@Enzeru:
Comparing SAO and GC is too exaggerated. The former is an adaption of an amazing LN while the latter is an original anime production (plus the ending is utter shit while the rest is pretty darn good. Still not comparable to SAO though). I understand that one might not exactly fall in love with the anime since some things were rushed while others were paid too much attention to (it felt like Asuna's character was pushed unnecessary at some points which is unneeded since in the novel she gets portrayed perfectly already) so I can wholeheartedly recommend to anyone reading the novel and experiencing the true story the way it's meant to be.
The arc which follows now is a good one and I'm confident that people will enjoy watching it. I most certainly will.
Got a link to a translated version of the LN?
@Crossword:
Now now, that's being a bit unfair. It takes a very special cocktail of bad to hit the highs (lows) of Guilty Crown. At its worst Sword Art Online is harmlessly humdrum.
-Unconvincing characters
-The pacing of the story is awkward and ridiculous with clear plot holes and loose ends:
Episode 1: November 6, 2022 - The game launches.
Episode 2: December 2, 2022 - Aftermath of being told they're trapped in the game, Kirito is a Beeter (I honestly don't know why this is a bad thing. The guy has played the game. Become his friend and clear the game you fucking noobs!).
Episode 3: April - December 24, 2023 - Kirito joins a guild, they all die. And then a FUCKING EIGHT MONTH TIME SKIP ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! What about EVERYTHING that happened in between?! Think of the content, character development (they ALL needed it), etc. At least do a flashback montage or something to give later episodes some depth… Or did Kirito just cry for eight months?
Episode 4: February 23, 2024 - Kirito saves some noob and trolls some other noobs, but nothing important happens.
Episode 5/6: March 6, 2024 - Detective Kirito and Asuna... nothing important happens since the PK guild is never heard from again.
Episode 7 - 13 : June 24 - ??, 2024 - Smith falls in love with Kirito (useless story), Kirito and Asuna fight a dungeon, Asuna gets a stalker, Kirito joins Kights of Blood Oath, Kirito almost dies and falls in love with Asuna (unconvincing), they both request time off and get married, adopts an AI child who dies (unconvincing considering she's an NPC and Asuna doesn't care about NPCs), returns to battle after only 3 weeks since taking time off, fights the skullreapershit, Kirito duels the game creator (unconvincing turn of events with random bad guy and anti-climactic to boot), Asuna dies (or wait, she doesn't), clears the game (because love is stronger than preprogrammed computer script or some shit).
In all, it's a different type of bad, but bad nonetheless. There was so much more that could have been done, but it was tossed aside in favour of cutsey characters and shitty relationship building. Kirito and Klein (going back to ep 1 and 2) didn't even sort through their issues (?) properly. It was pretty much a "hey, in case I die, sorry 'bout that thing that one time tweo years ago. We cool bro?"