Sword Art Online Part 2 DVD Review

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

It’s been 2 years since players were trapped inside the MMORPG, SWORD ART ONLINE, and the inhabitants have started to become accustomed to their new lives. A certain level of apathy and comfortableness has swept through the world, causing people to set up lives and take pride in their achievements. SWORD ART ONLINE does a terrific job at representing a fantasy world that is exactly that, but one we’d probably all like to be a part of. Average people become strong and fearless warriors, but at the same time the show highlights how the little things have vanished. Cooking now consists of a few quick clicks, removing much of its enjoyment.

The second part of the season once again keeps things very insular as players must fight their way through the bosses in order to free everyone from the land. There is still no indication of what is going on in the real world, but within the game certain guilds and factions are starting to become very dangerous, with grabs for power now a common place thing. Once again the jumps in time can be huge, but it still feels as though we’ve been there for a long time. The ever present main quest looms over all of the other events, much like it does in a real RPG, but there are many side quests to become distracted by.

As a microcosm for real life, SWORD ART ONLINE continues to be one of the best anime out there. It captures everything a great adventure and action show should be, but also makes the brave decision to transform the series into a very strong romance. This shouldn’t put viewers off, as everything great from the first collection is still present. It’s also very reassuring that the female characters and relationships are treated with the utmost respect, and inappropriate and over sexualised moments are not present at all. The relationship between Kirito and Asuna is gradually built upon, but also excels in its natural ability to draw you in instantly.

Such a big shift in focus also represents the lives of those trapped in the game, as their former lives become distant memories and they begin to generate memories and bonds they never want to leave behind. It’s a very conflicted and fascinating idea, and results in a 7 episode run that has some of the biggest smiles, and yet also calls for some very teary eyed moments. With so many long-running anime, SWORD ART ONLINE is one that genuinely could have continued forever, however it makes some bold story decisions that are highly unexpected, and also leave you wondering where they could take it from here.

[usr=5]SWORD ART ONLINE Part 2 is released on Blu-ray and DVD on 27th January via Manga Entertainment.

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