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Sword Art Online: Alicization- War of Underworld Episode 35 Review/Recap

Since the war for Underworld started, it’s been influenced by the actions of people from the real world. On one side is Gabriel and his flunky, and as of last episode, Asuna’s on the other side. However, the real world’s influence has been limited to these few people. Until this episode, that is. The villains take this conflict and turn it into the First Great VR War.

LINK START! And there’s a new intro!

Recap

As dawn breaks on the second day of the war, the Knights learn that the Dark Territory’s trying to cross the canyon Asuna made. Vecta ordered Iskahn to send his forces on ropes across the canyon, something the young man’s against. Yet he can’t do a thing to disobey the order; not even when the Integrity Knights and Asuna begin to cut the ropes.

What no one knows, though, is that Gabriel’s minion, Critter, upped the ante. He set the Underworld’s time-acceleration thing to match the real world. Then, he leaked Underworld as a bogus VRMMO beta to every gamer in the US, who proceed to log in, ignorant to the fact they’re about to wreck a world home to sentient AI’s. Fortunately, Yui figures out what’s going on, so she does the one thing she can do: send out a call to arms.

First, she alerts RATH of Critter’s meddling, and sends Sinon and Leafa to RATH so they can log in to Underworld. Next, she alerts the rest of Kirito’s allies and has them ask the players in ALO to help them. They can convert their accounts over into Underworld so they can fight the Americans. There’s just two problems: first, there’s pain limiter, so they’ll feel injury. Secondly, if they die in Underworld, they’ll lose their characters.

Review

As a gamer and an American, I just want to say this: I am so dissappointed that my fellow gamers are being used as pawns in a Great VR War. We look like such boneheads right now.

That said, I think there are some pros and cons to this episode. On the con side, I think that this whole idea of bringing in thousands of ignorant VR players seems like an unnecessary attempt to escalate things. It’s really cool, but it also seems like overkill on Kawahara’s part. Also, I didn’t need to hear another speech about how important the VR world is to the heroes and how they’ve made so many friends and memories in it. They made that clear a long time ago.

On the other hand, I think that this is a clever way for the anime to tie the whole series together. All of the friends, allies and secondary characters in SAO are getting the chance to show off their skills in a VR War. I loved seeing that in Avengers: Endgame, and I think I’ll love it in SAO.

Overall, I think that the anime’s about to enter a whole new level of absurdity, even for SAO. If they do it right, though, it can be the fun kind of absurd. Thus, next week, GAMERS GO TO WAR! THE GREAT VR WAR HAS BEGUN!

I Give “Heartless Choice” a 3.5/5

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My Hero Academia, Season 4, Episode 10 Review/Recap

It’s just occurred to me that we haven’t seen the League of Villains since the Heroes raid started. Since the two groups formed an alliance, one would think they’d help defend the base. In this episode, though, the League of Villains makes its move at last!

Recap

As the heroes continue to break off to fight the Hassakai’s members, Midoriya’s group presses onward. In spite of Mimic using his drug-induced Quirk, the Yakuza fails to slow the heroes down. Reaching his limit, Mimic chooses to split the heroes up even further. This leaves them open to attack at the hands of League of Villains members Twice and Toga.

Several days prior, in order to cement their alliance, Overhaul asked Tomura to lend him Toga and Twice as temporary members. Even though the group holds a grudge against him for killing Magne and wounding Mr. Compress, Shigaraki agrees. His plan is to weaken Overhaul’s group from within so they may seize control of his drug. As a result, Toga and Twice decide to sabotage the Hassakai’s plans by goading Mimic into sending Deku and Eraserhead to another location.

Review

Ironically, some of the more interesting characters in My Hero Academia have been the League of Villain characters like Twice and Toga. They remind us that underneath their immoral actions, these people are still human, and therefore capable of love and affection. We see it when Toga comforts Twice when he’s having a meltdown, and in their desire to avenge Magne. Heck, we can sort of see it in Toga’s obsession with Midoriya. It’s a twisted version of love, but it still shows them capable of doing so.

This episode does a good job in building up tension for what’s about to happen. In the next episode, we’re going to see LeMillion catch up with Overhaul and Eri. Given what we hear in the previews, though, there’s cause for concern about his safety. If the League of Villains plan works, then I think Deku and Eraserhead will end up next to LeMillion. Here’s hoping. GO BEYOND, PLUS ULTRA!

I Give “Temp Squad” a 4/5

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