A
AndrewRaZ
Guest
Sword Art Online
Sword Art Online is one of the best anime series I have yet seen—or at least the first half is. It fuses drama, action, and fantastic production values in a universe that is really engaging. As a Christian, it is nice to see some themes that I can agree with as well, especially in a media that so frequently objectifies people for a cheap thrill.
Plot:
(minor spoilers)
Sword Art Online (SAO) is based on a light novel series, and succeeded in some ways by Accel World,. SAO is about a Virtual Reality Massively-Multiplayer Online RPG, made possible by the brand new NERV Gear, which translates thoughts into the game. But the game’s designer removes the logout and adds the feature that if the headset is removed or if one dies in the game, one dies in real life. SAO ceases to be a game and becomes a real and dangerous war in a fantasy world where the main protagonist, Kirito, feels responsible for protecting other players. Episodes 1-14 take place in SAO where the villain is the game’s creator. Episodes 15-25 take place in a combination of real world and a spin-off game called Alfheim Online where the villain is pretty much the epitome of creepy evil, the kind everyone loves to hate.
Production values:
The art is gorgeous, bright, and colorful. The animation is fluid and expressive. The characters are well designed. The costumes are practical, and they really try to avoid the half-naked skimpy female costumes, mostly (but not entirely). The music was pretty good, but honestly, I didn’t pay much attention. The voice acting is superb in Japanese. If you can handle the English, great, but the original Japanese is better.
Romance:
The romance in SAO is really the driving force of the story. But unlike other stories, Kirito and Asuna don’t hook up at the end—they get together relatively quickly, and it is their continuing relationship that drives the story. Unlike other “damsel in distress” tropes, the first half establishes Asuna as a strong female character able to hold her own. Part of the reason they work so well together is that they are a partnership of equals.
One of the great things about this storyline was an exploration of a digital relationship within the SAO world. At one point, Kirito remarks that what one does in the game affects one’s soul and rejects the temptation to act however he wishes within the game. This is a core of Christian moral theology which involves intention and will, and really cuts to the heart of the “it’s just a game” idea. Kirito and Asuna feel that as much as they love each other, they are unwilling to reduce their love to mere sexual intimacy.
Instead, they get married in the game, and adopt a daughter, Yui. Their love instinctually forms the basis of a family, and the conflicts that arise force them to react not only for selfish preservation, but in order to protect the members of their family. What is more, even when Kirito is freed from the game, he still feels bound by the vows he made in game to protect his family and willingly faces danger again in order to protect them. Even the inevitable “woman offers herself to the guy” scene is turned upside down: Kirito insists she has misunderstood, and that he only wants to “be by her side.” I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to see this kind of treatment of relationships and female characters. It really bespeaks St. Paul’s words, “Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her” (Eph 5:25).
Christian Themes:
Kirito is in many ways a figure of Christ in the series. He is an image of masculine strength and courage in the face of adversity, and yet the vulnerability of suffering. He endures the hatred of other players so that he can protect them. He refuses to infringe on other players’ rights to choose for themselves, but is also a strong advocate of justice in the game. He is also willing to die that others might live (though it’s portrayed as stubbornness or even prideful rebellion against the Game Master rather than an act of love). Complimenting Kirito, Asuna could be seen as a figure of the Church, who is devoted to her spouse and fiercely devoted to her family. Being tricked into the game and unable to escape and told to make use of any means necessary, which some players do resort to, brings to mind references to the Garden of Eden and the fall of Man. The theme which is brought up a couple times of a “true self” which transcends simple bodies and depends not only on material actions but on intention reminds us that our attitudes are in need of conversion and the discipline of virtue. SAO certainly does not have Christian storyline, but one can see some analogies.
(continued)
Sword Art Online is one of the best anime series I have yet seen—or at least the first half is. It fuses drama, action, and fantastic production values in a universe that is really engaging. As a Christian, it is nice to see some themes that I can agree with as well, especially in a media that so frequently objectifies people for a cheap thrill.
Plot:
(minor spoilers)
Sword Art Online (SAO) is based on a light novel series, and succeeded in some ways by Accel World,. SAO is about a Virtual Reality Massively-Multiplayer Online RPG, made possible by the brand new NERV Gear, which translates thoughts into the game. But the game’s designer removes the logout and adds the feature that if the headset is removed or if one dies in the game, one dies in real life. SAO ceases to be a game and becomes a real and dangerous war in a fantasy world where the main protagonist, Kirito, feels responsible for protecting other players. Episodes 1-14 take place in SAO where the villain is the game’s creator. Episodes 15-25 take place in a combination of real world and a spin-off game called Alfheim Online where the villain is pretty much the epitome of creepy evil, the kind everyone loves to hate.
Production values:
The art is gorgeous, bright, and colorful. The animation is fluid and expressive. The characters are well designed. The costumes are practical, and they really try to avoid the half-naked skimpy female costumes, mostly (but not entirely). The music was pretty good, but honestly, I didn’t pay much attention. The voice acting is superb in Japanese. If you can handle the English, great, but the original Japanese is better.
Romance:
The romance in SAO is really the driving force of the story. But unlike other stories, Kirito and Asuna don’t hook up at the end—they get together relatively quickly, and it is their continuing relationship that drives the story. Unlike other “damsel in distress” tropes, the first half establishes Asuna as a strong female character able to hold her own. Part of the reason they work so well together is that they are a partnership of equals.
One of the great things about this storyline was an exploration of a digital relationship within the SAO world. At one point, Kirito remarks that what one does in the game affects one’s soul and rejects the temptation to act however he wishes within the game. This is a core of Christian moral theology which involves intention and will, and really cuts to the heart of the “it’s just a game” idea. Kirito and Asuna feel that as much as they love each other, they are unwilling to reduce their love to mere sexual intimacy.
Instead, they get married in the game, and adopt a daughter, Yui. Their love instinctually forms the basis of a family, and the conflicts that arise force them to react not only for selfish preservation, but in order to protect the members of their family. What is more, even when Kirito is freed from the game, he still feels bound by the vows he made in game to protect his family and willingly faces danger again in order to protect them. Even the inevitable “woman offers herself to the guy” scene is turned upside down: Kirito insists she has misunderstood, and that he only wants to “be by her side.” I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to see this kind of treatment of relationships and female characters. It really bespeaks St. Paul’s words, “Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her” (Eph 5:25).
Christian Themes:
Kirito is in many ways a figure of Christ in the series. He is an image of masculine strength and courage in the face of adversity, and yet the vulnerability of suffering. He endures the hatred of other players so that he can protect them. He refuses to infringe on other players’ rights to choose for themselves, but is also a strong advocate of justice in the game. He is also willing to die that others might live (though it’s portrayed as stubbornness or even prideful rebellion against the Game Master rather than an act of love). Complimenting Kirito, Asuna could be seen as a figure of the Church, who is devoted to her spouse and fiercely devoted to her family. Being tricked into the game and unable to escape and told to make use of any means necessary, which some players do resort to, brings to mind references to the Garden of Eden and the fall of Man. The theme which is brought up a couple times of a “true self” which transcends simple bodies and depends not only on material actions but on intention reminds us that our attitudes are in need of conversion and the discipline of virtue. SAO certainly does not have Christian storyline, but one can see some analogies.
(continued)