Sword Art Online

[Destiny_Gundam]

But it's completely pointless for a final boss to give you money because unless there's a New Game+ it's not like you can use it.

[Tangerine]

Nah, he should be amazed at what he had if it's from SAO completion bonus or reward from beating Heatcliff. I think he just have it all the way stashed somewhere in items and just cashed it out before hitting the last dungeon. or, when SAO was finished two of his houses along with one Asuna's, including everything lost in the game was converted into money for some odd reason (server side map failure happened before in RL gaming and system automatically compensate for it). or maybe he received it when he trashed his SAO items in ALO. Instead of just deleting them, the game sells the items at NPC price rate. Some game I played has this similar system, compensating anything you throw away from inventory, so it's plausible. it's not much but remembering it's a merge account from two of the most hardcore gamers in SAO, I think it's mostly over the top even for those ALO Lords.

[Compass]

New music is really good. Asuna screen time.

One of the scenes, however, made me awfully uncomfortable. You should probably be able to tell which one. They really didn't need to play it out that much...

Also, for those of you who have read the books, it seems that a segment was unfortunately cut out from the light novel, as well as some of the lore. I won't spoil too much in the segment below if you're interested in what happens, but I don't believe it will appear in an OVA or a later episode due to timing issues, and the fact that the arc below really has nothing to do with the main story arc.

Spoiler

In the opening of the 4th novel, after the last episode fight, before they reach Arun in this episode, somehow Lyfa and Kirito get sucked into the underworld dungeon. They end up saving and befriending a monster (raid-class, we're talking about World of Warcraft get 20 people or you gonna die) who was being bullied and the monster carries them out of the underworld.

Also, along the way out, they find out that at the very roots of the world tree below Arun, encased in ice, is the legendary sword Excalibre (spelling intended), the only sword said to be greater than the Demon Sword Gram (you saw it last episode, Eugene's sword that phases through solid object).

[Destiny_Gundam]

Well, it's not like you're supposed to find that scene particularly comfortable

Poor Suguha. She should forget about Kirito and hook up with me I mean some other guy.

[Compass]

It's like the Roper from Tower of Druaga, only without the "Haha" part at the end?

[Destiny_Gundam]

Well yeah, that bit in Druaga was played for laughs. This wasn't.

[PowerdGNFlag]

New music is really good. Asuna screen time.

One of the scenes, however, made me awfully uncomfortable. You should probably be able to tell which one. They really didn't need to play it out that much...

Also, for those of you who have read the books, it seems that a segment was unfortunately cut out from the light novel, as well as some of the lore. I won't spoil too much in the segment below if you're interested in what happens, but I don't believe it will appear in an OVA or a later episode due to timing issues, and the fact that the arc below really has nothing to do with the main story arc.

Spoiler

In the opening of the 4th novel, after the last episode fight, before they reach Arun in this episode, somehow Lyfa and Kirito get sucked into the underworld dungeon. They end up saving and befriending a monster (raid-class, we're talking about World of Warcraft get 20 people or you gonna die) who was being bullied and the monster carries them out of the underworld.

Also, along the way out, they find out that at the very roots of the world tree below Arun, encased in ice, is the legendary sword Excalibre (spelling intended), the only sword said to be greater than the Demon Sword Gram (you saw it last episode, Eugene's sword that phases through solid object).

Spoiler

They will have to show (or at least mention) the Jotunheim bit if ever they get to the later LN's, because there Kirito is shown dual wielding Excalibur with his current sword (i.e. the one he got the hard way). But I agree that otherwise it doesn't add much to the story.

[mobiusdiablo]

Personally... I think that this episode dropped the ball a bit. For all the different feels and minor problems people have had - this one feels more important.

Spoiler

So we have three things happening - Asuna's failed escape and nicking of the card, Kirito and Leafa finally get to the town next to Yggrdrasil, and Sugu decides to drop 'oniichan' for Kirito. That poor girl.

Now, my gripe is that even with those things going on, too much time was spent on them? With how much time Kirito and Leafa spent just walking around the town, they could've just waked into the town near the end of the episode and then find out Asuna was 'near.' We could easily have had that sidequest of Joutenheim or whatever it's called in the beginning of the episode interspersed with the hospital scene and Asuna's escape.

Speaking of - we already knew of what Sugou was doing with the 300 SAO players, he even told Asuna as such and we got nifty visuals. So why did we have to go over that again? That combined with the 'uncomfortable' scene felt like it went for a bit too long. We're at episode 21 - we don't have time to waste?

And minor gripe - Leafa just gets done telling Kirito that it's impossible to piggyback fly up to Yggdrasil via patch. Yui tells him that Asuna is directly above him. Kirito then goes all MAXIMUM SPEEDO on us and tries getting there anyway. I wonder if ALO has falling damage...

[Compass]

You expect Kirito to be rational? He tried eating people!

[mobiusdiablo]

You expect Kirito to be rational? He tried eating people!

Silly and stupid are two different things, good sir And at least that was funny.

[Destiny_Gundam]

I think Kirito can be forgiven for acting rashly when the love of his life is right above him.

[Tangerine]

I think, it worth a try. At least he need to check it out personally about that barrier. Maybe thinking perhaps with my haxor stat I could just pierce it all the way through.

Spoiler

Besides he got Admin Card from that 'foolish act' thanks to Yui quick thinking.

[mobiusdiablo]

I think Kirito can be forgiven for acting rashly when the love of his life is right above him.

Maybe but again - possible falling damage? That would be a pain in the ass

[Tangerine]

I really don't recall falling damage as being more horrible than death from PVP or getting PK-ed while hunting. especially when you did that inside a city where you don't get the usual exp penalty from dying. so it's not a biggie at all.

Besides if ALO really mirrored AION, Kirito may fall down but since it's from a very high alt his fly time will regenerate barely to allow him to glide before hitting the ground. Mind you I did Aion few years ago and ALO seemed to get their flying idea and mechanism from that game, including limited time for wings, etc.

[Compass]

Don't you remember Episode 7 where Kirito fell WITHOUT wings? *reaches into inventory*

http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/1189 ... 231149.png

[Tangerine]

Don't you remember Episode 7 where Kirito fell WITHOUT wings? *reaches into inventory*

http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/1189 ... 231149.png

that validates it, our hero even without wings doesn't fear falling damage. heck he got lots of agi that somehow in the game translated into faster running and higher jumping, and beefy hp to cushion the damage.

[mobiusdiablo]

I would argue that the snow broke his fall, but nah, I see your point. I rest my case.

[Varnis]

I just have to ask...what is it about Japan and incest? and on that note...what is it with Japan and putting in the "They're not related by blood" excuse?

[Tangerine]

I just have to ask...what is it about Japan and incest? and on that note...what is it with Japan and putting in the "They're not related by blood" excuse?

Because it's okay (Japan and most Asia-wide), although not be encouraged at least in Asia part where I lived, DNA and family-relationship factors come to mind. However, it's not something of a taboo. One of my long relatives certainly doesn't have problem with this kind of marriage. It's legal and supported by family, relatives and friends/society. Certainly there are few others that I knew, friends, peers, etc; they don't get shunned or socially harassed, not even ridiculed by it.

The biggest factor what this happened is because in most of asia older generation still has too many related siblings that potential marriage between cousins may happen. Other factors may be well that it's easier for them to know each other from childhood that it's easier for them to bond together compared to childhood friends, etc. I can also threw some Freudian that boy ultimately seek his mother's figure as mate and blood related relatives usually has similar physical build or traits that his mother had.

The orphan main protagonist get raised by aunt* family and then get some pseudo or even real romance with cousin is common theme for legal relation between brother and sister. that's the only way you could write a romance legally with imouto. any pedobear out there knows this, you should too!

*no uncle's family tho. it's actually shunned if it's a cousin from father's side of blood related relative. so only for cousin from mother side which counted as external family in terms of lineage. I guess the same happen to Japan since I could not remember any manga/anime that wrote such romance to cousin/imouto that related to the protagonis from his father side.

[Destiny_Gundam]

I just have to ask...what is it about Japan and incest?

Incest is hot. That it's taboo and 'wrong' to engage in it makes it that much more dangerous and exciting.

Though I've come to realise that like mix-raced and homosexual relationships before it, the reasons that incest is taboo are terribly outdated and don't apply anymore in today's society. So now mostly I like it for that added drama and the additional obstacle to overcome.

what is it with Japan and putting in the "They're not related by blood" excuse?

Yeah, I hate that too. They just do it so that it's not actually 'wrong' for the relationship to exist. If they want to go for the incest angle, they should go all the way, damn it!

any pedobear out there knows this, you should too!

Hey now, it has nothing to do with being a pedobear. Normal pervs know this too Suguha is definitely not pedobear material.

*no uncle's family tho. it's actually shunned if it's a cousin from father's side of blood related relative. so only for cousin from mother side which counted as external family in terms of lineage. I guess the same happen to Japan since I could not remember any manga/anime that wrote such romance to cousin/imouto that related to the protagonis from his father side.

Now this I didn't know. Though at the moment the only cousin couple that comes to mind is Kouta and Yuka from Elfen Lied. I don't think it said what side of the family she's from, but since Kouta's father is the only parent he had, I think she was from his side.

Suguha is from Kazuto's mother side, however.