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Sword Art Online’s Strained Reception Among International Fans

Sword Art Online's Strained Reception Among International Fans

The popular Sword Art Online franchise is often considered the starting point for those delving into the isekai genre, possibly marking one of their first anime experiences.

With a highly acclaimed first season, the series quickly won over fans not only in Japan but worldwide. However, all the praise it received initially crumbled in the subsequent seasons, giving rise to a growing disdain for Sword Art Online.

Sword Art Online’s Strained Reception Among International Fans

Critiques abound, with some finding Kirito’s harem annoying, others believing the series declined after Kirito’s romance with Asuna. Certain controversial scenes, such as a perceived instance of incest, garnered widespread disapproval. Many firmly assert that Sword Art Online is not a good anime.

Sword Art Online's Strained Reception Among International Fans

A video circulating in Japan captured a channel interviewing people at an event. Two cosplayers, when asked about the worst anime they had seen, unequivocally named Sword Art Online.

View post on imgur.com

While opinions on the series’ quality are subjective, this sparks a heated debate among passionate anime fans, delving into the franchise’s positives and negatives. Japanese viewers, upon seeing the video, offered their perspectives and began exploring reasons why foreigners seem to dislike SAO:

  • “Even American otaku have a strange way of speaking.”
  • “I don’t understand what the Americans are saying.”
  • “Were MMOs not popular among Americans?”
  • “There isn’t convincingly a reason for Kirito to be popular.”
  • “The rape scene in Alicization was actually good.”
  • “Was it because the United States was considered an enemy?”
  • “Was there incest?”
  • “Incest, did that really happen?”

Notably, some comments highlighted controversial scenes in SAO, such as instances of abuse in certain seasons. Others mentioned the apparent “incest” between Kirito and his cousin Suguha as possible reasons for SAO’s lack of popularity among foreigners.

via Você Sabia Anime

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