Sword Art Online (SAO) has become a juggernaut in the isekai genre, transporting viewers to captivating virtual worlds with the legendary Kirito. Sword Art Online had one of the best story premises, but poor decisions led to its downfall as it subverted people’s expectations negatively.
The anime’s failure can be attributed to several factors, including Reki Kawahara’s limitations as a writer, though A-1 Pictures bears the main responsibility. SAO‘s director, Tomohiko Ito, openly admitted the anime’s shortcomings and credited his supportive staff for helping him navigate his own missteps.
Sword Art Online Director Reflects on Shortcomings and Leadership
The isekai genre is vastly explored, from Re: Zero to KonoSuba, but none has been more controversial than Sword Art Online. It is a science fiction anime franchise that takes viewers on a thrilling ride through virtual reality worlds.
Sword Art Online (SAO) has achieved massive notoriety worldwide, spawning multiple light novels, anime, and manga series, as well as games, movies, and much more. As per the critics, the story deviated from the horrors of living in a game-like world to literally overpowering Kirito or leading more into his edgy side, creating an unnecessary harem.
Amid all the criticism, SAO stands as one of the most successful and popular anime in the isekai genre. Interestingly, the anime director once revealed his initial reaction to the story, which left a less-than-ideal impression at first. He shared:
SAO has some teenager-type tales included in it, and since I’m the type of person who maintains a bit of distance away from how the characters feel, I wondered if it would go smoothly with me in charge. I think there’s two types of directors in this world: the type that snuggles close to their characters and the type, like me, who keep their distance.
SAO was one of the first mainstream series focusing on online gaming, VR, and many other technologies that would only become more relevant in the decades to come.
Ito expressed his deep appreciation for the immense support he received from his staff and his gratitude for their assistance. He said:
If I’m the latter, then the former would have to be directors like the storyboarders for episodes 22 and 23, Tatsuyuki Nagai-san and Tetsurou Araki-san. So I thought about taking a bit from the works that I had participated as an episode director under Nagai-san, and the answer I got was “various people have their own ways of doing something.”
SAO explores themes of survival, friendship, and the complexities of human interaction within a captivating virtual reality setting.
Tomohiko Ito revealed that after working under Nagi-san, he regained the confidence to stay true to his beliefs, rather than being fearful and not be afraid to express them. He shared:
Each director has their own style of directing, so I decided that if I were to be SAO’s director, then I wouldn’t be embarrassed while working on it. As we approached the final episode, I had already returned to my original way of thinking.
The series has taken fans to many new places over the years, but it all started with one of the most famous settings in anime; Aincrad. Interestingly, Sword Art Online Alternative Gun Gale Online is a spin-off series that takes place in the same universe as Sword Art Online but can be watched independently of the main series.
Amid SAO’s downfall, A-1 Studio’s Involvement in Solo Leveling Sparks Questions
The fall anime season may be in full swing, but Solo Leveling Season 2 is stirring up excitement online as 2025’s most anticipated anime. Solo Leveling‘s success in the anime world shows that manhwa, like manga, boasts compelling storylines and characters that, when adapted into anime, captivate fans and drive popularity.
With Season 1 garnering a huge fanbase, several fans have been curious about what to expect from the second season. Produced by A-1 Pictures, the anime adaptation started off a bit slow, but the action sequences made up for it.
A-1 Pictures, which handled the first season, will be animating the sequel, leaving fans a bit skeptical about the future of Season 2. Though the anime debuted with great fanfare, Season 1 convinced longtime followers that it might never live up to the manhwa’s legacy.
While it has only been out for a few days, the Season 2 trailer has already outperformed the Season 1 trailer, showcasing the series’ significant impact and popularity. Solo Leveling manhwa has garnered an immense reputation over the years; thus, the anime not living up to manhwa’s legacy did upset a lot of readers.
Though fans did hold high hopes for Season 2, the trailer didn’t showcase much improvement in its adaptation. It confirms that fans have lost faith in anime adaptations and no longer expect the production studio to match the manhwa’s legacy.
Sword Art Online and Solo Leveling are available to watch on Crunchyroll.
