The Sword Art Online franchising is one with many peaks and valleys. While I love the “trapped in a digital world” concept and felt the first few episodes of the original series were solid, it quickly went off the rails and became a melodramatic (and at times extremely uncomfortable) series that never really held my attention in the same way as the first ten or so episodes.
With the release of Scherzo of a deep night — the second of Progressive movies that retell the story from Asuna’s perspective with some minor changes — I thought it might be fun to jump in and see if the story grabs me a little more in that format. Although it still covers events from the first ten episodes, Scherzo of a deep night it was completely satisfactory. It didn’t blow me away, but the great action and charming character moments made it enjoyable enough.
One major problem that many have Sword Art Online is that the two main characters, Kirito and Asuna, are a little too perfect. They are effortlessly strong, charismatic, kind and rarely face any difficulties. From Progressive From Asuna’s point of view, we really get more of her perspective here, giving her a little more depth than the series did. She struggles more and her friendship with the non-canon character Mito gives her a little more room to grow through flashbacks. Kirito is still pretty perfect, but I don’t think either movie has had enough time to make both characters more grounded.
Mito’s fault for convincing Asuna to try Sword Art Online and indirectly making her stay in the game is an interesting angle, as this kind of conflict feels like a natural outcome of such a situation. There are probably many similar stories from different players in the world of Sword Art Onlineso this storyline reminds you that many of these players are just teenagers trying to get out alive.
The fight scenes are dynamic and exciting, with the final battle against a giant golem standing out as a highlight. While Scherzo of a deep nightThe action sequences certainly deviate from the MMO idea, the health bars are enough of a link to occasionally remind you that all the characters are in play. The bright slashes and punches are fun to watch, giving you some thrills in between the more character-heavy moments throughout the film.
Some of the best parts of Scherzo of a deep night when the cast is allowed to relax. Whether it’s fighting over hot food or fighting each other using fruits and vegetables in a hot spring. These moments provide the main characters with development outside of combat, making the world of Sword Art Online feel a little fuller. It’s also easier to get invested in the characters thanks to these moments, making the emotional beats a little stronger as a result. That being said, a fanservice filled hot spring fight is a very silly idea, but that’s to be expected from this franchise.
Dramatic moments can certainly lean towards melodrama, but it’s not as impressive here as it has been in subsequent seasons of the series. The core group and their problems – working together, surviving, appeasing large guilds and dealing with psychotic player killers – are fun and the stakes feel real as everyone’s survival is at stake. The voice acting helps sell these parts as well, as the impassioned performance reminds you that the English cast have been performing these roles appropriately for nearly a decade.
Sword Art Online – Progressive – Deep Night Scherzo is an enjoyable sequel that corrects some of the problems with the original series while still providing enjoyable action scenes and lighter character moments. It won’t change anyone’s mind who is disinterested SAO in general, but Scherzo of a deep night serves as a cool watch for those remotely interested in the franchise.
SCORE: 7.5/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 7.5 equals “Good” and is successful entertainment worth checking out, but may not appeal to everyone.
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