Sword Art Online is a popular series that has gained millions of fans across the world, and is one of the most popular franchises around. Its well-presented take on virtual reality, along with its charismatic nature, are just two of the leading reasons as to why so many fans are attracted to its ever-expanding world. Kirito’s harem magnetism and his unparalleled power being two of them. It was with this knowledge in mind, as I stood in the ever-growing line for Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale that I felt anticipation churn in my stomach. I’ve always found the series to be rather appealing. There’s just a certain charm to it that makes it easy to over-look any exaggerated points and overabundance the story may have. When I finally affixed myself comfortably into my seat, listening to the excited chatter all around, I couldn’t help but feel my initial anticipation become a ripple of excitement instead. Will this movie reaffirm the devotion so many fans continue to have for this series? The movie was already off to a great start with its fan mini-quiz and premier exclusive introduction from the Japanese seiyuu’s, so I had no doubt this would be the case. Once the movie officially started, I buckled down for what turned out to be a whirlwind of emotions I never could have predicted.
The movie takes place after the events of the first two seasons in the year 2026, where a new virtual reality called the Augma has been developed in competition with its predecessors, NerveGear and the Amusphere. The Augma allows players to easily swap between reality and the virtual world by using Augmented Reality (AR). This 
permits users to play anywhere at any time while remaining conscious. An ARMMORPG known as Ordinal Scale has become a huge hit with players both new and old. Asuna and the original cast of characters are now fully adapted into the new world, and are enjoying the latest take on virtual reality. Kirito, who still prefers the NerveGear, reluctantly joins them, only to find that there’s much more to Ordinal Scale, the mysterious #2 Ordinal Scale player Eiji, and the diva singer, Yuna, than they could have ever expected.
The storyline was the fresh-start SAO needed to keep advancing on.
This movie proved Sword Art Online can’t ever lose its touch. Just when you think there’s nothing more SAO can do to build on its story, director and writer Tomohiko Ito proves us wrong. The additional exploration into the world of augmented reality was just the fresh take the world of SAO needed to re-amp its original concept. During the entirety of the movie, Ito showed his uncanny ability to create an interesting storyline with endless possibilities for the future. His capacity to move the hearts of every fan created a connection to the characters that may very well last a lifetime. There were many moments that either made you feel that itching warmth in your chest (people call this “adoration” or “affection”), or relentless anticipation. The dashes of humor, pre-movie references, and relationship struggles struck home, and it was obvious this was an emotionally involved movie. Goose bumps arose during the scenes with impassioned speeches, good music, reunions, and incredible fight sequences. While there were minor scenes that seemed rushed, these moments were what helped to set the tone just right for the overall piece. The storyline was chronologically stable and one scene connected perfectly to the other without leaving any questionable loopholes.
I didn’t want to sympathize with Eiji, but I did, and I don’t regret it.
Eiji is the main antagonist and is the kind of character you never want to feel for. He’s selfish, ruthless, rude, and deserves a good punch. However, he had good intentions—he just went about it the wrong way. Even after all the things he did, I still sympathize with him, and this is exactly why Ito is such a genius. Character development in a short span of two hours is extremely difficult to accomplish when this applies to more than a handful of characters. Not only did Ito manage to do this, but he also did so in a very visually appealing style. I can’t say the same for Eiji’s hair though. The more time went on, the more it seemed to unravel. Get some hair gel, my boy.
Asuna and Kirito are relationship goals.
Seriously. What can be more envious than what they have? Fans have been with them from the moment of their meeting and have seen them grow into what they are now. This movie was just the icing on the cake needed to solidify what we’ve always known. The contents of Asuna’s diary and their emotional embrace in her room were the major points in the movie that showed their dedication to one another. Kirito goes with her to the hospital, gets into top shape for her, and risks his life and memories to save her once again. If these aren’t relationship goals, I don’t know what are. He already put a ring on it too. I think I’m turning green.
The animation was flawless.
I’m not kidding. Counting the number of frames for each shot, the number of backgrounds, and the smooth transition from one movement to the other made me choke up inside. They made sure this piece would be remembered. The expressions were perfect, and the seiyuus did this in two days? Seriously? Apparently, genius really can’t be understood. That’s okay though, since we are able to reap the benefits of it. The fight scenes were gorgeous and the characters didn’t fade out into blurs with each attack. The shot choices were spot-on in displaying the tone and emotion needed for each scene, and best of all, everything was in sync with one another. In the words of Shakespeare, “When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew.” Is that why Yuna kept smiling until the end?
By the time the movie finished, I was already sold. LiSA’s “Catch the Moment” song was the perfect theme for the movie and hearing it play during the credits only further elevated my love for the newest installment to the franchise. The buzzing and excited energy in the theater was palpable and I couldn’t agree more with what fellow fans were saying about the movie. I may or may not have cried from joy at the end, but there’s no proof. As soon as the last line of credit moved off the screen, a surprising sneak-peek for the series’ third season, Sword Art Online: Alicization (Underworld) was shown. The roaring cheers all around echoed my own opinion. This movie continues the SAO legacy beautifully. So much so that I went to see it again a few days later.
The movie may no longer be in theaters, but it doesn’t mean the movie has ended! Keep an eye out for its release to Blu-ray and DVD. You won’t want to miss this exciting installment to this famous franchise!
©2016 REKI KAWAHARA/PUBLISHED BY KADOKAWA CORPORATION ASCII MEDIA WORKS/SAO MOVIE Project
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