I like romance when the characters’ dynamics can sell it to me. Characters that are together for the sake of being together, don’t appeal to me. Because when they do get together, it isn’t satisfying to see. But that’s exactly why we are going to discuss Kirito and Asuna’s companionship in today’s segment of Lore Analysis. Today, it’s how Kirito and Asuna fail to do in multiple iterations, what some couples can do in a single season.

Kirito And Asuna: Match Made In Gaming Hell?

I have never made my disdain for Kirito and his character arc a secret. I simply don’t like how he goes about with his actions, and the show portrays it as peak ‘Hero’ behavior that other men should emulate because he’s awful.

This is a byproduct of the harem anime genre, in general, where you have the main protagonist be so utterly oblivious when a woman shows their interest in him. It lends them to not be invested in their love interest, putting the onus on said love interest to carry the relationship forward. And look, oblivious characters falling in love is something I enjoy incredibly, but only when their relationship is written in a way that it’s engaging.

And with Asuna and Kirito, that just doesn’t happen. The show practically screams at us about how in love they are, or how they will be the main couple by the end. But the characters themselves don’t showcase it very well. And that’s partly because they are watered-down versions of weak tropes. Asuna plays up the damsel in distress act, Kirito is a glorified Gary Stu and both of them together make for a milquetoast coupling. So whatever milestone they do end up achieving, like a confession or even marriage, does absolutely nothing for the viewer.

Why Couples With No Chemistry Drag A Show Down:

And that’s the real problem here, pushing a couple with no actual chemistry or compelling character growth between them is what ruins a show. The premise is important for any anime, but for it to be executed well, you need compelling characters as well.

And Sword Art Online has no idea how to do this. As stated before, Kirito and Asuna seem to be a couple for the sake of a story, and not because their characters work well together. There is no banter, no inherent motivation behind their actions towards each other beyond pushing the plot along. And then makes for a very bland watch. Like, who’d watch an anime where the characters are such watered-down and tired stereotypes?

Honestly, I’d rather watch a single season of a loosely tied plot with compelling characters, rather than see multiple seasons of an anime with boring ones.