Doesn't have to be a novel just something. I've rewatched that work of art so many times that the jokes don't hit since they are k.o. ed by my foresight. Sigh. I remember when I first stumbled upon that lot of gold only to find that there was a mountain of gold beneath it. Most of the jokes flew over my head the first time but as I watched it over and over I realized the definition of a true masterpiece. Curse my memory. I want to forget it all just to read it again. * cough watch it again.
Bro, you need to water down your standard by watching chinese anime. Masterpiece like sao abridged is hard to come across, while shits like them chinese anime are impossible to count, you need to lower your standard my man.
I watched a few here an there like DBZ but SAO abridged is the undisputed king of all abridged series. I'll fight anyone who says differently.
I know better than to set it as a standard. It's more of ceiling. As for Chinese anime yea They suck, My prejudices of being used to Japanese voice actors aside Novel vs Manhwa vs Anime, hm. Tbh none of them click for me. The power system and premises are all good it's just the Plot. I've found some people just write better plot. Like no matter how many people hate on ATG they can't deny the writing is good, while it's not masterpiece it's definitely top tier with the trash being released these days. Just hop on a random chapter and observe the writing, descriptions how they lead on the audience and transition etc. It's pretty easy to spot the trash. Like I hopped on random chapter (latest or close to that since it of....what was it transcending vision?? No, I remember now, it's I am Overlord. That's some basic ass writing right there.
Ghost Stories dub? not an abdriged but it's titled as "The first professional abridged series" in crunchyroll so