luigi.ohara - 2017-04-24 02:47:00

Note that, I’m not SAO series fans. I hadn’t posted the review of its 1st season, but I really don’t like it, I thought it was too much exaggerating, too imba characters and lame romance. The 2nd season is better than its 1st for me. Still, with not too much impression for SAO series, I wished the Movie (Ordinal Scale) would give a new breakthrough point. I would like to join in the crowds and hype, there I was, along with other kind of アニメ lovers let myself made a chance for SAO - Ordinal Scale to impress me…and here is my review.

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VISUALIZATION
It’s well… good, maybe between good or great (better than just “good”). The city panorama and the bosses they fight as well as the fighting itself is calculated nicely. The Ordinal Scale movie, which timing for the fighting is usually at night, is given us the vibrant of dark and haunting feeling. It supports the story as it gets more intrigue all over the place. The switch between real life and Ordinal Scale’s space is great that the surrounding around you suddenly, still in the same place and kind of architecture, turns into something similar in different realm. When they’re switching into fighting mode, the camera pan / its angle perfectly took place to show the greatest part of the characters which is varied, added with several match facial expressions. Regarding to the characters in the movie, there are only several characters added here. Several major and minor characters; those are the core characters who become the basic reasoning of its plot. The additional characters are the basic story for this movie. They have just, well say, good enough characters design.

STORY
“It basically the same SAO”.
That’s no other suitable sentence to describe this.
The very idea is trying to have another kind or method of trapped people in a game that harm their lives (because of the creator’s sole purpose). At first, it’s trying to convince the viewers that the new game called Augma which is created by an old experienced geezer will not make the players lost its consciousness to the real world like Sword Art Online series using AmuSphere did before. It guarantees the players to enjoy the sense of “gaming” in the form of reality.
Simply to say, you’re actually gaming a kind of game like Sword Art Online, in here named Ordinal Scale, with full human sense (hearing, touch, taste, smell, sight). Well, to support this game, it’s using “real human capability” as indicator. I think by adding this way, Ordinal Scale tries to change the viewers speculation about what the MMORPG series is all about. The usage/function of the “real human capability” is a challenge the game offers to them. No other option than to fight the bosses/monsters with our basic own body’s limitation. The characters surely having difficulties to sway their weapons, to move instantly like in the virtual game world with all of the advantages for body limitations and skill, fatigues as the real human. However, sometimes the movie still makes no sense of letting the characters powerfully deal damage to the bosses/monsters and jumping so high and gracefully. It’s also not clear how far the limitation of human body to the user ability when they activate and transform into themselves in the Ordinal Scale realm.

Still related to its story, as I said above, SAO - Ordinal Scale tries to point out that it’s not the same as previous SAO series, but the fact the show gives us “the same SAO”. With its figured final consequences that harm the users lives, the effect to the users especially mentally exactly the same. And I felt like the rest after that is just SAO in another way of visualization. They’re going mad, start to fight all over the places with overly-dramatic reaction it shouldn’t be. Well, it’s reasonable that this show is really for young teenagers who’s still in puppy love. Furthermore, after that the limitation of power they have somehow start to fade away and they show skillfully themselves in a level far from what they begin at first (without any effort shown).

CHARACTERIZATION
The characters development is what this movie lacks about, except for the heroine, Asuna. She is, again, like the center of everything (even though she isn’t). She is the gear to support the ending. She puts in as the victim and later become the life-saver. It doesn’t make sense for me she becomes something “wow” with the kind of power and experiences she has. Only by that and represents in a hurry like she is one of those exceptions with unlimited power who can improve to its best.

MUSIC
I was pleased by the theme songs. Then, as expected from LiSA to be charged for the ED theme I guess. However, the ED is not as masterpiece as others brag about. Truly I felt unpleasant recalling the time I thought “the soundtracks are fucking amazing” when it’s just “great”. Put in some upbeat theme songs when the tension rises. Slower tension and slower theme songs, change it into dramatic feelings when the complicated matters come up. The ED from Lisa “Catch the Moment” is between melodious and upbeat. The combination of sweet piano tunes, resolute drum beat, and titillating guitar rhythm.
**The movie merchandise can be found HERE, the badge set is cute with chibi design on it and there’s a simple yet dope tote bag.

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Well, the plus points are for how well-planned this movie with its effort to come out with something fresher and new with Augma technology that I amazed at first, visualization anyway, theme songs, and how I enjoyed it. Still, it’s like the 1st SAO that becomes overly dramatic (somehow overrated) and lack of development. For me, its rate is around 7.

stephania92 - 2017-03-24 06:13:08

I liked it.

vena42 - 2017-03-20 00:10:05

** Please excuse me if my english isn’t that good. Japanese is my main language! Also, I am giving each ‘segment’ a mark out of 10! **

Spoiler free!

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Story: 9
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The story is based on SAO, so nothing to really say here. Though the plot itself is better and not as flat as the original SAO anime. There are mysteries in this movie but you realise what is happening before they show you.

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Art: 9
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The art is WOW. Amazing. Expected from an anime show that is so famous for their character design and not the actual plot. The animations are also really on point and natural.

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Sound: 8
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The background music compliments the scene really well. It builds up the emotions and tension. The ending song ‘Catch The Moment’ by LiSA is amazing. When everyone started leaving, I just sat there listening to it.

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Character: 8
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Character designs are one thing that got SAO in such a huge viral in the anime industry. Often people say that the design is nice but the personality of the character is flat and is full of holes. However, in this movie, they managed to make this movie a success by actually putting the heart into making the characters relatable. Could still improve, but really good as it is now.

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Enjoyment: 9
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I loved this show. Yes, there was forced moments and fanservice. But it was good. I mean, who would go and watch an anime if they expected NO fanservice AT ALL? Not possible if I have to say.

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Overall: 9
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It is amazing. The plot was well developed and I understood everything in the movie.

annetta.homenick - 2017-03-12 00:31:58

I loved this experience. The audience participation was so fun. Well written, original story, with just enough tie-ins to the series. So many cool easter eggs from the mobile game. New, interesting characters with good development, while not feeling rushed. Incredibly epic final fight scene. Sound was off the hook in the theater. The scenes with Kirito and Asuna warmed my heart and then the Mother’s Rosario scene put me over the top with feels. So hype for season 3!

nlowe - 2017-03-10 06:58:44

This will be a non-spoiler filled review.

To begin I know it’s the new meta to shit on SAO and everything about it and with good reason. The franchise itself hasn’t proven that’s its anything special, it’s pretty generic in most regards and all the characters for the most part are shallow and simple husks or anime tropes. So does Ordinal Scale break out of this mold? Kind of, but not really.

Ordinal Scale has a lot going on for it actually and like the TV series it has wasted potential in some regards. I went into this movie with an open mind and throughly enjoyed what I got. The music and animation was good as expected, which is nothing new. The franchise has always been good at this. However, one of the songs did sound exactly like the second OP of Fate/Zero. Just a weird nitpick and it didn’t take away from the score of the show. It was something I just noticed is all.

To actually get to the point, the villains in the movie were actually the best the series offered so far. They had real motivations behind their actions, and they actually were understandable. Not just your typical “I’m evil so I’m going to ruin everything!” stereotypes from the original SAO. However, beyond motivations there was nothing else to them. They were still pretty hollow and lacked depth. But, it’s a step up from the series. If they had delved deeper into the stories of the villains then we could have seen some decent characters come from this show, but alas that didn’t happen. In terms of our main cast of protagonists there was no depth or any development from any of them. All of the other characters beside Kirito and Asuna felt kinda just there and pointless to the story. They really only were there to satisfy the fans as far as I can tell. Also, on a side note there were two characters I’d like to see a mini OVA series on. I think if they were to do it right it would be better then anything the franchise has put out, but I doubt that will ever come to fruition.

To wrap up this already shitty review I want to say I had a really good time with this movie. It definitely was the best thing the franchise has offered so far and there was great actions scenes and badass moments. There are actual stakes in the movie and it’s not the typical “they might die!” stakes. I don’t want to give away what the stakes are, but they deal with the characters personal relationships with each other is probably the best way to put it. The comedy was spread throughout very well and all very well executed. The movie still had asspulls and still had plot holes, but if you have enjoyed any bit of the original SAO before they went into the Fairy Arc you’ll probably enjoy this movie. You just have to go in knowing this is SAO, and just have fun with it. If you never liked SAO in the first place this movie really isn’t going to change anything. It’s not groundbreaking or anything like that. Just a fun watch when you want some good mindless action and story.

bruen.nigel - 2017-03-10 04:56:40

This movie might be the best content from SAO yet. It takes the best writing parts from all of the previous parts and just combines their feelings into this one amazing movie.

I was surprised how much I ended up enjoying this anime, and this is coming from a fan of the series. When I went into the theater, I was thinking to myself “I wonder if this is going to be good since it’s technically a filler movie”. But then I saw it and was blown away. There was no point in the movie when I thought it was dragging on. The pacing really was well done.

The music and animation were also amazing. Hearing Yuki Kajura’s music in a theater was such a pleasure. The battle scenes too were amazingly well directed.

I was so glad to see some of the side characters have finally have their time in the light, including some side characters I thought we would never get to see again. One of the Easter Eggs in the movie was really great at the beginning, if you enjoy the other series the Easter Egg is from you’ll not miss it.

I do have a few gripes with the movie (which I can’t say without spoiling things), but still the good outweighs the bad, which is why I am giving this movie the score that it gets.

Even if you aren’t really a fan of SAO I would still recommend you try this film out, I’m sure you’ll find something that you will love in this.