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Adult Swim's Toonami programming block aired the anime starting on July 28, 2013. The first season aired on Tokyo MX, tvk, TV Saitama, TV Aichi, RKB, HBC and MBS between July 8 and December 23, 2012, and on AT-X, Chiba TV and BS11 at later dates. The anime is produced by Aniplex and Genco, animated by A-1 Pictures and directed by Tomohiko Ito with music by Yuki Kajiura. The anime adaptation of Sword Art Online was announced at Dengeki Bunko Autumn Festival 2011, along with Reki Kawahara's other light novel series, Accel World. Again, this will not substitute for watching the first 2 cours of Alicization.Sword Art Online is an anime television series based on the light novel series of the same title written by Reki Kawahara and illustrated by abec. But it is most definitely not a 9 or an 8. Perhaps if SAO isn't the only media you consume and you don't memorize the sequence of events and key story elements, this can be helpful in enhancing your War of Underworld Experience. This recap episode may be for you, if you enjoyed the first 2 cours of Alicization and don't rewatch anime. You really can't get much excitement out of a recap that doesn't do something incredibly unique or creative. Enjoyment - Not sure what you're expecting from a recap that's shorter than the first episode. Character - Same old characters, nothing new, just scenes cut into a 24 min recap. They're not going to make a new soundtrack just for a recap so same as Alicization.
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I would have liked to see some revisions of blu ray quality or even redrawn scenes for a recap airing on SAO's 10th anniversary year, but alas nothing new. Story - they cut 2 cours into a 24 minute episode, it's not going to substitute for watching the anime, it's not that entertaining imo as to rewatching the entire first 2 cours, and it doesn't add anything new. I can't help but wonder why reviewers are putting up scores of 8, 9, or even 10s on a recap episode. There's nothing new, enhanced, or special about this recap and it doesn't substitute for watching this first 2 cours. If that sounds like an impossible feat, you're absolutely right. Retelling 24 episodes in a timeframe shorter than episode 1.
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