Sword Art Online: Alicization | E17 and E18: I was looking for something GRAND.

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Alright, I’m going to be completely honest I was expecting something a little more epic than what I saw between Eugene and Bercouli Synthesis One.

Like when every other before we got to Bercouli was epic and very well animated. You would think that the battle itself would be outright epic, but instead, Eugene makes quick work of Bercouli, which was extremely disappointing. Like come on now, how can you go from epic fights to something like this? Also, why did Eugene decide to do something now and not when he was fighting alongside Kirito then they faced the other knights? I get that Eugene doesn’t have Kirito there with him so he has to carry his own. That I understand, but why save this ability for what was a lame-duck fight? Furthermore, I expected Bercouli to put up more of a fight because if you’re the first Integrity knight, (someone as powerful as Alice), how could you let yourself be beaten so easily? Especially when you decide to tell Eugene just how experienced and battle-hardened you were?

Like, you don’t go saying “I’ve fought everyone and never lost” and have a weapon called Time Piercing Sword which can cut opponents down in the future, only to lose to what pretty much was a tackle from Eugene. Maybe it was because Bercouli was in a robe and had just got up from the hot spring he was sitting in, so maybe he was a little too relaxed before the fight. But man, come on, I expected better.

As for Kirito.The harem building never stops for him. Even though I haven’t seen the future seasons, I do know for sure that Alice joins Kirito’s evergrowing harem and there’s no better time to join than now. I did find it extremely entertaining when Kirito kept calling Alice an idiot because it wasn’t something I would have expected for Kirito.

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It’s interesting that once these integrity knights have been given a stern talking to, how quickly their minds change on the situation. I guess that’s the product of the “Kirito effect”. Everything and everyone who comes in contact with Kirito almost always has a change in mind and will ultimately respect him one way or another. It’ll be interesting to see how Kirito manages to free Alice’s memories, maybe him talking them into existence is enough, but I think that would be too easy.

I’m looking forward to seeing what happens to Eugene and Bercouli now that the Prime Senator has frozen them both over. I’m also looking forward to Kirito and Alice’s next moves because it’ll set the stage for all the future seasons (I assume). Apart from the boring fight between Eugene and Bercouli, episodes sixteen and seventeen were alright. It could have been better, but I can deal with it.