First released in 2012, sword art online revolutionized the perception of the isekai genre, making it explode in popularity. ODS spawned constant new releases, all exploring similar themes: an unlikely protagonist who is transported to a different world, often facing death in a way that mimics game mechanics.
ODS It’s still incredibly popular, but it also has its fair share of detractors. Many do not like the numerous tropes that it contains. One of the most frequent complaints involves the cast of the series. Many feel that anime characters are often wasting their potential due to poor creative decisions.
10 Coper is completely absent in the anime
A lesser-known character in the series, Coper is one of the first memorable figures to appear in the Aincrad arc. After being informed by the antagonist Akihiko Kayaba of the real implications of playing Sword Art Online, he seeks to improve his chances of survival. Having been a Beta tester, he tracks down the Forest’s Secret Medicine quest, hoping to acquire the Annealing Blade.
He joins the protagonist Kirito for it, but in the end he betrays him, trying to lure monsters called Little Nepenthes to kill Kirito. This backfires, as Coper’s hide ability fails to protect him from the monsters. Kirito survives the incident, but Coper does not. Sadly, the episode isn’t present in the anime, which is a shame because it emphasizes from the start just how ruthless Aincrad can be.
9 Sachi’s importance is left out without being properly explored
Originally a solo player, Kirito ends up joining a small guild called the Moonlit Black Cats. He is particularly close to the somewhat insecure player Sachi, always reassuring her when she expresses her fears of being killed. He doesn’t keep her promise to keep her safe.
The guild ventures into an area that is too high for them. Despite Kirito’s best efforts, most of the guild members, including Sachi, are killed; the guild leader later committed suicide. Kirito is traumatized by the whole incident and it influences his initial character arc. Unfortunately, the significance of this incident, and of Sachi in particular, is soon brushed aside without being properly explored.
8 Argo The Rat does not have a significant presence
Argo the Rat is also much more relevant in the novels and manga than he is in the anime. He serves as an informant for Sword Art Online players. In the anime, she provides Kirito with information on the location of the boss monster Nicholas the Renegade, who is rumored to drop an item capable of bringing a player back. Kirito intends to use this item to resurrect Sachi.
Argo is much more important than it seems, since the guide that players use is their creation. Kirito’s decision to identify himself as a beater makes other beta testers less objective, and as a result, Argo is willing to give Kirito information for free.
7 Akihiko Kayaba’s motivations are never really explained.
The main antagonist in the first story arc, Akihiko Kayaba is the creator of ODS and the man responsible for countless deaths in the game. He later joins Kirito and the other players in Aincrad in the guise of the player Heathcliff. Kirito finds out his identity and the two fight. Despite Kayaba’s huge advantages, Kirito manages to persevere and the two stab each other, ending the game with the defeat of the final boss.
Afterwards, Kirito and his main romantic interest, Asuna, meet Kayaba and question her motivations. He claims that she doesn’t even remember her reasons anymore, a puzzling and unsatisfying response. Kayaba later returns as a force for good, providing assistance to the heroes on more than one occasion. Even so, the resolution of her original arc remains subpar.
6 Asuna’s strength is completely forgotten during the fairy dance arc.
Asuna shines as the main heroine in the Aincrad arc. Despite lacking previous gaming experience, she is a fast learner and quickly earns a name as Lightning Flash Asuna. She even saves Kirito’s life.
Unfortunately, she is regulated as a damsel in distress in the Fairy Dance Arc. Captured by Nobuyuki Sugou in Alfheim Online, she can do nothing but wait for Kirito to save her from her. Worse yet, Noboyuki sexually abuses her during her captivity. Subsequent arcs return Asuna to her former strength, but the damage is done.
5 Sugu’s romantic affection for Kirito doesn’t help her.
With Asuna out of the picture in the Fairy Dance Arc, Kirito’s female partner is his adoptive sister and cousin Suguha. She plays Alfheim Online using the Sylph Leafa avatar and befriends Kirito without knowing her true identity.
It is later revealed that Sugu has romantic feelings for Kirito even though they are related. This is the root of the emotional conflict between them, but it is completely unnecessary and does not help her. A strong fighter and a refreshing presence, Sugu would have been much more interesting without becoming part of Kirito’s harem.
4 Silica and Pina are excluded in later parts of the series
There’s nothing like a cute familiar to make a story more intriguing. Silica’s little feathered dragon, Pina, is a strong addition to the show, sacrificing herself for her master when Silica is in danger. while in ODSSilica and Kirito go on a quest together to revive Pina and succeed.
But after the Aincrad arc, Pina doesn’t show up much. Silica falls in importance. While her dragon becomes when she transfers to Alfheim Online, Pina doesn’t have any other memorable contributions, which is a shame.
3 Death Gun’s true identity is a wasted opportunity
After rescuing Asuna, Kirito investigates the VMMORPG Gun Gale Online, where players presumably die after being killed in the game. The culprit is a player calling himself Death Gun. At first, Death Gun’s identity is a mystery, but Kirito discovers a connection between Death Gun and the SAO player assassins guild, Laughing Coffin.
Death Gun is actually a group of people made up of Laughing Coffin member XaXa, nicknamed Red-Eyed XaXa, his brother Kyouji, and later, fellow SAO member Johnny Black. These reveals would have been much more interesting if the orange guild had a more pronounced presence in the first arc of the series. Kirito’s epiphany relies heavily on flashback and backfires, erasing the potential for a truly intriguing backstory for the villain.
two Eugeo is killed too quickly in Alicization.
The Alicization Arc sees Kirito traveling to the Underworld, a virtual world populated by artificial Fluctlights. There, he becomes friends with Eugeo and Alice Zuberg. When Alice accidentally breaks the taboo and enters the Dark Territory, an integrity knight arrests her. Kirito and Eugeo set out to find her, and their friendship and search for her are truly inspiring. This is the only part of the series where Kirito relies heavily on friendship rather than romance in his adventure.
Eugeo is an excellent fighter and displays remarkable skills. Unfortunately, he meets a tragic fate. He is first manipulated by the administrator Quinella and becomes an integrity knight. Then, once he manages to break free of her grasp, he dies in the final confrontation with Quinella. Later, the memory of him gives Kirito strength, but he could have done much more if he had lived.
1 Kirito’s development loses steam due to how overpowered he is.
One of the most common complaints related to ODS engages its protagonist. Kirito is so overpowered that he defies death itself, something that has earned him the nickname Jesus-kun. As the series progresses, Kirito reaches unprecedented levels of skill that make him virtually unbeatable.
While he spends some time in a virtual coma during the Alicization Arc, as soon as he wakes up, the villains’ efforts are rendered useless. His abilities also extend to the real world. Viewers certainly appreciate seeing Kirito defeat his opponents, but he can become exhausting and stale. His character development loses steam and his personality is overshadowed by how overpowered he is.
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