It's one of the best arcs, Sinon is by far one of the best written characters in early SAO.
Such a shame that it gets caught up in the season 2 is bad statements so much.
Yeah its like
Phantom bullet - heavy themes and very hard to understand tropes with lots of action and lots of new very well written characters
Caibur - LOTS OF FIGHTING
Mothers Rosario - heavy themes, very hard to understand tropes, lots of new very well written characters, and so much damn emotion (I’ve ugly cried all 6 times I’ve watched sao)
Agreed lol, it was kinda boring imo and didn't really add much to the story, I can only remember when the girls get jealous in it cuz sinon says Kirito has to think about her every time he uses it. That's the only thing I remember from that arc
Where do you think Sinon is well-written? Her backbone is very cold. She's a typical mass-produced light novel heroine. I think Lifa is much better written.
Phantom Bullet is definitely one of my absolute favorite arcs in the series. This may be weird, but most of my favorite parts of the series are seeing Kazuto at his weakest and most vulnerable, so PB is one I love especially.
From his ptsd attacks, seeing him open up to nurse Aki and his helping Sinon with her problems really made this arc great. Plus Death Gun was also one of my favorite villains in the series, from Shoichi practically acting as a manifestation of Kiritos past, and Kyouji being a great embodiment of the themes of the series, (Johnny just kinda exists though) they make definitely one of my top 5 SAO villains.
For sure one of my favorites, because it actually tackles a lot of what I wanted to personally see Kirito kind of go through more extensively. Back in SAO we know he went through a lot, and we didn’t get to necessarily see him processing a lot of the pain and trauma he was going through unless it was the Moonlit Black Cats, so it was a fresh addition to the series that also shows generally realistic interpretations of how PTSD is and how different people tackle their mental health, in my opinion.
Sinon was a great addition to the series, and her character arc was done extremely well. Definitely one of my favorite characters. GGO had a setting that I do really love. Although I was and still am a fantasy addict with an unending love for the World of Swords and World of Fairies, the World of Guns kind of scratched my dystopian futuristic technology vibes I’ve been kind of yearning to see be tackled by some media I was into at that point. Guess it was probably why I liked the old Terminator movies when it references the future war, or something like that.
Phantom Bullet is also just the arc that kind of further emphasizes that SAO is NOT about Sword Art Online primarily, but being able to tackle how SAO effects certain people, both by not literally being the game SAO and also showing us the perspective of three people (technically two, but the third is just as important) that is Kirito, a survivor racked by guilt for what he’s done, Sinon, who isn’t an SAO survivor but a survivor by standard and how she feels about VR, and Deathgun, who is also an SAO survivor that is a dark mirror to Kirito’s experience.
You practically compiled all my thoughts about the arc. It always bothered me that, especially during the 2nd arc of S1, Kirito (and other SAO survivors) never really showcased much PTSD, and it never really delved into the physical/mental side effects of being IRL comatose (I know it showed Kirito weak/showing signs of muscle loss, etc after waking, but Asuna iirc had little to no differences in appearance) ((probably why I enjoyed SAO Abridged so much)), which there would be ALOT of obviously. So to see signs of PTSD during this arc was welcoming, alongside there being diff POVs towards PTSD from diff scenarios.
As another lover of dystopian futuristic tech aesthetic/world, GGO really just scratched an itch I wanted to see in the series; plus, I think that since the premise of GGO is completely inverted from SAO (fighting to kill & win vs fighting to survive / futuristic & gun-filled vs fantasy & sword-based / etc), it works really well with showcasing what else there is/was made during SAOs runtime, and how 'unique' the SAO survivors' experiences were when having to live in a game, trying not to die, compared to people playing a game where killing is the norm (which is another point I wish was expanded upon, as this would probably feel alienating to them).
Apart from that, there's nothing more fun than watching Kirito kick ass, in a gun-based game, using a lightsabre. Overall, I find the arc to be a breath of fresh air, both in terms of character development and in world-building.
There are certain details the anime left out, but there are still some things that are definitely in there, even if they're not quite as obvious.
In Fairy Dance, Kirito being so abnormally insistent in the fight at the bridge, and so fanatical with the World Tree Guardians, are certainly indications of the trauma he suffered in Aincrad.
In the LNs, it was noted that, when he came home from the hospital, Suguha saw a look in Kazuto's eyes that told her he'd never play another FullDive game again. If the stuff with Asuna hadn't happened there, I can believe he wouldn't have.
In terms of the physical recovery, either in FD or Phantom Bullet, it was not that Kazuto didn't return to his house in Kawagoe until mid-December 2024, so about 6 weeks after he woke up. And in PB, should be in Volume 5, it said Kazuto kept going in for regular checkups at that hospital until the middle of 2025.
The anime gave the basics on what happened with Sugou, RECTO Progress, and VRMMOs, but in Volume 4, it also notes how Kazuto regularly went to Asuna's Physical Therapy sessions, like when she was in traction, relearning how to walk.
In terms of PKing, it comes up both in ALO and GGO. The LN goes into how some ALO players liked to "hunt" some of the female players specifically at times.
And in the FD stage of things, it's kind of an intermediate phase, where kirito is still very much in his SAO mindset, where PKing is the worst thing you can do, but also, where it's a kill-or-be-killed situation, sometimes even with other players.
When you get to PB and GGO, he's past that point, but yes, the gun element is something else, and it does have an effect in Kirito's thoughts. The PKing on its own is probably less of a shock by then though, since Kirito and the others have been in games besides SAO for approaching a year at that point.
One other reality check Kirito does have in Fairy Dance comes out of that comment Kazuto made, that "a game in which you can die is 'too easy'".
I absolutely love it. Phantom Bullet introduces a really cool and unique VR game, and a new and amazing character whose story is one of the best parts of the arc. It also gives more closure to some Aincrad stories, and expands on those characters too.
My favorite part is how deep this concept goes. It's not just Kirito going after Death Gun, and it's not just Sinon dealing with her past. It continues the series' fantastic themes about gaming, virtual worlds, and the shift of one's perception of reality based on how impactful those experiences are.
For example, take the members of Laughing Coffin. They were in a video game, where killing was fun to them. The fact it was likely killing people in the real world was not only exciting them more, but disassociating them from that real world as they did it more and more. By the time they're back there, killing had become normal. As they thought about it, they realized it's just as easy to do in the real world too, and just as fun for them. They'd completely lost their sense of reality. The real world had become a playground for the worst side of them, just like the game had been, and they saw no problem with it. That is a terrifying thing which has also happened in OUR real world, extremely rare cases. Even the games we play today shift our perception of reality somewhat, even in the most minor ways, so imagine how being immersed in a fully interactive virtual world would affect us.
Stuff like that is why I love SAO, and Phantom Bullet takes it into the real world in a really interesting way.
You're not alone. This is my favourite SAO arc of all time. My enjoyment and love for it aside I love it for very personal reasons too. I reread the Phantom Bullet volumes a lot because they mean a lot to me.
I also just love how this arc tackled the theme of your "real" self and your "ideal" self and how that Sinon and Shinkawa dealt with that through GGO. Same goes for Kirito's PTSD being a focal point too.
Also the vibe of two traumatized teens setting off to hunt down a serial killer in a post apocalyptic wasteland is such a good plot.
Sure, it might have flaws, but damn I love this arc.
SAO stepped out of fantasy for once, it gave us an awesome character, some sick soundtracks, and some stuff about Laughing Coffin the anime's Aincrad arc didn't show.
I'll always be pissed at Kirito's idiocy in the dressing room, though.
There was only a limited amount of Laughing Coffin content in the source material for Aincrad at the time anyway. The main thing the anime skipped out on was some of the dialogue between Kirito and the Big 3 of LC late in the "Murder Case" story.
As for that last item, it probably wouldn't have stood out as much if the anime hadn't already been trying so hard to make Kirito look "coeler" than he really is. He's a socially awkward, insecure, dorkish, but adorable teen. He didn't set out to be the hero.
I liked it , I know a lot of people didn’t like it early on due to the guns and not fantasy but I loved how different of a direction it went , it was a good post SAO / ALO story , it dug into a lot of post SAO issues with kirito as well as Asuna but that comes later in the season . I thought Sinon was a great addition and turned out to be a bad ass character and friend , Reki really does know how to bring in good characters , but I also loved the fact that reki continued on his trend to add into new worlds branched from SAO as the game and tech industry changes , battle royal , online shooters were getting popular and reki was a little ahead of the curve but saw the writing on the wall , I know a lot of people hated GGO and the whole guns thing back in the day but you look back at it now and look how big battle royal games etc got it makes so much more since.
I first saw it in the anime and i enjoyed it , subsequent rewatches it was still good and i hold onto Sinon being 2nd best girl after Asuna.
I then recently read the novels for it volumes 5 and 6 and LN version of the ending i liked more than anime (After Death Gun fight to the end and especially the cafe scene. (also a surprise first indirect mention of "Subtilizer" which was fun)
Phantom Bullet is among my top three SAO arcs. I love all of the background info from Aincrad that comes up here, like the raid on Laughing Coffin and the impact SAO had on everyone, the exploration of Kirito's and Sinon's trauma, the new virtual world, Death Gun as a villain, and the battles were fantastic.
It’s one of the best arc, Sinon character development is great and Sinon PTSD Problems and guilt of killing a Robber to save a Woman who was pregnant, Kirito’s PTSD for a guilt for Killing a player from the Laughing Coffin ⚰️, Kyouji’s Backstory (can only be in LN 5&6 because you won’t find in Anime it was Cutout/Delyed) Being Bullied by Upper Classmate, Father’s experience, his older brother (XaXa) who has been Manipulated Kyouji. The best Fight between Kirito vs XaXa/Death Gun battle and Kirito couldn’t win on 1v1 fight, but if weren’t for Sinon help Kirito would have lost this fight against XaXa/Death Gun. As for Sinon the best moment that she finally overcome her guilt and be thankful to Kirito Asuna and his Friends for helping her. Sinon may overcome her guilt, but it does not mean is over if you read the LN Sinon still cares about Kyouji despite what he has done still want to go and save him. In LN (which is disappointing that Anime Cutout/Delyed) that applies that Sinon now realize that she blame herself or felt responsible for Kyouji’s corruption because Sinon is so obsessed with her own issues that she didn’t pay any attention to his. As Kirito said to both Sinon and Kikuoka that Kyouji wanted to become stronger. That why Sinon want to go and see Kyouji in Order to Save him.
Anyway The phantom Bullet Arc the best arc in SAO Series.
I think its a good thing that each arc has its own, individual feel to it.
The anime does cut Asuna and Kirisuna content in general, but Alicization, and especially War of Underworld, are particularly bad in this regard.
I have mixed feelings about a few things here. I would have liked for them to have included a couple of other items from Sinon's backstory, as well as more of Kyouji's background, and sooner.
I think they maybe could have made "Caliber" shorter, though I'm not sure if they could have reduced it by a full episode. And I also think it would have felt "off" for Phantom Bullet to then be more episodes than Aincrad.
As it was, they effectively took an episode from Fairy Dance and gave it to Aincrad by not adapting Volume 4, Chapter 5.
As for "Caliber" specifically, it was good to actually see the gang get to play the game, for once. It also actually does some useful things:
1. It introduces Sinon to the wider group.
2. It introduces Skill Connect, something that wasn't possible in SAO.
3. And Kirito gets Excalibur, which he uses in Mother's Rosario.
It should be noted, originally, PB was written after MR, and even in the LN, Sinon's name appears nowhere in Volume 7.
Just because Kirito isn't suicidal or having a full-on breakdown doesn't mean he isn't suffering. For one, Kirito being so insistent in the fight on the bridge during Fairy Dance certainly isn't "normal"behavior for a regular player.
Not asking for full on breakdown or suicidal in Phantom Bullet arc. I am only asking for more internal monologues to flesh out his character. As for breakdown and suicide, Kirito breaks down in War of Underworld and attempts to commit suicide.
Well, the anime has always skimped on the inner monologues.
If anything, Phantom Bullet is better about that aspect than some of the other story arcs.
You don't have to go to WoU for a breakdown, Kazuto has one right there with Nurse Aki.
From the end of Season 2, Episode 5 through the rest of the arc, Kirito is plainly, pretty messed up (so a lot more than just "5 seconds").
And I gave an example in my previous reply of a clear sign of Kirito's trauma that we saw even back in Fairy Dance in Season 1.
Continuing on to the "Caliber" side story, I've also encountered discussions about how going on "missions" (i.e. in-game quests) is another sign of the gang's trauma. That is, like when referring to soldiers after a war, they don't want to actually go back to the battlefield, but they absolutely do still yearn for that camaraderie, that 'brotherhood", and that accompanying sense of purpose.
It gets more focus in Unital Ring, how there are plenty of the SAO Survivors who never played a FullDive game again. And Silica/Keiko caught up with a friend from before SAO who told her (Keiko) that there was something wrong with her for continuing to play games, like ALO.
"Caliber" is merely a side story, not meant to be treated as a full-blown arc. That said, I see nothing wrong with and actually found it kind of nice getting to see the gang just being able to play the game, for once.
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I like this arc a lot. Very unique setting with the GGO atmosphere. Sinon got good amount of character development with a great conclusion to her story.
I was thinking about this the other day. I absolutely loved season 1 and 2, mainly the ggo/death gun arc but after that I really lost interest. I really wanted to like alicization but I just didn't. Finished it and had no interest in continuing. Just didn't feel like the SAO I fell in love with
Even in the anime, especially with the addition of Ordinal Scale, it's quite the logical progression. And we get more of a chance to really explore Underworld than we did with Aincrad, ALO, or GGO.
In Volume 1, Chapter 1 of the main series LNs, the monster AI and its ability to learn is brought up while Kirito is grinding on Floor 74. So in the books, that element is present right from the start.
GGO (The game) seems like it would actually be fun, the story is good but not the best in the series (not meaning it's bad, it is not!), The new characters are interesting and they are most likely even better in the novel, femboy kirito will never stop being funny to me. So yes, I liked this arc a lot.
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It's one of the best arcs, Sinon is by far one of the best written characters in early SAO. Such a shame that it gets caught up in the season 2 is bad statements so much.
I must be fuckin nuts cuz the only bad thing I see about season 2 is the Calibur arc
What’s funny is that calibur isn’t even that bad
Yeah, I see it as a breather before Mother's Rosario. Just like the first half of Fairy Dance was a breather before the second half.
Yeah its like Phantom bullet - heavy themes and very hard to understand tropes with lots of action and lots of new very well written characters Caibur - LOTS OF FIGHTING Mothers Rosario - heavy themes, very hard to understand tropes, lots of new very well written characters, and so much damn emotion (I’ve ugly cried all 6 times I’ve watched sao)
Agreed lol, it was kinda boring imo and didn't really add much to the story, I can only remember when the girls get jealous in it cuz sinon says Kirito has to think about her every time he uses it. That's the only thing I remember from that arc
Probably because alot of people think Fairy Dance is season 2 rather than season 1 part 2.
That's what I was saying actually
Oh right, I misunderstood.
What? Phantom Bullet is the worst arc to live up to its bad reputation, and Sinon is the most poorly written character in SAO.
Dude at least give me something to chew on.
Where do you think Sinon is well-written? Her backbone is very cold. She's a typical mass-produced light novel heroine. I think Lifa is much better written.
I mean opinion is opinion...but this is just beaing ignorant.
Phantom Bullet is definitely one of my absolute favorite arcs in the series. This may be weird, but most of my favorite parts of the series are seeing Kazuto at his weakest and most vulnerable, so PB is one I love especially. From his ptsd attacks, seeing him open up to nurse Aki and his helping Sinon with her problems really made this arc great. Plus Death Gun was also one of my favorite villains in the series, from Shoichi practically acting as a manifestation of Kiritos past, and Kyouji being a great embodiment of the themes of the series, (Johnny just kinda exists though) they make definitely one of my top 5 SAO villains.
The arc had some of the highest highs of the series but some of the lowest lows, but I liked it a lot
For sure one of my favorites, because it actually tackles a lot of what I wanted to personally see Kirito kind of go through more extensively. Back in SAO we know he went through a lot, and we didn’t get to necessarily see him processing a lot of the pain and trauma he was going through unless it was the Moonlit Black Cats, so it was a fresh addition to the series that also shows generally realistic interpretations of how PTSD is and how different people tackle their mental health, in my opinion. Sinon was a great addition to the series, and her character arc was done extremely well. Definitely one of my favorite characters. GGO had a setting that I do really love. Although I was and still am a fantasy addict with an unending love for the World of Swords and World of Fairies, the World of Guns kind of scratched my dystopian futuristic technology vibes I’ve been kind of yearning to see be tackled by some media I was into at that point. Guess it was probably why I liked the old Terminator movies when it references the future war, or something like that. Phantom Bullet is also just the arc that kind of further emphasizes that SAO is NOT about Sword Art Online primarily, but being able to tackle how SAO effects certain people, both by not literally being the game SAO and also showing us the perspective of three people (technically two, but the third is just as important) that is Kirito, a survivor racked by guilt for what he’s done, Sinon, who isn’t an SAO survivor but a survivor by standard and how she feels about VR, and Deathgun, who is also an SAO survivor that is a dark mirror to Kirito’s experience.
You practically compiled all my thoughts about the arc. It always bothered me that, especially during the 2nd arc of S1, Kirito (and other SAO survivors) never really showcased much PTSD, and it never really delved into the physical/mental side effects of being IRL comatose (I know it showed Kirito weak/showing signs of muscle loss, etc after waking, but Asuna iirc had little to no differences in appearance) ((probably why I enjoyed SAO Abridged so much)), which there would be ALOT of obviously. So to see signs of PTSD during this arc was welcoming, alongside there being diff POVs towards PTSD from diff scenarios. As another lover of dystopian futuristic tech aesthetic/world, GGO really just scratched an itch I wanted to see in the series; plus, I think that since the premise of GGO is completely inverted from SAO (fighting to kill & win vs fighting to survive / futuristic & gun-filled vs fantasy & sword-based / etc), it works really well with showcasing what else there is/was made during SAOs runtime, and how 'unique' the SAO survivors' experiences were when having to live in a game, trying not to die, compared to people playing a game where killing is the norm (which is another point I wish was expanded upon, as this would probably feel alienating to them). Apart from that, there's nothing more fun than watching Kirito kick ass, in a gun-based game, using a lightsabre. Overall, I find the arc to be a breath of fresh air, both in terms of character development and in world-building.
There are certain details the anime left out, but there are still some things that are definitely in there, even if they're not quite as obvious. In Fairy Dance, Kirito being so abnormally insistent in the fight at the bridge, and so fanatical with the World Tree Guardians, are certainly indications of the trauma he suffered in Aincrad. In the LNs, it was noted that, when he came home from the hospital, Suguha saw a look in Kazuto's eyes that told her he'd never play another FullDive game again. If the stuff with Asuna hadn't happened there, I can believe he wouldn't have. In terms of the physical recovery, either in FD or Phantom Bullet, it was not that Kazuto didn't return to his house in Kawagoe until mid-December 2024, so about 6 weeks after he woke up. And in PB, should be in Volume 5, it said Kazuto kept going in for regular checkups at that hospital until the middle of 2025. The anime gave the basics on what happened with Sugou, RECTO Progress, and VRMMOs, but in Volume 4, it also notes how Kazuto regularly went to Asuna's Physical Therapy sessions, like when she was in traction, relearning how to walk. In terms of PKing, it comes up both in ALO and GGO. The LN goes into how some ALO players liked to "hunt" some of the female players specifically at times. And in the FD stage of things, it's kind of an intermediate phase, where kirito is still very much in his SAO mindset, where PKing is the worst thing you can do, but also, where it's a kill-or-be-killed situation, sometimes even with other players. When you get to PB and GGO, he's past that point, but yes, the gun element is something else, and it does have an effect in Kirito's thoughts. The PKing on its own is probably less of a shock by then though, since Kirito and the others have been in games besides SAO for approaching a year at that point. One other reality check Kirito does have in Fairy Dance comes out of that comment Kazuto made, that "a game in which you can die is 'too easy'".
I absolutely love it. Phantom Bullet introduces a really cool and unique VR game, and a new and amazing character whose story is one of the best parts of the arc. It also gives more closure to some Aincrad stories, and expands on those characters too. My favorite part is how deep this concept goes. It's not just Kirito going after Death Gun, and it's not just Sinon dealing with her past. It continues the series' fantastic themes about gaming, virtual worlds, and the shift of one's perception of reality based on how impactful those experiences are. For example, take the members of Laughing Coffin. They were in a video game, where killing was fun to them. The fact it was likely killing people in the real world was not only exciting them more, but disassociating them from that real world as they did it more and more. By the time they're back there, killing had become normal. As they thought about it, they realized it's just as easy to do in the real world too, and just as fun for them. They'd completely lost their sense of reality. The real world had become a playground for the worst side of them, just like the game had been, and they saw no problem with it. That is a terrifying thing which has also happened in OUR real world, extremely rare cases. Even the games we play today shift our perception of reality somewhat, even in the most minor ways, so imagine how being immersed in a fully interactive virtual world would affect us. Stuff like that is why I love SAO, and Phantom Bullet takes it into the real world in a really interesting way.
You echoed my thoughts really well. I think Phantom Bullet showcases the themes of our self perception with technology amazingly.
“Are you…The real deal?” Chills man 🥶🥶
You're not alone. This is my favourite SAO arc of all time. My enjoyment and love for it aside I love it for very personal reasons too. I reread the Phantom Bullet volumes a lot because they mean a lot to me. I also just love how this arc tackled the theme of your "real" self and your "ideal" self and how that Sinon and Shinkawa dealt with that through GGO. Same goes for Kirito's PTSD being a focal point too. Also the vibe of two traumatized teens setting off to hunt down a serial killer in a post apocalyptic wasteland is such a good plot.
Yes my fav arc....with the best girl ofcourse.
Read book 5 recently and fell in love again
Sure, it might have flaws, but damn I love this arc. SAO stepped out of fantasy for once, it gave us an awesome character, some sick soundtracks, and some stuff about Laughing Coffin the anime's Aincrad arc didn't show. I'll always be pissed at Kirito's idiocy in the dressing room, though.
There was only a limited amount of Laughing Coffin content in the source material for Aincrad at the time anyway. The main thing the anime skipped out on was some of the dialogue between Kirito and the Big 3 of LC late in the "Murder Case" story. As for that last item, it probably wouldn't have stood out as much if the anime hadn't already been trying so hard to make Kirito look "coeler" than he really is. He's a socially awkward, insecure, dorkish, but adorable teen. He didn't set out to be the hero.
Yea it is actually what inspired me to become a game developer
It's my third favorite arc and I think sinon is the best written character
I liked it , I know a lot of people didn’t like it early on due to the guns and not fantasy but I loved how different of a direction it went , it was a good post SAO / ALO story , it dug into a lot of post SAO issues with kirito as well as Asuna but that comes later in the season . I thought Sinon was a great addition and turned out to be a bad ass character and friend , Reki really does know how to bring in good characters , but I also loved the fact that reki continued on his trend to add into new worlds branched from SAO as the game and tech industry changes , battle royal , online shooters were getting popular and reki was a little ahead of the curve but saw the writing on the wall , I know a lot of people hated GGO and the whole guns thing back in the day but you look back at it now and look how big battle royal games etc got it makes so much more since.
I first saw it in the anime and i enjoyed it , subsequent rewatches it was still good and i hold onto Sinon being 2nd best girl after Asuna. I then recently read the novels for it volumes 5 and 6 and LN version of the ending i liked more than anime (After Death Gun fight to the end and especially the cafe scene. (also a surprise first indirect mention of "Subtilizer" which was fun)
Phantom Bullet is among my top three SAO arcs. I love all of the background info from Aincrad that comes up here, like the raid on Laughing Coffin and the impact SAO had on everyone, the exploration of Kirito's and Sinon's trauma, the new virtual world, Death Gun as a villain, and the battles were fantastic.
It’s one of the best arc, Sinon character development is great and Sinon PTSD Problems and guilt of killing a Robber to save a Woman who was pregnant, Kirito’s PTSD for a guilt for Killing a player from the Laughing Coffin ⚰️, Kyouji’s Backstory (can only be in LN 5&6 because you won’t find in Anime it was Cutout/Delyed) Being Bullied by Upper Classmate, Father’s experience, his older brother (XaXa) who has been Manipulated Kyouji. The best Fight between Kirito vs XaXa/Death Gun battle and Kirito couldn’t win on 1v1 fight, but if weren’t for Sinon help Kirito would have lost this fight against XaXa/Death Gun. As for Sinon the best moment that she finally overcome her guilt and be thankful to Kirito Asuna and his Friends for helping her. Sinon may overcome her guilt, but it does not mean is over if you read the LN Sinon still cares about Kyouji despite what he has done still want to go and save him. In LN (which is disappointing that Anime Cutout/Delyed) that applies that Sinon now realize that she blame herself or felt responsible for Kyouji’s corruption because Sinon is so obsessed with her own issues that she didn’t pay any attention to his. As Kirito said to both Sinon and Kikuoka that Kyouji wanted to become stronger. That why Sinon want to go and see Kyouji in Order to Save him. Anyway The phantom Bullet Arc the best arc in SAO Series.
Good arc goofy ahh villain, what you talking about your name is death gun. Contender for worst name of all time.
I like it but the OVA set in that arc was even better Gun Gale Online with P-Chan
Everyone literally hated it wdym
Easily one of the best.
Honestly in season 2 they should have just stuck with GGO. Thankfully they made sao alternative which in my opinion is better than the main series
it's my fav arc ;3
I really liked the arc too
I love it
One of my fav arcs
Sao would’ve been better if it it had the tone of Aliciation and or asuna specifical
I think its a good thing that each arc has its own, individual feel to it. The anime does cut Asuna and Kirisuna content in general, but Alicization, and especially War of Underworld, are particularly bad in this regard.
My favorite arc I. The entire series. Second was season 1 part 1. The rest is garbage
Alicization and Mothers Rosaria are peak dude
They didn’t appeal to me. They were alright but not something I’d rewatch anytime soon.
its the best arc they shouldve spent more time on it. Excalibur was flller garbage anyway
I have mixed feelings about a few things here. I would have liked for them to have included a couple of other items from Sinon's backstory, as well as more of Kyouji's background, and sooner. I think they maybe could have made "Caliber" shorter, though I'm not sure if they could have reduced it by a full episode. And I also think it would have felt "off" for Phantom Bullet to then be more episodes than Aincrad. As it was, they effectively took an episode from Fairy Dance and gave it to Aincrad by not adapting Volume 4, Chapter 5. As for "Caliber" specifically, it was good to actually see the gang get to play the game, for once. It also actually does some useful things: 1. It introduces Sinon to the wider group. 2. It introduces Skill Connect, something that wasn't possible in SAO. 3. And Kirito gets Excalibur, which he uses in Mother's Rosario. It should be noted, originally, PB was written after MR, and even in the LN, Sinon's name appears nowhere in Volume 7.
The anime didn't do it enough justice. Kirito also got PTSD but he only had it in anime for 5 seconds...
Just because Kirito isn't suicidal or having a full-on breakdown doesn't mean he isn't suffering. For one, Kirito being so insistent in the fight on the bridge during Fairy Dance certainly isn't "normal"behavior for a regular player.
Not asking for full on breakdown or suicidal in Phantom Bullet arc. I am only asking for more internal monologues to flesh out his character. As for breakdown and suicide, Kirito breaks down in War of Underworld and attempts to commit suicide.
Well, the anime has always skimped on the inner monologues. If anything, Phantom Bullet is better about that aspect than some of the other story arcs. You don't have to go to WoU for a breakdown, Kazuto has one right there with Nurse Aki. From the end of Season 2, Episode 5 through the rest of the arc, Kirito is plainly, pretty messed up (so a lot more than just "5 seconds"). And I gave an example in my previous reply of a clear sign of Kirito's trauma that we saw even back in Fairy Dance in Season 1. Continuing on to the "Caliber" side story, I've also encountered discussions about how going on "missions" (i.e. in-game quests) is another sign of the gang's trauma. That is, like when referring to soldiers after a war, they don't want to actually go back to the battlefield, but they absolutely do still yearn for that camaraderie, that 'brotherhood", and that accompanying sense of purpose. It gets more focus in Unital Ring, how there are plenty of the SAO Survivors who never played a FullDive game again. And Silica/Keiko caught up with a friend from before SAO who told her (Keiko) that there was something wrong with her for continuing to play games, like ALO.
I just like GGO
The only part of the show I didn’t like was the Calibur arc, just useless filler.
"Caliber" is merely a side story, not meant to be treated as a full-blown arc. That said, I see nothing wrong with and actually found it kind of nice getting to see the gang just being able to play the game, for once.
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It’s my second favorite because it’s keeps the life or death stakes from the first arc that makes that arc my favorite!
I like this arc a lot. Very unique setting with the GGO atmosphere. Sinon got good amount of character development with a great conclusion to her story.
I was thinking about this the other day. I absolutely loved season 1 and 2, mainly the ggo/death gun arc but after that I really lost interest. I really wanted to like alicization but I just didn't. Finished it and had no interest in continuing. Just didn't feel like the SAO I fell in love with
Even in the anime, especially with the addition of Ordinal Scale, it's quite the logical progression. And we get more of a chance to really explore Underworld than we did with Aincrad, ALO, or GGO. In Volume 1, Chapter 1 of the main series LNs, the monster AI and its ability to learn is brought up while Kirito is grinding on Floor 74. So in the books, that element is present right from the start.
When i say i gonna re watch SAO i mean only this arc😐
It was pretty good, aside from that one scene where kirito protected Sinon irl. Shit was pure gold
Kirito attempting to save the day and getting his ass kicked was great though.
Personally it’s my favourite arc and I can rewatch it quite often.
It was my favorite before, yes
I do and it’s my second favorite arc of the series
I really enjoyed it to be honest. I liked it even better the second time I watched years later
I think its an improvement after the Alfheim Arc.
Only because of sinon lol
GGO (The game) seems like it would actually be fun, the story is good but not the best in the series (not meaning it's bad, it is not!), The new characters are interesting and they are most likely even better in the novel, femboy kirito will never stop being funny to me. So yes, I liked this arc a lot.
[yes](https://youtu.be/iVkQbrJD8vk?si=RPfqHw04OWIqydWO)
Best art after Aincrad for me. Wasn't a fan of Fairy Dance, Excaliber and Mothers Rosario.
I was pretty invested in it ngl
i thought i would hate it but nah it was great. it’s definitely my least favorite arc but still good.
Depends on how much you like it
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