Sword Art Online II "Zekken" Review

FULL EPISODE SPOILERS

Zekken! Asuna's mom! So much new! And both work so well. One I really like. One I like but it's that kind of like where you hate it happens to the character but understand that it's actually good development and drama.


This is the first episode of the "Mother's Rosario" arc, the final arc of the anime version of Sword Art Online, unfortunately. It makes me sad because I won't be reviewing it anymore, but it also makes me sad because I know what's coming and I'm still not ready for it. Sort of like Fate/Zero where right after the battle against Caster I just don't want to watch because I'm never in the mood for that kind of mental trauma. This is more sad, the other is just...dark.

Like I said last time, the arc focuses on Asuna and her trials/ tribulations with some of our newer characters. This episode in particular gives us one more than the other, but gives us insight into our new friend. She's a bundle of joy, let me tell you.

It's a well earned arc for Asuna and one that is much needed. Kirito had an arc that reshaped his character earlier in the season and both characters were shaped by the events of Season 1. So, it's only fitting that our female lead get an arc all for own, especially since she hasn't had much of a huge role in the previous two big ones.

The episode starts, in typical SAO fashion, with the ending of the previous episode before continuing the scene where Asuna wakes up in her room. It's a freaking sweet pad, too. The closet doors open automatically. For some reason I am marveled by that. I guess that's because my closet doors are almost always broken (because of the monsters in it, obviously). One thing that bugged me was that it's so cold in Asuna's room that she can see her breath. Uh, she's very much exposing herself to hypothermia. She should probably turn up the heat.

I don't know, maybe it's a throwback to last season when Kirito would play with the lights out and heat off while he was going through some emotional trauma, maybe it's just a thing. I can't say for certain. All I know is that it's rather stupid for her to not have the heat on.

She goes downstairs to have dinner and we meet her mother. Who is a complete and utter bundle of joy. I mean, she's so happy that she never smiles and she always berates Asuna and the decisions she makes! What a great person!

Basically this scene serves to show that it's actually Asuna's mom who is going to be the main opposing character to our lead this arc.

Wow, I just realized we went from Death Gun to Asuna's mom. What a letdown.

Anyway, Asuna's mom tells her about this new school she found that she's going to transfer Asuna over to so she can make the two years from SAO up much quicker and get into a good college. Asuna does not want that, since she is with her friends and the school she is at is fine. But her mom says it's a dumb ol' public school and there are no certified teachers and blah blah blah she's rich and she only wants Asuna to be like her and have money and marry rich even if the guy doesn't like her blah blah blah.

Yeah her mom is pretty one-note, but this contrast is something constantly hinted at in the series so it's good to finally see it come to a head. While she's talking it is rather evident that she does implicitly care for Asuna and wants the best, but of course the way she goes about it is almost completely wrong. She has little regard for what Asuna wants and what she thinks is right, instead going by whatever will inflate her wallet the most. Lame.

Her berating all of the SAO survivors at the school was also uncalled for. 4,000 people died and then several more were killed as a result a year later. It's a very relevant and touchy issue, particularly with someone who is both a survivor and whose closest friend just fought one of those murderers. No, not even that. Asuna and Kirito were both killed in SAO. HELLO!

And the mom is making fun of this? Making light of this? The only emotion she shows is when she is made fun of. The whole time she's putting Asuna down she's doing so with such cold ease that really makes you hate her. And it's clearly all her choice. She constantly says that it's both parents, but if that were the case, why was Asuna's father so warm and welcoming to Kazuto in the hospital? And it's not like the mother has had many great achievements. The last guy she tried hooking Asuna up with was a total creep and now this guy is some loser with money.

Meanwhile Kazuto is busily working on bringing a virtual reality program into the real world, and is making fantastic progress. But, nope, he sucks.

The scene is also deluded with symbolism, such as Asuna and her mother not looking at each other, the room being dimly lit, the candles constantly wavering as her mother tries to pick out flaws in Asuna's logic. Normally I wouldn't like it but in this case it works well. It's subtle enough to go unnoticed a first time through, but obvious to catch and instantly recognize the meaning.

Back in New Aincrad, Asuna meets up with Kirito and is about to tell him when she shakes it off, and they see another little bunny like the one Kirito took out and then brought to Asuna to cook back in Episode 8 of Season 1.

Yes, I remember exact episodes off the top of my head. Been doing this for seven weeks, gotta keep my head on a swivel for this kinda stuff.

When she sees hoards of people flying north/west, Asuna realizes it's time to fly, and she heads off. Upon arrival, they see one player get crushed when Zekken shows himself off. Or, rather, herself.

Yup, Zekken is the same hyper girl from the opening.

Which changed and I totally forgot to mention it so here we go: the song is still the same, and for the most part, the visuals are the same. There are just a few differences to show off the new girl, as well as the new guild we'll be hanging out with from time to time known as the Sleeping Knights. Basically, it's almost a copy and paste version of the old opening, but replace our normal heroes with this guild members, dashed by a little more of the new girl's spunk and bubbly personality.

Zekken asks for a new challenger as Asuna wonders how the heck Lis got her gender messed up. Good question. How the heck do you not notice this?

Asuna suddenly realizes something, and in the episode's funniest moment, asks Kirito if he let Zekken win because she was a girl.

Well, he didn't say no. But he didn't say yes. Kirito...ever the sly one.

Lis pushes Asuna into the ring and we find out that Zekken's real name is Yuuki. No, not like Asuna's. Thought I totally thought it was. Yuuki also refers to Asuna as "Big Sis" and I'm not sure where that comes from or if she just calls everyone that.

From the get-go you can tell that Yuuki is going to be a ton of fun. There's still that lasting image of her from the opening where she is all smiles and always jumping around. Here, she challenges people with a smile and has this face of determination that doesn't at all sacrifice the thrill of the fight. It's the right kinda attitude, one that shows a person has everything to live for.

They agree to have the duel solely on the ground, and the fight begins with Yuuki getting the advantage quick, surprising Asuna with a cut across the chest. Asuna regains her composure, and falls into her ready stance, immediately getting the advantage back from Yuuki and even surprising her. From there, the fight is pretty awesome.

It's extremely fast, to show the speed of both fighters, and very well animated, with nothing getting lost to the viewer. We can clearly see all the expressions and movements.

The fight also shows off how great a swordswoman Asuna is. She forces Yuuki to start using Sword Skills, something I doubt many had done prior to her besides Leafa and Kirito, which is great company to be in. She shows off incredible reflexes as she is able to deflect or at least lessen the blows that Yuuki shoots her way. It's also very clear that both fighters are giving it their all, so with the knowledge we have of Yuuki so far, an argument could be made that Asuna is the one that's put up the best fight out of everyone in the group. Nice.

However, all good things must come to an end. Asuna implores her usual quick attack, but it is shut down by Yuuki's Original Sword Skill, the 11-hit combo. Just before the finishing blow can be dealt, though, Yuuki calls off the duel and thanks Asuna for the fight, claiming she is just the one she's looking for before taking off with Asuna. The episode ends, thus, with Yuuki asking Asuna for help.

Well, talk about making fast friends. I guess dueling someone beneath a tree is a quick way to become besties? Gonna have to try that out sometime.

Anyway, this episode is pretty good. It's a good intro into the important characters and plot points we'll need to know about as we progress, as well as serving up a good intro for our newer characters in Asuna's mom and Yuuki. Both couldn't be any different, and this juxtaposition isn't at all hiding that this was done on purpose. I don't mind it. We get to see Asuna full extend her character, then, and grow from it by the end. I'm always down for that.

Tomorrow, we'll meet this Sleeping Knights guild as well as find out what it is that Yuuki needs help with! See you then.