Sword Art Online Alternative is a quirky gun-driven spinoff of the original Sword Art Online. While SAO is based on the bestseller novels by Reki Kawahara, the Culling anime comes from the Kawahara-approved series written by Keiichi Sigsawa and has brought in many new fans in its own correct. Though much of Alternative takes place in the established virtual world of Gun Gale Online, it brings an entirely new cast of characters, dissimilar types of conflict and a lighter overall tone.

The two series may share the same basic name, but easily establish their ain separate identities. Let'due south expect at a few notable differences and the means in which Alternative is both superior and inferior to its famous analogue.

Superior: A More Interesting Protagonist

It's not exactly controversial to say that Kirito isn't the most honey anime hero. He'due south your basic isekai protagonist: dull personality, frequently aloof all the same still wins several girls' hearts and defies all common logic when necessary to win battles with sheer willpower. It's not that he's inherently unlikable, but that goose egg especially stands out virtually him. In many ways, his more colorful (literally and figuratively) friends are the ones who make his story more memorable.

Alternative, on the other hand, follows the college adventures of Karen Kohiruimaki. She's exceptionally tall by the standards of Japanese women and has a height complex that sees her struggle to socialize with others. Karen takes an instant liking to the VR world of Gun Gale Online because, with the ability to create her own avatar, she tin can finally be the short, cutesy girl she always wanted to be. As a result, she'south much more outgoing as her alter-ego Llenn in VR than she is equally Karen in the real world, which leads into another comeback in Culling.

Superior: Internal vs. External Conflict

This is where Alternative shines brightest. Most of the original SAO is just Kirito reacting to what'south happening effectually him. Whether it's escaping from Ahihiko Kayaba's death game, dealing with Laughing Coffin members in real life or diving into the Underworld every bit role of a job for a top-secret tech visitor, Kirito'southward conflicts are more often than not external reactions to what'south happening around him.

Alternative places a larger focus on internal conflict and balances it with the action-packed tournaments of the GGO world. As mentioned to a higher place, Karen struggles to socialize due to her height complex, and that desire to be someone else drives her to dive into VR. Her alter-ego Llenn is strikingly different not just in looks, but personality also. Aided by the confidence of being shorter and -- in her eyes -- cuter, she becomes much more outgoing, tenacious and opinionated when dealing with others.

This type of internal conflict extends to other cast members equally well, all of whose avatars wait completely different from their real-world selves. Whereas SAO characters generally await the same aside from hair colors, multiple characters inCulling are looking to the VR globe to give them something they haven't been able to find in the real world. This is why they craft avatars and personalities -- not just to be advantageous in a video game, but also to help give them an edge in their internal and/or existent-world pursuits.

Inferior: The Setting

The anime's total championship is Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online, and therein lies the problem: it'south shackled to that 1 specific VR world. While SAO is forever named later on its get-go arc, the story has constantly found clever ways to expand to other VR realms while also working in characters and details from the original death game. Alternative's full title, however, is then long and specific that information technology's hard to imagine the story always being able to leave the world of GGO.

This isn't necessarily a problem as long as future story arcs are able to creatively utilize the setting. So far the light novel series has largely focused on GGO events and tournaments, not mixing up the basic formula too much. Luckily, thanks to the characters being so different inside and outside of VR, in that location'southward enough of room for real-world character development should the anime continue for more seasons.

ThoughAlternative begins with a life-or-death struggle similar its famous counterpart, information technology's contained to a specific person. It feeds the series' overall more subtle approach to VR, its characters' identities and their real-world ambitions. Later stories may be held downwards by its GGO reliance, only there's more than enough material and multifariousness within the cast to let it shine individually. And really, who doesn't enjoy watching a short, pink bunny-eared girl running effectually massacring her adversaries?

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About The Writer

Joe Ballard (159 Manufactures Published)

Joe Ballard is an Illinois-based Editor for CBR and incurable anime lover. Anime was first injected into his veins as a teenager thanks to Dragon Ball and Yu Yu Hakusho airing on Toonami'southward Midnight Run. Since graduating from Illinois State with a BA in English, his journey has taken him from the music business to public relations to writing near anime and pop civilisation. He dreams of ane day trying every single dish shown in Food Wars. You lot can find him on Instagram @JoeBallard88 or reach out via electronic mail at joe.b@cbr.com!

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