Sword Art Online: Phantom Bullet

Image from: http://myanimelist.net/anime/21881/Sword_Art_Online_II

Name: Sword Art Online: Phantom Bullet ソードアート・オンライン II
Prequel: Sword Art Online

Status: Completed
Episode: 24
Release Date (for eng subs) Every Sunday


Summary:

One year after the SAO incident, Kirito is approached by Seijiro Kikuoka from Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Department "VR Division" with a rather peculiar request.

That was an investigation on the "Death Gun" incident that occurred in the gun and steel filled VRMMO called Gun Gale Online (GGO). "Players who are shot by a mysterious avatar with a jet black gun lose their lives even in the real world..." Failing to turn down Kikuoka's bizarre request, Kirito logs in to GGO even though he is not completely convinced that the virtual world could physically affect the real world.

Kirito wanders in an unfamiliar world in order to gain any clues about the "Death Gun." Then, a female sniper named Sinon who owns a gigantic "Hecate II" rifle extends Kirito a helping hand. With Sinon's help, Kirito decides to enter the "Bullet of Bullets," a large tournament to choose the most powerful gunner within the realm of GGO, in hopes to become the target of the "Death Gun" and make direct contact with the mysterious avatar.

Summary source: Crunchyroll
Summary from: http://myanimelist.net/anime/21881/Sword_Art_Online_II


Personal Ratings: 3

I actually liked the way they started the first episode. I thought that putting in similar situations and settings as the first episode of the first season was quite nice, kind of felt the nostalgic feelings. 

Other than the first episode, I thought that the whole starting was a little on the slow side. It was actually quite dry and boring. I thought that they should have used that chance to show us more of Kirito and Asuna's combination fights in ALO, which I think is what a lot of people were kind of expecting when the first season of Sword Art Online ended. 

It was all cool about the Gun Gale online thing, but I didn't think that they should have abandoned Asuna (kind of made it seemed like whatever that was worked out since the first season was useless). Slow start into the game, and it felt like forever before Kirito actually started playing the game for real, and let the viewers have some action scenes. But the action scenes were up to standard. Really love all the coolness on the action scenes. Kind of brought back all those memories about the first season's good old action parts. However, starting in the later few parts, it kind of felt like they were reverting back to the old Sword Art Online, where the later parts are just rubbish. 

Loved the whole Gun Gale online idea; the setting, the weapons and the sound tracks. Since I love shows with guns, it has totally gone to my more favorable side, but more than that, I LOVE their idea about the light saber. Super good idea, especially since Kirito is more comfortable with swords, the light saber idea was totally good. Totally love the sound effect they used when Kirito swings that light saber around (I had to reply those parts a few time before I could get over it). Of course, just when I thought that they would be showing us more action scenes, they let go of it, and totally didn't go into details about the fights (just like the first season).

Another problem, which I pointed out in the first season, was that they totally didn't gave Kirito a chance to train a little before going on to the BoB tournament. (which I find, was quite ridiculous, kind of repeating the same mistake which they made when they started the ALO arc.)

Can see that they are trying to focus more on the emotional side of the story than the action side. Which is actually quite evident from the last few episodes of the first season. Though that's all good, but I rather they focus on parts which makes them unique; which is the action part. 

Comments on Recent Episode:
Another boring episode. Though I'm really quite surprised as to how Kirito can actually figure everything out when he only PK with Yuuki once. 

Art Ratings: 4
Almost the same as the first season, but I think that the art changed a little (like it's giving off the less Chibi feel and the more adult feel), if they actually flashback to the Sword Art Online arc scene, you can actually tell the difference. For me I prefer the first season's art. 


Recommended for:
Gender: Both
Age: 13 and above
My Ratings: PG-13