Why SAO Abridged Is the Best Parody Ever

(WARNING: This video features heavy spoilers for SAO Abridged. If the title wasn't enough of an indicator, I highly recommend that you give it a watch if you're interested, but worried about spoilers)
Something Witty Entertainment has crafted an incredible Sword Art Online parody that completely outclasses the source material. Here is why, conceptually, I think that makes it the best parody ever.
One of my goals for this channel was to analyze an abridged series. This is me doing that.
Twitter: / mathwiz97x
My "main" channel (I make wrestling/gaming videos and whatnot): / mathwiz97x

[@MathWizHQ]

So I started doing these pinned comments to clarify my stance on these older videos like...a year ago, but I kept putting this one off because I knew it'd be time-consuming and I wasn't looking forward to it. This was the video that really launched my channel in its early days, and I remember being passionate about the subject at the time, so I do have some nostalgia for it, but ultimately, I think it's bogged down by a lot of meandering points, faulty logic - honestly, it's just not a framework I can see myself replicating today. I do think Something Witty did a great job with SAO Abridged, and it's kind of hard to talk about the parody's appeal without drawing comparisons to the original SAO, but in hindsight, I think other creators on the platform like Explanation Point and Ember Reviews have done a better job of capturing that appeal in more insightful ways. I guess I don't have much disdain for specific things I said, but rather it's the more general concept behind this video that I've since grown displeased with. First off, the whole "SAO is bad" narrative is something I had absolutely bought into around the time I made this, but that's not really true to how I feel now (and there was probably a degree of performativity to it back then also). I'm no SAO defender, but I don't think it's the worst thing to exist either. Truth be told, it doesn't interest me, which is why I pretty much never talk about it. I'd rather use my channel to talk about things that DO interest me, things that I AM passionate about. I'm generally not a fan of making content purely out of spite or disinterest, because I think that results in my worst work. Some people can make something constructive out of that, but I don't think I'm that kind of person. In this particular video, I feel like I could've made more of an effort to understand what the source material might've been going for, but instead I just played up the lack of understanding as bad writing. Maybe there's some truth to that, but I feel like a lot of these more negative "hot take" pieces tend to exaggerate a bit. So...yeah, I don't really vibe with the premise of this video anymore, but that's mostly because I think I can do better, which makes sense since I was still figuring this whole thing out back in 2017. I won't be deleting the video or anything (after all, if this video spread any misinformation, I kinda missed my chance to damage control that lol), but it doesn't sit right that this is one of my most popular videos and I have yet to post some sort of addendum to it on the page itself, so here's my piece. If you took the time to read this, even if you disagree with my criticisms of the video, I appreciate it. Anyway, here's the part where I point out specific nitpicks: 0:08 - "I'm not here to bash SAO" (proceeds to bash SAO) 1:04 - I guess there's some self-awareness here, I at least understood that I didn't have much to say about the original SAO, but dwelling on that for so long kinda undercuts the point. 10:15 - OH BOY, HERE WE GO. So a decent chunk of the comments here bring up DBZA and/or Hellsing Ultimate Abridged as the "true" best abridged series, and while it ultimately comes down to personal preference, the title of this video doesn't even reflect my own. I have a much more personal connection to DBZA, but I go on to say that SAO Abridged is a better parody because it improves upon the source material where DBZA doesn't, which...uh...that's not how that works?? Whether a parody "improves" upon its source is subjective, for one thing, but more importantly, I don't think that's necessarily what an internet abridged series should strive to be. You can't replace the original no matter how well-written your parody is, so just have fun telling whatever story you want to tell. This whole point was just me thinking I was slick in justifying a clickbait title, but looking back, it's not clever at all and there's actually a lot of holes in this reasoning, so much so that I'd have to completely deconstruct all the messy assumptions it makes, but I don't have the patience for that. 11:28 - Randomly throwing 2 shows under the bus with no explanation! THAT'LL ENHANCE MY POINT!! DO I SOUND SMART YET?? 12:13 - I don't think I've ever used "diegesis" in a script outside of this video. I'm in pain.

[@vexile12]

So what are your thoughts when he accidentally ripped out that item?

[@metalministershow]

To be fair, I know this video is old, but I was planning in tearing into it pretty hard, as it came across as yet another pretentious "sao iz werst show eva!!!!1!!!1!!!" I'm glad I chose to read your pinned comment first. Yeah, there is a ton of nuance that runs deeper in the original SAO that most people just don't expect and don't pick up on. I certainly didn't the first two times I watched it through. Don't get me wrong, SAOA is absolutely hysterical, and is by far the best parody series I've watched, bar none. It has it's own flaws (like how did the glitch not affect the beta testers since the only place a glitch like that should be able to occur is in the framework that would've been necessary to even run a beta. Unless they're claiming Kyoba(sp) started over from scratch after the beta.)but over all it's a fantastic parody and I can't wait for the next one to be released. So, TL;DR Good on ya for this pinned comment my dude.

[@angel_1]

Have you tried "a slap on titan" or "hellsing ultimate abridged TFS"?

[@bensupersaiyangodbrony71]

Second half of season 1 the alfheim arc was the worst part in my opinion the the first half and second half of season 2 we're good and so is season 3 Sao alicization and war of underworld are brilliant

[@grantshearer5615]

You gotta watch the last season. Just view it with a mindset of "what is SWE going to do with this gold?"

[@dexioptical5995]

Klein?who dafuq is klein?.............OHHHHH u mean BallsDeep69

[@MathWizHQ]

AH SHIT! I can't believe that I made that many typos! D:

[@mysterioustrainer4525]

Mathwiz97 lol its all good it's still a good video

[@rougecrown]

MY NAME IS KLEIN.

[@unrielistic]

Vu Viet Anh hi*

[@ebadhussaini7095]

+Vu Viet Anh Sure it is Ballsy

[@cortex5271]

Kirito: Do you think we got married too quickly? Asuna: Yeah, obviously Kirito: Yeahhh me too. Do you wanna stay together anyway? Asuna: Yeah, obviously Kirito: Yeah me too, was that the entire conversation? Asuna: I think it was! Kirito: THAT WAS SO EASY! Asuna: WE ARE SO STUPID! Kirito: Jeez, lets hope we dont have to sacrifice a small child every time we need to have a talk like this. Otherwise buying that orphanage may not have been a terrible investment.

[@Yuni-is-Schrodingers-Fox]

The best moment from the series. Hands down.

[@madmen677]

"Kirito,you look...young." "And you look less hairy,balls." "My name is Klein." "Heh heh. . .no,it's not."

[@karatexperience]

It gets better in SWE-MHAA where Klein is the one bullying Kirito.

[@aspecttnd]

@@karatexperience what even is swemhaa. It looks like “soo-wee-Mama abridged” lol WAIT IS IT Something witty entertainment My hero academia abridged I thought of that entirely on my own and I’m pumped 😂

[@karatexperience]

@@aspecttnd it is indeed.

[@rjoe3309]

"And that's why SAOA is the best parody ever." "Are you done? " "Yes. But the legacy of the pebble lives on."

[@delluminatis]

I get a feeling you get beat up a lot irl

[@immac8371]

Right..... Anyway, I've got a pizza coming, so... thanks for the quick tutorial on pigslaying, and the not-so-quick tutorial on.... rocks.

[@mrncode7957]

Hey, no problem. I had fun taunting you... BallsDeep69.

[@genderenigma8276]

@William Drushel Yea, yea. No, I gettit. So, your Pizza?

[@lunaria7067]

@@genderenigma8276 Hey total noob question but... How do I log out?

[@66Kusmu]

Klein? Who is Klein? I only know BallsDeep69.

[@thebritishbean.]

I hope if they do season 2 abridged kirito greats klein irl as balldeep69

[@LightningAsh]

The legend of *BallsDeep69*

[@odst1998ah]

The legendary FUCK...

[@NovaHorizon]

I was actually a little sad that when Kirito finally said "Klein" in the last episode, we didn't hear "HE KNOWS MY NAME!!"

[@26robertpiggott]

But that cause we already knew he did from the christmas episode though klein whispering "He said my name!" would have been priceless

[@frankieyuen9363]

'We need to save my family' 'the bandits are coming'

[@t.v.rockwell4504]

"Some of them even have fam... Gary."

[@namsuzaija8240]

so, who here has seen tron?

[@Midnight-Starfish]

*plays Scanners clips*

[@3oct1111]

"Winners don't do drugs, except steroids"

[@DarkFabled14731]

"Winners don't use drugs! Except Steroids, in which case, use lots of drugs!"

[@narikouzumaki3983]

*Kirito :* But, I got good news! You see there's no need to wonder where your god is! Cause he's right here! *and he's fresh out of mercy* *Random man : cries* I LITERALLY HAD THIS AS MY RINGTONE 😂😂😂😂

[@JustinStrife]

Everytime I see that clip I still crack up. Is there anyway you'd share the ringtone?

[@manuelernesto7713]

Shikamaru, is that you?

[@Fishybpp]

i need that as my ringtone

[@narikouzumaki3983]

@@JustinStrife totally late but there's an app called Zedge and it has a lot of ring tones and wallpapers. Just look up SAO

[@xShadowNinjaEX]

One of the best lines I've heard.😂

[@SSDARKPIT]

In an alternate Universe, SAOA is the official English Dub of the anime.

[@user-ey3jx2je4i]

What do you mean alternate

[@cjbladesworth8049]

L multiverse theory

[@xotekkx]

@@cjbladesworth8049 twas a joke. He was saying this is the universe lol

[@MustacheDLuffy]

Yeah, that’s in the alternate universe where America makes anime and Japan watches a lot of it on crunchy and Hulu and buys all their products

[@volition142]

Saoa the flagship of 4 teens entertainment

[@shadowstorm2.099]

This video was sponsored by the Kirito is Always Right Foundation

[@lolz8bit]

The grand reopening

[@funnyfox204]

XD

[@bretsheeley4034]

*humf* I was more a fan of the Foundation BEFORE they reopened.

[@DeusExMarina]

@@bretsheeley4034 Oh let me guess. You prefer their early work.

[@warrynfullagar745]

Christophe Giroux So what if I do?

[@pumpkingamebox]

"Why did you create this game?" "Pfft. Idk" "Seems legit"

[@l.c.s6732]

~hjdks~

[@cobaltcat4227]

That will surely hold up in court

[@panicingpilotsatthechemica8283]

Is that from sao in 5 minutes

[@idkrandomweebgamer693]

@@panicingpilotsatthechemica8283 yea

[@Youthinasiaa]

Sao in minutes reference but not abridged ok cool

[@hungerbunger5985]

First episode: "How many of you have seen Tron? Wait no one? Really?" Last episode: "So you have seen Tron!" My favorite part of the whole abridged is when they quiz each other as movie buffs haha

[@nevergivingup3434]

The movie quotes thing is probably smarter than anything in the actual show.

[@lolbuster01]

It's the exact kind of dick measuring contest that you'd expect from internet neets

[@matilozano96]

What I love about the Sachi episode is that sets up jokes that have a punchline way later in the series The best one’s in Kayaba’s rant in the end of the season, when he says “Everyone’s dying left and right and your tutorial NPC is nowhere to be found”. He’s talking about one of the NPCs in Kirito’s guild; that guy’s incompetence in the game was indirectly responsible for hundreds of deaths. It’s hilarious.

[@Valnotersc]

It's a feature that is frustratingly missing from SOA (and many other anime): characters that have an impact way down the line.

[@mr.cup6yearsago211]

Exactly. I love how they establish Fluffles in episode 2, and WAAAAY later on we figure out he’s the leader of the mob who attacked Kirito in like, episode 3, as well as a commander of the Blood Oath knights. I also love how in the murder mystery episode, we have that laughing coffin member doing the whole “killing for Jesus” shtick, but after several rewatches, I realized this is actually the same guy that was in episode 2, who saw a hallucination of Jesus that asked him to kill everyone. My personally favorite is Rosalia telling Kirito that him cutting her throat is the deepest he’ll ever be in a woman, which is then called back too when Kirito says “SUCK IT ROSALIA!” While banging Asuna, which promptly gets his shit kicked in, because Asuna’s a yandere bitch.

[@RNJ142]

Also litereally any time fault is mentoined

[@zenbozic6184]

"i sure as hell ain't gonna die on you like that dumb bitch sally" "s-sachi" "shhh, it doesn't matter, she's dead now"

[@snivyfrpresident509]

You mean Versachi

[@Skallva]

You forgot one thing. The fact many characters get a lot more screen time in general. Remember the guy in the episode 2 who could hear Jesus' voice? He became the leader of Laughing Coffin. Also, remember the army commander who had spanish guitar string accompanying his voice? Remember his strategy of "hit it 'till it dies?" Sounds familliar? Not to mention the cat player who is basically a running gag in the series. SAOA does so much more with its side characters, and thanks to this it makes the world feel so much more alive.

[@shaelynmartin1996]

YEAH! Didn't he end up being the leader of Laughing Coffin? XD I'm like 99% certain that was legit, considering the references they make to it despite never out-right stating so.

[@Skallva]

+BlazeBNFire The question mark there was a typo, lel.

[@shaelynmartin1996]

KZbin glitched out on me so I couldn't hit the "Show More" button. I thought your comment ended on "Remember the guy in episode 2 who could hear Jesus' voice." XD But yeah. Someone else also mentioned the guy in the second episode (The "I want to hear more about this Final Solution" guy) ended up being Grimlocke. If I'm not mistaken actually, every single person who speaks in that second episode at some point or another end up having a role later in the series.

[@Skallva]

And that's great. Who doesn't love more continuity?

[@MonkeysxMoo]

Lisbeth even got more than a single sentence during her appearance in episode nine. She literally said one thing then that was all we saw of her until the end of the arc when Kirito's blue shards are floating over the sky and everyone looks up.

[@ThePhiRexian]

"DO IT, SACHI!" ..ahh.. we're gonna pretend that didnt happen.

[@aisir3725]

When changing one word enough to make Sachi's more impactful than all of events in original

[@jobplace5842]

ok? ok. okay? O K!

[@anhilliator1]

3:18 Klein/BallsDeep69: "I get the feeling you get beat up a lot in real life." Kirito: "SHADDUP! HERE I HAVE POWER!"

[@ReigoVassal]

Kirito: He call me an asshole *while running away and crying

[@levilion4267]

See, I don't want SAO to die out. Not because I like it, but because I want the abridged series to continue

[@MikeDoesRandomThings]

Fortunately , they are continuing to season 2

[@Supersoup42]

Isnt this arc just half of season one? SAO is weird.

[@GamaerDaPie]

Supersoup42 SWE called the first 11 episodes as the 1st season for SAOA. But for the actual series this is half a season

[@AHass-kf4oq]

the SAO crew are now helping a channel named *BlazingAzureCrow* making Bleach (S) Abridged and Digimon abridged and Fate Stay Night Unlimitade Blade Work abridged series, and i gotta say, it's fucking hilarious, check them out.

[@darthutah6649]

don't worry, it all falls apart after season 1

[@blackspiral7708]

Actually you're wrong about Something Witty being fans of SAO, Something Witty actually hates SAO and they made this abridged series with the intention of making a better version (they succeeded).

[@XanderVJ]

Aaaah... No. When they started out they liked the Aincrad arc. I don't know if they changed their opinion later on, but that's not what they set themselves out to do. Plus, the kind of humor the Abridged series has doesn't feel like it comes from hatred. If that would be the case, it would be far more mean spirited.

[@MathWizHQ]

Even if they aren't fans of SAO itself, they at least have an appreciation for what SAO was trying to do or could have done. People usually don't try to make something better if they don't care about it.

[@Wildcard-Jack-47]

Mathwiz97 what if they care about the fans not the anime huh

[@chaserandalow8548]

actually, one of the two main writers for SAO abridged and voice of the abridges kirito, YamatoSFX (of which, might i add, isnt a fake voice he does. The voice YamatoSFX uses for kirito is YamatoSFX's actual natural voice) revealed in a video where he was guest starring for TFS gaming that before and in the beginning phases of planning for SAO abridged, he actually did like SAO. However, after looking more in depth at the plot, character interactions, and overall script for the abridge planning, he soon found just how much of a piece of shit the series is. This is also why you'll find in later episodes of the abridged series they begin to shit on all the plot holes and stupidity of the original series, while initial episodes more so just supplied funny jokes to go along with concepts. However, im glad to see they are sticking with the abridged series, despite their new found hate for the original, as i understand (such as the case for tfs) a lot of the drive for making an abridged series is a general love for the original. Something Witty Entertainment has done wonderful work so far and i am very excited to see what they do with the next few arcs and how they plan to fix those dumpster fires.

[@escotanner]

Black Spiral I um...ninth this(?)

[@FallenPasha]

Original reason for trapping thousands of people in a death game was brilliantly mocked in Abridged. Seriously, how unsatisfying is learning that thousands of people died and the ones to survive but have spent years trapped in a game was "I dunno, whatever". It's a slap in the face!

[@seelcudoom1]

its worse becasue even if your trying to come up with a serious answer for why someone could do it theres a thousand more believable motives, hell they dont have news from the outside world, they could pull a twist that kaiaba was actaully a good guy and the "kaiaba" in game was a disgruntled employee out to ruin him, or hell, its an ai programmed to create endless challenged for the players gone off the rails

[@caav56]

@@seelcudoom1 Cardinal system taking an in-game avatar of Kayaba and locking him out of the loop, while going balls to the wall with its own understanding of its purpose and considering hijacking admin account as a best way to achieve it? Not too bad of an idea. By the way, in this version, Yui can be an emergency AI, hastily programmed by Kayaba to give him some perspective into the game without alerting the Cardinal system to his presence, as well as help players to survive the death game a bit better.

[@aaroncabatingan5238]

The best part is that it unintentionally became a criticism of Japan's work culture.

[@newspaper1868]

My favourite scene is from ep 10 Yui: but that all changed when I found you two K&A:aww Yui: the most broken sociopathic players I had ever laid my eyes on. Less people and more a lose combination of character defects Kirito: that kinda went in a different direction

[@lelouchyagami703]

A quantum supercomputer, calculating for a *thousand* years could not even *approach* the amount fucks I do not give

[@likogail8803]

Lelouch Yagami Oh god I loved that

[@shylemon2882]

BMC?

[@leaderofcommunistchina1427]

i actually laughed at that thankyou

[@calebbritannia6283]

Still more successful then your rebellion LuLu

[@leaderofcommunistchina1427]

?

[@Mattdew]

"I CAN BUILD A ROBOT SO WE COULD DO FAMILY THINGS LIKE WALKING IN THE PARK." i almost cried

[@FallenPasha]

I really love the ending when Kirito said "I love you" and Asuna replied with "I know". It was beautiful, absolutely beautiful!

[@benjamericana1088]

It's awesome that Asuna is the Han Solo in that scene @@FallenPasha

[@isabellagust6305]

"AS IF YOU COULD BUILD A ROBOT"

[@moonlight.z6543]

I _did_ cry

[@simonenoli4418]

@@moonlight.z6543 i was bawling my eyes out worse than Kirito that scene. and even after rewatching it many times it still kills me.

[@kuninosenso8241]

I'd have to say that my favorite part of SAO abridged was the whole marriage arc between Kirito and Asuna. It was comedy gold to see into their minds during those scenes and show their over-the-top decisions to show up the other and get them to break facade first, including buying an *entire orphanage*

[@Fishybpp]

Kirito: if we have to sacrifice a small child every time we need to have a conversation then maybe buying the orphanage wasn't such a bad investment

[@ghostlydude6478]

Asuna : *Giggle* Jesus Christ kirito that’s horrible!

[@mariogonzalez233]

“We would like to buy one child please.”

[@AshdorCrush9000]

@@mariogonzalez233 "Ma'am, we would like to buy your orphanage!?"

[@deadline6149]

"Irony, noun: A state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often amusing as a result. Example: Your leader is named Thinker, yet he appears to be something of a dullard" *Drops mic*

[@Corsharkgaming]

Holy shit they turned Suguha into a pretty damn good character.

[@bahrinadrian5072]

Kirito's sister is Kirito's Kirito

[@anothergamer112]

The best part is how they completely removed the incest bullshit by having Suguha learn who Kirito is right away and immediately has a tantrum over it because "Jesus fuck, I said my brother has a sweet patootie!"

[@floricel_112]

I disagree. They turned her into an utter btch....more please

[@OG_Kurosaki]

@@anothergamer112 EXACTLY somebody gets it

[@Gaius453]

4 years later and you're right.

[@Pit_Icarus]

All in favor of claiming SAO Abridged being the canon series say "I".

[@hughg.rection1421]

I

[@god3569]

"D" Sorry failed kindergarten 6 times.... Idk the alphabet yet....

[@spam_1224]

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

[@krazydemon7526]

Eye!

[@Pit_Icarus]

It's was kind of the point.

[@thedeerking7220]

My favorite thing about SAO abridged is how they made a deeply flawed relationship built on what is basically hatred and somehow made it both endearing and cringe worthy at the same time. Like seriously, after they get married try to watch anytime they call each other Honey and try to go "Awwwwwwww" while also retreating into your own face.

[@trequor]

Most realistic dramatization of teen romance ever of all time

[@bibbobella]

@@trequor Yeah their little petty power fights and not wanting to admit they made a mistake is fucking amazing. The fact they slowly learn how to actually communicate and open up to eachother.. It isn't just realistic teen romance it is realistic romance period. Doesn't matter how old you get..newly in love people are fucking awful yet also adorable to see.

[@ChaoticNeutralMatt]

Hatred? Or pure manipulation?

[@squatchhammer7215]

"My wife punches me while we are having sex! "

[@TheEverydayGamer1000]

My favorite part had to have been when Kurito's and Asuna's voices in their heads were arguing with each other when they started talking about getting married, not only did those voices fit their personalities and was realistic due to everyone having their voice inside their head that you can make argue or yell or whatever but it was downright hilarious. I cant wait to see more.

[@thomasallen9974]

That 1 minute start was such comedic gold, I had to pause to laugh often and even replay it.

[@sparkydoodle696]

mike sixx I DONT KNOW

[@Alphadog2064]

I know I'm late but if you turn on subtitles at that point, they're labeled with right and left brain

[@Oxygen1004]

@@Alphadog2064 also if you are wearing headphones you can hear what side is talking

[@louisduarte8763]

"It's like what Mom always said, 'It doesn't matter if you're wrong, dig in your heels and don't give an inch of ground!'" "Is that why Mom and Dad are getting divorced?" "No time to unpack all that now!"

[@lukewood7341]

"You see, the problem with that is... It's an excellent idea and I wish I had thought of it 2 years ago."

[@MisterA744]

*Hands award for analyzing an abridged series You did good, you deserve this

[@fluffyrat4440]

Couldnt have been difficult since it was so good

[@Jamie-dq8fu]

*in jack dapper voice* Congratulations Mathwiz97 You get a cookie

[@lordblueballs7293]

You get a star sticker for your abridged series

[@CalamitasDeus]

So you're aware, SWE noticed you and said this video was "flattering" on their Facebook.

[@MathWizHQ]

Thanks for pointing that out! I probably wouldn't have realized that otherwise.

[@jeckjeck3119]

Hellsing abridged rivals SAO abridged and vice versa. Agreed?

[@silviogrijalva8801]

CalamitasDeus they are so cool

[@asora6790]

I want SAO to continue so SAO abridged has more material to work with

[@candlelighter1588]

Don’t worry there’s still the rest of Alicization to adapt into anime

[@MsWinxmusa]

Hahahahaha

[@ilikeoranges8784]

Austen Lochrie and war of underworld

[@18Hongo]

The abridged version is releasing an episode per year right now. Even if SAO never makes another episode, SWE has plenty of material to work with.

[@Adonteon21]

Yeah, they are about 4 seasons behind. It could die now and we would have 10 years of slow work.

[@Mytorturedsenses]

Here's why kirito beat SAO Actual kirito: to save my friends SWE kirito: they need to praise me

[@lukedeakin7124]

Actually in both it is to save his friends the difference being that ib the abridged there is a whole level of growth from the beginning to that point that isn't in the original

[@Mytorturedsenses]

R/woooosh

[@guywithglasses5309]

@@Mytorturedsenses r/foundthemobileuser

[@rajab2347]

@@guywithglasses5309 Noice

[@JyujinPlus]

Oh yeah and remember that whole arc about Kirito and Asuna getting married? How that was dumb and rushed in the original, and while it was too fast for their relationship in SAOA, that fact was part of the plot line. While SAO just had them be married, SAOA had them quarrel and manipulate each other and dodge around the other when they suggest not wanting to be married. And while their quarreling inadvertently brings them closer together, when they reach the bottom of the barrel, they both say it was too fast. That was way WAY better than the original. And Kirito's remark about the orphanage in that scene was both funny as a joke for us, and charming to add a bit of something redeemable to the snarky version of him from this show

[@brandonr3072]

Commander Buizel Bedwell well actually, a rushed, poorly thought out marriage actually makes sense given the context of what's happening. in your case you live in relative safety. there's a good chance that you'll still be alive a week from now but in SAO they spent every waking moment wondering when they would die. under high tension situations like that abrupt decisions concerning love are common.

[@Rashed-ep3uq]

I'd also like to add that they played it off so well making it look like a teenager's decision where they just decided on a whim and then quickly regretted it but because they are so damn stubborn non of them would admit that it was a mistake... God the writers are geniuses

[@peter-rl8ox]

I would like to buy one child please

[@danielc.santana5117]

Brenda Baker I’ll take a 12 pack please

[@peter-rl8ox]

daniel c.santana can we buy the orphanage?

[@ShallBePurified]

I never watched SAO, but SAO Abridged was really good. I have no intentions of ever watching SAO, but now everything I know about SAO will be from the abridged series so...

[@HappyPotat]

It's not as bad as everyone makes it out to be, it's just not as amazing as everyone else makes it out to be. I give it a 5/10 for being entertaining if not a littler too stale. I'd recommend it only if you have nothing better to watch or if you're recovering from a feels heavy show and need a cold shower.

[@KnightGamer724]

Agreed. It blew my mind when I first watched, but then I watched FMA:B and Fate/Zero, and now I can judge SAO a little more balanced. I would actually recommend the books, mostly for the inner monologue makes everything better.

[@peelslowly28]

TheHappy_P0tat0 Eh the movie was decent and there is some promising potential in the 3rd season so idk, maybe everyone will change their minds, maybe but probably not

[@557deadpool]

Yami the movie sucked

[@557deadpool]

TheHappy_P0tat0 how's it feel to lie through your teeth

[@halt1931]

Not just a bold claim... it's underlined too

[@halt1931]

Do you really still check the comments after a year?? That’s... pretty impressive.

[@anothergamer112]

"The first thing I realized was 'why would a ghost need a teleport crystal?' The second thing I realized was 'Oh shit, window." -Kirito, episode 7 Seriously though, the assassin group leader and the one who killed his wife who didn't die in the original but were killed her made things all the more satisfying. As horrific as it my be for me to say this, I truly believe some people don't deserve to live. Seeing Kirito slice the assassins throat or hearing the misogynist getting pummeled to death offscreen made me go "THANK YOU!" because letting them walk away would mean they would kill more people!

[@emblemblade9245]

"I never got the idea that dumb character choices to advance the plot are a bad thing." I want to hug you for saying that. And yeah, one thing that really set SAOA apart for me was all the great meta-jokes in regards to gamers, MMOs, and the culture around them. Right at the very start, Kirito sees a bunch of ads and is given the choice to purchase a stupidly expensive ad block, and that just sets the tone for the great jokes that follow.

[@dechskaison2497]

My favorite thing about SWE's version is the foreshadowing they do with Kayaba's character. SWE gives you a chance to figure out that Heathcliff is Kayaba because of the movie quotes.

[@Anti-HyperLink]

Dechs Kaison I don't think that's foreshadowing. As soon as he said "So now you've seen Tron", I knew the twist was coming. I suppose that's foreshadowing, just light.

[@curtistyrrell6589]

Anti-HyperLink well he had a few movie references before that one. While its not the best foreshadowing considering what they had to work with it is impressive.

[@eldorados_lost_searcher]

"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room!"

[@I_like_pi_]

Most important trees in the show: Season 1 has the Fabled Word Tree of Gamagorath. Season 2 has the math tree.

[@CeaerCeaer]

Dear god I love the math tree

[@KnightMinson]

Oh my God.... 4!

[@darkgachamaker573]

The math tree is the support the official release dude in 13 or 14

[@jonathansmith114]

"Which begs the question: WHY AM I STILL HERE!?"

[@moonlight.z6543]

That scene was AMAZING. Like, seriously, whatever Kirito said about humans were all real. It gave me a huge shock, to be honest. That's why I love sociopaths...

[@redrosedust]

DAAAAAAMMMNNNIIIITTTT!!!

[@sewershaman3280]

Moonlight .Z holy fuck of course you have a playlist called "tokyo ghoul"

[@bradtucker5170]

EPISODE 12 IS OUT NOW. Yui: i wanted to know what love is, i wanted you to show me. Azuna: Damn Foreigner... Kirito: You mean the band... right?? Favourite scene.

[@gamingindra9970]

Brad Tucker psh episode 13 is out

[@angelocrespo5523]

Gaming Indra I can’t wait to say episode 14 is out

[@NaJk93]

EPISODE 14 IS OUT NOW

[@sparkydoodle696]

Angelo Crespo too late

[@angelocrespo5523]

Sparky Dood damn it

[@jayhill8892]

Sword Art Online is one of the few Abridged series that actually works. The voice acting is good, the writing significantly improves on the source material and the changes that are made make it an absolutely fantastic show in its own right. Something Witty Entertainment definitely deserves their kudos for making possibly the best Abridged series in its own right. TFS is still the king of Abridged though, with DBZ Abridged, Hellsing Ultimate Abridged etc.

[@tsuki7845]

Jordan Hiller LittleKuriboh is the king of Abridged, though. I would call TFS the prince.

[@jayhill8892]

I started watching it but got distracted. I'll have to give it a try since TFS can't do their Attack on Titan parody. Not sure how Slap on Titan managed to get around that.

[@86Fallowcp]

Jordan Hiller They fucked up everything, then tried to re-unite the fucked up things in a mediocre way and Slap on Titan was created. God, Armin is so fucked up.

[@silviogrijalva8801]

Jordan Hiller attack on titian abridged is awsome

[@dank_smirk9971]

Jordan Hiller and the amount of editing, SWEET SATAN the ENORMOUS amount of editing!

[@twiggythetorterra9643]

Klein: I’ll clap for you with my teeth buddy! *clack clack clack clack*

[@victorgomez4827]

Good taste in pokemon my friend

[@twiggythetorterra9643]

Victor Gomez thanks!

[@Kyrious]

I loved the reviving dragon part. Instead of it being one flower it’s 50 of them and it’s much more tedious which is so much more like a mmo.

[@quiksilver259]

and the fact that the dragon ended up not being revived cuz time ran out was amazing

[@simonenoli4418]

@@quiksilver259 i loved also that the lil loli went on a rampage in the afterscene

[@SyphistPrime]

SWE did an outstanding job. I loved how they kept bringing back core points of previous plots rather than focusing what was in front of you 2 minutes ago like the original. Watching all 11 episodes of the first arc satisfied my desire of a better story in the SAO universe, which had so much potential.

[@insomniac6079]

Syphist Prime.

[@DeltaPhoenix180]

As a premise, SAO was pure gold... what actually happened was just soooo much wasted potential. One reason I think this abridged series worked so well is that the premise behind the story is so strong, it was just implemented waaaaaaaay better.

[@bibbobella]

Hell I still remember that "STAY SACHI!" Yell when he is fighting the dragon and then his "Okay we will just pretend that didn't happen..okay? okay!" and ofcourse his reaction to listening to the story about her dead guild despite it being for mostly laughs. It was amazing and actually had me suprised by how deep that was compared to the real show. It was actually a bit sad to see and I fucking loved it

[@idkwhatishouldwritehere.]

episode 12 is out ^^

[@SasukeUchiha723]

It was the mermaid mafia all along

[@CesarRodriguez-ht4oq]

Holey shit i knew it

[@jamesboyd437]

No they had a feud going with the unicorns so it cant be them

[@Swingset25]

@Casswury no the mermaid mafia was merely paid in leprechaun gold. The puppet master is unknown, however the unicorns are exonerated due to the fact they have had a fewd with the mermaids for years.

[@Darth_Revan770]

Wait what if it was The Pegasus Clan all along

[@aj-eu5ly]

They were bribed with leprechaun coins!

[@genesisfunes7551]

Dont forget that with the addition of the second season, even if it's only like 3 episodes, it adds even more depth to kiritos character since we see that the reason hes like this is because of his relationship with suguha, seeing her bully him with same kind of humor and attitude that he had in the first few episodes make u realize that's why hes an asshole. In fact with the new release of the 14th episode we get a scene where as leafa she goes to explain about the game to kirito and begins with "for you see a long time ago" (smth along those lines), a parallel to the infamous story he tells balls in the first episode. We see hes a bully because he takes what she does to him and uses it in the game to feel power

[@Teeh608]

"Hey GARY! Long time no see!" "We must save my- AHH!" "Yeah! Bet you didn't expect to see ME again, did ya' punk?!" "WE MUST SAVE MY FAMILY!" "You left us to die you Bastard!" "WE MUST SAVE MY FAMILY!" "THIS IS FOR SACHI! Choke on it! Choke on my vengeance! How does it taste?!" "We must- ARGH- save my... family-" 'Kirito laughing psychotically while repeatedly stabbing Gary' Ahh, one of my favorite scenes.

[@danfelder8062]

SAO Abridged isn't just better than the original, it's better than most good anime. Kirito and Asuna are both fascinating, their character growth both exceptional and unusual (two sociopaths becoming people), and episode 10 is one of the most hilarious and heart-rending episodes of anything I've seen.

[@MathWizHQ]

Ehhhhhh, I wouldn't go that far. If you want to start comparing the abridged series to other anime, you've got a LOT of competition to deal with. I think SAOA does a great job with its characterization, but so do most good anime.

[@danfelder8062]

By "good" anime, you may be setting the bar at a different place than I am. By "good" I mean above average and worth watching. I would say most good anime don't have great characterization or tightly paced growth arcs to begin with. They usually have good characterization, though rarely as unique as what we see in SAOA, and fresh takes on classic ideas. Naturally the greatest examples of the medium stand head and shoulders above SAOA (Fullmetal Alchemist and so on). But put SAOA on a level playing field against the mass of anime in a given year, and you've got a series that could easily stand above the average line when it comes to quality of writing and raw enjoyment factor. If I was ranking good anime as 7/10 and great anime at 9.5/10, I'd put SAOA as a solid 8 for the series (though episode 10 itself I'd rank 9.5). Considering the sharp limitations of the source material and limited resources of the team, this is simply staggering. This statement holds up well too, as I've introduced the show to both people who have never watched the original (like myself) and people who have hated it. Both thoroughly enjoy this abridged series on its own merits as a show, and often choose to watch it over other original anime series when given the opportunity. Abridged series have no inherent value when you've got a crunchyroll subscription and have no added attachment to the source. They're just anime at that point. I also have to admit, one reason I rank the show so highly is because of the unusual nature of Kirito and Asuna as characters. Dysfunctional sociopaths with hearts of gold are comparatively rare and very, very difficult to execute well. A romance between two such characters is even more unusual. A romance between the two that actually works as a love story, and isn't *just* played for laughs I've never actually seen before. I think of anime like Boku no Hero Academia merely competent in their characters, as the protagonist is basically one-dimensional (and something we've seen a lot before in various clothing). He's a guy who wants to be a hero but has doubts about himself. That's basically the extent of his relevant character, and we've all seen a bunch of versions of this before. At a glance you know the extent of who this person is, while Kirito is a far more complex creation. The way the wrinkles in these characters are presented, particularly with respect to Asuna, are simply excellent. The inner monologue war of episode 10 is also something I've simply never seen done so well before in an anime. TLDR: SAO:A has more entertainment value, deeper characters and more original ideas/presentation than most anime I'd consider worth watching (and 'worth watching' is my cutoff for 'good').

[@Anti-HyperLink]

Dan Felder Because of Yui?

[@trequor]

I didnt even think of how often creators fail to pull off that kind of romance. It is so common and normally cringeworthy in execution. In fact I might call Kirito/Asuna from SAOA the best example of their character types. Two horrible people learning to care about each other and humanity WITHOUT losing their personality. Very difficult to do and very satisfying when done right

[@atena1844]

The story had a central theme and message around it as well, although a bit absurd at first the abridged series focuses on the stuipidity of humanity and how Kirto looms in like a god. Throughout the story he constantly shits on humanity but as the story progresses he slowly comes to endear to them

[@aceotaku]

it helps he sees some good people who aren't shitheads...thouh arguably asuna's actuall as bad as kirito

[@thewerdna]

Which is why their relationship is more believable here than in the real thing: they are the two single most sociopathic players in the game after all.

[@nalthanzo4648]

Very true. To be honest, I actually like SAO a lot, but that's mostly because I'm a huge video game stat nerd. The only reason I ever picked up the anime in the first place was because I heard just how good the Abridged version was, and I wanted to know the original to have a comparison. SWE turned this anime into a GOLD MINE OF HILARITY, putting the original to shame, but I do give credit to Reki Kawahara for creating the anime in the first place. I can't wait till SWE gets to GGO and especially the Yuuki Arc. So much needs to be improved.

[@atena1844]

huh, i thought gamers would be especially frustrated with the show cuz of its broken game mechanics and how sao (the game) is a nonsensical mess.

[@nalthanzo4648]

I will admit that Kirito's OP status throughout the entire series was a bit annoying, but I kinda liked him being that overpowered when he moved to Alfheim. There were a lot of missed opportunities and confusing plot points, but overall, it made an excellent canvas for SWE.

[@shuhratkessikbayev8886]

"Oh look at me, I'm Kayaba Akihiko, I have like an invincible shield that can block any attack and also like a super sweet sword that deals infinity +2 damage and can cut through anything, even like Wolverine claws and shit, because I am awesome and cOooOl." ... "Truly, you are the voice of a generation."

[@USAFreewayROTF]

Dude 1: "Hey, you're not a girl!" Dude 2: "And you're not 17!" Dude 1: "I'm ok with this!" Dude 2: "Me too!" Some dude in crowd: "LOVE KNOWS NO GENDER!" ------------ BallsDeep69: "You look so... young." Kirito: "And you look less hairy, Balls." BallsDeep69: "My name is Klein." Kirito: "Aha, no it's not."

[@thomaskilmer]

"The act of staying awake for three weeks at a time might not be relatable" HahahahahahahAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Oh dear. You've never done a thesis have you? That was very, very relatable.

[@Dracon350]

Amusing, but really staying awake for 21 consecutive days is quite honestly beyond human physicality. It's been a while since I last saw it, but I remember watching a video over a man who stayed up for 11 days in a row. He was asked to begin counting to 100, reach 17, stopped, and when asked why he stopped he said he had forgotten what he was doing. Staying awake for 3 days in a row is a struggle in and of itself, let alone 21. Your body and mind literally can't cope with the stress and lack of energy with that much missed sleep. Your mind would bow first, but the body wouldn't be far behind it.

[@r.henryjr.1533]

@@Dracon350 In the context of "in-universe", he was probably exaggerating.

[@SasukeUchiha723]

Also, the relation of Kirito and Asuna are well displayed and written too. I actually "felt" something between them in the abridged series

[@unclaimedusername6608]

Man let me tell you about this fucking abridges series. During the last episode of the first season, there's a part where Kirito is crying his eyes out and says "I haven't said this out loud, but I love you Asuna!", and to that Asuna replies "I know". The thing about that is that it was said without the shrill, snarky tone Asuna's maintained for nearly the entire series. It was actually calm, and clear, and spoken from a place of peaceful happiness of someone maybe ready to face their end. In that final moment, with someone she loved, she finally dropped her act and was just *honest* and you know what? From a parody series that's a pretty fucking powerful move to pull on someone. Then the series goes out on one final joke, and the credits roll. They slowly pan out to an arcade-style countdown, and when the screen fades to black on 1, you hear a coin being put in. That was some GOOD FUCKING SHIT THERE and I have to capitalize to emphasize how nice that little bit was after coming right off of the ending scene. Not to keep sucking this series' dick but it was GOOD. Better than it had any right to be and I hope that SWE continues to make the second season as great, if not better and that they have a grand time doing it.

[@jacabo136]

And "I know" is a movie reference to Star Wars. It adds another layer that shows how much Asuna understands Kirito at that point. It's so good.

[@patrikcath1025]

I just realised. We never found out what happened to Fluffles

[@quentinmcwimberton6797]

Well the King of Ashes has found Kirito on Twitter, and since Fluffles was last seen as his right hand...

[@madhouse2594]

@@quentinmcwimberton6797 Meow meow meow! - Don Fluffles

[@rwxstudio7173]

Ah, Don Fluffles. Somehow he got his paws into every major power play.

[@pheonixshaman]

The characters in SAO abridged are leagues better than the characters is SAO.

[@thomasallen9974]

Im interested in how the GGO Abridged plays out since it isnt burning trash, and actually is something decent. LLENN, an amusing relatable character who isnt flat as paper, would be hysterical if some traits got cranked up to 11 (girl got a brutal streak), Pito's not abridged stat is as psycho as Abridged Asuna... probably more crazy honestly, and M hmmm be fun to see what gets done about the usually stoic badass.

[@nathanmorgan3457]

I go by many names. Mountain slayer, thunder lion, chocolate axe, but you can call me.... Tiffany

[@KuroKitsune101]

What I really liked was how in SWE Asuna actually showed being jealous. Something I never understood was how Asuna could just sit there while all these girls hit on her husband/ love interest. She just.... never seems to be bothered by it??? Heck I remember in the Gun-gale arc Kirito introduces her as a "friend" to Sinon and just something about that rubbed me the wrong way. As far as I was able to get into it Asuna and Kirito never actually showed Sinon any sign that they were together. Heck after Sinon was obviously hitting on Kirito one of em could have atleast stepped up and said "uhm... yeah me and Asuna/Kirito are married". I'm convinced that Sinon doesn't even know about them. I guess I could be wrong? maybe I missed a scene or something... anyway /rant.

[@merrittanimation7721]

Just A Penguin Nothing To See Here I love the part when she burns down Lisbeth's shop. It's so over the top.

[@ernesik4636]

And still it fits her character *so well* ...

[@BlazingInferno00]

Yeah in the actual show the harem has absolutely zero point whatsoever. The usual purpose of a harem is to make the viewer question who he's gonna end up with but he's never even slightly tempted by anybody else. So no point

[@DCDragoCraft]

ill admit happily, i do loooooove the original show as well, and the abridged is also a favorite in its own right. that being said the whole her being super jealous is really nice, i however also think the whole her not being jealous makes sense to. i dont prefer the whole yeah him never mentioning them being together however her not being jealous is in my opinion due to her trust in kirito being absolute and being a hopeless romantic, i appreciate that.

[@Midsomnyx]

Kitamura yea but jealousy isn't a rational emotion. No one ever thinks "I trust him/her so I won't get jealous", they think "I'm jealous, but I trust him/her so I won't act on it." Also, this statement would make sense if, in Excalibur/Mother's Rosario, Asuna didn't immediately get jealous over Sinon blatantly flirting with him after giving him the sword, or when she finds out Zekken was a girl.

[@Lord_Pyyr]

“Get to a high enough level and you’re basically untouchable. My wounds heal faster than you can make them; we could do this all day and you would not be any closer to beating me, not that it wouldn’t be fun. But I’ve got good news. There’s no need to wonder where your god is… because he’s right here… *and he’s fresh out of mercy*” was the hardest scene from any media I had ever seen for my formative years 😂

[@DevilsDeal]

But if SAO dies, so does the parody. You're stuck in a paradox. ;-)

[@kakaroto4ever]

Not really as when SAO dies we would still have years of abridged to come up.

[@Dr._Atom]

That's where you wrong kiddo, whether SAO dies or not, the abridged series is so remarkable, so much better, that it becomes immortal

[@MustacheDLuffy]

SAO abridged will take 50 years to get to catching up. SAO dying wouldn’t caus ethe abridge to die unless it’s in terms of relevancy

[@stevensmith699]

"I love you so much I don't know your real name"

[@nik12100]

"Hear me out before you assault me in the comments." What are you taking about, you're absolutely right.

[@Joenah5]

Best parody ever? It's one of my favorite anime ever. SWE's SAO is a masterpiece. Honestly, instead of bashing on SOA, the anime community should only recognize the abridged series.

[@remustdr246]

I watched SAO abridged, and really enjoyed it. As I was watching it I thought "This is funny, and more realistic than a lot of the things that happened in SAO". When I watched the final episode of the first arc, and I heard kirito say "Because now... I've got something worth fighting for"... I fucking felt chills. That was when I thought "This show isn't just funny, and isn't just making a joke of SAO. This series is legitimately better than the source material".

[@EmjiAmsdaughter]

During the part at the end of the final episode where Kirito cries and wails about wanting to be a real family and such, I legitimately teared up.

[@jakell4711]

I had never heard of you or seen SAO abridged, but when this video showed up in my recommended videos, I saw the title and thought "Oh? The best parody ever, huh? That's quite a claim, better check that out." I added this video to watch later and watched SAO abridged. It is soooo much beer than the real show. Now, I don't hate the show, I just think it completely failed to live up to its potential. Well, anyways I guess what I'm saying is SAO abridged may in fact be the best parody ever. Great video too, by the way.

[@trequor]

I did the same thing, but after watching half of Mother Basement's video on it

[@zacharybreen8891]

Dark Lord Crunch Its soooo much beer?

[@monkekun3033]

Hellsing abridged is still the best one out there with sao coming in a close second

[@MustacheDLuffy]

Dark lord, I think that was the point of SAOA. It was meant to show that SAO has or had potential to be a good series. They might be fans but because they made this they can hopefully get other people to make better content about the show and prove that a video game virtual reality idea is something that can work

[@ugregoard2024]

Dbza is also seriously remarkable later on imo

[@FallenPasha]

Kobayashi's Dragon Maid really was a great show. It's funny, heartwarming, emotional, and simply put, a good comedy.

[@bahrinadrian5072]

I know about way more bad anime than good anime

[@forsakenfish]

@@bahrinadrian5072 also the p l o t

[@rozieredz]

The whole series was basically a cautionary tale on screwing things up by making dumb mistakes. Kayaba did it, Sachi made a mistake and died for it, Kirito and Asuna's whole "what happens after sex? Marriage, definitely!! Right?!?!?!" thing, Yui's "death" and Thinker's comedy of errors that led him to stumble into that dungeon in the first place - so many conflicts and negative consequences in the show were caused by a completely avoidable mistake that was under the character's control. And i love it.

[@NexisCatzus]

ADORABLE LITTLE TROGLODYTE

[@anhilliator1]

"Adorable?"

[@angeldude101]

@@anhilliator1 SHUTUPSHUTUP!!!

[@moonlight.z6543]

@@angeldude101 oh jeez you guys said it sooner XDDDDD

[@garrettcarter2959]

It's less of a parody and more of a rewrite. Roger Rabbit the movie is better than Roger Rabbit the book. Why can't other adaptations be superior to the original?

[@Comfy_Luna]

There was a book for Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

[@ariesdemiurge]

Yip, "Who Censored Roger Rabbit," it was called... your childhood will never be the same after you read that book...

[@Comfy_Luna]

Interesting.....I'll have to look for it next time I go to the library.

[@bridgettelair370]

The author even likes the movie so much better than his origonal book that he wrote another that follows the movie's plot.

[@Dumbledoresarmy13]

Ah. Same with 'How to Train Your Dragon'. The movie is 1000x better than the book all 'round.

[@pyr0t3c_]

God damn Bethesda....

[@yesofcourse8520]

IMO, DBZA and SAOA are the two best parodies... ever. Here's why: DBZ Abridged took a great series and, not only turned it into a genius comedy-series, but also expanded on characters that originally were lacking in DBZ, while also taking full advantage of the already great characters, such as Cell, Vegeta and Frieza. I NEVER thought I'd get into characters such as the Ginyu Force, Nappa, or even Android 16, the latter of whom they've given a touching backstory. They've made every episode of the parody so-far enjoyable, and TFS havr done what they needed to in order to make a show worth watching, with great story, comedy, and even emotional moments. SAO Abridged is EASILY comparable comparable to DBZA. It worked with what, in my opinion, is a lesser-quality story, albeit still somewhat enjoyable, and gave us phenomenal characters, great story and comedy, emotinal moments, and an overall great experience. I don't find SAOA or DBZA to be superior to one-another. They're both phenomenal, and at some points, have one-upped their originals, especially SAOA.

[@johnhawes2262]

I'd add Hellsing Abridged to the list. I rewatch that show all the time and it never gets old to me.

[@RetroSavvie]

"Kirito, why do you avoid guilds?" "I don't wanna talk about it."

[@Reydriel]

I love that he's actually traumatised roflmao

[@shanehoover7895]

i've said it before and i will continue to say it. SAO is a good anime to get you into anime, it has great starter plot and good enough animation that me and many other people continued watching anime because of it. Once you have seen enough anime, you can realize its flaws in plot and character development, but if it's one of your first then it will definitely be entertaining and enjoyable.

[@decoy9854]

It can be enjoyable even if you have seen 2000 animes. Just don't think too much about it.

[@shanehoover7895]

exactly, if you go into an anime thinking "okay, let see if i can find some things wrong" or whatever, then overall whats the point of watching, but if you do it for SAO you're not gonna like the show

[@Bruh-sp2bj]

BlackGhost true, sao got me into anime

[@decoy9854]

Angus yeah, SAO is that kinda anime. Like Naruto, Bleach, Fairy Tail, Tokyo Ghoul, etc. People don't usually get into anime with Bakemonogatari, Monster, or something like that.

[@humanbean4037]

Studio Ghibli got me into anime. If I had seen sao first I probably would avoid anime. But I guess you do you.

[@Sukaiba69]

*W E M U S T S A V E M Y F A M I L Y*

[@jimmyvalmer7983]

Mogek0n the bandits are coming

[@pitchingwedge7546]

Remember, to jump: jump

[@morganfitch8325]

Remember, winners don't use drugs. Except steroids. In which case, use lots of drugs.

[@alexanderlawrence7991]

You've been playing for 4608 hours, maybe you should take a break!

[@theunforgiven9641]

Gary!

[@GothicFairyGirl13]

SAO abridged is a god damn treasure to this planet

[@drakeware655]

Another reason why SAOA is an amazing parody; it feels like it was written by actual gamers

[@ZingFreelancer]

You did not mention how portrayal of SWE Asuna is so much better than original one! Incomplete analysis :)

[@lenny3735]

oh hey past me

[@vessdl8525]

episode 5. enough said

[@mrhoapro1]

"that's your job " -Kirito 2017

[@lenny3735]

that's your job NOW HONEY pls use compete phrases

[@KvS1x3]

Zing Freelancer look up exclamation point fot a more in depth look at asuna

[@tank2543]

Fuckin' Bethesda

[@tank2543]

He kept that head explosion tabbed for 2 yrs.

[@onespiker]

Isitpossible ??? But it was such a good seen. Both the start one and the ending one.

[@Notaforumguy007]

The abridged series was definitely better then a OG anime as the overall development of characters and relationships between them aren't fleshed out and kind of leave you with a wtf as for why they are together. The abridged gives them a hate/spiteful relationships at the start with them often at odds but its that chemistry that gives cause for their endearment to each other, rather then a ambiguously amicable relationship that magically becomes love of the original. Klien's bit at the end was touching since he was that normal guy just trying to be friendly to this ass hole character in hopes of making a change and he does in fact make a difference.

[@johnracy2871]

The humor is very deadpool like. Absolutely dark and sarcastic, but with a heartfelt message and story underneath. It's been aprox. a year since episode 14, but I really hope that it keeps up.

[@theaveragegamer7221]

6:28 /Kyaba: As we speak the servers are being shut down and players logged out. /Kyrito: Not in that order right? *looks at falling castle* /Kyaba: You're going to need to get back to me on that one.

[@javierlopezzavaleta6066]

Hellsing ultimate abridged is pretty good

[@jordanious7711]

he acknowledged TFS several times in the video..

[@awesomewinter3103]

Especially that moment where they hid random in hellsing's playlist and hellsing kicks in the door :D

[@stormweaver82]

Back when World of tanks had a open chat to both sides of the battles, I actually made a comment from that show and like 80% from both sides started chipping in.

[@troycummings709]

The only one i will put above SAO abridged TBH

[@shamimaaktar2449]

Javier Lopez Zavaleta Only abridged series I would debate with sao abridged

[@usernamedeww983]

"But I was da one talkin' to ya T-Dog! You got cotton in yo ears OH MY GOD I AM SO SORRY"

[@eddthehead123]

Blazingazurecrow and Grimmjack69 do great abridge work. And neither of them have dropped out half-way through a series.

[@ProjectMouthwash]

Sounds fake.

[@eddthehead123]

So, do you just stalk all mentions of your name, or something?

[@ProjectMouthwash]

I'm not actually sure how I would go about doing that. Your comment was the most recent comment on this when I watched it.

[@eddthehead123]

You know, I'm used to archieve crawls, so I didn;t even realise this was a new video. Carry on. I shall diligently await more episodes like a Screaming Fan Girl With a Knife!

[@92Roar]

Yuno Gasai There's no way he would have the support. He's non-union

[@JohnSmith-op3qj]

SAO Abridged is the quintessential example of "There's no rule saying that the fake can't overcome the original"

[@Geck0GC]

this is a good video I'll clap with my teeth

[@childhoodtraumakid4063]

*chomp chomp chomp chomp chomp-*

[@NoctuaOW]

Not enough people talk about how Klein was LITERALLY a fucking Saint. He not only stuck by kirito but encouraged him to be better no matter how much of an asshole he was to him every step along the way

[@randoanon4785]

A key rule to good parody that so many (The damn Scary Movie dumbasses) forget: the parody must be a good work in and of itself. Remember Looney Toons? Almost every short was a parody, almost none of the originals are something a modern watcher has seen. Does that lessen the enjoyment or quality for a modern viewer? Hell no! Because it's parody done RIGHT.

[@megamage911]

EXACTLY! This is the exact thing I've been saying for years! If you want to make a good parody, it must be good on it's own merits. Sure, it'll obviously be referencing the original material for comedic effect, but it still has to stand on its own. Half the shit that goes on in the Scary Movie movies wouldn't be funny if you didn't know the source materiel (and sometimes not even then sadly) But something like SAOA, DBZA or Hellsing Ultimate Abridged are all funny on their own, even if you've never watched the originals. Hell, I even made this point once for Dethklok. They are clearly a parody of Death Metal, but as a fan of the genre, I can tell you that they still make legit good death metal, just with a bit of a comedic edge to it in how over-the-top it is. So TL;DR, a reference is not funny just because it's a reference, you need to actually do something with it that'll make it funny in it's own right. Sorry that this got a bit long, but I'm very passionate about my comedy entertainment xD

[@trequor]

I would add to this by saying the best parodies STAY TRUE to the genre/works they are parodying. One Punch Man is still a good superhero story, Men in Tights is still a good Robin Hood story, etc. Scary Movie 1 is an alright horror movie, but pretty much every other project from the creators fails this test

[@calebdavis5607]

*someone "hey whats your favorite abridged moment?" "when cell comes out of the shadows singing mister sandman"

[@Lrbearclaw]

Abridgito's rant about humanity is mine. Followed VERY closely with the "Fuck the Fear Turkey" letter.

[@Halinspark]

Lrbearclaw As an MMO player, I love Kayaba's rant about how the players are all morons who couldn't keep themselves alive even if they were wrapped in bubblewrap.

[@Arkayjiya]

My favourite Abridged moment is the final time Vegeta talking about super saiyan to Freeza. I love comedic works but I don't laugh that often, but the first time I heard Freeza fricking out at Vegeta once again invoking the super sajan name I couldn't stop it. As a more serious moments, Cell singing (both super creepily as its original version and later as Perfect Cell) are definitely some of my favourite moments. As is Episode 10 of SAO: Abridged. The family episode was the best single episode of any abridged series I ever watched.

[@DemonMage]

morning morality - shnoze - aka nose.

[@Midsomnyx]

Namekian: We've come to stop the senseless slaughter of our people Frieza: 92 Namkian: We're here, and now your reign of terror has come to an end Freiza: 355 Namekian: ..wha- Frieza: No no, keep going, don't let me interrupt Namekian: ... and we're the one's who are going to stop you Frieza: Oh wow, 419 Namekian: That's it! What the heck are you doing? Frieza: Oh it's a little hobby of mine. I hear these heroic speeches so drearily often I started making a mental list of how many times I've heard certain lines. Namekian: You insane bastard! Frieza: 190 I've never laughed so hard in my entire life.

[@gary4014]

WE MUST SAVE MY FAMILY!

[@tizianopitzalis7537]

THE BANDITS ARE COMING

[@brettthebest3978]

I kinda want the Sao series keep going so “something witty entertainment” can abridged it and make it better

[@calsheridan8961]

DBZA, in the hands of Team Four Star, is a straight up dub. It eliminates A LOT of filler, but it also just retells the story. Which is amazing, because who doesn't love the story of DBZ?! Kai (which literally means "Abridged", so HA!) does this too! And now we have a great dub for people who enjoy the more humorous aspects of DBZ. SAOA is a complete reimagining of the series. Adding complexities and other things the original never had to begin with! It's really a manner of how they abridge things.

[@Sentariana]

Cal Sheridan "Who doesn't love DBZ?" Me. I hate DBZ. It's the art style. It hurts my eyes to look at. It's awful.

[@PSqqp]

No, an abridge is when something is shortened. While that’s what Kai is, that’s not what the name describes. It really means more of a new form of DBZ or a fixed DBZ.

[@mckenzie.latham91]

"SAOA is a complete reimagining of the series. Adding complexities and other things the original never had to begin with! It's really a manner of how they abridge things." Actually the difference is, DBZA as you said, it makes a less filler based, more humerus re-telling of the series... and it does so becasue the teamfouestar group are fans of the original show SAOA while clearly liking the premise and the idea of SAO obviously can't stand the series itself and basically re-wrote it into something actually worth while. the difference is not in the abridged styles but in how well the original series were... DBZA didn't need to re-write the show becasue the show worked, they just made it more funny and less heavy/filler based, while still making fun of some of the issues or plot holes... such as Krillin never using his most powerful techniques when they'd be most useful, how characters just let enemies transform and or gain more power without attempting to stop them, how characters don't gang up on or just stand to the side for one on one death matches with the fate of the world or universe in the balance, etc. SAO was bad enough that SAOA felt the need to basically reboot the entire series in their parody.

[@ShadowWolfRising]

I honestly dislike Kai, alot of DBZ's filler was actually entertaining (Them learning to drive.) not to mention The American Soundtrack is leagues better than the original's, which was removed in Kai.

[@rotciv1492]

You forgot the point number 4: THE TUTORIAL NPC. xD no need to explain, people will understand.

[@thallan]

"we have to save my family!" "see, some of them even have family! wait, gary? is that you?"

[@mr.cup6yearsago211]

“Bet you didn’t expect to see me again, did ya?” *Horrible screaming* “WE HAVE TO SAVE MY- AAAAGH!” “THIS IS FOR YOU, SACHI! EAT MY SWEET VENGEANCE, HOW DOES IT TASTE?!” It wasn’t the tutorial bot, but Greg was the best NPC companion.

[@liquidgarfield8523]

"2000 people died cause the tutorial npc is nowhere to be found" -Kaiyaba

[@Nobody-jd4fn]

To jump JUMP

[@louisduarte8763]

14:14 "We must save my family!" "Winners don't use drugs! Unless they're steroids. The use lots of drugs!"

[@deadlineuniverse3189]

“I don‘t hate people for making SAO videos“ I would be worried about you if you would, because this is a SAO video

[@ShiningDarknes]

Actually reason one it is the best parody ever: If you were to show this to someone who had not watched the source material they would legitimately wonder why so many people say SAO is garbage.

[@hanro50]

Shining Darkness True...

[@SadPawn]

Actually, i saw the abridged series before i watched the anime. I really liked it, so i decided to watch the anime and... i was hugely disappointed. I knew it'd be different, but i didn't suspect it'd seem so... bland in comparison to the abridged series. I was never able to watch more than one and a half episode of it.

[@scp--297]

Ryma2001 Like wise.

[@goblin7189]

Good. It’s better that way.

[@eroszakos9042]

I watched the first two episodes of the anime quite a bit after I watched the Abridged series and proceeded to violently vomit after witnessing the completely irrational behavior of the characters in the second episode.

[@jgkitarel]

I watched the Abridge and then watched the anime as well. As a long time anime veteran (cut my teeth on it with Robotech, Thundercats and Voltron back when I was a kid in the 80s and only got really interested in anime when I watched Akira (the original Sunrise dub) for the first time.... well, I saw that SAO had potential, but was clearly a gateway anime. Enjoyed the premise, was meh on the storytelling, and simply watched it for some mindless entertainment. I liked the original series, but then again, I liked it because I was entertained. I've seen far worse anime out there after all. And trust me, there is some seriously shit anime out there that makes this seem like a big budget Disney film in comparison. Watch the original Ghost Stories. The subtitled version. The dub is so good and hilarious because even _ADV_ recognized just how much of a piece of shit it was, so they decided to do a gag dub. It was still bad, but it was hilariously so.

[@sceptile6375]

Ryma2001 want to know something funny Those were the good ones

[@Kotaichi]

The great thing about SAO Abridged is that it feels like a better show than the actual SAO

[@camoshotgun6912]

Sword art online abridged actually got me into the series. I went back and watched original series just to see the source material for the abridged show and kinda liked it and watched season 1 and 2 and yes there were flaws but I got exited to see what the abridged version would do with season 2 and I still am as of summer 2019. The original is flawed yes but that just leaves more for the abridged parody to run with and surpass the original if you have not seen the original season 1 or 2 it's worth a watch to see where the abridged version came from.