Sword Art Online

[Ryllharu]

I do find Kirito's profile accidentally being carried over something of a stretch, but for all we know it could have been perfectly intentional or it was a real accident created by the whatever process that transferred Asuna from SAO to Alfheim. Either way, that didn't trigger my unbelievability-o-meter.

I actually found this element to be quite plausible. The new company that acquired SAOs old developer was a lazy/greedy piece of shit. They fixed the hardware in the years SAO was running, but aside from that, they didn't just reuse the game engine, or graphics assets, they imported the entire SAO data and reskinned it, slapping on a magic and flight system while scrapping the sword skills. It's not like they're going to get sued, they bought the company.

It would have been better perhaps, if it was a slightly out of date version of Kirito (a few months off or something), but like you said, I'd guess the up to date stats are due to the process of pulling Asuna over instead of letting her log out. They just grabbed all the data and refused to let her log out. That brought over all of Kirito's stats, and Yui as an item.

[Archangel]

Report Kirito plx, haxxor.

I'd also like to thank the opening for making it so blatantly obvious that's Kirito's sister/cousin. Although i guess the voice would have given it away regardless.

[shinta|hikari]

Against people who are playing a skill based copy of SAO for only a short time versus a 2 year veteran with supposedly the best reaction time out of 10,000 players and all his skills practically maxed out, I don't think showing off was risky at all.

I just wish they don't do the disappearing slash thing. It is always lame, no matter how it is done.

Lyfa shouting Sei! on her first strike is a dead give away, even if they changed the voices.

[Archangel]

Asuna and Kirito are probably still married by the way, i wonder if she can see his inventory.

[David75]

Didn't the nervgear store user data? I guess that explain why part of Kirito's profile has been transfered. And it probably is because he didn't change his in game name. Then the game read that data and transfered everything compatible, that is everything that has been made compatible for Asuna to be transfered.

[Buffalobiian]

Report Kirito plx, haxxor.

Hell no, I prefer Haxxor > Underlevelled MC.

As for marriage, it depends on whether ALF supports marriages. Otherwise, it'd just be ????? like the rest of the incompatible stuff.

[Roko]

That was an enjoyable episode; been some time since I haven't had an issue with an SAO episode. Wonder if we'll see any other SAO players in Alfheim. Too bad Agil didn't join Kirito--I think I've always enjoyed their banter/relationship.

Does anyone else think it's weird we haven't seen the mother/aunt anywhere except for flashbacks? Where is she? Highly unusual for her to be absent so much especially considering how omnipresent a mother is in Japanese culture.

[Kraco]

Didn't the nervgear store user data? I guess that explain why part of Kirito's profile has been transfered. And it probably is because he didn't change his in game name. Then the game read that data and transfered everything compatible, that is everything that has been made compatible for Asuna to be transfered.

That could be an explanation, especially since it seems like the new company might have left a lot of the metadata untouched when they built the new game using SAO's engine and assets. Maybe they just changed a few strings and graphics displaying the game name, but internal headers still say Sword Art Online, and thus the nervgear would actually believe he's in the same game, and loaded the wrong profile automatically.

[NeoCybercoin]

Using what the game itself has given him. Hardly cheating. Just...very convenient

[Kraco]

Episode 17 - HS





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I guess a greedy megalomaniac is much easier as an opponent than an unpredictable nutcase. This dude is so sure and proud of himself he feels like boasting by spilling his secrets, plus the game he intends to use for brain washing has serious holes, like Kirito proved, but he's too busy mentally raping a girl to pay attention. He's really in no position to call Kayaba a fool.

[Archangel]

This goddamn shit again, present a whole new world and don't take the time to explain its rules.

And why the hell would you create a passcode lock for Asuna in a MMORPG and not some key item? Why?

[Kraco]

And why the hell would you create a passcode lock for Asuna in a MMORPG and not some key item? Why?

Isn't that obvious? Because it gives Asuna hope that she or somebody else will crack the code and open the door. Give hope and then crush it belongs to the torture 101.

Although clearly this guy isn't crafty enough to actually pull it off.

[Buffalobiian]

Illusion and treasure-hunting (opening locked doors/chests/cages?) seems to work perfectly for a rescue mission.

[Inazuma]

I'm surprised no one here speaks about the villain admitting to perfect brainwashing technology.
I mean - the guy just pulls the James Bond villain rookie mistake. Get the girl, reveal your plan to her. Atop of that he wants to break her will through some passive aggressive techniques.
This is no supervilain - he doesn't even deserve to be a low level henchmen. Things would have been so much more interesting if the system itself was the bad guy, if somehow Cardinal backed up it own self into a different game taking some players together in the process in order to challenge Kirito he whom defeat it's father.

Please SAO, don't go Kubo on me now.

[Kraco]

Illusion and treasure-hunting (opening locked doors/chests/cages?) seems to work perfectly for a rescue mission.

Yeah. Like I said in irc, offensive magic wouldn't do much good for Kirito with his haxor level physical offensive skills. However, the particular type of magic available for his randomly selected race is just the type that will complement purely physical prowess. How amazingly surprising Kirito got lucky in a game...

I'm surprised no one here speaks about...

Is this some empty discussion starter phrase in English, because I already did write it all up there?

[Buffalobiian]

I'm actually expecting Kirito's skills to push the sysadmin into using the system to give himself a really unfair advantage, then have Akihito Kayaba come into the game and hack his system instead to level out the playing field.

I'll serve to show how much of a douche the current villain is (if he hasn't done enough already), redeem Akihito in the eyes of the audience (he put Asuna into that position in the first place with SAO) and maintain the difference in power between a mere player and an admin.

If Kirito just went up there and cut up the elf king without any real trouble, that would just be stupid.

I also hope we continue to have the real life Sugu segments. Her youthfulness is mighty attractive. I want Kirito to be paired with Asuna, but I like Sugu (though not Leafa yet) as a girl.

edit:

I'm surprised no one here speaks about the villain admitting to perfect brainwashing technology.
I mean - the guy just pulls the James Bond villain rookie mistake. Get the girl, reveal your plan to her. Atop of that he wants to break her will through some passive aggressive techniques.

It can't be helped. Male villains like them want to flash their epeens as much as possible, (and have the girl say they like it on their own accord), only to have it kicked hard at the end.

[Ryllharu]

I'm surprised no one here speaks about the villain admitting to perfect brainwashing technology.
...
Please SAO, don't go Kubo on me now.

It could be because it is a really stupid plot development, another display of very poor writing.
It doesn't merit any discussion, just like the scene:

'Oh, Kirito, man I just met in an online world and immediately want to have sex with, I am surprised that anyone else can handle this flight speed, no one else has been able to before, yet somehow I alone can, so I can make this juxtaposition that you are instantly good at any online game, only faltering slightly for comedy relief.'

SAO started badly written, that made up term for a series jumping the shark doesn't apply here.

[MFauli]

i love how in the world of sao (the anime) it is peeeeerfectly fine to continue this kind of virtual reality-games, when you just had a case of hundreds of players dying because of the dangerous hardware parts. no, do not narrowly investigate how dangerous this stuff really is, instead just have the next couple of thousands of people log in. seriously lol.

and then the villain has the most dangerous tool of all times at hand. i mean ... altering one´s memories? that´s more powerful than simply being able to kill somone. you know, some postings above discuss how foolish of a villain he is. but that´s still giving him too much credit. can alter every player´s memories? well duh, you already have all you need to go for world domination. just make it so all the players recruit new people to log in, make them your slaves, too, and continue. this idiot can´t even properly rape asuna because of his incompetence and pseudo-pride. and totally lost sight of what could be achieved far beyond one girl...

[Buffalobiian]

He says be can alter people's memories, but aren't the hardware security upgrades supposed to prevent stuff like this happening? The older nervgears might be susceptible, but you'd think the new hardware would be triple-checked and made sure to be safe before governing bodies allowed it to be used by the general public.

[MFauli]

i guess in the end it is of not much use to give too much thought to this series. i mean ... this is a world where the matrix is real. people can log in to perfect vr-games and do whatever they want. there are so many socio-economic factors that SHOULD be at play here, that it is absolutely ridiculous how the real world in sao seems to be the same as ours.

EDIT:

As for ep 18: I dont get it. So does his sister know she´s playing together with her brother ... or not? When she pauses the game, she knocked on Kirito´s room door, fully expecting him to answer. After leaving him dinner on the kitchen table, she returned to the game and called the Spriggan "Kirito".
So ... what am I missing here?