#reki's character art is so important to me

[dunktape]

can you genuinely, i mean so genuinely not copy a creator who's already been through and is going through rough shit? i thought you were an alt of chocoperrito's, i saw you were "heavily inspired", same style and similar intro, this is plain disrespectful and cruel to do to an artist who's already stated they're not okay with that.

i hope you can find it in your heart to at least apologize to hym.

hey , saw this and genuinely wanted to address it as my intentions are genuinely not to copy anyone , let alone cause harm . summary is all the way down under the cut ( last paragraph )

first of all , i'm sorry to hear that reki isn't doing well . i hope hy'll get better soon , but i couldn't have known he wasn't in a well mental state because i don't want to and can't interact with hys blog . i've been blocked quite a while ago , just after the first post i made on this blog . what happened will stay private as requested , but ive apologised and as far as i know , we made up . hy doesn't want to interact with me and i respect his boundaries .

talking of boundaries , i did not know hy was uncomfortable with people getting inspired by his art style . it is true that i took inspiration from hym , but to be fair all i took inspiration from was the shape of fur . my colour theory was fully taught to me by ashenoranges , round shapes have been inspired by another artist who does not want to be named , the way i draw hands along with cartoon-ish ( and also the round shapes ) by an artist on tiktok whose name i forgot ( but did a lot of utau / fell art , something along the lines of pupbiteez ) and the eyes i've just always drawn that way because i adapted it from when i just started getting into animation memes , but i tend to add tearducts too ( which i've adapted from p0ny.world ) . also , i love the chalky way calciumdreams's and yokoneko's art looks which i'm trying to work on getting into my art . i also mentioned some other artists in a previous ask about my artstyle , those artists also provide me references for when i'm trying to draw animals that stand on all fours .

asked one of my friends if they had any art of reki saved , for comparison . i guess i can see the similarities ?

the thing is that i use several outlines and lots of rendering on top of it and use a shade between green and orange always - when reki uses one line-art layer , has highlights instead of shadows in the hair , usually a blue shade and overall has thinner line-art where parts between similar parts of clothing and / or fur gets coloured differently in line-art .

i'm not saying my and reki's styles do not look extremely similar or that he never said anything about not liking inspiration , but i did not copy ( or at least INTEND to copy ) hym , neither did i ( key word , i ) ever read he was uncomfortable with inspiration . if you would like to provide proof then i'd love to have you dm it to me /gen

my intro post had taken me quite a few months to come up with , going through a few things to get inspiration from . however , i can see why you think i copied him , especially with how i provided my links . asked a friend of mine to provide a screenshot of reki's blog to compare them after you sent this ask . to clarify - i actually got inspo for my graphic and the stars between links from a friend of mine , who used to make simple transparent background graphics and used the 𓈒 symbol in between links instead . since i'm a pretty big fan of stars , i used stars instead . went through tags to find introduction posts that i could take inspo from , which mostly used different colours , and since i usually use orange or green shades in my art ( since they're my favourite colours ) i thought i'd apply that to highlight parts i thought were important . just talked a bit about me , connected a link to my identity in case you want to get to know me better , provided a link to my toy house in case you wanted to see my characters , then talked a bit about asks because i barely really got any before . it looked a bit empty at that point , so i thought i'd largen up something , but doing that at the top of the post seemed like it went from big to small and i didn't like that . moved the links to the bottom , largened them up and that seemed pretty good . but now it was a bit empty on top of the page , so after messing around with the graphic i realised that maybe i should add something that would devide the graphic from the text - a divider . now everything looked tidy , while not being too little nor too much . a link to stuff that went more into detail ,, perfect right ? but ;

i can totally see why you think they look familiar : same colours , same link stuff , separate part about the inbox , divider between texts and images , but i don't have access to reki's blog so i wouldn't have known . even if i did before , i wouldn't have remembered that in the past 2 months where i was much more busy with other stuff than remembering what someone else's , who didn't want to interact with me , intropost looked like .

HOWEVER ! i do acknowledge that my EMOTE art looks incredibly - extremely , almost completely identical to hys . hand shapes , eye shapes , body shapes , even the yellow body and line-art , the SHADING - all of that . i guess that comes with having similar artstyles , then also worrying about whether or not your art looks ok . i actually asked a friend of mine what i could change about my art so other people would maybe like or use it more , and they said that i only ever use harsh - thick lines , so i should keep the line-art simple and try airbrushing stuff . this is basically what reki did , and so i did use one of hys emotes from a server i'm in as a reference - i really liked the result , and posted it not thinking about how familiar they looked despite literally having his emotes and mine side by side for comparison .

they're extremely similar , especially the little closed eyes and blush . they both have that little red eyelid bit above their eyes and shaded cheeks + hands . i admit this is my fault for not having realised earlier how i basically copied hys style , and i'll try to make it more into my own style next time . i'm unsure of how to yet , but i'll figure something out .

also , besides all that , i'm not really copying his appearances , sonas , other stuff hy might have made . the yellow guy is pretty popular after all since it doesn't have an actual appearance or anything that would relate to identity and can be interpreted as anyone . sure , there's blogs like k9emotes who make white sillies instead of yellow , but i prefer using yellow and i'm also going to use these emotes . not saying i won't change how i'll draw them , this is just a reason , but that's why my and hys emotes look so similar — they're exactly what i and my friends would like emotes to look like if we're going to use them frequently .

all of this is not an excuse but simply an explanation so i hope everything is more clear . as stupid as it may sound , the intro post was truly a coincidence . my art looks similar to hys ( but not that much ) because he was an inspiration , but not my only inspiration and definitely not my biggest but the hair / fur is something i do use the most . i deeply apologise for any harm i have done and crossing unknown boundaries , but i'm afraid i can't directly apologise to reki as he doesn't want to interact with me , boundaries are boundaries .

long story short — yes i got inspired by the fur , the intro post was purely coincidental , unconsciously took too much inspo from emotes , i apologise for what i did but can't apologise directly bc im blocked .

[astro-can]

ranking anime pt 1

ranking a few of my favourite animes in terms of plot and characters

Bungo Stray Dogs (the manga) i'm actually a pretty new fan but its def the best mangas i've ever read. and notice how i say manga, not anime. the anime actually kind of sucks. the plot is very interesting and intriguing, and all the characters are very well-written. idk where asagiri got the idea of taking historical poets and authors and turning them into hot manga characters from, but i love it. its a very cool concept. you def need to read all the side stories to understand whats happening at times, but you can easily find the side stories on sus illegal websites or just buy them (or watch the anime adaptations). atsushi is a well-written main character and dazai's personality literally has my mind running in circles. this is a manga that makes you think a lot, but if you like literature, def give Bungo Stray Dogs a shot. you won't regret it!

Toilet Bound Hanako-kun (the manga) notice how i said manga again (the anime could do so much better). the art style for this book is AMAZING and the characters are SO WELLWRITTEN. like the title is a bit weird you I SWEAR YOU WONT REGRET IT IF YOU READ IT. its literally the best mixture of romance, comedy, horror, and mystery. its sort of a slowburn and i wish hanako's backstory will be revealed soon because im literally dying to know what ACTUALLy happened between him and tsukasa. and i want to know how nene and hanako's relationship grows!

Spy x Family this is the perfect comedy-action anime to watch with your family and friends. the concept is cool and its fun to see how anya, loid, and yor's relationship grows! I want to know what will happen at the end and if loid and yor actually stay together. its a very good anime and i highly recommend it.

Jujutsu Kaisen i'm a fairly new fan of jjk but i really love it! at first i had to read it a couple times because of all the fast explanations for cursed energy and stuff, but i think i've memorized it all now. yuji is a very interesting main character, and its nice to see his internal struggles with hosting the most evil cursed monster alive. his struggles of accepting his fate and his struggles of losing the people he loves is something that i like seeing (not in a sadistic way) because it accurately shows his character development. i love the strong female characters (shoko, maki, utahime, etc etc) and the subtle inclusion of the lgbtq community (kirara, mai, megumi, etc etc). the character developments in this series in CRAZYY like i actually love it so much. what i don't like is how some of the explanations are a little nonsensical and they pass over the important stuff too quickly. but overall, its a very good series and i recommend it!

Sk8 the Infinity i was so sad when season one of Sk8 ended, because it was really good. i hope they make season two soon. sk8 is so good because it shows reki's struggles, just like how gege shows itadori's struggles. the characters develop nicely, and the relationships between the characters are shown nicely. its a very fruity anime that i HOPE will end like yuri on ice (with reki and langa getting together BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE FOR IT TO BE CANON) its short but sweet and i highly recommend!

The Promised Neverland (the manga) i CANNOT express how much i DESPISE the anime. i HATE IT SO FCKING MUCH. anyways, the manga is pretty good. its another series that works your brain a lot, and it kinda makes me sad because there are literal eleven year olds being smarter than me 😭i personally really like isabella and yugo's characters, and i sort of dislike emma's desire to save the demons. like girliepop pulled the main character card and said "i wanna save everyone so no one has to suffer!" personally i would've gone with norman and ray's plan sooooooo....i also dislike how emma loses her memory at the end. i know it was really important, but i wish she could've gotten her memories back after reuniting with them again because in the canon manga, she CANT remember a SINGLE THING which means ALL THE THINGS SHE DID WITH HER FAMILY are just GONE. i actually screamed when i read that she never got her memory back. i also wish the author had maybe specified a bit more on isabella and ray's relationship as mother and son. anyways, a pretty decent story with good characters.

Demonslayer this is actually my favourite anime. I love it so much. ive read the manga over ten times and it has tanjiro, one of my all-time favourite anime characters. the reason its ranked so low is because of how simple the plot is and how it sort of repeats the action scenes. some of the characters could def be written better, but there was a lot of very good characters as well. tanjiro's character is written so well, and so is shinobu's. i wish we saw more of rengoku before he was killed off after like thirty minutes of screentime, and i wish the author hadn't killed off obanai and mitsuri at the end. that kind of made me mad. but they were reincarnated happily, so its ok! there are some nonsensical explanations and some random things here and there. people say its only because of the animation, and even though the animation is what makes it popular, i personally think that the story itself isn't that bad. its good, and i recommend.

Haikyuu haikyuu is like THE sport anime. its good and its actually taught me alot about volleyball. its also the reason i started playing volleyball. im the libero on my team 💪 its very exaggerated, but the characters are well written and the team's struggle as a whole is laid out well. i like the concept and the main character (hinata) is acc so funny like i love him so much. its the first anime i watched, and its def not the genre i would watch as a first choice, but for a sports anime, haikyuu is really wellmade. the reason its ranked low is because i'm not very interested in it anymore/not really my thing

My Hero Academia i was OBSESSED with this last year. like it was the literal reason i was living. but now that i go back to read it again, its sort of repetitive and deku has become WAYYYY too OP. it started off with a cool concept, but the author has been dragging it out for wayy too long. the fighting scenes are all the same and deku needs to put aside his "good side" and actually take actions that will be for the better, like KILLING OF SHIGARAKI INSTEAD OF WANTING TO 'SAVE HIM' LIKE WHAT?? i also hate how uraraka's whole personality has just become "i have a crush on deku" and i kinda hate how the author portrays uraraka's relationship with toga. i actually kind of despise this anime.

and yeah there you have it :)

[thatsadroleplayer]

Roleplay information

About me!

Kia Ora! My name is Roman. I am genderfluid and use any pronouns. I enjoy roleplaying, of course, writing, art, reading and a whole bunch of other new stuff. I am open to friends outside of roleplaying, if that is something you'd want. I am from New Zealand! This is just a post about information when it comes to roleplaying that I find important!

Fandoms

(This will go in order of current hyperfixations, etc, although that is subject to change and will be edited when necessary)

The last of us (will base it more around the show but I've also seen playthroughs of both games)

9-1-1

Criminal minds

Sanders sides

Stranger things

Marvel

DC

Buddy daddies

Banana fish

Sk8

Characters

(This will go in order of favourites to least favourites to play as, if the character isn't listed but is a main character in the show it means I likely won't play them)

The last of us

Ellie Williams

Joel Miller

9-1-1

Eddie Diaz

Evan Buckley

Bobby Nash-Grant

Maddie Buckley

Christopher Diaz

Athena Grant-Nash

Hen Wilson

May Grant

Chim Han

Criminal minds

Spencer Reid

Emily Prentiss

Penelope Garcia

Jennifer Jareau

Derek Morgan

Tara Lewis

David Rossi

Aaron Hotchner

Sanders sides

Roman

Patton

Virgil

Janus

Logan

Remus

Stranger things

Steve Harrington

Eddie Munson

Robin Buckley

Max Mayfield

Eleven/El/Jane

Will Byers

Lucas Sinclair

Marvel

Peter Parker

Yelena Belova

Clint Barton

Kate Bishop

Natasha Romanoff

America Chavez

Bucky Barnes

Bruce Banner

Tony Stark

Wade Wilson

Steve Rogers

DC

Jason Todd

Dick Grayson

Tim Drake

Damian Wayne

Wally West

Roy Harper

Donna Troy

Garth

Kon Kent

Jon Kent

Bruce Wayne

Clark Kent

Diana Prince

Buddy Daddies

Kazuki Kurusu

Rei Suwa

Miri Unasaka

Kyutaro Kugi

Banana fish

Yut Lung Lee

Ash Lynx

Shorter Wong

Sing Soo-Ling

Eiji Okumura

Blanca

Sk8

Tadashi Kikuchi

Kaoru Sakurayashiki (Cherry)

Kojiro Nanjo (Joe)

Reki Kyan

Langa Hasegawa

Miya Chinen

Rules

Do not spam me, I have to sleep, go to school, spend time with friends, etc. If I do not respond within twelve hours, then you are welcome to begin to send me reminders.

I will only rp NSFW if it is something the roleplay is leading up to, I will not do a lot of it and it cannot be the main point of the roleplay.

Do not take control of my characters, if you want something to happen then you can speak tome about it and we can figure it out together.

Respect my boundaries, if I tell you something makes me uncomfortable or I don't want to do it do not push me.

My dms are open! If you have ideas and want to do them with me feel free to reach out! I am open to trying other fandoms other than what I have listed, so feel free to suggest things. If I don't know the fandom/haven't finished whatever it is then I will let you know. If is your decision from there whether you wish to continue or find someone better suited.

Communicate with me! I will not know what is going on if you don't communicate. If there's a scene you want to do, if you have to be offline for a while, etc don't be afraid to talk to me! I will do the same.

I welcome any and all identity headcanons except if you make gay characters straight. I often headcanon characters as trans myself.

I am open to ship suggestions, I will tell you if it makes me uncomfortable but if you suggest an obviously problematic ship I will simply block you.

I prefer long responses, but I will try my best to match whatever length you use.

I will not play abusive characters if they are a main character. If they're a side character that is fine, but if they are a main character I won't do it.

I do not have triggers but if you're going to include something that could be triggering please warn me first, it makes me uncomfortable when those kinds of things are suddenly sprung on me.

If you do not follow these rules you will be given a max of three warnings before I will just block you and/or stop replying.

If you think any of this fits you feel free to reach out! Whether you have an idea already or would like to come up with one together!

[notesonidiocy]

not to be the most annoying person in the world by bringing it back to eduardo (fake name for my crush) but to bring it back bc that's all i think ab these days TBH but i was like he shouldn't exist like person + personality is literally an idea but somehow he's real?? and him having a gf is so right like ofc he does ??? and like i didn't even like him at all initially (bc i just don't like boys i'm always like smth ab u ain't right like if u look up misandrist that's me) and would be so annoyed when he spoke to me but in the spirit of intersectional feminism and like bell hooks i was like i should be better to boys men whatever so i was nicer and then like it snuck up on me bc he’s like adorable and so cute😭😭 and he’s super into art and makes art but also really into science and like listens as if whatever im saying is soo important like the most important thing anyone has ever said and he just does that for everyone and loves to gossip as much as i do and when he’s trying to remember smth he like scrunches his face and touches his nose😭😭 so precious and one time i was doing my stand up set for him and he was dying laughing and kicking his fit and twirling his hair and was sooooo relaxed and i was like omg i love him (like how i love reki and langa etc) and then the other day he was showing me smth on his phone and came super close and our heads were basically touching and i could smell him and i was like i love this smell and then i was like fuck bc initially i hated how he smelled and would be like ew he doesn’t bathe (think his shampoo detergent just sucks tbh) and now im like sniff sniff ??????????? and at the comic book store there was a comic ab someone who’s trying to date other ppl while in a relationship and i was loke i should give him this to plant the idea but also if he cheats on his gf then thats a character flaw in a bad way also doesn’t honestly have the personality of someone who would cheat/break up w their partner and yeah yeah yeah gross

[meltykarasu]

Sword Art Online Progressive Volume 1 & 2 Review

Written by Reki Kawahara, illustrations by abec.

The Bottom Line: Probably how you should have written it in the first place, Reki.

Double Feature today! It's a little bit longer so buckle up.

I feel like Sword Art Online's original premise needs little introduction but I will explain it. Ten thousand players are now trapped in a VRMMORPG under threat of real-world death. The way to escape? Clear the one hundred floors of Aincrad, a massive floating castle. Things got a little wacky after that.

The important outside world context is that Reki Kawahara wrote the first draft of SAO in like the year 2001 for a novel writing contest, put it on the internet, and continued writing it for years.

Between Sword Art Online's first arc (volume 1) and Fairy Dance (volume 3), Volume 2 is a series of short stories introducing a bunch of characters that would be important for Kawahara to establish for the next arc. This means that volume 1 is the beginning and end of a story, and volume 2 (and bits of 8) are the middle of it. If you say that's not great writing structurally: congrats, you are competent.

Anyway Kawahara hit it big with Accel World, and then his publisher asked him to clean up SAO and publish it fully, that got made into an anime, and since the jump between the first and second bits of the SAO arc was way too big, they asked Kawahara to write a scenario where Kirito and Asuna meet for the first time on Floor One. He then was like "this is fun" and kept writing floor by floor upwards, which is the Progressive novels.

Spoilers, but 2013 Reki Kawahara is better at writing than even his cleaned up circa 2001 novel.

Progressive Volume 1 traces through the first encounter of Kirito and Asuna, who meet when Asuna collapses in the Floor One labyrinth and Kirito drags her out. Their partnership continues upwards on Floor Two when the playerbase is embroiled in Aincrad's first gold doubling scam, which Asuna falls for.

(Okay, that last bit is a lie.)

Volume 2 traces Kirito and Asuna and their encounters with a strangely lifelike NPC, along with the brewing rivalry between the two major factions of game clearers.

Putting this out on the board: This is what Sword Art Online probably should have been from the start, and original SAO existing is this series' biggest issue, because a lot of dramatic and romantic tension is siphoned away when you know Kirito and Asuna will survive and fall in love with each other (much, much later).

Is this that bad? I'd say no. You still have questions and concerns about other characters and their fate.

The biggest issue that kept jarring me out of the book is that sometimes Asuna gets possessed by the Generic Tsundere Spirit when she really could be more interesting than that, but Kawahara just...doesn't feel like he's good enough at deeper characterization. And it's a shame.

I am actually interested in the fate of one of the major characters introduced in Volume 2 and really hoping it doesn't end up just being a wash.

Would I recommend it? Yeah, if you like SAO well enough, I mean.

Can you blend the manga into a smoothie? Yeah. I mean I wouldn't, but my friend Trey did it once.

[that-was-anticlimactic]

hii finished sk8 and also watched the cindereki project!! i really love how reki's character arc played out it was very satisfying to watch and he's just a really well written protagonist imo! very much NOT a huge fan of whatever happened with adam bc it's just so.. ugh. like how is it fair that a seventeen yr old who was creeped on by this adult has to go on and teach the adult how to regain love for his hobby?? like dude. just. also. that ending scene between adam and tadashi was uhmm. well. it was something and i can't say i liked it very much. to be fair i should have seen it coming but still sjkdhkajshfs (it was kind of suggestive wasn't it? like i'm not overthinking??)

the cindereki project tho!! i loved it sm it was so cool and JOE BEING THE MUSCLE FAIRY DFJDJHLKLJFSKDHFSD it's just so well made!! one of my fav moments was when cherry just started writing all over miya's and shadow's faces dfhjhkjds also now i definitely see what you mean about renga not just being queerbait or whatever. having a dream of getting happily married to your Totally Platonic bestie??? i Know what You Are.

another thing is that i usually prefer watching subs instead of dubs but i've heard good things about the sk8 dub so i checked out a compilation and oh my god. the gems that are 'hey girl, are you hungry?' and 'don't worry bae, i'll protect you!' shdjhsdjhajkhd adam saying 'what's up bitches bros and nonbinary hoes' was surprising. if there's one thing i did not expect it was for the creep and asshole to be an ally to trans people. i mean good to know ig?? overall just voice wise i do prefer the original but joe's english voice is pretty good!

YES REKI IS SUCH A GOOD MC I LOVE HIM I LOVE HIM I LOVE HIM

y eah. like i'm glad langa didn't let ad*m die because ya know langa is seventeen and doesn't need to be faced with death again, but like. there is No way that he has forgiven ad*m or isn't scared of him. i mean, reki is Literally scared of ad*m. no 100% you're right about the scene with ad*m & tadashi :/

YES THE CINDEREKI PROJECT MY BELOVED !!! omg i love when cherry wrote on their faces jhgfgyuijuygf i love cindereki so much it is SO GAY

ah, i get what you mean. i personally think the eng dub is gayer and also because of the neruodivergence, i can't really start watching a sub because i have trouble paying attention and then i usually try to watch it in the original with sub After i already experience it, you know? that's v valid! i love ad*m's eng va like he made ad*m so nasty and just did a Great job! also fun fact about the "hey girl, are you hungry" line: before grace and i started dating, we jokingly said this to each other some times ✌🏻

i am SO glad you enjoyed it!

[blushbi]

give me 5 good reasons why i should watch sk8

thanks for sending me this at 2am bc its what made me actually put my phone away and go to bed lol. anyway im writing a serious answer for u even tho i would think anyone who follows me already knows everything about sk8 . ur welcome

5. great production: the colors are fun and inspiring, the animation is consistently good quality and dynamic, the art style is nice, the character designs are unique and recognizable, the voice acting is definitely top tier, the ost is good. studio bones did a great job

4. its.. well. its definitely not boring. theres so many characters and 50 different subplots and the episodes are super fast paced. personally i hate slow paced anime so this is important to me. the episodes go by really fast because so much is happening all the time

3. attention to detail: the characters feel very fleshed out because of all the little details we see from their lives. for example we see reki and langa at school, at work, and hanging out on their days off, not just when theyre doing crazy sports anime shit. we meet their families and get to know about the lives of the supporting characters as well. overall it feels very real due to how thoroughly their lives in okinawa have been developed. basically we get to see more than just their skateboarding lives

2. its genuinely funny and really cute!

1. the characters and their relationships, specifically loves my life apples of my eye my everythings reki and langa. this is related to #3 because the characters of sk8 really shine because of how thoroughly therye written. but to be more specific reki is such a unique sports protagonist and hes much more relatable (ive written abt this before lol). im telling you the emotional conflict between him and langa feels so real i was honestly surprised how much it impacted me. i can genuinely say its really good writing. reki and langas relationship is so heartwarming and you really feel how much they love each other (but yes its gaybait leave me alone im still going thru the 5 stages of grief). sk8 has a crazy plot but i would honestly say its a character-driven story which makes for a good combination. the side characters too feel real and are given enough development for you to actually care about them which is important to me. basically i think the strength of sk8 is how much love and attention has been put into its protagonists; the plot has pissed me off more than once but i keep watching because the characters are so important to me. 

other miscellaneous reasons: the op is so good, theres a beach episode, theres a bunch of parallels between the characters (once again the attention to detail), the setting in okinawa is great, reki and langa actually feel like teenagers, joe (mr tits) and cherry (gnc af) exist, langa is canadian and theres so many cute cultural/language gags. yeah sk8 has really taken over my brain ok

[lost-in-yujikiri]

Hello, since I understand that you are a knowledgeable person, I would like to ask you a few questions <3

(Warning: I'm sending Alice and Eugeo so I'll ask about them, sorry if you get bored with my questions)

1) Eugeo is in love with Alice30?

2) Are Alice30 and Alice Zuberg the same people?

3) If Alice30 is the same as 11-year-old Alice, is there a chance to remember Eugeo?

4) How would Alice30 react if she remembered Eugeo? (I'm sure there isn't any information on this subject, so you can add it to your own opinion)

5) How were her days there after Alice Zuberg was taken to the Cathedral, was she acting depressed, or was she calm and happy enough to leave everything behind?

6) Could there be "love" between Eolyne and Stica, or will Reki Kawahara bring them together?

(I'm sure I misspelled the characters' names, sorry)

7) Will Alice finally get her memories and remember eugeo?

8) What exactly does Selka think of her older sister Alice30? (Does he want his real sister or does he see Alice30 as his real sister?)

9) Is there something emotional about Asuna and Eugeo?

10) Why is Eugeo being greeted by Tiese and not Alice Zuberg?

(As Quinella destroys Eugeo's memories, Tiese, Alice, and Kirito appear in Eugeo's mind, but I wonder why Tiese was the first to appear to Eugeo, and I wonder why Tiese and not Alice Zuberg?)

11) Will Alice get her memories at the end of the anime? 💕

Well, first of all sorry for taking a while to see this, as I'm currently off tumblr for a while. Thank you for trusting me. My answers will be based on the info in LN (*UNITAL RING ARC SPOILERS WARNING), the game Alicization Rising Steel (which is semi-canon & expands on some parts in LN), and the game/manga Alicization Lycoris (alternative timeline where Eugeo survives and met Asuna & other Kirito's friends)

1) Eugeo had a crush in his childhood days with Alice Zuberg, he doesn't have romantic feelings for Alice S30

2) Alice S30 & Alice Zuberg are not the same people. Anime glossed over it a lot but the LN & games' narratives made it clear they are not.

3) To explain it would be difficult, so think of Alice Zuberg's memories as an old google cache while Alice S30 is the new completely different google update, restore the old google cache mean the update would be deleted. So that's why Kirito said restoring Alice Zuberg's memories would make the current Alice S30 die. So no, she can not remember Eugeo the way you want to.

4) If Alice has both memories of both Alice Zuberg and Alice S30, then tbh she would become a new Alice rather than "Zuberg" or "S30" and would feel extremely confused about her own feelings for either Eugeo or Kirito tbh.

5) According to LN & ARS game, after Alice Zuberg was taken to Cathedral, she spent 2 years to study Sacred Arts in hope that she would return home, and she missed Eugeo the most. Though when Chudelkin tried to trick her to say "Remove Core Protection" for the Synthesis, as a Sacred Arts genius she saw through what the spell means and resisted, thus Chudelkin put her through forced Synthesis. Alice Zuberg's will & memories were locked into Memory Crystal and Alice S30 was born. After that Alice S30 was greeted welcomely by the Knights even though she was originally shy & perplexed by the new world, and was trained to become the strong Knight she is today.

6) I don't know where you heard this from but if it's certain twitter user then it's wrong info. There is so far no clues or info so far that shows any feelings between Stica & Eolyne beyond the Captain and his cheeky subordinates. The illustration scene you might think of is where the girls Stica & Laurannei are heatedly talking about how they fought a match 2 versus 1 against Eolyne and still lost, Stica argued that she doubted they can beat him while Laurannei argued that give it 10 years and they can (very competitive cheeky subordinates, very different than meek Tiese & Ronye, Eolyne must have a handful of headache). Also, Stica & Laurannei are only 15 years old while Eolyne is 20, shipping these two age groups is yucky for me -_-

7) If you're talking about Unital Ring arc, no, she doesn't show any signs of that and probably she won't, for the reason please go back to my answer no.3

8) According to Alicization Lycoris game, Kirito, Eugeo and Alice S30 went back to Rulid, Alice S30 is very afraid to meet Selka as she has the complex that she's not Selka's "real" sister. Though the trio ended up hiding the truth from Selka before they can return Alice Zuberg to her body (Kirito already had a talk with Alice Zuberg while having a slight coma in this timeline, and promised to return her to her body). In latest DLC, even though they didn't spill the bean, Alice S30 spitted out a number of time that she's not the Alice sister that Selka wanted, but in the end Selka still said Alice S30 is her sister whether having childhood memories or not and she will always love her. Tbh while the DLC is heartwarming I always feel like the Rulid Trio keeps overcomplicating things by not telling Selka the truth.

9) Asuna & Eugeo never met each other in canon so of course nothing. In Lycoris, they are good friends as they quickly bond over being the closest ones to Kirito who took care of him for years. In one quest while Eugeo was going out with Kirito and suddenly met Asuna in the street, Eugeo intended to bail out to give the lovers alone time, but Kirito & Asuna kept him back to talk it out, at the end of quest Asuna allowed Eugeo to hang out often with Kirito as she saw how close and happy Kirito is with Eugeo. Other than that they still have very few interactions.

10) I think you're making an assumption out of nothing tbh -_-. The point of the anime scene is that Tiese, Alice and Kirito are the ones to have closest relationships with Eugeo (Tiese - his page whom he felt responsible for what happened to her recently, Alice Zuberg - his childhood friend and crush whom he hasn't seen for 8 years, Kirito - his best friend & closest partner who has lived with him more than 2 years and has 10+ years of childhood memories with him but both couldn't remember yet) and would influence him with their talks. And while Tiese & Alice can give some words to Eugeo before Admin shut them off, Kirito was also saying something but Admin cut off what he said to Eugeo right from the start. So who is the most important influence to Eugeo that even Admin feared? Kirito

11) You're repeating the question by the way. I still think she won't, but I won't fault you for continue hoping for it.

[imsimplylizzy]

I have the same birthday as these two!

I know it might sound sad(it's really not, I swear) but knowing that I have the same birthday as Reki(Sk8 the Infinity) and Mia(Pretty Rhythm) makes me look forward to this date more. Like, I'm turning 18 this year and all, but this year is also the first August 8 that we get to celebrate Reki's birthday! And what makes me more excited is the special events or celebrations that'll happen only for this very special character. We have that thing the official website does, some official art perhaps, tons of amazing fanarts, a special sk8 merch that i cant really buy but will still enjoy browsing, and tons more only to make this day special for our precious Reki. And it kinda goes the same for Mia as well, as she is an important character in the series. Alsooo! Tho they don't exist and is only a work of fiction, I just feel so honored to have the same birthday as these amazing people! And for some reason, they both have red as a color theme, they're very passionate about what they love to do, and just a really awesome person overall. This makes me feel so flattered myself HAHA. I also kinda relate to these characters and would call myself a kinnie, and having the same birthday is just a cute addition to that. These make me love them more and kinda also the reason why they're my favorites! I meann, I get to celebrate my birthday along with my fav characters! How fun would that be! HAHA And I also have been always linking myself with the infinity sign since I was in elementary, as I do have two eights in my birthday. I even made up a super hero name for me which is "The Violet Infizzette" with my logo being a violet infinity sign with a z HAHA. This is my first time ranting in tumblr becuz it just feels so safe and non toxic heree! I'm also like a super small account so I don't have to worry about embarrassing myself HAHA but if someone's still reading this, then Hi! Let's be friends HAHAHA

[flipflap-flipflap]

Sk8 the Infinity was really fucking good.

The art style for one is great. Lots of variety within the style itself, as well as in characters and locales. The people and places look authentic, the races look fast and chaotic, and the injuries look rough (without getting visceral). Everything gains the appearance of separate spheres, all colliding against each other through their presentation: The warm and hectic atmosphere of Reki and his home collide against the cool and detached feel of Langa and his home; Cherry’s femininity collides against Joe’s masculinity; the sterile grays of the skateparks and underpasses where they practice collide against the dark reds of the chaotic ‘S’ racetrack. Etcetera. It makes a really diverse and compelling shorthand feel to each person and location.

The dubbing is absolutely incredible too. It’s possibly the best I’ve ever heard, by no means an exaggeration. That’s what motivated me to start watching in the first place, and it continued to surpass my expectations the whole way through. The actors sound like real, authentic skate bros. Absolutely worth watching instead of the sub.

Naturally the story is great, with a lovable cast and compelling conflict. The villain in particular is phenomenal. I of course want to say it could be gayer, but it just makes such a sweet story about friendship despite it without even feeling baity (although, “I want to skate into infinity with you” cannot possibly be a gayer way to express friendship). And if happy endings are as important to you as they are to me, this will leave you very warm and fuzzy in all the right ways.

And of course there is a beach episode.

So yes please watch Sk8.

[cherry-valentine]

Winter 2021 Anime Season:

What I’m watching:

Log Horizon season 3 is all about the politics. Of all the “trapped in a video game” anime I’ve seen, Log Horizon has always been unique in the way it focuses not on the drama and action (although there is some of that), but on the world building of the “game” the characters find themselves stuck in. It’s less a game and more an entirely new world, one that the players, called “Adventurers,” are keenly aware of their influence on. The show focuses much more on the politics, economics, history, etc. of this world than it does on battles or romance. This sets it apart from things like Sword Art Online and the .hack franchise. Season 3 so far seems to be focusing on how the hub town of Akiba will be governed, with an actual election taking place. The Adventurers have to form good business relationships with the “People of the Land” (NPC’s, who in this world have their own personalities and lives and are just as developed as the players). The series goes into things like power systems, food supply, the politics of arranged marriages, and so many other things that make this world so interesting. Because of this, I’ve seen people calling the show boring or slow. I can understand how it could be seen that way, but I honestly find it fascinating. When the show does focus on action, it really nails it. So far season 3 has had pretty much zero action, but I’m guessing we’ll get some in the later part of the season. The animation is nice, with tons of characters sporting various designs. The music is great too. While I do miss the “Database” opening theme from season 1 and 2, this new one is pretty good. Watch Log Horizon if you’re into fantasy world-building. Avoid if you think a few episodes without a fight makes a series boring.

Beastars season 2 is a delight. I didn’t watch the first season as it aired, so I quickly caught up on Netflix before season 2 started, and I’m so glad I did. The show is definitely something I didn’t think I would enjoy, but everyone seemed to agree it was fantastic, so I gave it a shot. I intended to watch the first episode one evening to see what it was like and ended up watching the first eight in practically one sitting. For those unaware, Beastars is about a society of vaguely human-like animals (almost all of them walk upright on two legs and wear clothes, for example) and the conflicts between the carnivores and the herbivores (many of whom live in constant fear of being eaten, even though eating meat is illegal). The core of the story is about a wolf, Legoshi, falling in love with a rabbit, Haru, and all the complications that arise from that. Apparently, inter-species relationships are allowed, but frowned upon (I guess? It’s never explicitly stated either way). What makes this relationship interesting is the fact that the wolf is shy and awkward (and just generally a sweet guy) while the rabbit is more experienced and worldly. Something that struck me as interesting is that the rabbit Haru is sexually active, and has been with several different male characters. While the other characters, naturally, have things to say about this (calling her a “slut” or a “bitch” - the main setting is a high school after all), the story itself doesn’t condemn her for it. In fact, the story presents her in a positive light, sexual history included. The fact that she sleeps around is never portrayed as a negative aspect of her character, and Legoshi is very much aware of her activities. It’s a surprisingly sex positive take. Of course, this positivity doesn’t extend to the audience. Avoid comments sections on episodes of this show unless you want to see some rampant slut shaming.

I ended up talking mostly about season 1, but I didn’t get to do a write-up about it so there’s that. Season 2 is so far very good, dealing with a plot thread that had been left dangling in season one: an herbivore student was murdered and eaten in the first episode, and the mystery of who the killer is was pretty much dropped in favor of character development and world building. But season 2 is addressing that mystery in earnest, and it’s been exciting to watch Legoshi pursue the case. Overall, it’s an engaging show that I regret sleeping on until now. The opening and ending themes are real bangers and the animation looks great.

Dr. Stone Season 2 was easily my most anticipated series this season. It was my favorite show during it’s first season and is my favorite overall this season as well. The show is just so fun. The very quick and basic plot setup is that humanity was turned to stone in the modern age and, thousands of years later, the earth has been retaken by nature. A teenaged scientific genius named Senku breaks free of his stone shell and decides to save everyone and bring science and technology back to the world. In conflict with him is Tsukasa, a physical powerhouse who wants to destroy all the stone adults and create a utopia for the youth. Season 2 leaps right into the war with Tsukasa’s army, with Senku and his allies actually building a primitive cell phone to communicate over wide distances. The charm of this series has always been in its mixture of science facts and methods (all based on real-world science and theoretically possible) and dramatic action between well developed characters, both presented in equally exciting lights. It’s just as much fun watching Senku and his friends gather materials to make a vehicle as it is watching the various skillful warriors battling it out. The art style is something often commented on, as the character designs take a little getting used to, but the animation itself is very nice. As per usual, it has amazing opening and ending themes, with my favorite opening of the season.

The Promised Neverland Season 2 is a bit of a mess. I don’t follow the manga, but I enjoyed the first season of the anime very much and, just by virtue of being on Tumblr and being aware of the series, I ended up hearing about some major plot points from the manga that had me excited. So season two started and the first few episodes were great. But then things started seeming rushed, or just not quite right. A glance at the comments on the episodes revealed that entire story arcs had been skipped, and it really shows even to someone like me who hasn’t read the manga. And one major event I had seen so many images of from the manga is clearly being done in a completely different way in the anime (one that lessens the scene’s impact quite a lot). So... I’m not sure how to feel about this series. It was one of my most anticipated shows this season, but now it’s dropped down toward the bottom, and that’s disappointing. I guess I’ll finish this out and then consider picking up the manga, since apparently this is so different it won’t be spoiling much.

World Trigger Season 2 was a bit of a surprise. I only found out about it a few days before it began airing, and I honestly hesitated when deciding whether or not to watch it. When the first season aired, I loved it. I was sure it would be a new favorite. But then the filler arcs started, and they were almost unbearably boring. I dropped the series and always wondered if the show went back to its former greatness. So when season 2 started, I wondered if this was more filler, or if the filler arcs had ended in season 1 and I’d missed out on some content that I’d need to watch to understand season 2. Plus, my memory of season 1 wasn’t so great. With these thoughts in mind, I decided to watch the first few episodes of season 2 and see if I could make sense of it. Luckily, all of my concerns flew out the window pretty quickly. By the end of the first episode, I was enjoy it so much that I didn’t care about any of the things I’d been worried about. Sure, I might not have remembered all the names or all the details, but the important stuff was coming back to me.

The thing World Trigger does best is juggling tons and tons of characters. I know a lot of anime have large casts, but few of them have so many characters active in a single story arc, and even fewer of them handle those characters so well. Even though it’s been a few years since I watched season 1, and there were dozens of characters popping up in the first few episodes alone, I remembered most of them as I saw them. This is because all of them are memorable, well-designed, and interesting. I think it says a lot about the cast that, in the first several episodes, the three main protagonists are completely left out of the action, and we only get a brief glimpse of them. And this did absolutely nothing to hinder my enjoyment of the show. The supporting characters are so strong (both in-series and in terms of the writing) that the protagonists were not even missed. And I’m not dunking on the protagonists here. They’re great, fun characters. Aside from all this, the show has simple yet attractive art with a ton of variety in the design work. The music is nice, with one of the better opening themes of the season. The action is well choreographed and it’s just a fun series overall.

Sk8 is one of only two totally new series I’m following this season, and it’s a blast. Following a handful of eccentric skate boarders who engage in one-on-one races, the show is equal parts funny and exciting. The main focus is on two skaters, the energetic Reki and the Canadian snow boarder Langa, whom Reki is introducing to the world of skate boarding. The first thing you’re likely to notice about this series is just how colorful it is. It’s like the show itself is in love with color. It makes the art very striking and pleasing to look at. Honestly, it’s worth watching for the eye candy alone. Luckily, the series has other things going for it as well. The budding friendship between Reki and Langa is humorous and sweet, with very little of the usual “rivals who act like they hate each other but are actually friends” shenanigans we see so often in anime. They’re just two nice boys who are nice to each other, and that’s refreshing. Another high point is the gloriously flamboyant villain, Adam. He’s a real treat whenever he’s on screen. The show has an overall light-hearted feel, with enough emotional moments to keep it from becoming too silly. I don’t know much about skate boarding, but this anime makes it look awesome.

Kemono Jihen is the only other new series I’m watching this season. It primarily focuses on a small group of mythical creatures (or half-human/half-mythical) living in Tokyo, operating a detective agency for cases involving creatures like them. The protagonist is Kabane, a young boy who is half human, half ghoul. He’s apparently immortal, to the point that severing his head doesn’t even seem to cause pain. Due to being neglected and mistreated by his adoptive human family, he lacks social skills, but his earnest attempts to make friends and help his companions make him an endearing character. While this type of “urban fantasy” story isn’t new, it’s executed rather well. The characters and their abilities are varied and interesting, the art is competent, and the music fits. There’s a bit of a gross-out factor, with at least two cases involving insects, so be aware. It’s not my favorite show this season, mainly because it doesn’t seem to bring any new ideas to the table, but it’s entertaining enough to keep a spot on my watch list despite me being absolutely brutal when trimming that list down this season. Worth watching, for sure.

Carry Over Shows From Previous Seasons:

Black Clover

Jujutsu Kaisen

Best of Season:

Best New Show: Sk8

Best Opening Theme: Dr. Stone Season 2

Best Ending Theme: Sk8

Best New Male Character: Langa (Sk8)

Best New Female Character: Kon (Kemono Jihen)

[lobster-mobster-aq]

A Deep Dive Into the SAO I Thought I Was Watching

Read below the cut or here.

Have any of you ever read or watched a thing and thought it was well written and executed? Have you ever looked back a few years later and realize that you put way more thought into that piece of media than the author did? That perhaps maybe it was more of an accident that it was enjoyable than any real skill from the author? That the themes and symbolism and characterization weren’t really what you thought they were at all? That the elements that you thought were interesting and unique where just copy pasted from things that did them more cleverly but you just didn’t realize because you just hadn’t seen those things in other pieces of media before?

That was me with Sword Art Online.

The first part of season one at least. I unironically loved it. It wasn’t like I thought that it was perfect, but there was just something about it that I really enjoyed. I couldn’t help but wonder why people were so hard and down on it. It was a bit stupid but honestly name one anime fantasy show (or I guess SAO was technically sci-fi) that wasn’t stupid in some regard. And then there came the Alfheim arch and I um…kind of realized what everyone was talking about. I still held out for a bit. This was adapted from novels after all. Clearly they just rushed this part in order to get it to be the correct number of episodes.

*sigh*

But this isn’t going to be another essay about why SAO is…not objectively great. To be honest I still really like the first part. I recognize at this point, since I don’t really like anything else by Reki Kawahara that it is more chance and luck that I like the first part of season one of SAO than the fact like I like his writing. No, what this essay is going to be is an analysis on the show that I thought I was watching. A deep dive into the themes and ideas that I had assumed this show was about. I put tons of thought into watching the show, somewhat in defense of all the complaints it was getting. No guys, you have to realize, its actually good. Okay, here we go.

 Our world has been shaped by electronics. The fact that the internet exists has completely and radically changed our culture. The way we communicate, the way we think, and the way we experience relationships have all changed dramatically due to it. There have been many pieces of media that have explored it’s affect on culture, some mourning the change, some fearing it, and some embracing it. Today I want to talk about a show that touches on all three.

Sword Art Online, at it’s heart, is a show about how the things that happen online, in the digital world, mean something, whether those things be positive or negative. Any of us who have met people, or have internet friends, been bullied, or spent time in a video game have probably been told that it doesn’t count, since it is online. They’re not real friends, why bother spending time decorating a fake house in a game, it’s all just fake, why don’t you go outside and experience real life?

SAO is an unassuming, light hearted stab at that argument, and it does it by making the digital world a horrifying reality.

The premise of SAO is by no means unique. People get stuck in a video game, in this case the name of which is Sword Art Online, because the game is online, and they fight with swords. I’ve seen this trope before, you’ve probably seen this trope before, but SAO is the first time I’ve ever seen it where the stakes feel so real. Where the fun fantasy game takes on the harsher sides of real life, striping away the sense of safety that online interactions usually have, you don’t die for real, you have the ability to pretend to be someone you’re not. If the characters die in the game, they die in real life.

The main character is Kirito. Total loser nerd, real “you just don’t understand me” otaku, can’t talk to real people type. At first the main character throws himself into the world, instantly getting close to people and participating with others, becoming fast friends with another person Klein. Kirito seems to not care about his image, just loving to live in the world. Others buy the fact that he is an emotionally mature, competent, and cool individual.

Then blood drips from the ceiling of the game and some creepy, giant, cloak dude announces that you can’t log out of the game, and if you die in the game you die in real life. That the only way to escape the game is for at least one person to clear all one hundred levels. Akihiko Kayaba, the creator of the game, has for some reason no one can figure out, trapped everyone there. Oh, and also you no longer look like what you chose your character to look like, you are yourself. The aspects of the digital world, the safety net, the training wheels, are off.

Kirito flees. In the face of having to interact with people without the veneer of playacting, he falls into old habits, withdrawing into himself because he’s too scared to interact with people, he’s frightened of real human interaction. He puts on a front, claiming to himself it’s because he can’t be held back by the weaker characters, that the reason he flees from real human interaction is because he needs push himself to the limits of his character, and he can’t do that with all the dead weight. But it’s clear that’s just the lie he tells himself to cover up the truth. He, like many people, can’t stand his own self, and the internet was a good way to hide who he really was. He abandoned the connections he made at the start of the game, and he never fully repairs some of them. Klein was set to be a close and important friend, instead he becomes, at most, a distant acquaintance.

Kirito goes about his life, keeping himself from others, becoming incredible at the game, putting himself on a pedestal and telling himself that’s why he can’t interact with the riff raff, because he’s better than them. He is set apart from them because of his skill, and not because he has horrible interpersonal skills and doesn’t know how to actually interact with people without a false persona to hide behind. But then one day, he finally breaks, and a rag tag team convinces him to join their guild.

And everything goes to shit and everyone dies except Kirito. And these people are dead, for forever. This isn’t just something where they can log into the game again. Real relationships can hurt, because the consequences will have lasting effects, your can’t just log in later with a new avatar and start over. True, the consequences of a real relationship usually isn’t that the people you’ve come to care about die horrific deaths, but the point is still made. This world, which Kirito had entered in the hope of escaping a reality that he hated, had all the things of the real world he had been trying to escape. The fear of connection, the fear of being known. Even if he is a skilled and talented person now, instead of some hopeless loser good at nothing, somehow all the pain of real life still followed him. It doesn’t matter, this wish fulfillment is shallow, it doesn’t fulfill the wishes that Kirito actually cares about.

So Kirito withdraws even more, more convinced than ever that the only way to return to his reality, to get away from the hell that is the game is to set himself apart. Still playacting the part of some noble and untouchable genius, too advanced and cool to deal with the riff raff. He has a couple other adventures, where he denies himself real human interaction and keeps a cool appearance. Never getting too close to the people he interacts with. He keeps them at arms length. They look on at him as some distant and noble hero that can’t be understand, and Kirito wants to keep it that way, so that no one can meet the real him, the him that is weak, and pathetic, and a loser, and doesn’t know how to talk to people. Let them think he’s quite because he’s thoughtful, not because he doesn’t know what to say, let them think that he’s too far above them to form a connection, not that he’s terrified of vulnerability.

But then he meets a girl. She goes by the name Asuna and she just, kind of, doesn’t seem to get it. She just sort of acts like an actual person, and doesn’t seem to get the memo that she’s supposed to treat Kirito like some anti-hero loner. From an interaction that he actually had with her earlier on in the game, Kirito knows that she didn’t have much experience with video games before SAO. She has come into her own though, and she’s come into her own by acting like a reason person. In a way, she represents the exactly opposite of Kirito. Kirito hides his true personality and feelings behind a bit, because this world is too real to him, has all the aspects of real life he fled from. Asuna treats SAO like a game. She’s a pragmatic person who just wants to defeat the final boss so they can get out and get back to her real life. She doesn’t feel like the relationships here are real. Sure, they could lose their lives, but everything else is fake. The people you meet, the time you spend, just all twiddling your thumbs. Fake, not real, just a silly pass time for silly people.

This difference is driven home at the end of the show, where Kirito shares his real name, and asks what Asuna’s is so that he could find her. Surprised, Asuna says that she has been using her real name. The whole time, Kirito had been playacting a character, where as Asuna had just been herself.

They filled in a void in each other. Asuna get’s Kirito to really interact with people again, instead of keeping them at arms length, and Kirito helps Asuna see that the relationships you form online do matter, that, even in a silly game, the things you do and the people you meet have a lasting effect even when you log out.

There are a couple of arcs where Kirito and Asuna interact. The arcs continue to explore the idea of the difference between the importance of the digital world and reality. Including one of the best arcs of the entire show, where Asuna and Kirito have to solve the mystery of how people are dying in a safe zone, an area of the game where people aren’t supposed to die.

Kirito and Asuna predictably fall in love. Kirito showing Asuna that the relationships formed in the digital world do actually mean something real, and Asuna bringing Kirito out of his edge lord shell that he made for himself, to reveal that in truth he’s kind of an awkward dork. Once they actually fall in love the show takes an interesting turn. Their relationship looks nothing like that of two teenagers both experiencing a romantic relationship for the first time. It looks like an idyllic old married couple. They even do get married and adopt a child in the show. At first glance it may seem too unrealistic, but was actually one of the most clever character developments about the show. This development was meant to show case the effects that living in a “fantasy world” had put on these two young people.

Both Asuna and Kirito were living in the kind of world that teenagers dream about. What had been a fantasy and a form of escapism for them both was now reality. And it was awful, when the fantasy world had real stakes and real consequences. So what do these two do when they fall in love? They create for themselves another form of escapism. That of an old suburban married couple. In a way their marriage is an act, a way to lessen the stress of living in a dangerous world. Just two simple people, living a calm, unexciting, but never the less content life, because they had each other. The show never addresses how aware they are they that they are in fact acting out a part. Do they realize that they are playing parts? Or have they convinced themselves this is how a normal couple acts. The show never really gets into it, merely using this time to show how desperate the two are for a “normal” life, after the pain and horror of their escapism becoming reality. These few episodes, where they take a vacation after getting married, more clearly illustrate how much they have suffered more than any dramatic wailing, or desperately pained speeches they could give. Every moment they snuggled in bed, made food for each other, and took walks in the forest, spoke of the desperation they felt, even if it was for only a little, to get as far away from the world that they lived in.

After Kirito and Asuna live their escapist fantasy of being an old married couple we come to the climax. They are only on level seventy-five of one hundred, but they still barely pass. During it though, Kirito finally realizes something.

The person who had designed the game and trapped them all in there, Akihiko Kayaba, was playing. Kayaba was playing a character with all the skills, one of the best players in the game. Kirito realizes that Kayaba is living out his own fantasy, that this world was created, not for some grand purpose, not for a political statement, or to accomplish something grand. Simply to live out his fantasy. Who Kayaba is as a person is never really explored, all we know about him is that this world was for him, a way for him to make reality the world he always wished to live in. A world where he was important, a world where he was the leader and people respected him, and he lead others bravely.

Kayaba becomes the final boss, and predictably he is beaten after a grand fight of a lot of sword thrusts and sparkle animations. Once Kayaba is defeated, the world begins to slowly fade, as if to reaffirm that, yes, without Kayaba alive, the world has no purpose, since it was created for him.

Kayaba even speaks with Kirito and Asuna. A meandering, pandering discussion, where Kayaba tries his best to hold onto some remnants of the man he was pretending to be. We see a brief glimpse of the kind of limp, spineless jerk Kirito would have become if he hadn’t grown up. We see Kayaba in his real form, not his game avatar, but still he speaks in vague poetic language, he talks about having a dream about a city in the sky and makes his base and selfish desires to be important sound like some noble hope. He claims he “doesn’t remember why” he trapped them all in there. In a way that’s true. Because until the very last moment, SAO was real to everyone trapped in there, except for Kayaba. He had the power to change things, to hack the system, to live as a god. For him, the game was his personal fantasy manifest into reality.

After Kayaba dies, and is defeated, he realizes this, and covers his own disappointment of his project with his pretty language. He didn’t “forget” he just realized that it was pointless. None of the attachments he ever made were real, the life he led in the game had, for him, merely been a game. The only real moment was when he let Kirito kill him. He could have hacked the system and made it so he didn’t die in real life but he didn’t, in some desperate attempt to live something real as the world he had created crumbled apart.

Kayaba leaves, and Asuna and Kirito promise they will find each other in the real world. They will meet the real versions of themselves. What they experienced in the digital world was real, and they will cling to it in the real world too.

The world continues to fade, and then Kirito wakes up. His real body thin and weak. The show ends with him getting out of bed and walking through the hospital. No epilog, or final comments. We don’t know if Kirito is looking for someone specific, or simply looking to tell someone he is now awake, he’s come back, and he’s ready to become the real him.

…

But that wasn’t the end of the show and every episode after that one just reaffirmed the fact that I probably thought a bit more about the themes and the characterization that Reki Kawahara did. He seems like a nice enough guy but…after reading some of the books and watching more of the material, I don’t think he meant most of what I just described. Maybe a bit of the whole, what you do in the digital world matters and is real, but not much of anything else. I’m thinking that Kirito was supposed to be taken literally, not as an antisocial teenager terrified of real connection putting on a front. I’m pretty sure that the relationship between Kirito and Asuna wasn’t supposed to be seen as a form of escapism fantasy, and that they actually weren’t putting on a front when they acted like an old married couple. Also I might have read way more into Kayaba’s motivation than I was meant to.

At the end of it all, I still like the first part of season one. I like my interpretation. Yes there are still problems with the pacing, the end feels like it just sort of…happens, instead of getting to it naturally. Kirito just, suddenly realizes the truth. The second half doesn’t carry nearly the weight it should in terms of “holy shit this world is real if you die in the game you die in real life” which lessens the strength of the themes. There are, of course, a few other small things I thought could be changed, but that’s not really what this article is for. Perhaps in a way this is my defense for liking that part of SAO, or at least an explanation for why I’ve watched it multiple times even though I’m not fond of the rest of the franchise.  

 Bonus:

This isn’t really big enough to have it’s own post so I’m just gonna put it here, the way SAO ends in my head.

This, of course, takes place at the end of the first part. Pretty much everything stays the same all through the credits as Kirito takes his painful and slow time walking down the hospital hallway. Then the music end, and instead of going black, we see Kirito stop. He looks to his side, where one of the hospital doors are open. Inside the room is a frail looking girl staring at a NervGear helmet, her hair is chestnut brown. She looks up and her eyes go wide as she sees Kirito. We switch back to Kirito, his eyes are also wide. They tear up the slightest amount, and a faint smile touches his face.

We cut to black.

The end and nothing is ever done with this franchise again.

[joshhhhhhhhhhhhhhh]

Full Dive VR is a pretty cool thing in the future Earth that SAO proposes.

But waifus in the mail is where it’s fucking at!

So War of Underworld 2 episode 11 - the final episode - aired today. And I really liked it! We spend the first half pretty much just resolving the character conflicts that Kirito and Alice have been going through while simultaneously giving their relationship some satisfying payoff.

Alice is honestly super pretty.

Now one particular scene here that I really admired involves Kirito and Alice having a little spar with some wooden swords and then falling on one another since oops the swords were too weak for how serious they both were. And I hear you, a male and a female fall on one another? In Sword Art Online? Everything about that sounds horrible! But no, Reki motherfucking Kawahara decided to show some self restraint. Without ever landing on Kirito or having his hands end up in some inappropriate body part of hers, Alice is able to prop herself up with her arms, and nothing sexually suggestive at all happens. There’s no indecent exposure, no accidental groping, no shot of their crotches rubbing together, just nothing. Amazing job.

It should also be noted that these last few important scenes bring Kirito’s position in his family to light, in so far as his parents are obviously gonna be concerned about the kid disappearing and getting himself in crazy shit at the expense of his school life and stuff. But he makes his new ambitions clear in a nice scene and like, yeah I just really enjoyed the first half or so of the episode.

And then the second half was fucking insane! Alice gets sent a riddle, faxes it to Kirito, they decode it to find out it’s an IP address that takes them to Underworld, and then they go there and 200 years in the future, right, the show’s become a fucking Star Wars-esque space sci-fi show where cool looking ships fight scary alien abominations. And these ships are piloted by the descendants of Tiese and Ronie, who look exactly like Tiese and Ronie but their outfits are really bad. And we just like, see them fight the alien, it doesn’t go well, but then Kirito, Asuna and Alice all get to do some mad fucking flashy ass sakuga moves to take care of it and then move on.

And the thing is, right, I had no idea what was going on. That plot point last episode ended on about the Kirito clone isn’t brought up. Once they defeat the monster we get a text scroll saying like “the end for now but everyone’s next fight is the Inter-Intelligence War” or something like that, which throws me off because I know that this isn’t Unital Ring so how and when does that come about? In terms of plot and character there isn’t actually anything to get out of this.

However, I honest to god fucking loved it anyway. It’s so indulgently just, insane, and out of nowhere, and the idea that in the 200 years where Kirito and Asuna ruled over Underworld they decided to bring about space faring, I just find that almost hilarious. But not in like, a bad way or anything, it’s definitely silly and I’ll call it that, but I was unironically about the whole thing, just having an unconditionally good time watching it.

So this episode was one half cool character stuff to bring about a satisfying ending, and another half flashy visuals and indulgent cool-factor nonsense. And I’m happy to say I enjoyed all of it.

And with that, we end War of Underworld 2. And moreover, we end Alicization.

And the ending visual we get during the credits is like, cool I suppose.

I’ll obviously have like, a fuller thoughts on this season thing coming whenever my Season in Review does, but of course my SAO tag has my opinions of every Alicization episode and stuff. Because of that I don’t think I’ll make a “full thoughts on Alicization as a whole” sort of post, at least until I rewatch it, because like, yeah. This started airing nearly 2 years ago and I have no confidence that I could write a full thoughts post I’d be happy with having only seen it once and with the episodes spread so far out. But uh, yeah. Sword Art Online.

And then yeah, Progressive anime got announced, hopefully it’s pretty pogressive, no idea when it’ll air but you can bet I’ll sit through that one too.

[nekonotabi]

Today I went to read Dengeki’s interview with SAO’s and YagaKimi’s authors, Kawahara Reki and Nakatani Nio, and suddenly I have a lot of feels in regards of Konno Yuuki (she’s my number 1 favorite in SAO tied with Eugeo, I miss her so much). FYI, you can read the English report on ANN, but by my experience I don’t trust ANN translators very well so I have to read the actual Japanese article on Dengeki Online.

Warning: this is a long post about what Kawahara said in regards of Mother’s Rosario arc being the closest to a yuri work he’s written, and my personal interpretation of Konno Yuuki’s feelings towards Asuna. It’s not meant to be taken as canon or an attack to any ships. Heavy spoilers for Mother’s Rosario arc.

In this interview it’s revealed that Kawahara is a huge yuri manga’s fan, and he even said something like that about Mother’s Rosario arc in SAO. That part is here:

川原先生：自分でも何度か百合ものの執筆に挑戦してはいるんですけど、そのたびに失敗しているんですよ……。もっとも近かったのが『ソードアート・オンライン』（以下『SAO』）の《マザーズ・ロザリオ》編なんですが、あれも恋愛ものとしては書けなかったので……。いつかは僕も女の子同士の恋愛を書いてみたいです。

My translation:

Kawahara-sensei:  I have tried so hard to write yuri work many times by myself, but I have failed each time... The closest thing to it I’ve ever written was Mother’s Rosario arc of Sword Art Online, but that also could not be written as a romance... I want to write romantic relationship between girls someday.

Reading until this point I’ve been reminded of my personal interpretation of Konno Yuuki in Mother’s Rosario arc: Even if it’s just subtly hinted in this arc, Yuuki did have some romantic feelings towards Asuna, but because Asuna made it very clear that she will only ever remain loyal romantically towards Kirito, and Yuuki herself respected Asuna’s feelings, so in the end Yuuki and Asuna’s relationship can never be romantic.

Some reasons for my Yuuki’s interpretation: 

Even if many people have tried to write off Yuuki’s line of wanting to marry Asuna as a joke (which I personally also think it was kind of a half joke), I still think a part of it was serious, since even though Yuuki is an upbeat girl, she always meant what she said. 

In Yuuki’s dying scene (the moment when a person is usually most honest with themselves), when I first heard this line in Japanese I honestly couldn’t think of any other meaning than Yuuki’s having some romantic feelings to Asuna:

I just feel so sad because this is part of Yuuki’s life tragedy, that even if she tried to live her life to the fullest, because of her predetermined short lifetime due to her illness, she was soon to hit certain limits, like she could never be able to find herself a true romantic love and could never express love the way she wanted. The most she could do for Asuna in a lookout for Asuna’s romantic future was giving her a subtle warning of Kirito’s obsession with VR (which I’m afraid Asuna kind of forgot later, and later in Alicization arc Kirito just went on to participate in a part-time job in Underworld VR with a shady company like RATH that involves RATH messing with his his memories & brain, without telling Asuna first hand (-_-)).

But that’s not the only thing that makes Mother’s Rosario arc feels close to a yuri work. Kawahara and Nakatani discussed in how in Japan they use “hero” and “heroine” to describe male and female leads instead of gender-neutral words like “protagonist” like the overseas, and Japanese authors tend to treat the “heroine”’s role as mainly motivations for the “hero” rather than being a character with equal importance (which is why so many Japanese works can be really misogynistic, though in reality many series have improved on this matter in recent years). When Kawahara went abroad, he received a lot of feedback about this in his writing, so he also expressed he wanted to change his writing of female characters to let them be people with more agency (which I think will only start after SAO Alicization arc since the original Alicization web novel was already finished in 2008). Kawahara also said in this interview that what he likes about many yuri works is a structure in which both female leads can take turns being the “protagonist” and motivate each other rather than only one girl being the motivation for the other to grow. This structure is clearly present in Mother’s Rosario arc too: Yuuki and Asuna’s relationship started out by Yuuki inviting Asuna into her team which helped Asuna grow as a person, then Asuna tried to pay Yuuki back by opening Yuuki’s closed-off heart when she was near her dying time, then Yuuki also motivated Asuna to improve her relationship with her mother. In final scenes Yuuki gave Asuna her special skill Mother’s Rosario and Asuna did her best by giving Yuuki the most beautiful send-off with all ALO players present.

Finally let me cry with a shot of Yuuki’s lone sword in Shirushi ED (*cries*):

On another note: I think so many people have realized and discussed the parallels between Asuna & Yuuki relationship and Kirito & Eugeo relationship already (or at least on my end I already saw discussions like that in Japanese and Chinese fandoms), though I’ll hold off my real thoughts on Kirito & Eugeo’s relationship for another appropriate time.

[that-was-anticlimactic]

one of the main reasons why sk8 is such a good show (in my opinion) is the characterization of reki.

the fact that reki doesn’t somehow magically get better and surpass everyone, the fact that reki improves but not enough to be the best, the fact that reki gets jealous but not in this complete character-changing way is so important.

i think that’s one of the reasons that i like reki so much.

in media nowadays, the underdog character always becomes amazing, they always win in the end. they have a story similar to reki’s, but it turns out they always just needed a little bit more practice or a different teacher or more self-confidence to become better. there isn’t necessarily anything wrong with that, but it puts this immense pressure on everyone to want to be the best. it makes everyone think that if they can’t win, if they aren’t the best, if they don’t magically improve and become a prodigy, then they’re bad at whatever it is.

but that isn’t the case with reki.

reki tries and he tries and he tries so hard but no matter what he does, everyone else is better and that’s more realistic in a way. he doesn’t magically improve or magically realize that if he does some specific thing then he’ll be better than everyone else, he just isn’t and he becomes okay with that.

as much as everyone wanted reki to win his second beef against ad*m, i’m glad that he didn’t. i would like for him to beat ad*m because ad*m is terrible, but he didn’t because ad*m is genuinely just that good of a skater.

what makes reki losing so important is that even when he loses, he’s proud of himself. he’s happy and he’s okay with second place. what makes it even more important? not one single person in his little found family went “you were so close!” or “you almost had him!” or said anything about him losing because that wasn’t what was important.

here was this seventeen year old kid who they all realized they cared deeply for not because of his ability to skate, but because of his heart. he just basically got tortured while skating, but he finished the race. it didn’t matter to any of them that he lost, they were proud of him because he finished and he was happy. they all knew something was wrong--maybe at this point they know why or maybe reki tells them later--so seeing reki smile and laugh after one of the most purposefully violent beefs ever was more important.

reki is a symbol for being okay with being okay. reki is a symbol for those who aren’t naturally gifted and those who don’t become so much better even after loads of practice.

reki is loved by his friends and he is considered worthy not because his skating ability defined his worth, but because he loves it. that’s something that most of the found family needed to learn, and they learned it from reki.

skating is supposed to be fun--any activity you do is supposed to be fun. it’s really hard to remember that sometimes especially when you’re surrounded by such talented people--especially when you feel left out of left behind because everyone else is becoming better and you simply aren’t no matter how much you try.

reki is a reminder that you don’t have to be the best at what you do. reki teaches us that you don’t have to be really good at an activity to be amazing and that your worth is not defined by your talent.

people don’t often shows these sides of talent and activities. it’s always the underdog becomes amazing or you have to win or you’re a failure or you can become the best by practicing a lot and the thing is? that simply isn’t true. practice helps, sure. reki did improve when he practiced, but not by a whole heck of a lot. he isn’t on cherry’s level or joe’s level or miya’s or shadow’s or langa’s, and that’s okay.

you can still be important and you can still be a main character and you can still do something that brings you joy even if you aren’t amazing at it.

there are many great things about sk8 and many great things about kyan reki, but this has got to be one of my favorite things about them.

[fukasenanairo]

SAO Natalie Comic Shimazaki Nobunaga/Kawahara Reki Translation

(Late) Happy birthday Eugeo! It seems I’m destined to never be free from this hellhole. Putting this here because Tumblr is at least good with formatting and long text. Part 2+3 will be done whenever I have time, though at least I’m like a third of the way into part 2. I did all of them because I’m stupid. 

Link to original interview

To Kirito, Eugeo is his very first and last male best friend.

Thank you for your hard work these past two cours.

KAWAHARA: Thank you for your hard work!

SHIMAZAKI: Thank you!

 How are you feeling so far now that it’s finished airing?

KAWAHARA: I thought two cours were quite a long time, but now that it’s over, time really went by in a flash.

SHIMAZAKI: Seriously. All these fun times just pass you by.

KAWAHARA: Regarding Eugeo, there was a sense that we were counting down the time to say goodbye. Especially in the latter half, I just kept thinking “Ah, the story is heading to that point…”

SHIMAZAKI: Right? That thought nagged at me somewhat, but probably more so for Matsuoka (Yoshitsugu) than me. Maybe it was because I was playing Eugeo, but as the voice recording went on, I slowly began to accept my fate, so to speak. It was a bittersweet feeling, like the kind you get when you say “I’ll be leaving”. Matsuoka haven’t been able to accept it at all though (laugh).

KAWAHARA: Ahaha (laugh). Well, it’s always hard to say goodbye.

 Shimazaki-san and Matsuoka-san are close friends like Kirito and Eugeo, so it was probably even harder.

SHIMAZAKI: For me, I have done everything I could, everything I should have done, in these two cours, so it was just another thing coming to an end. However, I’m sure Kawahara-sensei, too, thought “Eugeo…”

KAWAHARA: Back then, when I was working on the Web serialization as an amateur, I would put my all in writing towards a predetermined conclusion. When I had the opportunity to rewrite through Dengeki Bunko, I had a chance to change Eugeo’s fate. I could not do it then, but I was granted another chance through the anime adaptation. “Eh? Eugeo doesn’t die?” There could have been a development like that. In the end, I could not bring it up in the script meeting.

SHIMAZAKI: If Eugeo had been alive, the story beyond that…

KAWAHARA: The latter half (3rd cour and beyond) would have to be rewritten completely. There would be a huge strain on the scriptwriters, but (as a story) I thought it was possible to create a scenario beyond the 2nd cour that Eugeo could work in. So I thought about changing his fate.

SHIMAZAKI: If you had suggested that, it would have just been “Kawahara-sensei, please take responsibility.”

KAWAHARA: Yeah, it probably would have turned out as “Please write the draft” (laugh). Well, Director Ono (Manabu) was the type to stay faithful to the original work, so that might have been hard either way.

SHIMAZAKI: For you to even consider that, Eugeo must have been an important person to Kawahara-sensei too.

KAWAHARA: SAO will continue from now on, but no other character can take Eugeo’s place. To Kirito, he was his first and last male best friend...It hits quite hard when you think about how he lost such a dear friend.

 There were times I could understand how Eugeo felt towards Kirito.

When you wrote Alicization, between the character of Eugeo and the worldbuilding, which did you think of first?

KAWAHARA: First, I had an idea that I wanted to write a story about a world like this. Except for the “Aincrad” arc, Kirito has basically been a stranger, a traveler coming and leaving between worlds. So when I wrote Alicization, I needed someone who bore on the brunt of this world. Eugeo was written as a character that symbolizes the structural contradictions of Underworld, and the tragedy that arose from them. I wanted to make him into Kirito’s partner, so at first I wanted to give him the same kind of energetic feel Kirito had. However, when I actually got to writing, he acted more like a brake to Kirito. Well, he is still the type that says whatever that needs to be said and does whatever that needs to be done. Shimazaki-san I believe is close friends with Matsuoka-san, so when you do something together, which one usually takes the lead?

SHIMAZAKI: Usually it’s not about which one is taking the lead. Matsuoka is the type that prefers actions to words. It’s the same in acting. I am the one that put things into words and make suggestions. When we go eat together too, we start by confirming with each other, like “Is there anything you really want to eat today?” and working towards a compromise. (laugh)

KAWAHARA: For example, usually when you walk together, which one seems to be walking in front?

SHIMAZAKI: No, none of that. It’s just lining up side by side (laugh). However, in a professional context, when I was standing in front of the microphone, there were times I could understand how Eugeo felt towards Kirito. He’s trying to stand as an equal to Kirito, but he feels admiration and a sense of inferiority towards him, like “Kirito is really amazing” and “I’m no match for him”. This is not a negative feeling; it comes from an affectionate regard towards Kirito.

 The same goes for the relationship between yourself and Matsuoka-san too.

SHIMAZAKI: That’s right, since way back, every time when I look at Matsuoka. Matsuoka’s energy and quick wit are amazing, right? That’s why he could take the lead among everyone around him like Kirito does. However, just like how Kirito thinks “Eugeo is stronger than me” Matsuoka also says things like “Nobunaga is really good at this” a lot of times.

 The line at the climax of episode 24 “Now stand. My closest friend. My hero”, are there any similarities to the relationship between you two?

SHIMAZAKI: There are a lot. Matsuoka really is a hero. He’s always been amazing ever since back then. We became friends since the time we were just mostly voicing nameless soldier A, soldier B or something like that. After that, we started to be given main roles, but usually Matsuoka would be a little faster. If you ask him, he’d say “There’s no such thing”, but to me he was always running ahead. However, if I want to stand on equal footing with him as a close friend, I want to be standing equal as a voice actor as well. Thanks to that, I have been able to work hard to this point. Honestly, every time we record for SAO, I always act like my life depended on it.

KAWAHARA: Is that so?

SHIMAZAKI: Matsuoka has the experience of someone who’s voiced Kirito up to now, and above all his talent is amazing. Eugeo is a buddy on equal footing with Kirito, so I have to work hard to mirror that with Matsuoka.

KAWAHARA: I have been attending the recording sessions since the first cour, but Matsuoka-san in Alicization’s recordings seem a lot more relaxed. Maybe because Shimazaki-san was sitting next to him.

SHIMAZAKI: Yes, I think so as well (laugh). Of course, it’s due to how much Matsuoka himself has grown in the role as well.

KAWAHARA: Of course (laugh).

When I first heard Shimazaki-san’s Eugeo, I didn’t feel anything out of place.

Kawahara-sensei, what did you feel when you heard Shimazaki-san’s Eugeo?

KAWAHARA: When I write the Light Novels, I can’t hear the character voices at all. However, if it’s a character that appeared in the anime, I can then attach a voice to that character. When I first heard Shimazaki-san’s Eugeo, it just clicked into place in my head. After that, I had the chance to write Eugeo again after a while in the 1st Blu-ray’s bonus novel, and when I did, I could hear Shimazaki-san’s voice. 

SHIMAZAKI: I’m honored to hear that! When the SAO anime had just started airing, Matsuoka told me “Later on there is going to be this character called Eugeo, I’d really like to see you voice him”. I read the novels and thought that I would really want to do it. Still, there was no way I could get that wish (laugh). So I didn’t expect too much out of it, but it was something that was always on my mind. After that, when Eugeo was to be voiced in the game Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization’s DLC, they asked for me! I sent a LINE message to Matsuoka while still in shock (laugh). I’m glad to be able to continue in the anime.

Please tell us something you were particularly conscious about when acting as Eugeo.

SHIMAZAKI: That would have to be the childhood part (laugh).

KAWAHARA: Is that so (laugh). 

SHIMAZAKI: Matsuoka had experience acting as “Kiriko-chan”, so I thought that was natural that he would do Kirito as a child as well.

In the 2nd cour of “Phantom Bullet”, Matsuoka-san voiced Kirito in a female-lookalike avatar, right?

SHIMAZAKI: That’s why I would probably be voicing Eugeo as a child as well, I thought. Plus, I want to do it myself. That was when Eugeo first appeared, and his story began with the time, as a child, he could not move and could not save Alice. If I leave that to someone else, I feel it would not mesh as well. And so, though it might have been selfish of me, if possible, I wanted to voice him from beginning to end.

Administrator tore open a gap in his heart.

When you voice Eugeo in his childhood, is there anything you pay particular attention to?

SHIMAZAKI: I experimented “What if I acted like this…?”, but once I was actually recording the scene, during the conversation, when we established the balance between the three (with Kirito and Alice) I thought I actually sounded like a child. In the first episode, while Eugeo and Kirito were talking, Alice brought a lunch box. Thanks to the exquisite balance that Kayano-san brought, Alice seemed a little like an older sister to the two of us. I think it established quite well the balance of the three in their childhood.

KAWAHARA: Right, Alice’s “Hey, you two!” really set the scene between the three.

SHIMAZAKI: First, there was this feeling that the two of us could do fine by ourselves. But when Kayano-san’s Alice came for us, it’s like “We’re saved!” for me and Matsuoka (laugh). Her dialogues, or should I say, her voice acting really is amazing.

KAWAHARA: I’m an amateur when it comes to voice acting, but I could feel the difference when actors record separately instead of having a conversation together. Actually, for Sakamoto Maaya-san who voices Administrator, her schedule didn’t line up at first, so she was always recording separately. However, for the last two episodes, everyone joined the recording session. Then, (Administrator’s) impact was on another level. “Scary!” I thought (laugh).

SHIMAZAKI: She was amazing. Now that you mention it, that was just the right timing when Administrator started going all out. I could feel chills going down my spine in the recording.

KAWAHARA: Of course, Sakamoto-san’s Administrator was amazing ever since the start too. Actually, in the Web version, Eugeo brushed off Administrator’s temptation, so he did not become an Integrity Knight.

 The development where he fell to her temptation and got brainwashed was adapted to the anime from the Light Novel, right?

KAWAHARA: It became like that in the Dengeki Bunko version because my editor Miki-san said “I really want to see Kirito versus Eugeo!” “I want to tie up that foreshadow-y loose end where Kirito thought “One day he might surpass me” about Eugeo”. Since he appealed so strongly, I was compelled to act. I was convinced to rewrite it, but even so a part of me thought “Eugeo is not that weak of a person”. However, when I saw Sakamoto-san’s Administrator, I thought “I definitely can’t blame him for falling for this”.

SHIMAZAKI: As the one she directed those words at, I have to admit it was very persuasive. However, while Administrator was skillful in her deceit and very alluring, Eugeo was not enamored with her in a sexual sense.  

KAWAHARA: That’s right.

SHIMAZAKI: It did include a love for the opposite sex, but what she struck was a gap in his heart caused by a lack of familial, brotherly, and many other kinds of love. The anime did not show Eugeo’s family, though…

 In the original work, Eugeo was not blessed with love from his parents or brothers.

SHIMAZAKI: So, in that scene, I remembered that in the text of the original, he was always alone, working and having his money taken away by his family. Above all that, his memories of his time with Kirito was taken, and so there would be a big gap there as well.

KAWAHARA: I’m sure that if he had had the memories of the time the three of them spent together, he would not have fallen to her temptation.

SHIMAZAKI: That’s right! I think he would have brushed her off as well.

 It is not impossible to revive Eugeo and Alice Schuberg

Please elaborate more about the Alice that was precious to Eugeo.

KAWAHARA: Earlier, I said Eugeo was the character that symbolized the contradictions and distortion of Underworld. Alice, on the other hand, is the character that symbolize Underworld’s hope and “proof”. She was set as a character who was just as much of a victim as Eugeo, but continued to struggle against her cruel fate.

 From when you created these characters, what did you imagine Eugeo’s feelings toward Alice to be?

KAWAHARA: What Eugeo is searching for is the Alice Schuberg from his childhood that was taken away. It is not the changed personality Synthesis Thirty.

SHIMAZAKI: It is quite painful.

KAWAHARA: In episode 21, when Kirito, Eugeo and Alice stand side by side, I was really impressed. However, that Alice is not the Alice (Schuberg) Eugeo have been thinking about.  Also, while talking to Kirito, she refers to Eugeo as “your friend”, and treats him like someone she is only barely acquainted with. It was honestly heartending.

SHIMAZAKI: That “Synthesis or Schuberg” issue was quite a big thing for me too. That scene Kawahara-sensei talked about just now, about the three people standing side by side, I thought the same thing. I don’t know if I should say this, but…Really, is it possible to have a Super Happy End where they defeated Administrator, no one died, and they could separate Schuberg and Synthesis?

KAWAHARA: Yes. If Cardinal lived, it would be possible to separate the two Alices’ Fluctlights (souls). There is a hurdle about the other Alice’s body, but just within the setting, it is possible.

SHIMAZAKI: Also, at the end (of episode 24) when Schuberg’s Fluctlight left with Eugeo, I thought it was due to the power of a “will” beyond logic. I really loved that scene in the original. Did you decide on that end from the beginning?

KAWAHARA: Because it would be too sad if Eugeo left by himself. When he became a sword, a part of Eugeo’s Fluctlight merged with Schuberg’s Fluctlight. In that way, once the two have merged and were gone, I wrote “No one yet knows where the collection of photons that formed the two souls would go.” I did leave a little implication in there.

I’m expecting something from that expression “No one yet knows”.

KAWAHARA: In the original, the new arc “Unital Ring” have just begun. And so, this will be the third time I am having this conflict. In terms of setting, bringing back Eugeo and Alice Schuberg is not impossible, so I feel like it’s a problem I’m always having (laugh). It’s just that, I have to think as an author whether bringing someone back to life so easily is a good thing…I think this conflict will continue on for a while.

SHIMAZAKI: That’s quite hard…Please endeavor to make SAO the best you possibly can.

KAWAHARA: Right.

I thought it was impressive that you didn’t push for Eugeo’s revival (laugh).

SHIMAZAKI: No, no (laugh). Of course I want him to come back, but as a work, it is important to make it as good as possible. I’m sure it’s the best thing for Eugeo as well. Plus, later in the SAO media mix, maybe there will be an “if” where a grown up Alice Schuberg, Kirito and Eugeo appear together. There might be a chance that Kawahara-sensei would write something like that, right?

KAWAHARA: That’s true. That chance might come up.

 Believe in Kirito, and watch over the last of the Alicization arc.

In addition to the ones mentioned above, do you have a favorite scene?

SHIMAZAKI: I have a lot…For example, (in episode 10) the case with Raios (Antinous) and Humbert (Zizak), Eugeo said “I’m just like those goblins” and Kirito said “You’re human, Eugeo. Just like me”, I really loved that scene. Up to this point, Kirito has accumulated a lot of experience, which included killing people, but he is not making excuses for killing a person. He’s going to grit his teeth and move forward, without losing his way or being conflicted. I thought that was amazing.

KAWAHARA: Kirito was not reincarnated into another world, but rather in principle it’s like playing a game with a controller. He’s been burdened with a heroic role, but he’s not really a hero. In essence, he’s a high school student living in Kawagoe. I wanted to emphasize that part.

What is Kawahara-sensei’s favorite part?

KAWAHARA: At the time of this interview, it has not been broadcast yet, but the last scene between Kirito and Eugeo left a strong impression on me. They did a lot of testing on Eugeo’s final words to Kirito, but in the actual scene it still hits you in the gut. It’s painful no matter how many times I see it. How much do voice actors control their emotions in such a scene?

SHIMAZAKI: In that scene with Kirito and Eugeo, I didn’t really try to control anything and just went with my own emotions. It’s strange, but I was calm during that scene. (In episode 23) when Eugeo said “I know the mission I should fulfill” and became a sword, Matsuoka’s performance, as Kirito, was so moving as he desperately tried to stop Eugeo. But at that time, I think Eugeo had already made up his resolve, and I too, calmly said “It’s fine, Kirito”. I was already prepared for the jump around then.

KAWAHARA: Then, in the farewell with Kirito, you were calm like that too?

SHIMAZAKI: Yes. My feelings were all over the place, but somewhere I was really calm…

KAWAHARA: Eugeo himself was probably calm as well.

SHIMAZAKI: That’s true. Eugeo suffered a lot because of Underworld. In the end, he was saved by being together with Alice Schuberg, so I feel like I was convinced that it was okay. When we approached around the 20th episode, I had the feeling of “I want to stay with everyone in the last two cours too”. However, when the time came, I felt calm. I had done what I could and what I should have done, with all my power.

KAWAHARA: What about Matsuoka-san?

SHIMAZAKI: Of course, like Kirito, he received a great shock and got horribly messed up (laugh).

KAWAHARA: Ah…(laugh)

SHIMAZAKI: A lot of times mid-conversation, he’d say something like “Nobunaga’s gone”* and get depressed, looking really sad. At the end, when we were talking in front of the microphone, I could almost feel Matsuoka’s Kirito saying “I don’t want this to happen!” That’s why I was calm instead, that it was better this way. If I were to be greedy and say “I want to do more”, it might have affected the voice acting, and make it seem like Eugeo has regrets. Of course, it’s not like he didn’t feel any at all, but in that instant, that regret was very close to zero.  

Then, finally, to those who watched the first two cours, is there anything you would like to say? Please also tell us about any highlights in the third and last cours that will be broadcast from October.

SHIMAZAKI: First, thank you for watching up to episode 24. I greatly enjoyed this experience as an actor and a person. Also, I think that the first two cours were great thanks to the efforts of everyone involved in SAO, including Kawahara-sensei’s original work. I would be happy if everyone thought so as well. If you reached episode 24, you may be feeling depressed. It was an unsettling ending, and the last two cours will surely be painful and difficult as well. However, it’s alright because Kirito will be there. “My hero” will be there. I believe that if it is Kirito, he will surely lead everyone to a good future. Please believe in Kirito and watch over Alicization to the end. As Eugeo, I will be watching over with everyone.

KAWAHARA: Thank you for sticking with Alicization through 24 (+1) episodes. However, surprisingly, Alicization arc is not ending yet (laugh). That said, once the second half starts, it will go by in a flash as well, so I hope everyone continue to enjoy Sword Art Online Alicization: War of Underworld from October. Eugeo has left the stage, but many characters (except Administrator and Chudelkin) will continue to appear. As for Chudelkin, Takagi-san’s performance was so great that it feels like we lost another precious person. (laughs) In the last two cours, characters who make a big impact like Chudelkin will continue to appear one after another in the enemy side, so please look forward to that.

*Note: Yoshitsugu was saying 「信長ロス」which generally means the same but is used in many contexts (e.g. when a pet dies or when a celebrity get married) and never sound good translated as “Nobunaga loss”.