OP2 Sequence

OP2: 「RESISTER」 by ASCA

「紅蓮の騎士」 (Guren no Kishi)
“Crimson Knight”

After last week’s lengthy exposition drop, I was excited to finally see some action! Also, sorry for the late post everyone! I was at Anime Los Angeles over the weekend and my body and liver have only just recovered. That said, let’s just dive straight into it!

For an episode that focused on combat, how can you not love how much empathy and characterization they provided to the Red Knight that’s been plaguing our characters for quite some time now? Looking back at the episode with fresh eyes, you have to love just how honorable Deusolbert was after being totally and undeniably defeated. As someone who was likely just as awesome before being converted into an Integrity Knight, I really hope that we’ll get to see more from him in the future. Besides it being a damn shame to lose a character that’s literally been here since the first episode, I’d love it if the story managed to utilize him in some surprise way that somehow catches Administrator off guard. So while it remains to be seen just what purpose he’ll serve in the future, I’m hopeful that something good will happen from Kirito and Eugeo leaving him alive.

Besides the (somewhat) quick battle, there wasn’t all that much new that happened this week. In lieu of that, I’m going to dive into a little bit of conjecture about Integrity Knights. Building off of what I’m hoping Deusolbert will do in the future, it starts to make you sick thinking about just how Integrity Knights are chosen. Considering how Administrator is doing everything in her power to prevent anyone from being able to overcome her power, I think it’s pretty safe to assume that she keeps an eye out for any powerful beings and converts them before they become a problem. For that matter, it wouldn’t surprise me if she has that creepy shadow head keeping track of things besides breaking the Taboo Index.

In any case, it looks like we’ll have to wait until next week before getting any solid leads. With two young girls (who are probably Integrity Knights or something similar) ready to take on our two leads, I’m hoping it’ll lead to Kirito and Eugeo gaining more information over whatever is going on within the halls of the central cathedral. See you guys next week!

 

ED2 Sequence

ED2: 「forget-me-not」 by ReoNa

Preview

7 Comments

  1. https://randomc.net/image/Sword%20Art%20Online/Sword%20Art%20Online%20Alicization%20-%2014%20-%20Large%2033.jpg

    Integloli Knights. 😀

    https://randomc.net/image/Sword%20Art%20Online/Sword%20Art%20Online%20Alicization%20-%2014%20-%20Large%2014.jpg

    Phantom Phoenix!

    Lastly, does the Perfect Weapon Control art require the one casting it to stand perfectly still (or at least in place)? He could have avoided Eugeo’s jump attack simply by sidestepping.

    Magnus Tancred
    1. Intrgrity Knights origin: Show Spoiler ▼

      When Kawahara first wrote the story as a web novel, the Integloli Knights were two boys. They were changed into girls when it was published as a light novel.
      About the Phoenix: A «Divine Object» is an item in Underworld that was created by converting an animal, plant or object which had gathered a large amount of resources (memories) into a high «Priority» item, usually via a high-ranking Sacred Arts ritual. Weapons of this class can be enhanced with the high-ranking «Armament Full Control Art» Sacred Art ritual that unlocks the true potential of the weapon. Divine Object weapons can only be used by people whose souls resonate with the weapon’s memories. An unknown Priority longbow with the ability to shoot powerful flaming arrows, capable of taking the form of a bird, when the «armament full control art» is cast on it. The longbow was created from a phoenix that lived in a volcano in the southern empire.
      “Don’t be naive! I will describe how to unlock the technique, but what sort of attack style you make with it is entirely up to you.”
      “Uh…what?! How come?!”
      “The core of Perfect Weapon Control is the Memory Release technique, but just chanting a sacred art alone is not enough. You must use your mind to imagine the unleashed form of your trusty weapon. In fact, it is this mental process of recall that is more crucial to your success than the Perfect Control technique itself. For it is the power of the imagination that forms the fundamental basis of the world—the ability to incarnate what you envision…”
      I started losing track of the meaning of Cardinal’s rapid-fire explanation partway through. In particular, I was uncertain whether the word incarnate was meant to be from the sacred or common tongue, but before I could ask her to elaborate, something prickled in the back of my memory.
      It was…yeah, two and a half months ago. As I kneeled before the loose petals of the tattered zephilia flowers in the garden of Swordcraft Academy’s primary dorm, someone—Cardinal’s familiar, the little black spider Charlotte—whispered to me. She too had mentioned that all sacred arts were nothing but a tool to refine and collect the power of imagination.
      I’d followed her suggestion and used my mind to envision the life energy of the four holy flowers in the nearby beds flowing into the severed plants. I didn’t say a single word aloud, yet green light ran through the air, enveloped the buds…and brought the zephilias back to life.”
      Eldrie’s sword: Show Spoiler ▼

      Eugeo’s Sword: Show Spoiler ▼

      Kirito’s sword: Show Spoiler ▼

      l.kostas
    2. He doesn’t need to stand still, nope. But he couldn’t have dodged it anyway because he didn’t know what Eugeos Art was and it’s a pretty nasty AOE. And besides,
      [possible(!) spoiler ahead]
      Show Spoiler ▼

      tOOL
  2. https://randomc.net/image/Sword%20Art%20Online/Sword%20Art%20Online%20Alicization%20-%2014%20-%20Large%2025.jpg
    I don’t know what to say, to see Integrity Knights be given false settings as their “past,” and their later actions are based on the “settings” that they are given. In a way, maybe future anime stories will be made like that where digital people are given a special “setting” and the said characters will gradually “create” a story based on the “roles” that they are given, like a Hero falling in love with a demon queen mainly because the two characters were “programmed” to perform whatever random action they need to do to fulfill their role.

    https://randomc.net/image/Sword%20Art%20Online/Sword%20Art%20Online%20Alicization%20-%2014%20-%20Large%2030.jpg
    Anime logic, even during intense fights, food stored somewhere, in your body, remains conveniently undamaged.

    Greed
  3. I am just curious how these two guys plan to fight a room full of Integrity Knights since they are rightfully struggling with just one at a time. Looking forward to seeing how they deal with that.

    Kurik

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