The Review:
Following his encounter with former Laughing Coffin members, Kirito is still being gripped by guilt over his actions during the Sword Art Online incident, despite him playing games with fellow survivors not being a problem during the ALfheim Online arc. This episode was one of those where nothing important really happened; there was no major revelation or event. Instead, the focus was on Kirito and Sinon leading up to the beginning of the Bullet of Bullets tournament.
In this episode, Yuki Kajiura’s score proved that you don’t need to have a charged, overpowering soundtrack to be striking. When scenes are devoid of anything other than natural sounds, they are often accompanied by softer pieces sometimes played on a piano that brings about a chilling calm, which completely matches the tone of the episode. This isn’t an episode full of energetic action that needs a track that can match the speed of bullets flying all over the place, but is one that needs to convey still and silent reflection. With her piano pieces for example, the song moves at such a slow pace that you can absorb each and every note, like how painful memories are replayed so many times that even the smaller features become unforgettable.
One part of the episode I personally disagreed with Aki Natsuki’s advice to Kirito regarding his memories and how if we’ll only forget them if we’re supposed to. The problem with this is, the Gun Gale Online arc is focusing on post traumatic stress disorder and the suggestion that the reason sufferers can’t forget what they went through because there’s a reason why they must remember, could be dangerous. For example, a statement like that could potentially be detrimental to anyone who has been through a traumatic event and is suffering from survivor’s guilt. If sufferers already had a mindset that was akin to them remembering as punishment for surviving, being told by someone else that there must be a reason why they remember the event, could end up cementing that incorrect belief even more. Fortunately, her suggestion to Kirito that he should focus on the larger number of people he saved through his actions, as opposed to the smaller number he couldn’t, were definitely wiser words.
One of the more notable events of this episode was Shinkawa confession his feelings to Sinon. However, the forceful way he went about it left a weird taste in my mouth. After Shinkawa’s comments about how he was hearing Sinon talking about someone else for the first time, his suggestion of organising an in-game ambush and suddenly giving her a bear-hug, strikes me as Shinkawa being very possessive of Sinon, to the point that is was actually rather disturbing.
The seventh episode of Sword Art Online II was calmer and more subdued than previous ones, but that wasn’t a weakness at all – it was a strength. I just hope that we don’t see the themes explored in this episode ignored once the Bullet of Bullets tournament begins.
Review Taken From here
No comments:
Post a Comment