Sword Art Online: Alicization - War of Underworld
Synopsis
Despite the defeat of Quinella—the pontifex of the Axiom Church—things have not seemed to calm down yet. Upon contacting the real world, Kazuto "Kirito" Kirigaya finds out that the Ocean Turtle—a mega-float controlled by Rath—was raided. Due to a sudden short-circuit caused by the raiders, Kirito's fluctlight is damaged, leaving him comatose. Feeling insecure about the people at the Axiom Church, Alice brings the unconscious Kirito back to their hometown—Rulid Village, disregarding her banishment due to an unabsolved crime. Now, Alice is living an ordinary and peaceful life close by the village, wishing for Kirito to wake up. However, tragedy strikes when Alice notices that the Dark Territory has already started to invade the Human Empire. Reassuming her previous alias, Alice Synthesis Thirty, she promises to defeat the Dark Territory in order to defend the world that Kirito and Eugeo worked so hard to protect. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Audience Consensus
Audience sentiment is mixed, with many appreciating the shift in focus to Alice and the stunning visuals, while still being held back by writing and character issues. Some find the story engaging and the action impressive, while others criticize it for being predictable, illogical, and inconsistent. The series is divisive, with some considering it the best arc of SAO and others viewing it as a significant disappointment.
Strengths
- Alice's character development and growth as the main protagonist.
- Stunning art and animation quality, especially in fight scenes.
- Excellent sound design, including impactful music and sound effects.
- Well-paced story with significant events revealed at a pleasant rate.
Weaknesses
- Inconsistent character development and some dumb decisions.
- Villains are not always well-developed or have clear motivations.
- Story can be predictable and cliche.
- Over-reliance on Kirito as a motivational figure, overshadowing other characters.
- Some characters are surface level with basically no depth to them.
- Plot holes and contradictions in the story.