Discussion Is Sword Art Online Any Good?

I suddenly thought about it.
I already dwell on LN world for a few months now and I'm pretty sure I got the general idea covered. If you see my reading list, you will find most of the popular one (CN, JP, OEN) there. And I really enjoyed the main stream genre (like OP MC, World transfer, reincarnation, VRMMORPG, etc) and I'd like to think I already read or at least eyeing most of them.

But until now I never see a thread, discussion, or even a post mentioned SAO. Is SAO really not that good to the point no one bring it up? Or it's just they're old story and since new series popped up they're forgotten? I watch the anime and I can say I enjoyed them (Season 1 Great, Season 2 Good?, Season 3 Meh). LN that successfully made into anime cant be that bad right?

TL:WR
Is SAO Good? How is it compared to other VRMMORPG LN? Cause If its good I would like to read it.

 

Personally I'd say it started well and then found new and better ways to go downhill?
But If you liked the anime then give it a go.

 

Just read the first 2 volume and you'll know.

 

I've read till the 12th volume and it was quite nice. It's up to you to decide.

 

The early volumes are good, the later ones where he went into other games felt like a contrived way for the author to milk the cash cow. The author comes up with a reason or another to basically ignore the established supporting cast later on.

I lost interest by the last arc.

High marks for polished translation, early setting and plot (if predictable and not original), good writing... the main character is a hit or miss for some people.

 

If you really like VR theme, try read The Gam3.
Original story. But the author bring the VR set up too whole new level.

About SAO, watch season 1. season 2 not to my liking.

 

Short answer? Yes. SAO is good and worth the read.

More in depth, in comparing SAO to LMS and ark, with several others, it's clear to see that SAO is a different type of story. A lot of vrmmorpg stories bring up levels and gear, but sao doest really bring that up, at least in the main story.
If you are looking for a step by step progression you won't find it there. But if you want a story that's vrmmorpg but not really in the conventional way, it's a good one.

 

It's perfect... at start. But the author decided to take the wheel and let the reader see things far different from what SAO was - a VRRMMORPG. Perhaps, some arcs are kinda good but some are just not.

 

Short answer. No. It's a novel written for the sole purpose of how to give the mc some cool pose and scenes.

Plot? Characters? Heh.

P. S. I dropped it around the first two volumes of underworld(?).

EDIT: Didn't see your question at the bottom. The answer is no. Go look for other novels if you want vrmmorpg. SAO is only borrowing the setting. The implementation is far away from what you'd called a game. Balance? You would think that a game that arbitrarily decided to give a person unique skill have the right to talk about balance? Also, SAO stressed out how the mc way of thought that vr is not just a game.

 

The anime is good I love it. To be honest it what makes me an otaku. However the LN is not that great. The first arc is good though but it went down hill after that

 

The anime is like that too. Start with good opening but slowly diminishing in quality.

Well, because I want to know before reading I created this thread isnt it?

Thanks! I'll check it out.

Nice how? And I'm guessing you read other VRMMORPG LN. How's that compared?


Generally what I want to know is it comparable to other LN same genre like Zhan Long, LMS, Slave-Harem, etc?

 

Oh? LN and anime is different? Can you explain that?

 

Nope! There's no constant element of growing strong and stronger. In fact, SAO explores a more radical VRRMMORPG idea and that is the idea of living your life fully on the virtual world. This was explained many times in various arcs like in Mother's Rosario or in the recent arc where Kirito enters a comma and is only to live properly in Virtual Reality.

 

this my personal opinion
Aincrad arc is nice...
but after that...... well this could depend on your taste [no comment]
but alicization arc is really nice
so here my advice.. read Vol.1and2 then skip to vol.9

 

its ok, but its really nothing like a vmmorpg novel, its more story driven, tbh i sometimes forget half of this shit takes place in a game lol, alicization only makes that worse, since theres almost nothing making it seem gamelike

 

http://forum.novelupdates.com/threads/sao-vrmmorpg.3775/
http://forum.novelupdates.com/threads/whats-i-find-stupid-in-sword-art-online.3685/

Anime season 1 good, season 2 very bad, season 3 bad.
bad adaptation.

 

Give it a try.
but never expect anything.
read it as it is. (and take note of the setting.)
but you can skip filler volumes.

btw I read the series for 16.5.

 

No there not much difference. It just that the anime action scenes are really good

 

No growth as like he already OP (like Death March) or no growth cause the story is not about game anymore and all it does is talk about romance and pointless stuff?

PS. Banana

 

SAO is good to read but it dont revolve in the vrmmorpg or the setting itself rather to it revolve in its character. Like every volume theres dozen of new character and all the character in the first volumes are gone. It made my brain hurts so much because i cant remeber which name is which so i stopped reading it in volume 8. Despite that its a good reading material if you just want to waste time.