The third Sword Art Online movie sells out a key character

The anime of 2021 Film Sword Art Online Progression: Aria Of A Starless Night The movie is a masterpiece in how to make a story out of old material. This makes it both worthwhile for the die-hard fan and easily accessible for newcomers. Ayako Kono, the director and Yukito Kizawa the screenwriter, retell the two first episodes of 2012’s “The Movie”. Online Sword ArtThe anime is seen from another perspective, showing some secrets about long-standing characters without the need for new viewers. But in the film’s direct follow-up — Sword Art Online Progressive: Scherzo of Deep Night, which premiered in the U.S. on Feb. 3 — all that craft seems to have been abandoned.

In a virtual world MMORPG, 10,000 players are trapped. They will either lose their hit points completely or their headsets. Online Sword Art the anime series was adapted from Reki Kawahara’s light novels. In the first season, players in the game are challenged to beat all 100 levels of a medieval-fantasy-esque world if they want to escape the game. Beta tester Kazuto “Kirito” Kirigaya has a clear advantage, but his progress is complicated by other players, including his eventual partner, Asuna Yuuki.

Asuna is a mysterious, capable fencer that aids Kirito in their return to the real world. Sword Art Online Progression: Aria Of A Starless Night retells the first two episodes of the anime series from her perspective instead of Kirito’s, introducing her as a studious, cheerful middle schooler who enters the Online Sword ArtMisumi Tozawa was an original character, first introduced in Aria.

Their adventures add depth to Asuna’s character, especially when Misumi leaves her in difficult circumstances. When did it happen? Aria gets to Asuna and Kirito’s first meeting, it looks much like it did in the TV series. But for those who’ve seen the movie, it feels completely different, given the new context around a character who, early on in the 2012 anime, was basically just “the girl.”

With Scherzo of Deep Night, The audience is treated to a predictable, but original story lasting just 101 minutes. Although it’s set between episode 2 and 3 of the anime, right after Aria of the Starless Night The characters are Scherzo of Deep NightFeel completely foreign, but that’s not because Kono or Kizawa tell you new things. Asuna experiences the greatest downgrade. Originally a child lost in an unfamiliar world, dealing with betrayal and digging deep to find the strength to go on, she’s now relegated back to cliche girl status.

Image: A-1 Pictures/Aniplex

Perhaps This could have been forgiven if the plot did something different and more exciting. Instead, it’s literally a repeat from Aria: Players fight through a basic fantasy world to get to the next boss, who’s a little different from what Kirito experienced during the beta. The power of teamwork eventually saw them defeat him.

That’s just not good enough to justify making Asuna loud and obnoxious in Scherzo, especially when she’s obviously crushing on Kirito. She’s also, for some reason, a bit clumsy and easily flustered now, instead of being a graceful athlete. Strangest of all was the warrior who faced giant monsters and won. Aria of a Starless Night that dying isn’t the worst thing in the world, as long as it’s on her terms, is suddenly deathly afraid of ghosts. Her new timidity isn’t a cute little character detail thrown in for characterization’s sake — it’s a huge, integral story element that drives a lot of the plot forward.

The plot itself doesn’t contribute much to the overall Online Sword Art story. It doesn’t explore the joys of gaming or the horror the Online Sword ArtPlayers are caught in, Aria does. Nor does it expand on the franchise’s key characters by forcing them to use their gaming skills in the real world, like the first movie, Sword Art Online Movie: Ordinal Scale. Scherzo The idea of Player Killers, who instead of trying to escape the game, embrace chaos and then use that to kill others, to satisfy some psychopathic need, is briefly considered. It was touched briefly in anime, but expanding upon the idea could have given the film its fascinating identity.

But the PK storyline doesn’t really go anywhere. Also, MisumiTozawa’s welcome return doesn’t go anywhere. She only repeats all the lessons from the end. Aria of a Starless Night: Misumi isn’t a bad person, but she did a bad thing, and now she’s fighting to help others in order to make up for it. There’s nothing inherently bad about the film’s plot, but it lacks any of the subversion, deconstruction, or expansion of the SAOThe myth of the made AriaIt’s so much fun.

Grid View

The story does get more exciting during the final boss battle, which is phenomenal because of its breakneck pace and the opponent’s massive size. These boss mechanics could easily exist in real life. There are very few surprises. Scherzo of Deep Night feels like an inconsequential pit stop that’s simply designed to set up a possible next SAO Without making the artistic choices that will get people excited about it, movie.

If Online Sword Art If it gets a fourth film, it would be even better if it was shifted back. Aria’s approach, and revealed more about the world by focusing on things we haven’t seen before. One alternative approach is to watch season 2 and then change the setting. SAOFantasy game to VR Battle Royale Shooter Gun Gale OnlineExpanding that world is what you should do instead. These are theatrical adventures that can be enjoyed in any way. SAO If they provide something unique, it is worth it. Scherzo You are too comfortable and familiar.

Sword Art Online Progressive: Scherzo of Deep NightIt is currently being released in limited quantities in American theatres. Check the movie’s website for details.Both the original two films and The Last Movie Online Sword ArtCrunchyroll has anime streaming.