two fights in JJBA really feel somewhat decent. Id take,Kirito over JoJo.
JJBA has a better antagonist, Ill agree to that, however at the end of the day, Kirito > Dio Brando, Kirito is designed leagues better than Dio. Dio needs sword and something to even come close and that personality needs work.
JJBA has a better antagonist, Ill agree to that, however at the end of the day, Kirito > Dio Brando, Kirito is designed leagues better than Dio. Dio needs sword and something to even come close and that personality needs work.
