RJ Writing Ink

SAO Dub Returns to Toonami

So with Edens Zero delayed this week, I’ve been looking for other topics to write about until The Owl House premieres tomorrow night. Then this afternoon, I found this post by fellow blogger Lesley Aeischliman. According to her, the dub for Sword Art Online: Alicization- War of Underworld is coming to Toonami on January 18th. Facebook and other posts confirmed it.

This was an unexpected announcement for me. Since the dub for the first half did not air until the sub was almost complete, I assumed they’d be doing the same thing with the second half of the season. Instead, they’re going ahead and airing it while the anime’s on break until April.

I did the math in my head. Currently, there’s twelve episodes in War of Underworld. If they air each week on Toonami uninteruppted, they’ll catch up to the sub by the start of April. That’s when the second half of War of Underworld will air.

Right now, I’m going with the theory that they’re going to try and simuldub SAO: Alicization–War of Underworld. It’s the only explanation that I could come up as to why Toonami would start airing the dub for War of Underworld when its only half done. Personally, I find this prospect to be very exciting. It will help to maximize the hype for such a popular anime. In addition, this would be the best way to let the anime that kickstarted the Isekai craze go out with a bang. Only time will tell if I’m right, though.

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Sword Art Online: Alicization, Episode 24 Review/Recap

They said that I was mad, doing this series for SAO: Alicization. Here I stand, having done what I set out to do. We’re at the mid-season finale of SAO: Alicization, and this will be my last review/recap until the show resumes in October; not waiting for the dub. Now, let’s get this mid-game boss fight started. Kirito vs. Quinella!

LINK START

Recap

The battle between Kirito and the evil Quinella begins, and for some reason, Kirito changes into his SAO look. Because, why not? Despite not being a fighter, Quinella knows all there is about Underworld’s system, giving her the upper hand. With Kirito on the ropes, Eugeo uses the last of his strength to give him a pep-talk, remind him of their childhood in Rulid village, and reform his sword out of his blood. In the brief clash that follows, Kirito sacrifices his left arm but deals a fatal blow to Quinella. Desperate, Quinella tries to escape to the real world. Thankfully, the still-living Chudelkin intervenes and ends up destroying them both.

The battle’s over, but sadly, Eugeo’s still dying. Eugeo says it for the best, though, because they would have fought over Alice’s fate: Eugeo to save the Alice he knew, and Kirito to save Alice as she is now. Despite Kirito’s best efforts, Eugeo passes away, and the original Alice joins him in going to the afterlife. Kirito then drags himself to the terminal that Quinella used, and manages to contact Kikouka in the real world, only to learn the Island Turtle’s under attack. An unknown force’s attempting to seize control of Underworld’s server. Kikouka gives Kirito one order: bring Alice to the World’s End Server. Right before they can do anything, though, the enemy cuts the power to Kirito’s life-support, causing a power surge that sends Kirito into a coma as the first half of the season comes to an end.

Review

Finally, it’s over! My second least favorite arc in SAO’s over! Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy the idea of a virtual world filled with sentient AI, but this season was handled so poorly. The pacing was all over the place, there was a lot more exposition than I wanted to deal with, and they kept using “Swordland” in almost every action sequence. I love that song, but if they use it over and over, it loses its meaning.

On top of that, Eugeo, the only guy friend Kirito’s age, is now dead after being built up for 24 episodes. I don’t want to tell Reki Kawahara how to write his story, but I think letting Eugeo die was a waste of a character. I’m more upset about that than the fact that Kirito’s going to be in a coma for the foreseeable future.

On top of that, the Underworld equivalent of Armageddon is coming, and if the Human Empire loses, RATH will erase it. At least, that was the initial plan, but since they’re under attack by an unknown group, that changes things. I just hope this war will be as epic as I think it will be.

The only silver lining I could find here was Quinella getting what she deserves. Even then, though, I couldn’t take any satisfaction in it because of the loss of Cardinal and Eugeo. It doesn’t matter, though. She’s dead.

Overall, I think this was a disappointing end to the first half of the season. It’s like if Square Enix donked up Aerith’s death in the first half of Final Fantasy VII. It has the potential to be emotional, but then it falls flat on it. Here’s hoping that the second half of Alicization is better

I Give “My Hero” a 2/5. I’m being generous.

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Sword Art Online: Alicization Episode 23 Review/Recap

Having been drawn out of hiding to save Kirito and Alice, Cardinal comes face to face with her nemesis, Quinella. The battle for the fate of Underworld begins, and admittedly, it’s better than last episode.

LINK START!

Recap

To stop Cardinal for good, Quinella splits the 100th floor off from the rest of Underworld. To break Cardinal’s will to fight, she then reveals a gut-wrenching revelation: she made the Sword Golem from the humans of Underworld. Specifically, the memories of the Integrity Knights. Worse, Quinella’s plan to beat the Dark Territory is sacrificing half of the Human Empire to create more Sword Golems. Unable to fight against the people she must protect, Cardinal offers her life for the three. Quinella accepts, and kills Cardinal.

However, with her dying breath, Eugeo asks Cardinal to do one last thing: turn him into a sword that can defeat the Sword Golem. He fuses with Alice’s memory crystal and the Blue Rose Sword, to become an ultimate Sword.

In his Sword form, Eugeo effortlessly destroys the Sword Golem before turning his attention to Quinella. Despite his best efforts, all he can do is chop her arm off before being shattered, leaving him dying. All that’s left to defeat Quinella is Kirito.

Review

What have we learned today? That Quinella’s the worst, and that everyone except for the main character can be cannon fodder. Seriously, we knew that no one else was going to beat Quinella, so why did Cardinal and Eugeo bother? They should have let Kirito handle it like he always does.

I already know what’s going to happen next, and this may be my least favorite boss-fight in SAO. I’m bummed, though, because Eugeo’s dying. Kirito finally had another guy to hang with, and this happens! Next week’s the last episode before the break, so let’s see how this ends

I give “Administrator” a 2.5/5. I’m generous because we got to see Quinella squirm.

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Sword Art Online: Alicization Episode 22 Review/Recap

Karandi, my friend, we have reached the point where Sword Art Online: Abridged could do Alicization better. Instead of an epic boss fight against Chudelkin, we get a Hercule Satan one-shot.

LINK START!

Recap

Fueled by the flames of his lust for Quinella, Chudelkin transforms into a fire genie 🧞‍♂️! Kirito responds to this threat by doing what Kirito does: pull stuff out of his butt that defies the rules of VR. In this case, he turns into his Aincrad and one-shots KO’s the clown.

That leads Quinella to realize that Kirito is from the real world, not that she cares. She then brings out her trump card, a massive entity she calls a ‘Sword Golem’. The Golem then one-shots Kirito and Alice, leaving only Eugeo behind. Desperate, Charlotte reveals herself by transforming into a giant spider. The spider sacrifices herself to buy Eugeo time to summon their own trump card: Cardinal herself.

Review of one-shot letdown

This was by far the most disappointing episode of SAO: Alicization. First, the fire genie gets one-shot for the sake of an Easter egg. Then that ugly golem thing one-shot Kirito and Alice. Lame as heck.

Though to be fair, it wasn’t that exciting in the light novel, either. The main thing I remember was seeing Kirito become the Black Swordsman again. That, and Quinella validates my fears. If she got into the real world, she’d probably conquer it for herself. She must be stopped for the good of Earth and Underworld.

I give “Titan of the Sword” a 2/5. Two one-shots, one letdown

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By the way, I’m sorry I didn’t put this up a week ago. I got so distracted by all the other work that I’m doing that I didn’t have the time.